Fashion

Why didn’t I heed their advice sooner? I should’ve known the ladies in my HIIT class — the women who lift heavy, run fast and push me every time I step into the gym — would steer me in the right direction. For years I heard them rave about Athleta workout leggings, but I never considered buying a pair for myself because they’re like $100 a pop!

Super. Crazy. Expensive.

However…when something is good, and I mean really, REALLY good, the calculus may prompt me to go there. And I totally went there.

What ultimately pushed me over the edge was a secondhand pair of Athleta tights my friend Nicol gave me. She teaches the HIIT class I take, and she happened to have an extra pair that didn’t fit her, and she passed ’em to me.

First time I tried them on — and immediately after I stuffed everything I could into the pockets, of which there are SO MANY — I started to wonder if I’d ever wear another pair of pants again, because daaaaang… They were so soft.

Then, of course, I bent over in the mirror to see if they passed the squat test…

They totally did. 🙂 No underwear peeking through!

Next, I wore them to class and could not stop staring at my booty in the mirror, because the pants somehow transformed it into J. Lo’s (#GOALS), LOL!

I didn’t have to pull up my pants once, not once, during the entire class. Also, the waistband stayed up and held in my tum-tum the entire time, and the material stayed intact and didn’t stretch out at all, either, so no baggy knees.

When that class was done, I knew it… I’d be drinkin’ the Athleta Kool-Aid with the other girls soon.

Later that week, I ended up going to the Athleta store in Corte Madera to buy my first pair, because someone in class mentioned there was a sale happening. I left with the camo ones up top (yup, they’re still on sale!).

When I told the sales associate that it was my first Athleta purchase, she told me all about their generous return policy (if you work out in your clothes and don’t love them, you can still return them with a receipt), then gave me a discount on top of the sale for being a new customer.

SWEET!

If you’re into working out, or otherwise particular about your stretchy pants (as am I), I think you’re going to love these. I’m officially saving up for my next pair.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Is it 1994? Are we wearing Doc Martens, flowery black dresses and Revlon Raisin Rage? HAS ANYONE SEEN MY NIRVANA CD? Sorry, for a second there, I could’ve sworn we took a hot tub time machine back to my late teens, which was when the little black backpack was the undisputed Queen of All Accessories.

Believe it or not, enough time has passed for them to slingshot back into style again. It’s only a matter of time before the beauty gods also bring back pencil thin brows, but that’s a discussion for another day.

I’ve been wearing this tiny black nylon one I got at Target practically everywhere lately, and ya know what? I cannot help but wonder why I ever stopped carrying a little black backpack, because they’re freaking great.

This one is from A New Day, and it’s an affordable $19.99. The nylon is feather light, so I’m not hauling around three extra pounds of purse, and it’s juuuuuust big enough to hold the bare necessities. (You know me; if there’s an opportunity to overstuff a bag, I will totally do it.) This one’s the perfect size.

Best of all, my hands stay free, so I can scoop up the Coywolf at a moment’s notice, or pet a passing kitty.

But wait, this particular bag also easily converts to a cross-body bag. You just pull the straps up at the top!

If black nylon is too retro for you, check out the black-and-white striped one instead. I came this close to picking it up because it has a slight J.Crew vibe. The pale pink one is also pretty cute (but it would probably pick up more dirt), as are the bright blue and the canary yellow.

Some reviewers on the Target website say that the zipper gets stuck, and yeah, it happened to me once when I shoved one too many things inside. It was an easy fix, though. I slowly pulled the zipper back to the starting position, and the teeth slipped back into place. I think as long as you don’t push the maximum capacity, you’ll be OK.

I bought it mainly to take with me to the playground and have both hands free to play with Connor. I don’t feel comfortable leaving my purse on a table or bench, which the moms do here all the time, but I ugh, I just can’t. I feel safer with my wallet and phone physically on my body. I looked online, at Marshalls and at T.J. Maxx, and this Target bag was the lightest and cheapest hands-free option I found. It fits my wallet, phone, keys and a pouch for Connor’s Travel Potty, and then I usually bring my water bottle in a separate bag, along with snacks.

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