Nina Dobrev did an event at Coachella for Reebok, where she talked about the fact that she wears activewear on the daily. This seems to be a very California thing, although I will admit that I wear my workout clothes outside the gym I try not to make a habit of it. It’s socially acceptable here on the east coast, it just seems more common out in California where it’s sunny all the time. (Sidenote: have you seen this video?) Reebok has higher end leggings at Nordstrom which run from $55 to $85. I spend $30 at most on leggings and I’ll sometimes buy the really cheap ones overseas on eBay, but I digress. Anyway People made a big deal out of the fact that Nina is claiming leggings can double as pants, but I don’t really think she’s saying that, just that she’s not ashamed to wear her workout clothes around town.
Whether Nina is filming on set or working out in the California desert, staying active is a really big part of her life. “Me and my girlfriend, who I work with a lot on set, do challenges every single day during our lunch break,” she told Teen Vogue. “We’ll do reverse lunges and planks to see how long we can go before someone gives up. I even asked one of the producers if he could build us a volleyball court and they did. [Being there] 12 hours a day… sometimes I don’t have time to go to the gym.”
Nina’s also made workout gear part of her everyday wardrobe. “For better or for worse, I tend to wear my workout clothes in my day to day life because now workout clothes are so stylish,” she said, adding that Reebok’s Classic Leathers is a staple for her elevated sporty look. “What I love about the Classics is that they’re specifically leather, so they can kind of go day to night. For guys, the black ones look like formal shoes… so you can dress them up, too.” – Teen Vogue
“I think that leggings have come a long way. I was a dancer and I went to musical theater high school so leggings were my uniform, if you will, and it was just not the same. They were your workout thing and then you would change into jeans immediately. Whereas now leggings have mesh and really cool patterns…They’ve tailored the pieces to make them more fashion forward so you feel good in them…
“I like to mix and match…I don’t want to be the one who goes to the gym and looks aggressive. At the end of the day, it looks cool because it is cool, it shouldn’t look like you’re trying hard. Some people just go to the gym with full face, full hair done, it looks like they just walked out of a salon.” – People
She’s not saying that leggings are pants, just that you can wear them out and not be embarrassed to be seen in them, I think. Things have changed in that department quite a bit over the years. Personally, if I wear my workout gear all day that usually means I’m depressed or on my period. This may be TMI, but I wear workout gear to bed so I can wake up and get a workout in. Then if I don’t change, whether I’ve worked out or not, it’s like I’m wearing my pajamas around town. Even though it appears I am being fashionable, I know I haven’t changed all day. So I kind of look forward to wearing actual clothes. How much trouble is it to change really?
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Note: I found a lot of photos of Nina in workout gear walking around but they’re exclusive to one agency so we don’t have access to them. These photos are credit: WENN and Reebok
I guess if I lived in CA and looked good in workout wear, I wouldn’t bother to change either
I don’t even blink an eye at everyone living in active wear every day in California (other than to be jealous because I have to get dressed for an office job). Given the opportunity, I would be in active wear too.
Maybe it’s because I’m a mom to four kids five and under but I wear workout clothes daily and it’s very acceptable here in the Midwest. I don’t think I look like I rolled out of bed or anything either because I wear nice stuff. I’ll actually spend more money on my workout clothes then regular because I know I’ll get more use out of them. Running around the house all day getting pooped on or drooled on or food thrown at you is a lot comfortable in workout clothes then in jeans.
Totally agree with you!
I’m on the leggings as pants team.
Same.
Eww… I hate leggings lol nothing against you.
Me too Steph. Legging aren’t pants people! Now some sweat pants are very fashionable these days. (The Active Wear vid was a hoot.)
Lol. Why though?
My legs look really skinny in them, and most leggings’ fabric look cheap.
Ever since giving birth I am as well. I just can’t for the life of me find jeans comfortable anymore, leggings or sweat pants it is.
Yep. Comfy, easy. Anything that gives a female a break is good with me. When I see everyone break out into hives over the ubiquitous cargo shorts for men, then maybe I’ll take a closer look.
So am I! Just because some people wear cheapy see thru ones does not mean they aren’t pants.
That activewear video was funny! Their ‘gluten free’ video was also great, a new channel to follow. 🙂
Have you also seen their period video? It is HILARIOUS:
https://youtu.be/5nzrhTKWjOI
That Activewear video was a hoot!
I admit I wear some of my black sport leggings as actual leggings – i.e. with tunic shirts and dresses because some of them do have cute patterns, but I’ve yet to give into the athleisure wear trend outside of when I’m actually heading toward the gym at some later point in the day. I just don’t see the appeal of being in spandex all day, but that may be because I don’t have Nina Dobrev’s body, lol.
I do, however, spend a pretty decent amount of money on mine because I prefer the body wick materials for working out. (I’ve also got a decent number of Victoria Secret sport leggings from working there for two years. We were allowed to wear the black ones as pants and could dress them up, so why not? They also are admittedly good for workouts, though the PINK ones are better for yoga than heavy exertion because they lack the body wick.)
I must be super cheap. I don’t like to spend more than $20 on my compression pants. I wait until Old Navy has a sale, and I can get them for $18 or less.
