What to Wear ... Under There

I do NOT have a thigh gap.

I have no strong feelings in the "are leggins pants" debate, but I am personally not comfortable wearing leggings anywhere other than to exercise. As I often stop at a store on the way home from Zumba, I'm usually wearing something a little less form fitting. Back to my original statement. The lack of a thigh gap. I like leggings because they cover everything up, so no skin rubs together annoyingly. With baggier workout wear ... it's an issue. 

I had one pair of "bike shorts" that I would wear under my baggy bottoms. They worked pretty well, but as I did the family laundry, and saw the compression shorts in the boy's wash loads I thought "THAT is what I want" ... something super thin, compression would be nice, beyond the short "boy shorts" underwear available (tried those, need them longer down the legs). I did a search on Amazon and found these women's compression shorts (pictured above). A pack of three for $22, so just over $7 each. A better price than most bike shorts I'd seen. 

Now many women would wear these alone, as shorts. They are not technically underwear. For me though, they are under only. There's not a ton of compression to keep the tummy in, but I've liked that little extra support. But the reason I bought them, to help prevent any chaffing there on the thighs, they work perfectly. That little "phone pocket" has come in handy when my workout pants don't have pockets. I like the slightly higher waist as well.

I live in my workout wear enough that it feels a little strange when I go back to normal, not "long" underwear under there!

A Jillion Jackets

Time for another edition of  "What I'm Wearing Wednesday" ...

When it's Winter ... we need to stay warm, right? It's been a mild winter here (in Utah) and jackets have been the main outerwear this year. How many hoodies does a girl need? Apparently, quite a few! Here's what's hanging in my office, easily accessible as I'm in and out of the house. I've posted before that I lack color confidence and I embrace the black ... and that is obvious again looking at my jackets! But isn't my hoodie hanger adorable? I remember looking for an over the door rack and when I saw this one, I knew it was the one for me. It makes me smile every time I look at it.

A new addition this Winter was this cute Boymom sweatshirt hoodie. As a mom to five boys, this apparel appeals to me. It's big and fluffy and comfy and cute. One of the other hoodies hanging there is made of a thinner, more athletic fabric with a quarter-zip, more appropriate for heading to Zumba. Often I don't feel like pulling something over my head at all, so I need one or two full-zip jackets too.  One huge hoodie is actually one of Hub's old ones, which I only wear in the backyard when I'm on duckie duty (as that is often a bit dirty and dusty work, I don't want to wear my nice jackets for that).

I have a couple non-hoodie jackets too. I don't use the hoods often really (only if it's raining or something). I picked up a cute jacket a year or two at Sam's Club, which is a grayish design. I wear it when I'm wearing plain black bottoms.

As I head to Zumba however, I am usually wearing some grayish capris with a similar (yet contrasting) pattern. When I found this cute jacket (pictured on the left here) on sale at Sears I picked it up. I love the runching along the front zipper. It just adds a bit of a feminine feel, and makes it a little unique compared to all the other jackets out there ... and of course I love the basic black.  And the thumb holes, I like those too. Do you?

Of course, the jackets must also work well tied around the waist during dancing at Zumba.  

I'm not alone. Here's the "hoodie hook" for my #3 son.

My munchkin though (#5) will NOT wear a hoodie. He refuses to pull anything over his head after he's done his hair (he's just 12 years old, but do NOT mess with the do!) He's also a brand snob, and won't wear anything but Nike, and they are $$. So he only has two jackets, both zip-up. One red, one black ... glancing through any family photos you'll be sure to see them again, and again, and again!

Hundreds of Hoodies.

A Jillion Jackets.

A Couple of Coats ... Just In Case.

What about you? 

Do you like having a hood? Are you okay with over-the-head or do you require a zipper closure? Thick or thin? Thumb-holes? Color? Name brands? Do you hang on hooks or in a closet? Does a jacket work for your winter or do you need something stronger to stay warm? What are you wearing?

Footwear Feature

Workout Wednesday ... or What I'm Wearing Wednesday.

Either one works as I feature my footwear!

Lately, I've been pretty good at getting the workouts in. I pop down to my home gym multiple times a day. I just keep my footwear there in the gym, because I rarely wear them anywhere else. The other day, as I'd done four different workouts wearing four different types of footwear ... they were all lined up and I HAD to shoot a picture. 

