Fitness Fashion Friday #14: Happy New Year & 2014 Favorites

Wow, I can hardly believe that 2014 is coming to an end.  I hope you celebrated a relaxing, fun-filled Christmas with those you love.  I did!  Here’s a fun photo of me and my immediately family after dinner on Christmas Eve (eve).

From left to right: Kortani (sis), Austin (bro), Me, Duane (dad), Kay (mom)

My family and I are actually celebrating Christmas over 4 days.  Our festivities began with family dinner on the day before Christmas Eve and then carried on to the next day during which my parents hosted their annual Christmas Eve party.  We had over 60 friends and family at our house for food, drinks, dancing and singing carols.  It was really fun (and really loud).  Nonetheless, there’s nothing like being with family for the holidays.

On Christmas Day we drove to Tyler, TX to visit my dad’s side of the family and ate another huge Christmas Dinner.  I still have a food baby from all of the pies, ham and sweet potato casserole I’ve inhaled over the past 3 days.  Finally, today we are ending our 4 days of Christmas celebrations with a “family bonding” day at my new fitness studio, GRIT Fitness.  I’ve persuaded my mom, dad, brother and sister to give me 1 day of free labor to help touch-up paint, clean and get the changing room set up.  #winning

OMG – I’m SO ready for the grand opening party on Saturday, Jan. 17th.  If you live in Dallas, you MUST come.  Here’s a link to the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/900120126707617/

Okay so let me get back on topic: Fitness Fashion Friday!  Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this new weekly ritual I started this year.  I plan to carry it forward into 2015.  But before I bust out my cool new Winter activewear in the 2015 editions of Fitness Fashion Friday, I want to share a quick recap of my 4 favorites outfits from 2014…

My favorite activewear outfits of 2014! #gritbybrit

Here’s links to details of my outfits above (from left to right):

Have you discovered any new brands of workouts clothes? If so, please share!

Happy Friday!  I’ll catch up with you next week! xoxo, Brit

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Fitness Fashion Friday #10: Elegant Athleta Energy

Image: Kelly Green Infinity Scarf (Nordstrom), Black cross back tank (Athleta), Black leggings (TJ Maxx)

Happy Fitness Fashion Friday.  Coming to you today in a simple black ensemble.  I added my kelly green scarf and fuchsia Nars lipstick for little pops of color.  I like this outfit so much I don’t wanna get sweaty in it, hehe.  Maybe I’ll wear it to dinner instead of to the gym.  What do you think?  

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Fitness Fashion Friday #9: Athleta & Onzie Combo – Boom Boom Pow!

Image: Sheer black workout tank (Athleta), Geoographic capris (Onzie), Sports bra (Nike), Grey & purple with patent leather trim sneakers (Nike Free)

Happy Friday and Happy Halloween!  I hope you enjoyed my Spooky Shoulder Sculpting workout.  As usual, I’m excited to present my activewear outfit of the week on Fitness Fashion Friday!  While I’m not rocking my black and orange today, I am sporting vibrant workout capris from Onzie along with a sheer black tank from Athleta.  I wore this outfit to my teach my spin class this morning and now I’m rushing to the airport.  This weekend is my best friend, Leslie’s, wedding.  I have to give a speech at the reception, which I’m a little nervous about.  If you have any advice for giving a good maid of honor speech please share!  The wedding is in Nashville, TN and I’m so excited!  I’ve never been to Nashville, so I’m really looking forward to my trip.

Enjoy your Halloween weekend and I’ll catch up with you on Monday!  Lots of luv, Brit

Back side view – hey gurl hey

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Fitness Fashion Friday #8: Lululemon Vinyasa Scarf & Baby Blues

Happy Fitness Fashion Friday!  Coming to you today in a simple, yet fun ensemble from Lorna Jane and Lululemon.  First off, I’m obsessed with this Lululemon Vinyasa scarf.  I wear it at least 2-3 time per week.  I can even unbutton it and wear it as a vest.  In LOVE!

