Fashionably fit

You've made a familiar promise to yourself: 2013 is really the year in which you will get into shape. Alas, we're nearly halfway into January and you haven't figured out where to start. You'll need to sign up for that first class yourself, but these spring 2013 fitnesswear trends should have you looking good while you work on looking your best.

With plenty of people joining yoga, Pilates and dance studios, less-restricting workout gear has become a top priority for many brands. This means wearing clothing with a combination of cotton and elastane so that one has ample room to move about and get into praying-mantis positions or ready to tighten the "core."

One company creating yoga-friendly clothing is Sanu Babu. The womenswear line is made in Nepal from organic cotton and comprises three very different collections: Chakra, for those who enjoy a wider balloon-style trouser and racerback tanks; Natya, with traditional crewneck short sleeves; and Kitamari, for those who prefer drawstring trousers with a wider leg and shirts with elastic bottoms creating a tasteful bubble hem. All three collections come with embroidered Nepalese design usually located tastefully on the pant or on the lower shirt hem and are available in black, plum and turquoise to keep your auras in order.

A sports bra made from cotton is ideal, though women with larger breasts may want to opt for a racerback with more elastane to hold them more firmly in place. For both men and women, choosing clothing that is comfortable and breathable is especially important. Many high-street stores as well as specialty shops now offer yoga-inspired pieces in bright fashionable colors - think H&M, whose spring collections for men and women includes papayas and purples for women and white, lime and cobalt for men. Brands like Adidas and Nike, neither of which is a stranger to the more traditional running world, have recently decided to launch lines geared toward lower-impact sports.

But …

If being mat-bound incites fear of kumbaya songs, then you'll certainly need a different set of clothing. As a road warrior, you will ultimately need clothing and footwear that can inevitably withstand the incessant pounding of cobblestone streets and dodging Prague's less-than-perfect drivers.

The right pair of shoes is imperative for running, with different models made for certain training or racing purposes. In fact, at the Nike Store off Na příkopě street, one can - and for free - walk into the store and jump on a treadmill where the professionals will analyze your running style and ultimately find the best shoe to fit your foot.

Clothing for runners, as with any high-impact sport, should be tighter to the body. At Nike, there are at least three different styles for men's running bottoms and four for women - one of which is a skirt for women with larger backsides - and, with the ability to mix and match, the choices are endless.

As with much of sportswear, reflectors have been placed on various articles of clothing at Nike, H&M and Adidas to keep you not only looking fashionable but, above all, running safely. Of course, those hoping to blend in this spring will be sorely disappointed with colors such as vault yellow, hot pink, lime green, red and cobalt mixed easily into eye-catching patterns as T-shirts and running tights.

Once you've found the perfect fit, all that's left is getting fit.

Heather O'Brien can be reached at
features@praguepost.com