THE LEAN SEASON : New Leotards in Florals and Plaids Help You Look Good While You Shape Up

Exercise. When the problem is keeping at it, great-looking clothes can help. Reflecting the shift from “feel the burn” workouts to gentler body conditioning such as yoga and ballet, the “power athlete” look is giving way to leotards in floral prints, plaids, even lace. Colors are changing as well. Neon solids, now seemingly too strident for asanas on a floor mat, are being traded for a flattering spectrum of soft blues, purples, pinks and oranges.

“People who exercise want more interesting shapes and fabric choices now,” says Carushka, whose Van Nuys-based company has been making progressive exercise clothing for 12 years. Carushka’s new plaid leotard, inspired by the plaid capris she saw on a Parisian girl, is made from a woven material that feels like taffeta. Gilda Marx is using breathable Coolmax to line her clingy suits. And then there’s the Supplex nylon used by Danskin and Nike that draws moisture away from the body, dries quickly and makes this season’s pale colors intensely beautiful.

Hair: Allison Sherwood /Cloutier; makeup: Wendy Osmundson /Cloutier; models: Yvonne Schloss /Elite and Amy Rearwin /Bordeaux. Photographed at the Katnap Dance Center, Mar Vista.