This isn’t so bad- the racks are full of bright colors and cute styles.  I brush my hands through the fabrics, and choose a few pieces to try on.  In the fitting room, I do my usual shimmy-dance to pull the too small shirts over my Fran-lats, push-press-shoulders, and power-clean traps.  After a deep breath, I turn around to check myself out in the mirror.  Classic.  I look like a man in a dress.

Sound familiar?  You’re not alone- thousands of women world-wide have discovered the power of CrossFit.  Most of us are hooked after our first WOD.  After a few months, our bodies begin to change; those horrible burpee-deadlift-thruster workouts we push through do an excellent job of tearing apart our muscles.  But they re-build stronger, thicker and bigger.  Our old clothing fits differently– or not at all!  Ever since we ditched Zumba and Flirty Girl Fitness in exchange for barbells and rope climbs,  it seems like nothing flatters us.  And shopping becomes painful, because really, the fashion industry does not seem to understand the beautiful of a truly fit woman.

Not to worry, though!  There are plenty of styles out there that high light our hard work in the gym, and let us flaunt what we’ve got!  A few basic tips:

• Don’t put your waist to waste!  Those ab-mat situps have no doubt done wonders for your abs. An excellent way to do this is by wearing a belted top (which are often looser around the top, making it easy to pull on over muscular shoulders.)  Fitted jackets also tend to come in at the waist, making them a great choice.  Here are some examples (and yes, I realize that the model is more “typical-model” shaped- but we can rock it too!)

Notice the belt, which accentuates your waist.

Fitted jackets are also flattering as they tend to come in at the waist

Click on the pictures to purchase

• Another consideration is the neckline- a scoopneck collar will counter wider shoulders.  These types of shirts will elongate the neck and draw the eye inward.  You could even add an accessory like a scarf or necklace to up the va-va-voom even more!

Here is a perfect example of that neck line!

Notice the scoop neck

• Contoured straps, or halter tops will both soften a stronger build.  They have a similar affect to the scoop neck tops- plus they show off your beautifully toned shoulders!

This halter will stop them dead in their tracks (but not out of fear of your massive shoulders!)

Amazon has a great range of halter tops

• Wider pants- yes, skinny jeans may be “in”, but thanks to that 185# front squat, those tight crusher’s won’t make it up past your calves.
•  “Boot” and “trouser” cut pants will also elongate your legs.  They will make your legs appear to go on for days!  The pants below illustrate this perfectly.

 Now you know the “what” when it comes to dressing an athletic body- but where do you find these things?  It is easy to find well fitted workout wear, but (some of us) also spend some of our time outside the gym.  Well first of all, you can can click on the pictures above to get any of the clothing I’ve mentioned. It’s also worth checking out a store Title Nine.  In their “Who are we?” statement, they discuss the importance of being active, and that they design their clothing with that in mind.  They don’t hire models; the workers try out the clothing themselves!  Here are some cute pieces:

So, let’s recap; we are strong, beautiful women looking to show off our sexiness in clothing fit for our goddess body-types, and it IS possible!  Don’t be afraid to flaunt what you’ve got!

About the author

This article was written by contributing writer Dani Levy.  Dani is a self-confessed CrossFit addict and WODs at least 5 times per week.  She is currently studying nutrition and dietetics at Oregon State University.

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