I paired the scarf with the super comfy Lorna Jane racer back tank.  It’s strategically “worn out” which makes it super soft.  I really like the long racer back opening that that shows off my arms and shoulders 😉  It comes in a ton of colors – think I’m gonna get some more soon!  My leggings are oldies but goodies from TJ Maxx – I got them for $15.  YES!

Last but not least, it wouldn’t be a legit Fitness Fashion Friday without showin’ off my backside – HEY!  The long fit on the this racer back tank covers my bum and but is still fitted to maintain a sexy look.  What do you think?  

Happy Friday and I’ll catch up with ya next Monday!

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Fitness Fashion Friday #7: Minnie Mouse

Image: Red Tank and Matching Headband (Lululemon); Black shorts with white polka dots (Lorna Jane)

Happy Fitness Fashion Friday!  I think the title of the post pretty much sums up my look.  Any Minnie Mouse fans in the house?  I wanted to rock these polka dotted shorts before it gets too cold.  I’ve worn them with several solid color tanks and really dig the look.  I was hesitant about buying them initially because I thought they looked a little immature, but I’m glad I went ahead and made the purchase.  There’s nothing wrong with unleashing my inner child.  Have a wonderful weekend – I’ll catch up with you on Monday!

Love the cross back of this Lululemon tank. I have it in yellow too. It’s an oldie but a goodie.
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Fitness Fashion Friday #6: My Lorna Jane Obsession Continues + Product Giveaway!

Yo yo my friends.  Yay for the weekend.  You know what time it is – Fitness Fashion Friday!  In case you can’t tell, I’ve been really into Lorna Jane lately.  I just discovered the Australian activewear brand this Summer when I was in California for IDEA World Blogfest.  I won a $500 Lorna Jane gift card while I was there and I’ve been hooked ever since.  This brand has the quality and luxurious feel of Lululemon and the vibrant, inspirational spunk of Nike – perfect balance.  I’ve been spending way too much time at the new Lorna Jane store in Dallas, so I figured I’d make a blog post out of my latest shopping experience and styling session….

The friendly stylists and vibrant store decor making shopping at Lorna Jane a wonderful experience!

So I stopped by Lorna Jane after work on a Friday afternoon and was instantly greeted by Angelica’s bright shining face.  Angelica is part of the the management team at Lorna Jane Dallas North Park and she is wonderful!  P.S. I love the saying on her shirt (above) – Why Not? That’s very gritty – I like 🙂

So much cute to stuff to try on! Decisions decisions…

Angelica helped me pick out 5-6 complete outfits to try on.  I love that many of the styles are coordinated so you can mix and match pieces without being too “matchy matchy” (although I have a guilty pleasure of overly matching my clothes).  I also like the inspirational quotes and sayings that are printed on the Lorna Jane tops and even on the bottoms.  As a fitness instructor, it helps me stand out and energize my group when I have big bold words like “Run Girl Run” on my clothes.  Also the Lorna Jane basic black tights are amazing!  They fit super snug and are made of a really thick material that sucks everything in (in a good way).   In fact, my fellow fitness blogger, Julie from Peanut Butter Fingers, included the Lorna Jane pants on her list of favorite workout capris/tights.  There’s nothing like a killer pair of tights to make me feel super sexy and fit!

How can you not feel energetic when you have “energetic” written in silver sparkles down your leg?

I tried on so many cute outfits in variety of colors and styles including this cute cut-out lime green tank top (above).  I ended up buying the black cut-out tank instead, but it was a hard decision.

During my styling session I was impressed to learn that Lorna Jane leads cool community building and philanthropic initiatives like “swap shop.”  Swap Shop allows you to bring old clothes back in the store and donate them to the salvation army.  In exchange, you get a store credit.  How cool is that?  They also host “Active Living Day” where they sponsor free, high quality workouts all over the nation.  Lorna Jane hosted free, on-site spin classes from Beyond Pedaling in Dallas this Fall.

