Exercise the Right to Hide Your Sins

It’s hard getting back into shape. If you decide to go the gym route, you may be a little perplexed about what to wear. Skimpy, skintight leotards and outfits might look great on women who are true veterans of step aerobics and StairMasters, but those with areas to tone and weight to shed may be a little uncomfortable revealing so much.

“Everyone feels self-conscious about exercising with others at first,” says clothing designer Ellen Corcoran of Yorba Linda. “But you don’t have to jump into these ‘look at me’ outfits right away. There is some subtle, looser-fitting exercise clothing out there that looks great.”

The basic philosophy of exercise wear is to camouflage. “For many women who are concerned about their overall weight, we recommend a pair of leggings with a large T-shirt,” says Susan Shaw of Dancegear in Newport Beach. “Most exercise wear shops sell large and long T-shirts for this purpose, to cover what you don’t want to show.”

T-shirts also hide upper arms, and they serve a utilitarian purpose. “There are some fashionable shirts out there that look great, and they’re comfortable and loose-fitting,” Shaw says.

“Lots of women who have the shape to wear tight-fitting leotards wear T-shirts and leggings instead,” Corcoran says. “They’re easy to move around in, which helps when you’re involved in aerobic activity.”

T-shirts also can be handy as an accessory. “Another look we’ve seen is a unitard with a T-shirt tied around the waist,” Shaw says. “That way you’re covering up, but just in the back.”

New on the scene are wrap skirts, cover-ups that look like tied-around shirts. “These cover up, but they’re a little more fashionable than a T-shirt. They’re something you could go get coffee in after your workout,” Shaw says.

Wrap skirts come in a variety of colors and patterns, as well as lengths. “They’re excellent for use as exercise or beachwear, and they either tie in front or . . . [attach] with Velcro pads.”

Of course, there’s also the option of using the traditional, fleece-cotton sweat shirt and pants. “In cooler weather, these are great,” Corcoran says. “They work well at the gym unless you’re going to be doing aerobics. In that case, you may find that you get too hot too quickly. Wear them over a T-shirt and leggings you can strip down to.”