Old navy compression pants though, don’t have a lot of compression. Less and less it seems. Started off great but every year season seems they have compression. Good for light exercise. When I need a little more compression buy Lole or Athleta. Sometimes Nordstrom’s will have good sales, or Nordstrom rack.
lol so because you sleep in workout clothes (which is kinda weird) you think workout clothes are equal to PJs. sold logic there!
“How much trouble is it to change, really?” asks the person who wears her workout clothes to bed because she doesn’t want to change into them in the morning to work out.
I wondered whether someone was going to catch that. And I was not disappoint!
To be fair, some people find it easier to workout in the morning if there are less steps to get ready. I wear my workout clothes to bed too which makes it easier to get up and go at 5am. I am all for wearing them during the day too though 🙂
When she’s working or at an event, she’s probably squeezed into uncomfortable clothes and high heels in the name of fashion. Can’t say I blame her for opting for comfort during her downtime. I have to dress up for work and you will never catch me outside of work in anything less comfortable than jeggings and flats, If it’s weekend errands I’m totally in nice workout wear. Why not? It’s clean and comfortable.
I mean she’s a spokesperson for Reebok so of course she says those things.
I will NEVER wear my running clothes to do anything but run. But I don’t have to because I can’t combine it with running errands anyway. Still. I barely see people here (Germany) do that. We tend to wear all kinds of questionable attire but somehow stay away from workout clothes. I guess if it’s a thing in the U.S., why not.
I wish I could be on the ‘I like cheap leggings’ bandwagon, but I just cant! I’ve tried (as recently as last month) leggings at old navy (the compression kind), Express, and Gap, and they were all just awkwardly uncomfortable in the crotch area, and scratchy everywhere else.
Sadly (and I’m a little embarrassed by this, given the shenanigans they’ve pulled as a company), I always go back to Lululemon for work out leggings and Aritzia for comfy cotton ones. They are fing expensive, but always comfy and last for aaaaages. And my they make my bum look good. (cringe).
My point is: please recommend comfy work out leggings… ones that don’t cost the earth. My wallet and mortgage will thank you.
The brand Zella carried at Nordstrom has leggings that are exactly the same as Lululemon’s for literally half the cost. They’re about $50 unless you get them during one of their yearly sales. Zella is actually a brand started by someone who used to run Lululemon or something along those lines. I’m not sure what the exact details are. There are tons of blog posts and reviews online comparing the 2 and everyone says they’re the same, so don’t just take my word for it!
I have to agree with you that cheap leggings just don’t compare and I really wish that they did. I have some from Target that I like, but they’re definitely not quality and I’m always replacing them because you get what you pay for.
My neighbor says she hasn’t worn a normal pair of pants in months. Here on the west coast I see as many leggings on women almost more than jeans or any other pant. Live close to the beach and maybe people wear them more to the beach? Even older women. I’m very old fashioned in my work clothes my workouts clothes are workout clothes, office clothes office clothes, etc. The make your butt look good, are comfortable and cheaper than normal pants can see why women like wearing them but just can’t myself do the switch to everyday wear.
I don’t think leggings are appropriate for work, imo. There’s a young girl at my job who always wears leggings with a short top, and it’s extremely revealing.
I find that the older I get, the more polished and put together I feel when I wear actual clothes. I live in SoCal and people live in their active wear-my kids’ school is a Lulu Lemon hotspot for the moms. But unless I am running into the grocery store after being at the gym, I put on real clothing.
I wear yoga pants and leggings around the house everyday, but rarely when I go in public. The few times I have I feel very awkward. I love clothes though. I’m one of those people who dresses up to go the grocery store, so it just isn’t for me.
Me too! All the time!
For running errands, etc… I prefer loose sweatpants to tight leggings or yoga pants. Partly so that my “area” can breathe, but I also don’t want gross men looking at my butt all day.
But aren’t sweatpants too hot? Here it’s already swinging between 60-80 degrees fare height and it was 59% humidity today. For me, it’s cotton black yoga pants (they’re not skin tight), or shorts (hate shorts. Hate shaving every day. But if it’s hot enough)
Just finished a full workout with my trainer, doing a conference call in the car, and then I’m headed to the grocery store..shame on me I guess, but I have a jam packed day, and if I don’t buy groceries, we’re SOL tonight. I’ve managed to cook out of the freezer the last two nights, but even that’s starting to look a little bare.
I only wear leggings as pants if they are tucked into boots. And I have walked around pre and post workout in my gym clothes …. but only if I have to much to carry and need to run errands. I don’t drive so clothing g chNge has to come with me. But if I’m meeting someone for brunch or something I will change. To get a nail fill I would stay ingym clothes. Clothes shopping would require a shower because EW!! My “guidelines” lol.
Brands like Lululemon and Athleta make wearing workout gear as regular clothes a lot easier…pricey but cute.
As long as they cover the important bits, I can do it. Cute work out leggings and shoes are my travel uniform. I’m traveling right now in Europe so a pair of good leggings with Different cute tops; slouchy, long, layerable, and maybe some cute button ups and you have a versatile set of clothes that are comfy and not bulky. Plus if you do work up a little sweat or have to be physical they can withstand it!