I've talked about shoes/slippers several times on the blog before. My pink fuzzy slippers and navy slippers appeared all the way back on a post in 2014. Not much wear and tear on the elliptical and stationary bike. I've also had my Sketchers ... the "Shape-Ups" that were all the rage years ago for a long while. I only wear them for my weight workouts ... I never liked walking in them.

Even with the little running (jogging ... wogging) I do, I have had to replace my running shoes a few times. I have yet to go to a running store to have a personalized recommendation. I guess I feel like I'm not a serious enough runner to do that. My most recent pair are Ryka brand, and I've liked them ... as much as I like any shoe. I hate shoes. 

My oldest son just bought himself a new pair of running shoes ... and he's been using them. He marks the miles on the side of the shoe. He ran a marathon! Over six days anyway. He's been trying to keep up with me on the Fitbit Family list (I'm currently staying ahead though.)

I like that the boys are old enough now that they are buying their own shoes. 

I'm cheap ... they are not. 

They are Nike snobs

#1 son bought these RoscheTwoFlyKnit shoes, and #2 liked them enough that he immediately ordered a pair too. 

#2 bought himself the basic Nike Rosche shoes a while back. #3 ended up getting a couple, and then the little boys did too (courtesy of #2 for their birthdays). They are really showing the wear and tear. Toes poking through! They do get pretty rough treatment though. 

While I don't run a lot, I do spend quite a bit of time dancing. I bought shoes specifically for Zumba when I started going five days a week. I loved my Ryka Downbeat high-tops, but after a year or more, I could feel I didn't have the support or cushion I needed. I'd originally got them on quite the deal, but the few I could find out there were pretty pricey. I've been using a pair of Reeboks that work, but kept glancing at the Downbeat on Amazon and elsewhere. A few weeks ago, I saw a couple being sold on Amazon for $25 (I'd paid $30 when I pickup mine up originally, most places they were $60 or above). It was a new seller ... no reviews. I was a bit skeptical ... but, it's Amazon. They stand behind their brand, so I figured I was safe. It was a scam. The shoes never came. The tracking number I was given was fake. But Amazon DOES stand behind their brand and I was covered under their A-Z Guarantee. Still sans the shoes though.

Running shoes, Zumba shoes ... I even have bowling shoes! My own pair. For several years, the local bowling alley would offer two free games during the summer. Shoes were extra, and they hoped you'd buy some food or play in the arcade (and yes, that happened). 

I hated shelling out the $3.50 each time. I checked out bowling shoes online and found these for just $20! While we don't go bowling that often, I've saved quite a bit by bringing my own shoes over the years. Unfortunately, with the boys constantly growing feet, it isn't as economical to buy for them. I did buy a men's size 9 (which fit the oldest then ... I figured with five boys, they would all move through that size at some point. The older three are over, but #4 is in a size 8 now ... so he's coming up (I just have to remember where I put them when #3 outgrew them). 

My sons LOVE shoes. For me, they are a necessary evil.

Nike, Namebrands ... and Laundry

My boys NEED Nike. Occasionally Under Armor will do, but Nike is the brand of choice. From their basketball shoes, to socks, to t-shirts. Even underwear (compression shorts). NIKE. 

Me? I don't care about name brands at all. True, I have a Nike hat. I'd picked up a cheap K-mart cap ($3) but it was cotton. The Nike hat uses dri-fit and that makes a difference. I'll admit, I don't mind the cute swoosh. 

I can't quite commit to spending a lot on shirts though, even for fancy fabric. I know cotton t-shirts aren't the best for working out (friction rash) but at $3 each, versus $10-$20 ... when I go through several a day (as I tend to get in several workouts a day) ... I make do with the cheap cotton.

When I was at the thrift store, I saw a Nike top ... it was my magic price ($3) so I picked it up. I honestly can't tell that much (if any) difference when I wear it. But it's got that swoosh.

I have a problem though.

Because I'm not used to having Nike myself, when I do the wash and fold the laundry ... I sometimes mistakenly put the shirt in Hubby's pile. The first time, he pulled it out and said "this isn't mine" and I realized my error (he didn't think it was mine either, assumed it belonged to one of the boys). The next time, he just placed hung it on the towel rod by my sink. I wonder how long it will take me to remember that I actually own one piece of Nike workout wear coming through the wash?

But you know, things sometimes get mixed up in the wash. I have all the boys keep their own individual dirty clothes hamper, and I wash each of their loads separately. It's just too hard to try and remember which clothes go with which kid if they are mixed up. 

