Worst Fitness Fashion Mistakes
Some people have their own "special" sense of fashion, something that becomes clear whenever you visit your local gym. While exercise doesn't necessarily require looking like a fashion plate, there are some basic rules to follow when you head out for public workouts. Our Walking Guide, Wendy, recently covered this issue for walkers, offering a hilarious list of what not to wear during walking workouts. That inspired me to come up with my own list of fitness fashion faux pas but, before I do, I thought I would turn to my readers to get your ideas. When you look around your gym, what are some of the worst fashion mistakes you see? Is it the guy in the extra-tight spandex shorts? Or the woman wearing an outfit that should've died along with the Disco era? Maybe it's the guy exercising in his underwear.
Whatever it is, post some of the worst fashion mistakes you've seen in comments and I may add it to my list of worst fitness fashion mistakes.
Comments
saw one of the gym rats walking around in a wrestling singlet. it’s one thing to be proud of what you accomplish, but walking around in a wrestling singlet just makes you look like a douche. unless of course, you are at wrestling practice.
black socks, skin tight shorts and top (black) on a pale skinny white old guy – he is fit for sure but blech on the outfit.
On the other hand some of you ladies, well let’s just say you may have found the cure for E.D.
What a coincidence. Just yesterday I was playing tennis and on the next court was a guy who was playing in nothing but a pair of speedos!
Needless to say it was distracting and hilarious at the same time!
Ok, I hope she’s not reading this (or maybe she should). There is this woman at the gym that wears a shiny electric blue leotard that is cut pretty much up to her armpit, shiny really uncomfortable looking tights and a belt! If that were not enough she wears her hair down (she has a lot of it) and has more makeup on than I have seen on most people outside the gym… at night… The funniest part of this is when she gets mad at the skeezy guys who hit on her. sad, yet kind of entertaining.
Similar to the wrestling singlet – A very fit gentleman of about 75 at the gym regularly wears one of those one piece “strong man” costumes from many years ago. Sort of a bike-short-with-attached-suspenders getup, with no shirt. Black, always black shoes and socks.
There’s a guy at my gym that wears dolphin shorts and usually a tank top. The tank top would be okay, except he has a lot of hair on his arms and back. From time to time, I see those guys with the cut off sweat shirts, you know short about belly button height with huge holes for the arms, and then some type of headband (either a bandana or a sweatband) to boot.
Or how about the guys that are so cool, they wear their sunglasses inside? Or the people in the plastic suits.
As far as women, I sometimes see older women wearing a sports bra that appears is too tight. I’m not saying they’re terribly out of shape, but it doesn’t look too good when the sports bra is pushing all your back flab out the arm holes.
I’m sure someone has comments about what I wear.
Listen, Spandex or Compression material is conducive to better performance. Fat guys and girls look like hell in it, but if you are fit – one looks and feels good wearing this. The tightness is not all show – it allows the client to feel where his body is in regard to space and the feedback enables better muscle/mind coordination. – If you got it flaunt it – you earned it! … if not now, when will you mature and be your best without allowing external factors (such as angry people)influence your goal?
We had a guy come into the gym who always wore a white fish net shirt. Kinda gross.
Boobs hanging out of your gym top! Please- display them at the nightclub or beach, somewhere else!(and no, I’m not jealous..I have plenty but I also have class..)
older guy say 40’s at the gym wears a pink set of tight a@@ bicycle shorts , and its 3 days a week so you know he washes them just for the gym….
i hate when people go in jeans. you obviously cant be working out too hard if your in jeans. its also gross when woman who are not in that great of shape where shorts that are way to short for them.
The women who wear thongs and low rise pants so that everybody can see the crack of dawn
Anything that squishes out the folds of fat should not be worn, regardless of sex or age!
Also, please at least start your workout in clean clothes!
