So I have a confession, I am addicted to yoga pants. Now before I go on, I must admit that I have a bit of an obsessive way about me. For example, when I was interested in colored pens I had to research and try all the different brands to see what ones were the best. When I was into sewing, I got a whole bunch of different fabrics so I could practice on different materials and make little useless headbands for my daughter. My obsessions are often short lived, but they always serve a purpose and are fun. My husband likes to say I am a hoarder, but I like to think I just have nice ‘collections’ of stuff. Regardless, the biggest collection I’ve had to date is my closet of workout clothes.
It all began with Lululemon, affectionately known to me and my friends as ‘Lulu’. Growing up in Canada Lulu had just become popular when I was in high school. I was a cheerleader, gym rat, and going off to Univeristy for Kinesiology, I needed these high-priced yoga pants in my life. I put aside money that I made busting my butt as a hostess at a greasy chicken restaurant so I could buy fancy yoga pants and Parasuco jeans (ha!). I thought I was really cool. At the time, I could only afford a new pair once or twice a year, so my collection was pretty small.
In University, I worked as a personal trainer and a bartender while going to school full time. Lululemon was an obvious necessity. I would treat myself to a new pair here and there and had a pretty decent collection of wonder under pants and running shorts. I never wore leggings or crops back then; they weren’t cool yet.
When I moved to California, I was devastated to find out barely anybody knew what Lululemon was! Are you kidding me?! My fancy hoodies went unnoticed, and people wondered why I wasn’t wearing NIKE at the gym. I had to wonder what was wrong with all these people. I had gotten rid of almost all my worldly possessions before moving to California, but of course, I filled a suitcase with athletic clothes because I couldn’t bear the thought of giving them away.
After having my daughter, I decided it was time to start getting rid of some stuff. I carefully sorted through my closet and picked out all the things I could live without. It was hard. Each pair of pants seemed to mean something special to me. They represented all the late nights I worked at the bar, and hours spent at the gym keeping my body trim so I could fit into those damn pants. After my daughter, none of my clothes fit me for a while, so out of sadness and a need for a fresh start I sold a lot of my stuff. Crazy enough as the women came to my house to buy my used Lululemon clothes it made me happy to know they were going to good homes.
Just in case, you were curious, I currently own 23 pairs of yoga pants. I no longer buy very much stuff for myself (children seem to have that affect on us!) but since I sold off most of my old stuff this year I did use the money to buy a few new pairs to replace them. They are a healthy mix of Lululemon, Fabletics, LOLE, and some other less expensive brands I tried along the way. They are no longer a representation of how hard I worked to get to where I am both personally and professionally, but rather serve as my motivation to keep going after bigger dreams!
How many pairs of gym pants do you have? Does a new gym outfit inspire you to get back into a workout routine? Hop on over to my instagram @fitmamasb to share!
In fitness and yoga pants,
Natasha