Have you noticed that the only exercise pants or shorts that can be purchased were built for a size 2 fitness instructor?  Being modest, over 20 years of age, and not a model, I prefer clothing that is not molded to my figure.  A recent trip to Fabletics left me wondering if there were any workout garments that would work for me?!?

Of course I still want to look good when I hike, walk, or other forms of sweating.  I have fallen in love with the following finds.  I thought I would share what I have found that I can’t live without.

1.  Aphrodite Motion pants by the North Face.  These run $60 at Dick’s Sporting Goods.  They are my absolute favorite find!  I have 2 pairs of black, 2 of gray, and I just found a pair of blue that are on their way to me.  These are comfortable, light-weight, pick resistant, and have a zippered pocket for things you don’t want to lose.  With the addition of a base layer, I have even worn these in the snow and felt warm!  I LOVE these pants.  They are perfect for walking, hiking, cleaning house, and running errands around town!

2.  Terramar Thermasilk base layers.  I purchased the pants ($29.99 on Amazon), shirt ($29.99) and gloves ($15.99) and love them all.  They take little to no room in your luggage so they are great to have on hand if you are travelling and you aren’t sure how cold it will be.  I wear the pants under my motion pants or jeans.  The top I have worn under short and long sleeve shirts.  I have worn the gloves alone and under Lululemon gloves.  In a pinch, I even loaned them to Mike on a cold, snowy hike.  These are so much nicer than the old-fashioned thermal underwear!

3.  Feetures socks.  I have really small feet.  A long time ago a clerk at Luke’s Locker helped me find socks that fit.  Feetures are one of the brands that worked for me.  I have six or seven pair and really love them all.  One pair is merino wool and perfect for cold weather.   They come in different levels of cushion, so choose what works best for your sport and shoes.  They also have several different heights available, so you have lots of options.

4.  Smartwool socks.  These are great warm socks.  They just don’t run small enough for me, but I do have three pair and enjoy them.  They have some styles that hit a bit higher on the leg, so they are perfect for hiking boots.

5.  Merrill hiking boots.  I purchased my pair a few years ago on sale after the holidays.  They are my go-to hiking boots.  They are very comfortable, water proof, and work for any season.  Mike purchased some at the same time, and he is equally as pleased with his hiking boots as I am with mine.  Of course anything made by Merrill is usually top quality.

6.  Adidas Squadra 17 women’s soccer shorts.  Ugh!  Worst than jeans shopping is work-out short shopping.  A very long time ago I purchased two pair of soccer shorts at Sams.  They were and still are way too big for me, but they cover everything and don’t ride up when I walk.  They have held up really well, but stylish they are not.  I have ordered dozens of pairs of work-out shorts online, but each has found its way back to the store.  Finally I ran across these shorts.  So far, so good!  They are a double-knit sort of thing, but they don’t ride up, don’t look like Daisy Dukes, and look so much better than the antique shiny soccer shorts!  I must determine if they come in other colors, especially since they cost only $14.98 at Dick’s Sporting Goods.  They aren’t as fashion forward as I would have liked, but they will do.

Some of my favorite places to shop for outdoor wear include Amazon.com, Dick’s Sporting Goods, REI, and Backcountry.  I like to wait for items to go on sale so that I can get more and pay less.

What great workout finds do you have to share?  I would love to hear what has worked for you.  Do you have the perfect workout shorts?