Men who wear loose shorts and either no underwear or stretched out underwear so that their private body parts peak out with every leg lift or other lower body workout. Honestly, must I continue to pretend not to notice? What if it’s an aerobics class and the way the mats are lined up he’s right in my line of sight. I’m sorry, but how hard can it be to find underwear that actually holds it in! Yuk. Double Yuk.
How about worrying more about your workout, and less about what others are wearing? I do, and at 50 I make 30 year olds look old. Try it you might be suprised. One more thing, the only pieces of personal equipment that I am fussy about are my shoes. Holes in my sweats, my sweatshirts with the sleaves cut off, and my raggy “A” shirts are all part of my wardrobe, that by the way, I take home and wash just once a week (I’m there 6 or 7 days, this method keeps the pesky women far away from me and the equipment I want to use). Like it or not. So just Shut Up And Train!!!
I continue to roll my eyes at the guy at the gym who wears his sunglasses during his entire workout. Question though – are skorts (like tennis skirts, but with shorts underneath) are they a new fashion trend or fashion faux pau to wear them at the gym and not on the tennis court?
People should wear what they like.(and they obviously do!)
The guy in sunglasses could be blind or have eyesight problems’
Hairy bodies are natural.
I do agree we don’t need to see other peoples privates (balls or boobs)
Shouldn’t we just be happy that people are at the gym — and leave fashion comments other occasions and environments?
I agree with Stella. Fashion comments should be left for the runway. People go to the gym in what they feel comfortable in, not what you want them to wear. I personally wear bike shorts with a singlet and don’t care what people think. I am there to work out, not enter a contest. While it is inappropriate to display more than the societal standard for private parts maybe the gentleman in the aerobics class doesn’t realize the dogs are loose.
Be comfortable and wear clean gear. But we have one older guy (60+) who wears shorts that don’t hold everything in. Wrinkled and saggy are not appealing.
People can wear whatever clothes as long as they are not letting privates out, etc. (Although the woman in the shiny spandex with the belt and long hair had me hysterical, cause while its a practical outfit, my thought is this is 2008, not 1984, LOLOL. Seems the loose long hair on weight machines could be hazardous though).
What I find a problem is that we have a gym in our building and the old people wear regular shoes on the treadmill. I am talking mens leather soled shoes, don’t you think this would hurt the equipment. Also the guys who drip sweat on the cardio equipment and see no reason to wipe it off, ICK.
My gym at work has a dress code and inappropriate clothing is not acceptable, but hey these are people you work with, so it makes sense.
Look, don’t like the idea of bashing anyone over what they wear in ignorance – seems petty and mean, and the comments on the 75 year old man and other elderly are truly out of line. They’ve earned the right NOT to be stylish, to work on their strength regardless of whatever other infirmities are plaguing them. Let’s honor those folks as they exit and simply compliment them on their effort, hoping we can match where they set the bar when we reach their age.
The sunglasses comment hit home – I am one of a pair that suffers from headaches related to photosensitivity – the sunglasses make the overhead fluorescents bearable. Yes, I sculpt but no longer suffer from middle-age backache, am not trying to be “cool.”
Bad idea for a column – exercise should be about building people up.
I do not like to see women in the gym exercising w/o a sports bar or have on a tank top w/old, crumpled bra straps hanging all over the place.
AMEN!!! to the keep your privates covered comments. I don’t care how great a person thinks their breasts, balls, or butt looks,
I don’t want to be given an uninvited peek. The body hair is personally a gross out for me, but maybe so are my lumpy knees to other people.
I agree the topic may be a bit shallow, but the purpose is to discuss those outlandish, almost impossible things you see when you are at the gym. Some are down-right distracting or unsanitary and it isn’t as though people are saying that these folks shouldn’t work out, just that their choices are memorable enough to discuss when the one poses the question.
WHEN PEOPLE WESR LOOSE SHORTS DURIN SPIN CLASS N U CAN SEE THEIR EVERYTHING. OR WHEN LADIES WEAR SUCH SHORT SHORTS N THE WKOUT REQUIERS BENDING OVER! SHORTS CRAWL UP,NOT PRETTY.
