Down with night running!

Today my partner Henri and I ended up at Mountain Equipment Coop - the great outdoor store of Canada for those not in the know. I gravitated to the womens clothing section and found myself lost in touching textiles and awing and ooing over beautiful designs.

Where I ended up and started peeling off my own layers ready try on clothes was in the down jacket section. I bought my first full-on down jacket sometime in the nineties for my mountaineering course in the Rockies. Ten plus years later it's dirtier than hell but I live in this once quasi-living specimen from The North Face. You can find me in fact on a cool summer evening sporting my big fat jacket. Yes, I too, like George from Seinfeld have been laughed at and referred to as the Michelin lady. Doesn't phase me - I love me jacket and all it's bulges and prefer being snuggly vs cool at the start of anything active in the outdoors. My jacket has also been part of almost every amazing outdoor adventure I've been part of - which is probably why I love it so.

Now here's my point - down jackets have come a long way in the style department. I tried on a bunch of MEC designs including:














Far Left and Middle- MEC Tremblant Jacket/Vest in Boysenberry
Colour is why I first gravitated to this and the next down jacket. Cozy, cozy, cozy! Like my down jacket, they are very comfortable. Different than my nineties jacket, the cuts on these are tailored at the sides to fit my body better. I almost can't believe that they've done this with something as bulky as down.

Far Right - MEC Uplink Pullover in Merlot
Besides a great looking and hugging fit for this jacket, I LOVE the merlot colour!!! Henri, he did not. This jacket I WILL buy for middle of the night running when I'm really down to a stumble forward. As I plan on doing at least the 12 hour dirty girls that starts at 8pm, you will definitely see me in this beauty out there in Mansfield. Hmmm...if a heat wave prevails in August, this pullover will probably be handier during a night ultra run like Haliburton in September when the temps really do hover near zero.

You've run a long way...baby!

Fashion has come a long way and this includes the outfits women wear for sport. This turn of the century photograph illustrates my point (although the photograph of these Australian women is perhaps a bit contrived and comical).

I wouldn't doubt though that the collision of activewear and fashion is coming a bit full circle if we studied "sporting fashions" of the past.

One element of style that has surfaced in activewear is the presentation of a complete outfit. Running Skirts fall 2010 collection showcases this beautifully (view their coordinated collection here). Moeben out of California also presents coordinated running outfits from head to toe (view here). Another on the list is Skirt Sports (view here).

Running fashion has come a long way. It's not for all, but - hot dang - it's sweet for those that like to indulge in sugar and spice and all things nice!

Sheerly this top isn't made for running?

Oh yes it is! I came across a sheer running top in the très hip city of San Fransisco way back in 2008 and LOVED IT!

If you look beyond your typical store for running gear, you'll see more of the sheer style. And if you really want to push the gamut of sexiness in your workout gear, check out this store - Anatomie.

What I'm also noticing is that there are two very distinct styles of activewear (well, three or more if you count the crappy ones).

Style 1 - chique, city-esque clothing with loads of black and streamlined cuts

Style 2 - cute, playful lines with tons of pattern prints and flowing cuts

New ASICS AYAMi Running collection

I definitely scream for custom athletic gear!

How fabulous is Ice Cream?
Pictured above are three styles from the Quebec-based company (yes - called Ice Cream!). There are many more. What's absolutely fantastic is that you choose the style and then you choose the fabric. The fabric is all sweat-wicking so you're only limited by...nothing really! This is almost like being a kid in a candy store! I love ICE CREAM!

"Actively" rockin' the miliatary look

"Breathable" Military jacket:
Reclaimed from a "mom cleaning up son's room" mission

Love:
Mix of boyish jacket with skirt/leggings combo (I call it feminizing a masculine accessory)

Love:
Fitted top layers with flare of skirt.

Love:
Jacket's many pockets for running/carrying things (snacks, kleenix)

Smitten by the season's hottest colour!

I've been admiring this runner's top for some time now. Called, "the purple haze" it apparently feels quite light-weight against the body. A neat little feature are the thumb holes on the sleeves. Although I've never been one to search this feature out, I know I've had a number of women ask me if I would consider adding this to my own line of shirts.

Quite frankly, it's the colours and mix of shimmering top pattern with the bold colour on the bottom half of the shirt that make it a must-have on my clothing list (which, by the way, is growing by the day!). This top, made by Skirt Sports can be found at many online retailers, like this one.