I am someone who practically lives in activewear outside of the office and also someone who finds leggings to be the answer to most "What do I wear?" questions. A post-work workout? Leggings. A casual brunch? Leggings. A quick Target run? Leggings. With spring officially in session (the blooming wisteria trees are all the proof I need), I'm making a conscious effort to incorporate more fun, bold activewear into my mix of otherwise dark, neutral assortment.
Print-heavy outfits aren't necessarily my forte, but I had a feeling cool girl JoyJah would have some advice on how to pull off bolder activewear (take a peek at her colorful IG feed and tell me you don't instantly feel happier). The Belize native finds inspiration in her surroundings—which we imagine isn't hard with the beach as a backyard—and says her trick is to ease into it. "Start by mixing and matching different pieces until you feel like stepping it up a notch," she says. She's sharing the four fresh activewear outfits she's really into right now from JoyLab's new spring collection, available at Target. Prepare to ditch your black leggings…
First up: a pair of pastel printed leggings featuring geometric florals (which, by the way, is the way to make florals feel actually groundbreaking for spring). To soften up the bold bottoms, JoyJah adds in a solid colored layering sweatshirt on top ("It's so soft, and I feel so cozy when I'm wearing it," she says). Pink sneakers that tie into the same hue in the leggings pull the look together seamlessly.
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Another way to do florals is by mixing and matching the same print in different colors. JoyJah's current favorite shades to wear together are blue and yellow. "It's such a vibe," she tells me. These pieces would look equally stylish worn apart with solid separates, making them even more worth the investment. JoyJah's wearing this outfit to yoga (her mom bought her a mat for Christmas, so she promised she'd try it), but I'd probably wear it on the weekends with a denim jacket too.
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Want a little less print? A coordinating set in a bright shade may feel a little more realistic for some. Even better if that set happens to be in a smooth, seamless fabric. "I adore the waistband; it’s made with a thicker material that accentuates my waist," JoyJah tells me. Enough said.
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If wearing anything other than all-black activewear feels particularly scary (same!), JoyJah offers up this last look as a solid solution. The snakeskin-inspired sports bra and matching leggings are a happy middle ground that qualifies as both black and printed, pleasing all parties. "I feel super edgy and confident when I wear this set," she says. Is it the cool animal print or the super-flattering cut? My guess is both.
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