It should be an easy task: go to the shops and buy a new pair of leggings to wear to the gym. Why is that hard? But surprisingly, it is. I have a nice pair of black leggings made by Running Bare that are about five years old. Despite being a cheapskate, I brought them because Running Bare were one of the few sportswear companies that were still manufacturing in Australia. I’ve got to replace them because, well, after five years there’s only so much lycra can do.
Leggings are important: they matter. A good pair of leggings can make you feel like Superman’s girlfriend or Catwoman, or perhaps even a leopard on an unusually good day: a sleek, fast running machine. Good leggings brace the body, don’t ride up or fall down, and encourage a certain spring in your step. Baggy leggings, on the other hand, make you feel like a geriatric elephant.
Various people had recommended Lorna Jane leggings, but I just can’t bear to spend that much money on a tracksuit. Also, their marketing isn’t particularly inclusive, being squarely targeted at financially independent young women in their 20s and 30s, who live in an urban area and don’t have children. Good marketing is essentially a form of storytelling, and as their story is not my story, I find it hard to warm to the brand. Having said that, Lorna Jane tank tops are well made and lovely colours; I brought a bright blue one when it was on sale, but I yanked the silver dangly bit off the back because it made me feel like a dog.
Fortunately, I recently discovered a solution to my legging dilemma. Superfit Hero are an American start-up currently running a crowd sourcing campaign on Kickstarter. I’m a sucker for a good promotional video, and they did a lovely job convincing me that their leggings were (a) well made (b) inclusive- they stock a huge range of sizes and (c) an expression of a philosophy that believes in female empowerment through sports, fitness and other forms of movement.
Helen Hopcroft: an artist's life 