Vests have officially made a come back #trust

When it was time to decide on my purchases my stylists, Angela and Angelica, gave me their honest opinions on what looked best.  I appreciated having them around because they got me out of my rut of “black capris and bright tank top.” For instance, I bought these cute polka dotted booty shorts (see below).   I ended up spending my entire $500 gift card and I’m so happy with everything that I bought.  Obviously I’m an activewear junkie and I love almost all activewear brands, but I’ve officially become a HUGE fan of Lorna Jane!

Posing with my Lorna Jane stylists, Angela & Angelica (AKA the A Team)

And now that we’ve come to the end of today’s post, what better way to kick start the weekend than with a giveaway?!  Today I’m giving away this adorable Lorna Jane inspirational note pad + blue leopard print headband.  To participate, just post a comment sharing how you “work hard and play hard” in your everyday life.  I’ll pick a winner next Wednesday, October 15th!  ENJOY 🙂

Post a comment to win this adorable Lorna Jane headband and inspirational notebook!

Work hard, play hard! xoxo, Brit

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Fitness Fashion Friday #5: Inspirational Activewear

Image: Inspirational Leggings and Sports Bra from Lorna Jane (disregard my ugly corn on my pinky toe – I ain’t flawless)

TGIF!  You know what that means, it’s time for Fitness Fashion Friday (FFF). This is a milestone FFF edition – post #5.  I’m a sucker for inspirational quotes, so of course I love activewear that’s covered in motivational mantras. “Name it and claim it!” “Speak it into existence!” – these are just a couple of my mom’s old country sayings.  If I could put them all on tank tops and sports bras I would. In the meantime, I’ve been rocking’ this inspirational Lorna Jane activewear.  I wore the pink sports bra to teach my cycling class yesterday and I feel like it energized the pack – my class was jamming’!  What do you think?

Before you head out for the weekend, don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a black & pink GRIT tank top.  Just post a comment sharing what “GRIT” means to you.  I can’t wait to read your responses.  Also, if you looking for a way to kill time this Friday, you can peruse through the first 4 Fitness Fashion Friday posts:

  1. Week 1 – Yellow & Camo
  2. Week 2 – Refreshing Lime & Orange
  3. Week 3 – Babelicious Bustier
  4. Week 4 – Cozy in Coral

Hope you have a wonderful weekend full of goodness and GRIT!

Lots of luv, Brit

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Lucy Activewear: Product Review + Leg Workout

Image: Purple Feel the Beat Tank (Lucy, $59); Grey Dance Workout Capri (Lucy, $89)

Yo yo – happy humpday  & happy October!  You guys gave such great feedback on the Labor Day Leg Workout + Lucy Activewear Giveaway that I decided to put together another leg workout and review my new gear from Lucy!

First off, I’m obsessed with this Feel the Beat Tank. I love the look of strappy workout tanks but because I’m on the “bustier” side I always have to wear a sports bra under them during workouts – totally takes away the cuteness.  However, this Lucy tank is super supportive and has just the right amount of padding so that I don’t nip out.  I taught my PiYo class in this tank last Friday and felt comfortable, secure and sexy during the entire class.  You can see a pic of me and my class on Instagram.

Next I got the Dance Workout Capris.  These are my first pair of workout pants that aren’t leggings, fitted capris or booty shorts.  Long story short, I love them!  I’m planning to wear them again to Zumba this Sunday with a little crop top or sports bra that shows my belly.  It’s crazy how the older I get the less body conscious I am.  I would have NEVER shown my midriff when I was 23.  Funny how self-confidence and security grow over time, especially when we learn to really love ourselves… Anyway, I digress.  The dance workout capris are great because they fit low around my hips and have a nice wide waistband so there’s no “love-handle” action.  While they are lose-fitting they aren’t baggy, which keeps a feminine look.  Most importantly, they are made of an interesting, moisture wicking fabric that can handle my sweat as I shake around on the dance floor.  Are you a fan of dance pants?

Love the “XY” design on the back of the Feel the Beat Tank (lucy)!