Can appreciate those responses supporting the work out effort and berating the appearance bashing; however, I think most would agree that some of these scenarios are of folks who truly aren’t there to work out…they’re there to be seen. Women who come scantily clad, hair and make-up done as if a Friday night, wearing more jewelry than most own…those women are not there because they’re avid fitness enthusiasts (because none of that is comfortable to work out in). And I don’t care how good looking or fit a man is, Speedo’s are just not a flattering look and should be reserved for the pool. And the wrestling singlets, mesh shirts, no shirts, etc…those are just unsanitary…does anyone really want to get on a machine after someone has just sweat or left their body hair all over it? Those comments are more about the “unsanitary-ness” than fashion faux pas. Agree we should be supporting the effort, but take some of the comments for what they’re worth and realize the rest is in light-hearted fun. Hey, my own 60yr old father wears jeans with a rubber band around his ankle when he bikes…looks ridiculous, but I’m just happy he still bikes!
I’m a pretty buff older bodybuilder,and I usually train in gray sweats,with a gym logo on the front. They keep you out of other people’s sweat and skin crud. I really don’t care what other people wear. Most of the time I’ll wear a do rag too, to keep the sweat out of my eyes. The beach is where I show my body!
I wonder about people who wear sandles and slippers to the gym.
Just be glad these people are working out. Worry about your workout, not looking at other people. We all don’t have money to buy the latest fitness clothes, nor do we care. Appropriate shoes are important. Beyond that, comfort to workout!
Women, PLEASE do not buy footless tights the opacity of pantyhose and think its enough coverage at the gym. Those are fine for wearing under a skirt or a long tunic dress — but no good when you have on a short t-shirt and you’re doing squats and lunges where we can all clearly see your underwear and everything else down there. Its sooo gross. There are a few offenders in my gym and if they happen to read this – please go to Modells, Target, Walmart, etc and spend $10 on a cheap, but non-see-through pair of workout tights.
I go to dance class at a gym – which means wearing a leotard and very short shorts. However, instead of exposing EVERYONE in the gym to my butt, I put on a pair of plain old sweatpants (Wal-mart $10) and a t-shirt (Target $5). It’s not that hard people, just spend 15 bucks on plain old sweats. Not very glamourous, but at least people won’t be making comments on your fat rolls!
There are three different men at my gym that show up everyday wearing the SAME outfit. Yuk! When I should be consentrating on my form all I can do is wonder if they do laundry every night.
Oh and black socks with white shoes bugs me too…….
We’ve got a guy at our gym — I’ll call him Sweatman. He’s one of those profuse drippers, and yeah, sometimes he takes his shirt off and walks around during his “cool-off” period. This is a bad, bad decision, as the sweat and odor are now considerably less contained. When it comes to gym attire, more is generally better.
For me; I’m not trying to impress anyone. I wear any Tshirt (up to 20+ years old) that has a pocket for my mp3 player and is loose fitting. Shorts that are snug, mid thigh length, a sweat band (not great fashion but I need it). What I hate to see. anyone wearing “midy shirts” who doesn’t have the figure for it. (can they possibly think they look good?) Anything so tight that their fat squishes out.
i really dislike dudes that go the gym dressed like they are going to the mall after their workout. You’ve probably seen the type i’m talking about… they wear jeans a nice polo shirt and some kind of jewlery like a necklace or a bracelet or something like that. They waste their time and mine by taking up the machines.
Even though I’m proud of everyone going to the gym, this is one topic I just can’t pass up, lol. The color pink, makes you look like a pig……..I’m sorry for saying this, but for the love of god it’s far from sliming. If anything it makes you stand out like a radar detector and if you’re trying to hide your fat it does a really bad job! To the older fellows with the gray tight bike shorts and that huge bulge standing out for everyone to envision, please stop. Spandex is NOT for everyone, it’s far from being a girtle and it shows everything. Finally to the transvestite that dresses in tights, shorts a girtle, wig and makeup. You look uncomfortable as hell and we would still let you go into the ladies room, we’re not prejudice, we’d just like you to enjoy your workout pain free.
