Finding Reasonably Priced Bodywear Is an Easy Exercise
Women have a tough enough time just trying to keep in shape, much less sweating over the cost of buying snazzy exercise outfits. Luckily, aerobic wear for women has pared itself down--in style, weight of the material and price--so that finding smart exercise wear is as effortless as touching your toes was in more youthful days.
In your search for that Stairmaster dazzler, be on the lookout for Suplex, a new material from Dupont, which is the latest in lightweight aerobic-wear material. It won’t fade, stretch or pile. Also, zero in on the cat suit (you can thank “Batman Return’s” Michelle Pfeiffer for this one). It’s a full-length unitard that costs about half the price of traditional designer bodysuits (Donna Karan’s bodysuit sold for $95).
Some places that offer a good selection on bodywear include:
COLLECTIONS
Everything in this store is priced at $15. The main label here is Jumping Joy, and you’ll find leggings, bodysuits and leotards. Available are under-wire, long-sleeved bodysuits made of a blend of cotton, polyester and spandex in solid black, red, neutral, tan, gray; cotton/spandex cat suits; relaxed, looser-fitting leggings in green, teal, rose, honey, orange, red, white, purple, gray and black, and a small amount of biker-short sets.
4237 Campus Drive, Suite B155, Irvine, (714) 854-4452.
DANCEGEAR
This boutique has some lovely, pricey items as well as a well-stocked sale rack that offers items at 50% off. On a recent visit were a Baryshnikov T-shirt ($16.50), Carushka leotards ($17), black lace stretch pants by Kofe ($17) and Basic Threads cotton sweat pants ($14-$15).
Fashion Island Newport Beach, (714) 644-9033.
JAZZERCISE--FIT FASHION BOUTIQUE
This dance studio’s boutique has competitive prices as well as some unique, stylized aerobic and dancewear. You can find a mustard-colored Maxi Modo cotton/polyester/Lycra leotard and bra top with black mesh netting ($41), a high-fashion Kathy George leotard of cotton/Lycra that can double as a shirt ($22) and a two-piece flowered cotton/Lycra leotard by One Step Ahead ($29). The store also carries some maternity leotards and cover-ups, plus exercise wear accessories.
4620 Barranca Parkway, Irvine. (714) 552-6155.
MARSHALLS
Marshalls carries 20 brands of exercise wear at “off-prices.” Some noteworthy examples include a black-colored unitard by Bonnie August ($22) and a Topango bra top with attached shorts in a mix of pastels ($20).
8140 Santa Ana Canyon Road, Anaheim Hills, (714) 283-2085; 945 Birch St., Brea, (714) 529-0386; 2300 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, (714) 540-0823; Orange Fair Shopping Center, Fullerton, (714) 526-8088; 9939 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove, (714) 539-6162; 16672 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, (714) 848-9333; 24271 Ave. de la Carlota, Laguna Hills, (714) 855-4133; 31878 Del Obispo, San Juan Capistrano, (714) 240-2711; El Camino Plaza, Tustin, (714) 669-8948).
MERVYN’S DEPARTMENT STORES
The sportswear department is well-stocked with sale items, including bike shorts in six colors by Cheetah ($10). Regularly priced sportswear includes a V-neck cotton/spandex sports crop top ($16), a scooped-neck, cap-sleeved unitard ($26) and an embellished yellow and white sparkled floral print cover-up for after workout wear ($20).
500 N. Euclid St., Anaheim, (714) 991-8880; 10201 Valley View St., Cypress, (714) 995-8003; 13092 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove, (714) 539-8090; 3204 E. Yorba Linda Blvd., Fullerton, (714) 996-8800; 9811 Adams Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 963-9731; 7777 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 891-5151; 3960 Barranca Parkway, Irvine, (714) 551-8868 and 18182 Irvine Blvd., Tustin, (714) 838-8803.
ROSS DRESS FOR LESS
This discount house has a good selection of bodywear from Bonnie August, Tight End and Gilda Marx. On a recent visit were skintight biker-length spandex/Lycra black leotards ($6-$12) and a Bonnie August two-piece bodysuit ($15).
27991 Greenfield Drive, Laguna Niguel, (714) 831-2677; 1821 W. Imperial Highway, La Habra, (310) 691-7972; 24332 Rockfield Blvd., Lake Forest, (714) 855-0064; Tustin Marketplace, (714) 731-9360.
SOME BODY AEROBIC WEAR
This boutique offers a selection of 45 aerobic wear manufacturers with items priced below suggested retail. On sale are a floral cotton print thong leotard from One Step Ahead ($20), a racer-back mix-and-match biker set with mini-shorts ($18 and bra ($17), and a lavender cotton/Lycra cat suit ($34). Slip on a matching belt ($3.50) and you have a party outfit.
25292 McIntyre St., Suite D, Laguna Hills, (714) 455-1774.