I still wash Hubs and my clothes together ... other than the ol Nike shirt in question, it's pretty easy to keep our stuff separate. Okay, occasionally one of my socks gets tossed into his sock pile, and even more rare, my underwear ends up mixed in with his briefs... I'm trying to work quickly, sometimes they are tangled together. It happens.

What does Hubby do when that happens?

HE PUTS THEM ON (my underwear).

AND PARADES AROUND.

"Oh, are these mine now? I assumed because you put them in my pile that you wanted me to wear them. No?"

It's painful. It hurts my eyes. I really try not to laugh, because that only encourages him.  

TMI?

At least I don't have pictures (believe me, it's seared in my memory).

That's it for this episode of "What I'm Wearing Wednesday".

Tan Lines, Tanks and a Duck Update

... in addition to my hour of elliptical and Zumba classes, I've been getting in quite a few walks to the canal near our house. It's where my duckies are now. I go visit them a couple of times a day, bringing them a little food and just checking in.

Four of our six ended up at the canal. We aren't sure where the other two are ... hopefully they are okay! Because some of our ducks are a black mallard mutation, we can pick them out among the other ducks. There have been plenty of other ducks around too (you can see there are more than four in this picture, the others have come to appreciate my food visits as well). 

Originally, our ducks had settled on the South side of the canal, about 1/4 mile down. They stayed in about the same spot for a little over a week, and then I was never quite sure where they would be. Once, they were all the way at the end of the South side (about a half mile down). That would be a long walk. Then they started to hang out right by the bridge. Those were very short walks (wouldn't even register on my ChargeHR).  Then they moved down to the North end and stayed there for well over a week.  I found the North side is not quite a bad with the goat-head stickers in my shoes, that was a plus!

Unfortunately ... our Uno (our egg hatched, traditional mallard) has been missing for a bit. We don't know if he flew off somewhere else, or if something bad happened to him. Not knowing, we'll hope that he is safe and happy somewhere. My other three duckies have continued to hang out and watch for my visits, so I've continued to get my walks in. It's nice if I can get there early in the morning, or later in the evening, when the sun has set and it isn't quite as hot. But, sometimes I'd get it in after Zumba, and before dinner, because that was when I had the time. Those are some hot walks!

I'm not really a tank top girl. Never have been. Part of that may be contributed to being raised LDS and dressing modestly being an important issue for girls in the church. I know tanks are perfectly acceptable, but ... I just never wore them myself. 

A few months ago, I started getting a bad sweat/friction rash under my arms, as my inexpensive cotton t-shirts would get sweat soaked from my workouts. So, I started trying out tanks, at least in the comfort of my own home (still not quite comfortable wearing them to Zumba) and ... I liked it. I found some cheap ($1.69) cotton ones at Walmart and stocked up ... in colors even!

I did wear this tank to Zumba ... with a black t-shirt over it.

So no one got to see my super sweat stain! (See, this is one reason I prefer black!)

I started wearing tanks outside sometimes too ... not trying to "tan" per say, but just to even out my farmer tan (even though I really tried to remember to put on sunscreen). When I'd wear a tank top to mow the lawn, I'd slather sunscreen in my already tan areas, and then hoped that the other parts could catch up a little bit. I even started wearing my tanks on my duck walks at times too (pushes the comfort zone a bit, sometimes I wouldn't see anyone on these walks, but other times, neighbors would also be out and about). 

I really tried to put sunscreen on my arms to avoid the ChargeHR tan line, but you can see I haven't been particularly successful there. Oh well, most of the time, the Charge IS there, so you don't see the tan line!

I'm pretty tan up top ... my legs are another story!

Talking About Bottoms ...

Time for an episode of "What I'm Wearing Wednesday" and today's topic is bottoms. 

The leggings, capris or pants we wear on our lower half.

(...what were YOU thinking I mean by "bottoms"?)

I had to snap the picture above and share it on social media, because me wearing color is quite uncommon. My Zumba buddies commented on me wearing something other than black. They were amazed and shocked (okay, they just said "hey look, pink! It's cute.") What can I say, I struggle with it (Lacking in Color Confidence).  