Last but not least, here’s your leg workout!  I wanted to design something for the dancers out there, so this is my “Long Lean Legs Workout.”  The purpose of each exercise is to build muscle strength through isometric movements (i.e. holding poses and/or making small tiny movements).  If you’ve ever taken a barre class, you should know about the “little squeeze” or “tiny pulse.”  This a quick and simple routine that you can to complete in 10-15 minutes.  It’s a great follow up to a run or other cardio workout.  I hope you enjoy the workout and treat yourself to some Lucy activewear!

Lots of luv, Brit

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Fitness Fashion Friday #4: Cozy in Coral

Image: Willow Longsleeve Mesh Knit Sweater (Lorna Jane), Tilly Kick Shorts (Lorna Jane) , Neon Mesh Knit Sweater (Nordstrom), Smile (Grit by Brit)

Happy Friday friends!   I’m gonna keep this one short and sweet.  This has been an amazing yet emotionally exhausting week for me – lots of life changes on my end.  I’ll fill you in later.  But before I head out for the weekend, I wanted to share this outfit from Lorna Jane that really made me smile!  I’m so excited that it’s Fall – prepare to see me in lots of scarves.  Have a wonderful weekend!  Best, Brit

Neon Sports Bra (Target C9) – I love that the sweater is just slightly see-thru and the shorts “kick out” right under my booty cheeks 🙂
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Fitness Fashion Friday #3: Babelicious Bustier & Onzie Activewear Giveaway!

Image: Rockin’ my Onzie Bustier Bra Top and matching Track Leggings

Happy Fitness Fashion Friday!  We are officially at week 3 – are guys liking this new tradition?  Let me know! (Here’s links to my outfits from week 1 and week 2 in case you missed them.)Today, I wanna show off my new, super sexy activewear from Onzie.  Now let me preface this by saying that I NEVER show off my tummy when I’m working out so this was a bold move on my part.  This week I stepped out of my “gritty”  comfort zone and rocked this bustier and matching leggings to yoga class.  The top isn’t super supportive so I couldn’t wear it for a Turbo Kick or cycling workout.  I added my Vinyasa scarf from Lululemon for a little coverage before and after class.  BTW, this scarf is amazing!  You can wear it like 10 different ways, even as a vest (as I am doing below).  All in all, I felt strong and sexy in this outfit.  Better yet, on the Onzie website they put together cute outfits for styling ideas – you can check them here!

Added the Vinyasa scarf from Lululemon – wearing it as a vest! (you can wear it like 10 different ways – amazing!)

And now it’s giveaway time!  First off, the winner of last week’s GRIT tank top giveaway is Chelle!  I was very inspired by her personal definition of “grit.”  This is what “grit” means to Chelle: “GRIT is that rod of steel that runs through the backbone of every woman out there kicking butt in the world, corporate, fitness or otherwise. She may greet you with a gentle smile or look perfectly polished and pulled together even during the toughest times but the thing that keeps her going when she wants to stay in bed kicking and screaming and crying about the inevitable trials in her life is her inner GRIT.” Congrats Chelle!  Your tank top is on it’s way to you!

In fact, I was SO inspired but all of your comments, that I’m actually combining them into a cute quote printable. I’ll post it so you can each have a copy.  The energy that I feel from hearing the voices of so many powerful, positive, gritty women is absolutely amazing – thanks again for sharing you guys!

Today I’m hosting ANOTHER giveaway thanks to Onzie activewear!  In case you can’t tell, I’m an Onzie junkie.  Did you see my outfit from their Spring collection?  The wonderful folks at Onzie hooked me up with this adorable, one-size fits all, knot-back tank top from their Fall collection.  I’m feeling kind of random (and nosy) today, so I just wanna know what your weekend plans are? Football game, dinner with friends, family time, working out? To win this tank, just post a comment sharing your weekend agenda.  I’ll announce the winner next Tuesday, September 23rd.  Happy Friday!  luv, Brit

Post a comment to win this adorable Onzie knot-back tank!
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