I agree with Hank & Susan. Who cares what others wear or do as long as they fallow gym rules. Are you at the gym to workout or compare yourself & gossip? What is it they say now a day… oh yes, “Get a life.” PS: And here is a huge piece of brilliant advice. When something is hanging out not particularly appealing, do what I do. Don’t look. Namaste & Be well. ; )
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Well I think the skin tight outfits are distracting no matter what condition someone is in. The better their condition — the more distracting; and Im not complaining. One thing I HATE at my gym is the guys think it’s a nudist colony in the locker room. Its one thing to change or walk to the shower nude but the majority of the older guys like to walk around, talking, brushing their teeth, combing hair,shaving…completely nude. Couldn’t they put a towel around their waist? I have to keep my eyes on the wall and or ceiling.
A young woman was wearing very tight thin
cotton pants that let every ounce of cellulite
on her body show!
I almost went over and told her how bad she looked; with the right pants I think she would have looked attractive.
my worst ‘view’ was of a gentleman? wearing one of those old style undershirts that had thin straps and were were sleeveless and they wore them under dress shirts. Well this guy had on one and it was a tattered grey and dripping wet from sweat….not a pretty sight to have to look at!
I aggree that people should consider wearing clothes that cover the skin so they don’t leave their sweet and hair on the equipment. I have also seen some women wearing their hair down during hard workouts with make up . I have long hair and I find it really to hot and yucky to keep it down during a work out. And make up ! it melts! Whats the point? Sometimes I have seen these women all dolled up and they don’t really exercise they just sorta…sit on stuff ,giggle alot or look snoby.
Hmm I think I have gotten into attitudes and behaviors, not gym fashion.
Things that I don’t like, too short shorts, to tight tights and to much perfume or not enough deodorant.
I do agree that at the gym we should be focusing on our workouts and not on what people are wearing, but I think that’s the point – some people’s clothing is DISTRACTING and detracts from our workouts. I think the main problem is too little clothing. There is one girl in my gym (she seems to spend every waking moment in there) who is very fit and has great muscle tone. However, she always wear such short shorts that her underpants (usually grey and saggy) hang out the bottom. It is very distracting and unsightly, and not particularly hygienic! Cover up please so we can all get on with working out!
I love to people watch especially at the gym, it helps to pass the time while doing my workout. I think the more variety, the better. The other day a woman about 35ish wore a red skin tight tiny top with spaghetti straps that was very, very LOW cut. She completed the outfit with some spiffy short- shorts. She was using the treadmill and was really giving the girls a ride. (She was not small in the bust.) Whew, I was prepared to see it all. Unfortunately, I had a training appt to go to. However, I was not the only one who noticed. Along with me and the other bad dressers there that day, she stole the show. I am pretty sure we where all waiting for the inevitable to happen. I love the gym.
This is a really terrible topic and you should be ashamed of yourself for starting it. I wear pretty much what I want and don’t worry about it but I have known a lot of people, overweight women especially, who feel so self conscious about their appearance that they don’t want to go to the gym, thus perpetuating their problem. Sure the topic is fashion faux pas but the underlying judgementalness and all these replies are probably very toxic to some of your readers.