Here's a quick snapshot of my workout-wear shelf. You can see the above pictured pink bottoms, as well as a couple others ... but the rest? Black. Besides just black being my color choice, and the whole "black is slimming" reasoning (right?) black does not show sweat like grey or other colors. Sweating during exercise is a good thing ... shows you are working, it's cooling your body. Those underarm (or under boob) sweat spots are one things, but butt sweat (and come on, you KNOW it happens) isn't really something I want to show. Black bottoms! My few non-black pieces are light enough and baggy enough that I generally don't have a problem ...but there is a pair of light gray leggings that I'm probably not going to wear again. (Please disregard the stray hair in the picture ... I shed, there is hair everywhere ... it's one of my Pet Peeves!)

Speaking of leggings ... in addition to black for color choice, I'm a big of a baggy gal. I do have several pair of the tighter, more form-fitting bottoms and I'll wear them sometimes. I often run errands on the way home from a Zumba workout (while I'm already out and about, even though I am a sweaty mess) and I'm not comfortable wearing them in public outside of class. I know there was a big "legging" debate a while back, and personally I think leggings are fine ... I'm just not that comfortable in them myself. I pretty much always wear the little "tied jacket" to help cover my butt.  Look ... Leggings

Beyond the baggy vs fitted debate ... the next question for me is POCKETS. I go back and forth on this issue. Pockets make pants look a little more bulky ... which in turn can make YOU look a little more bulky. Pants without pockets look a little slimmer. My "need" for pockets comes and goes. Way back when,  I used a Omron "Pocket"  Pedometer.  It would slip into a pocket, or clip onto pants. Trying to clip it up on my waistband was not good! I needed pockets. When I replaced the Omron with the Fitbit (my One I wear on my bra, my ChargeHR on my wrist), I no longer needed pockets and preferred my workout bottoms without them. In recent months, I've been listening to audiobooks a lot (Attempting Audio) and for that, I need to keep my iphone on me ... and it's easier to slip it into a pocket than to have to hold it (for walks, or cleaning house, etc.) So, now I want pockets in all my bottoms again.

 I was at my local Sam'sClub (W.Jordan, Utah) and stopped to look at their workout wear. They had some cute capris. These Lukka (tag said $68, table price tag said $14.88, but they rang up $11.01) are SO comfortable! Super thin material, parachute pants if you will. Cute gathering on the lower leg (and yes, they have pockets). I went back and picked up another pair.  There was also a GreenTea brand (msrp also $68, posted price $12.88) that are a super soft knit. Again, so comfortable (and they have pockets too).  Of course I bought them both in black, although on my second Lukka pair, I went with a slightly gray/patterned option. I know, I'm going a little crazy pushing the envelope here.

I'll admit ... I pretty much wear my workout wear all the time. I get up and hit a session on the elliptical first thing. Then I have a Zumba class almost every morning. Then during the day, I'll hit the home gym a few more times. I generally have to change my bra/top (sweat rash) but love staying in my comfy capris.

Cold Weather Wear

Spring has sprung according to the almanac, but we had quite the snow storm yesterday! Still plenty of chilly weather. Reflecting on this past winter, I realized that I'd added several new jackets to my wardrobe. Most all of the thin, fitness variety. Ones I take off at Zumba, and then tie around my waist. That's almost as important as it's regular use, right?

I'm always a little late with new fashion trends. The pullovers with the thumb-holes have been around for a while, but I only invested in them this year. I do like the look, and it does keep the sleeves in place, but it makes washing hands or looking at my Fitbit ChargeHR (on my wrist) a bit of a pain.

Do you like the sleeves with thumb-holes?

Do you prefer pullover or zip-up?
Do you want a jacket with or without a hoodie?

I'm never outside for long periods of time (no skiing or sledding, just the occasional snow shoveling duty, which warms you up pretty fast anyway) so I pretty much got away with just jackets this whole winter. I'm not sure if I ever put on a coat. The kids are worse than me! Just jackets! I was reading a newspaper article about schools trying to gather donations of coats, boots, hats and gloves for the poor kids that came to school without them. MY children have them ... they refuse to wear them! Then did finally consent to gloves during the coldest days.

I bought this DARLING hat for #4. I mean it matches his Terra Linda Tigers school jacket perfectly and it would keep his ears warm. Why won't he wear it? Why?  (I figured this would be hit or miss, although I did see plenty of kids wearing this type of animal hat at his school). I bought a couple bear ones too (the high school mascot is the Grizzly) but the bigger boys also turned their noses up at them.

I picked up these jackets recently for quite the steal (less than $6 each!). I don't know what the CB stands for exactly ... but it's the initials of both my little boys! They like them. The boys and I ... no coats, but several cute jackets!

#5 has at least been wearing long pants during the winter months. He likes joggers. He pretty much lives in compression shirts up top.  #4 ... he participated in a school Shakespeare play a while back. During the play, they had to wear tights or leggings as part of their costume. Thus were leggings discovered. Boys wear them quite a bit in basketball (an extra little layer of protection for the skin when they go down) ... but they can also be popular for everyday. My 12-year old wears them EVERY DAY now, making it possible to continue to wear his shorts all winter. Even as there have been warmer days, he's a little unsure about going back to "just shorts" ... he says he feels a bit naked.  We'll see what happens when it really warms up! Here's hoping!

What are your cold weather clothing trends?

Embracing the Black

What I'm Wearing Wednesday ...

I lack in color confidence. I've published a blog post about it (here). I do have a closet full of clothes, and many of those are different colors ... yet I always seem to find myself wearing black. Sometimes, especially in a Zumba class, I feel like I should be brighter. Red, Yellow, Green, Blue ... Zumba just seems to scream for bright colors. But not me ... I'm in black.

I'd picked up a couple outfits with some color ... some Zumba pants with a green stripe and logo. I got a matching tank. I got some bottoms with a hot pink stripe down them, with a matching pink top. I did wear them once in a while ... but recently, I'm back to black. All black, or black and gray.

I had some Fitstudio points expiring, so I looked on the Sears/Kmart website and grabbed the leopard print leggings in the picture above (free with my points! I get so many great deals with this program). Not totally black. But black shoes, jacket. I stopped at the store and picked up five black t-shirts today (yes, I just wear plain t-shirts, not special workout ones) as some of my older ones are dying, and Old Navy had t-shirts on sale for $5.

I think I'm just embracing the black. I mean ... it's even in my name (JenB ... Blackham). I need to color coordinate with my ChargeHR on my wrist, right? I'm sure I'll still wear some color from time to time. One of my pairs of Zumba Shoes are hot pink ...unfortunately.

Even my jammies are black ...

 

Zumba Shoes

I discovered Zumba a little over a year ago. At first, it was just a once-a-week workout. But then, I started going to another class, then another. It was Tues/Wed/Thurs for a bit. Then I added a Mon/Fri class. I decided perhaps I should look into some shoes recommended for Zumba rather than the ratty running shoes I had been wearing.

I Googled "Zumba Shoes" and came across several informational websites (I can't remember which ones right off). Many recommendations and descriptions of what was best for a dance workout. I discovered that running shoes are NOT recommended at all, as they are usually heavier with a strong tread (which can actually cause your feet to catch). 

After reading all the recommendations, I tried the Puma Janine Dance Shoe (pictured above). I didn't like it. Now admittedly, I hate all shoes. I never wear shoes unless I am required to wear shoes. I am also cheap! $60 may not sound like a lot for you shoe connoisseurs out there, but I'd never spent that much on SHOES. I noted that one of my Zumba instructors was wearing this exact style, so I went ahead and bought them. They didn't work for me. Although the "split-sole" was recommended for dancing, I didn't feel like I had support. My feet hurt after an hour class. I sent them back. I'd never returned anything on Amazon before, but I was thankful for the return policy, as I would have hated wasting my money.

I then stopped at my local Nike outlet. While running shoes are not recommended, the Nike Free (which are running shoes) were mentioned as a popular choice on many of the sites I investigated. Very lightweight, not a lot of tread. I did have the opportunity to try them on first (unlike ordering from Amazon) and they felt comfortable.  While the hot pink seems a perfect fit for Zumba ... I'm not a very colorful gal myself (Lacking in Color Confidence).  As far as appearance, the simple B&W Puma's had been much more up my boring alley. But ...they were on clearance, and I had a gift certificate. I bought them, and I liked them.

I asked another of my Zumba instructors what shoes she liked, and she excitedly told me about a great deal she had just found out about. An online store (6pm.com) had the Ryka Downbeat (Ryka was one of the brand names I had read recommendations on from several different websites) for a great price. I compared the price from some other sellers, and it was a great deal (new customers even got an additional 10% off, and shipping was free!)

They were only available in "boring black" ... but that was great by me! 

(This deal is gone, but 6pm has other styles at great prices still)

These were a high-top, giving support to the ankles. Just the right amount of grip, a spin-spot to make twists and turns easier.  I felt like it was worth the risk (of purchasing without trying them on) and I have ended up really liking them. They are my main Zumba shoe now. Sometimes I'll wear the pink Nike's ... if they match my outfit better, or if I'm working out on carpet (they slide easily where the Ryka's feel too heavy).