Curt
I definatly agree with this topic it’s not shameful at all. And by the way, I am an overweight girl who used to be too “ashamed” to go to the gym at all. But now I do, and I love it. I spend a lot of time in Modell’s and Target looking at cute sweatpants that look nice on me, and they’re cheap. I have a large bust, so I always try and make sure I cover them up (unless I am doing a workout in the aerobics room when no one else is around, then I’m free to wear a tank top that stays out of my way.) As far as I’m concerned people who are going to the gym are usually doing it to look better. So what sense does it really make to go in “any old thing”? Especially me, since I often see my boss there. People and opportunities are all around us, even at the gym. I’m a self-declared germ-a-phobe, so I always wipe down my own machines after I use them and carry around hand-sanitizer, and I hate it when the really sweaty guys don’t wear the right clothes and leave VISIBLE (!!) sweat on the machines when they use them. Plus the skinny girls who wear really revealing gear so that everyone knows they are fit. Bonus points if their thong is popping out. The makeup annoys me, too. Because all those people are TRYING to make us look at them. They’re succeeding, but should we be forced to suffer every time we see them?
We had a 60-something woman at our gym who used to come in every day wearing a red plaid flannel nightgown. She spoke not a word to anyone, just walked on the treadmill and then left.
Then there’s “Makeup Barbie” who looks ready for the club every time she works out. Hair, makeup, jewelry never mussed up or out of place. And when she does her abs, she’s the only one in the room still flaunting “twin peaks” — a.k.a. her latest silicone implants.
Gosh, I love the gym!
Why should it matter what everyone is wearing when your only goal is to work out. Look at yourself before you look at others.
I don’t care to see anyone’s privates but wear what is comfortable is important. Comment about the long hair, I have very long hair and you try to lie on a bench with a hair tie in the back of your head , very uncomfortable. This is why women with long hair wear their hair down sometimes. Have a good one
guy in his mid-to-late 30’s who still wears his CAL football training gear, from when he played.. -what? 15? years ago.
needless to say, I’m 100% positive, it doesn’t fit the same way it did back then.
the gym is priceless for people watching tho
Though you may not find it attractive for large people to wear spandex in the gym but at least they are going and you should commend them for it. So long as they (fit or not) keep their junk contained in an appropriate manner, it shouldn’t be a problem for anyone. On the other hand, I find it far more disgusting of women that wear makeup to workout in. You get all sweaty and gross and will need to shower afterwords. What’s the point of wasting the makeup unless you’re just a gym rat and just trying to pickup someone there. That I find is deplorable since you really aren’t there to workout like the rest of the people. Funny though, usually the guys that hit on them are the ones they don’t want hitting on them which I find hilarious.
Thanks, everyone, for taking the time to comment!
The sight I find disgusting is seeing people wearing the short shorts(Richard Simmons type) and the tank tops. Spandex is okay along with the cut-off sweatshirts. I get grossed out with the sight of underarm hair, body hair on back, and skintags showing.
I belonged to a small private gym that was run by and primarily used by women, I started out wearing sweats but switched to footless tights and panties because I kept getting hung up in the equipment, The ladies suggested wearing the tights and panties and a long T. What a difference, they give support to my old knee’s and back, and the girls have complimented me on how great my great my legs looked.
Got to love social expectations. Most of your comments discust me. Hey maybe there ought to be a thread of how you dress when you go to starbucks to get coffee in the morning, or how you should dress when you go grocery shopping. What ever happend to a persons freedom of individuality?
They only legitimite commit I have seen in this post was about a guys sack hanging out of his clothes. This is one of 2 people he either doesnt know in which case you should be going over and notifiying not bashing him on a public forum. But I guess its easier for you to sit there in discust and brew over it then being kind hearted and cutting the guy a break. OR he is a pervert and he is doing it intentionally in which case you will know when you go tell him by his reaction. I fhe askes if you like it you then know and can have him banned from the gym.
You people need to find something better to do with your lifes. Social expectations are for yuppies and chumps.
I get to hot at the gym wearing workout pants so I switched to shorts. They are like regular shorts…kind of swimsuit style square cut in the leg. I usually wear quick dry boxers underneath to also keep cool. Sometimes, I noticed it kind of bulges, its not really on purpose, but as I said I cant wear pants I found I get to hot and it slows my workout down. What do you guys think?