I'm really not a "shoe" gal ... but I was glad I took some time and researched what to look for in a Zumba shoe. I really hadn't been aware of what worked and what didn't. In truth, the running shoes I started with really weren't that bad ... but I figured I'd save them for running (not that I do THAT very often) and buy something specific for MY workout. And it made me feel a bit more Zumba-ish too. That never hurts *Ü*

Look ... Leggings!

I follow several Zumba instructors on Facebook, and a few weeks ago I heard many of them talking about some great giveaways they had received to pass on to their favorite students. I didn't really pay it much heed. My Zumba classes are already "giveaways" (Free Zumba in Utah) and although I thought some of the Zumba Wear I'd seen was cute, it wasn't something I was planning on adding to my wardrobe anytime soon ...

Then I went to one of my classes, and my Tuesday Instructor (thanks Marian!) gave me this coupon. I am the skeptical sort, so I figured there were some strings or something ... and I wasn't sure if I could even pull off leggings (body wise or confidence wise). I went home and looked up the deal ...

Hmmm ... a little tight, a little bold, even if they were MY colors (black and gray). $50? I'd never spend that on an item like this (I'll spend that on gadgets like my Fitbit or Polar, but not clothes) but here it was FREE, although I did need to pay the shipping (a little over $5). 

I had tried a pair of leggings at a local store. Although I've been in a medium in most things for a while, I just wasn't comfortable with how tight and form fitting they were. I ended up buying an x-large. When I tried working out with them at home ... they started to slip. I just returned them, sure that leggings weren't for me. Here ... willing to risk the $5 shipping investment, I wasn't sure what size to order. I did get a giggle out of Zumba's sizing chart -

Based on the measurements ... I was probably "marvelous" but I just wasn't sure. I read the reviews and some said they ran small. I ordered a "lovely" (large). Zumba.com was super fast with the shipping. When they arrived I tried them on and really liked the feel. Silky smooth, and the form fitting feel was completely new to me. I still wasn't sure it was ME. I wore them to my Tuesday class (I'll often stop at a store or something on the way home from my other classes, but not on Tuesdays. Just wearing them to class was enough of a challenge, I wasn't going to wear them out in public.) My Tuesday teacher was the one who had given me the coupon too.

The elastic waist wasn't adjustable They DID fall down a bit ... I would have to pull them up.  I've heard this can be a common problem. I had been quite the seamstress in days past, so I figured I could handle a quick-fix. I felt a little sacrilegious cutting a small hole in the waistband ... but I did it. I then threaded a string (ok ... a shoelace) through and - I had an adjustable drawstring. No more falling down. 

While the leggings are super comfy ... I'm still not entirely comfortable in them. That's just me. I'm used to baggy. I'm used to plain, not patterns. I wore them to my Friday class and my Zumba instructor there had a pair on too ... she had on the blue ones. They would be way to bright for me! And ... while it seems to be the trendy thing to do, I tied my jacket around my waist. That helped bolster me a bit. It covers up the butt ... and then I have somewhere to clip on my Omron pedometer.

I don't know that I'll be shopping at Zumba.com again anytime soon. It's not really my style or price range ... but I am loving my leggings!  I have to admit ...I feel just a little different, and little more "Zumba-ish" when I'm wearing this outfit.  So thanks again Zumba. Once again you pushed me out of my comfort zone, for better or worse. *Ü*

Linking up with Workout Wednesday. 

Can clothing change your confidence?

Hat Hair!

I while back, I posted about attempting to wear at hat for some of my workouts (Hats and Hair). Since then, my little black cap has become a pretty regular feature at Zumba. I just never knew what to do with my bangs, they'd get all sweaty and lose whatever curl they had when I first arrived. The hat hides the hair, and also helps to catch a bit of the sweat, so it's not dripping down my face. On the occasional day we've Zumba-ed outside, I was grateful to have the hat to shade my eyes from the sun.

The problem with the hat, is what happens when I take it off. My poor bangs are completely crazy! So the hat can NOT come off, until I'm home and can do something about my hat hair! 

Do YOU get hat hair?

Lacking in Color Confidence

Black is slimming right? That is what we women are told. I'm not sure if that is the reason why my wardrobe has a lot of black ... or if it's just what I am comfortable with.

 I have yet to master the "selfie" ... especially the full body shot!

Ironically ... a couple of my more well know photos (like my main profile picture, the one in red down on the sidebar, or on my Facebook page) is in red. I snapped the picture (above, left) before going to a Cinco de Mayo Zumba day... we were supposed to wear red or green). But the majority of the time, the other photo is a little more standard. Back to Black.

It's a bit of an inside family joke too. My hubby's name is Grayson Blackham. I call him GrayBlack. I tell him I just love him SO much that I have to surround myself in gray and black, even in my clothes. I am probably wearing black 90% of the time. Exercise wear and everyday wear. I'll sometimes branch out to such bright color combinations as white and tan, or khaki, brown and denim. Exciting!

I do own some colorful shirts. Red, yellow, blue, pink ... but I just don't feel that comfortable in them and I wear them very rarely. I'm not sure if I feel they draw the eye, and I prefer to blend into the background ... or if after wearing black for so long, it is just the "comfortable" choice.  And slimming ... don't forget slimming!

I lack color confidence in everything ... not just clothes! When I had my nails done, I'd always just go with the very basic, standard french tip. When I got a pedicure, I'd do the painted french tip there too, or go with a very reserved color ... most recently, I did a glitter gray. Lipstick ... I'll wear a light gloss, but nothing with any real color. I know many shoes are very bright and colorful ... my most recent purchase were a plain black pair. If you've seen me post my PolarFT4 after exercising (ZumbaStats) you'll see I went for the basic gray model, not the cute pink one everyone else is rocking!

I have regretted not getting the pink Polar. Just a splash of femininity. I have noticed a bit of bright pink sneaking in ... not necessarily by choice, but just because that was the color available (in a pair of slippers, new shoes, headphones) I'm not sure I'll ever really be confident in color, but sometimes when I push myself a bit, I feel it's an NSV (and I take a picture I like, which ends up being my profile picture).  I have been thinking quite a bit about my color choices (or lack thereof) ... and I thought I'd Think Out Loud and share my thoughts with you today.

Fuzzy Feet

What I'm Wearing Wednesday ... 

Slippers (well, that's every day!)

I few weeks ago, I mentioned my loathing for shoes (Shoe and Tell). I just do NOT care for shoes and can't keep them on my feet for long. I wear them when necessary for workouts ... but not all workouts require shoes. At least I don't think so. My elliptical and my stationary bike for example. I wear slippers!

Slippers are so much more forgiving for my feet. They allow me a little more leeway, they aren't as tight and constricting. They aren't as heavy. And as their name suggests ... you can SLIP them on. No more of this putting on socks, bending over, forcing the feet in and tying laces. They are on, they are off. Easy peesy lemon squeesy! As I am jumping on/off my elliptical multiple times a day, this does actually make a big difference for me.

Even though there isn't a lot of impact on the elliptical, I do eventually wear my slippers out. You can see the sad shape of my slippers in the picture above. Poor little slippers. Behind my busted, broken pair of slippers, you can see my replacements.

I had stopped at Sears the other day. We have one close by and I had some "ShopYourWayReward" points I'd earned through my exercise (FitStudio) that were going to expire. Use them or lose them. The last of the winter clearance was ... on clearance, so I picked up some new slippers. Just in time!

I will sometimes take an insert and slip it into my slippers, just to give a little extra cushioning (and a little extra wear ... that's how I dealt with the busted bottom in my poor brown fuzzy slippers for as long as I did). 

So I'm stocked for slippers ... I'm mainly wearing the pink fuzzy ones on my elliptical, the white ones are back up for them. The blue ones, being a bit smaller and streamlined, work better for the stationary bike, as the foot straps are quite narrow.  I look SO cute, I'm sure, ellipticalling away in my pink fuzzy slippers. That is just one more benefit for my home gym ... no one sees me!

Slippers sure cost a heck of a lot less than running shoes too! That's for sure!

Anyone else out there wear slippers for exercise? Just me?

Hats and Hair

Yesterday I talked about outfitting the base of my body (my feet ... Shoe and Tell). Today, I thought I'd talk about what to wear at the tip top ...

I've seen the hats, caps and visors that many wear while exercising. I guess outdoors, they can keep the sun out of your eyes. They can soak up some of the sweat. Personally, I just think they look cute! On all of YOU that is! A hat/cap is something I love the look of, but was just never sure I could pull it off.

I'm a ponytail person ...that's how I wear my hair almost all day. If I go out, then I'll try wearing it down, but for working out, I like it up and out of the way. I also have bangs. I see all you with your cute headbands and such, but they just don't seem to work with bangs at all.

I wondered if maybe I could pull off wearing a cap. If it would work well with my ponytail and bangs. I saw an inexpensive one at the store and decided to pick it up. I wove my pony through the back, left my bangs squished down ... but I liked it. I thought I looked kind of cute in fact. Just a different look than my usual. 

Enter the 8-year old. He stopped short, looked at me with a confused look on his face and asked "Why do YOU have a hat on?"   Mind you, HE had a hat on while he asked this! From each of the additional four boys I received a second look and a quick comment. Nothing negative ... just surprise. I'd expressed a little exasperation as to why this was such an unusual thing, as one of my good friends who the kids know well always wore a hat (and always looks SO cute!).  Women can wear hats! Then we heard Daddy pull up. My oldest son and I looked at each other expectantly and even made bets on what his reaction would be.  Hubs walked in, looked at me, pulled out his phone to take a picture saying "this needs to go on the Facebooks." He then started calling me "hat lady" and did tease me a bit (it happened to be a breast cancer awareness hat, with the pink symbol on the front. He calls it my "save the ta-tas" hat). The brim does get in the way a little while trying to sneak a smooch.

Well ... I still think I like it! I'm counting it as an NSV too, as it really was quite the challenge for me. Can you believe something so simple as putting on a hat pushes me out of my comfort zone? I'm not sure if I'll wear it that often. I picked up a Nike dri-fit hat to try too. While my original hat doesn't leave horrid hat hair, the Nike one does! If I start the day wearing it, I'll be wearing it all day. I've worn it to Zumba a time or two (which poses a bit of a problem, as our classes are church related and start with prayer. Does a woman need to remove her hat for prayer?)

Are YOU a hat person?

Shoe and Tell

Shoes ... I hate them. I really do. Looking at the picture above, and seeing several pairs of sneakers one might think I like shoes, as I have so many. But it's not true. They are a necessary evil for running, or other workouts. Having a home gym, I can actually get away with wearing slippers for my elliptical and stationary bike. I ONLY wear sneakers during a workout. If I'm jogging at the gym, I'll often bring my sneakers with me and put them on right before I run, taking them off the moment I'm done. My boys do this with their basketball shoes ... they do it because they want to protect the shoes, not wearing them outside on the street. I do it so my poor little feet can breathe! There are many reasons why I will never run a marathon ... but one reason is because I can't keep shoes on my feet for over an hour. Any race I run will have to be completed in 60 minutes or less!

I admit ... I'm cheap. I've only purchased shoes from the discount big box stores (and still went with the cheap ones there). I keep reading recommendations to go to a running store to be fitted. To have my gait examined. I am thinking about it. I say to myself "but I'm not a runner" so I don't know if I should invest in expensive shoes. Bad shoe experiences COULD be one of the reasons I dislike running though. I'm just so afraid I'll go through the time and expense of trying a "good" pair of running shoes and still hate them, still dislike running. I guess I won't know until I try.

In the picture above, the blueish pair of shoes are the ones I hate the least. They are Reebok running. Quite lightweight. I actually don't know the exact style or where I picked them up. I couldn't buy them again if I wanted to. The white Sacouny shoes are also "running" shoes. I had other Sacouny shoes I liked fine in the past, but these ones never felt great. I'll wear them for my one mile run and I'm ready to take them off. Next to them ... are some Skecher Shape Ups. Remember those? Supposed to tighten and tone just by walking. I had actually picked them up after hearing people rave about them simply being comfortable. I did not find that to be the case, but I have found I like wearing them for my weight workouts. Still ... it's an hour, and then they are off.

When I'm not working out, but going out (and must wear something on my feet) ... these are my standby shoes. My plastic sandals for summer, slip on boots for winter. I do have some other shoes (different colored sandals, boots, a dress shoe or two. No heels really, just not that type of gal).  I do have some slippers I wear here and there (and on the elliptical and bike).  But at home, it's bare feet all the way! I only wear socks if I'm wearing sneakers.

It's time to head out to Zumba ...

 I guess I need to put on some shoes.

Linking up with Wednesday Wonderfulz, which is focusing on running. My shoe topic does fit in with that theme. I'd be interested to hear if any runner ever hated shoes too! I'll have to check out all those who link up and see what shoes are mentioned as favorites.  Also linking up with Workout Wednesday ... and there was a fun little shout out to ME on the blog today! Thanks!