What not to wear

By Chris Rovny

 

The gym is probably one of the best places to witness fashion disasters. It's funny to see the different combinations people make with their clothing and workout accessories. These diverse styles range from the super trendy people wearing brand names like Versace and DKNY, to the less trendy people who wear tiger motif 49ers pants. Here are some basic fashion faux pas that can be seen in gyms everywhere.

Shoes

It is hard to tell someone how to dress, but a lot of men need pointers on what not to wear when training at the gym. First, we will discuss mistakes men do regarding their shoe selection. A definite no-no is wearing any type of non-athletic boots to workout. Almost every gym has a few men training either with construction boots or in some cases, with cowboy boots. Let's face it, wearing the right shoes isn't only important to be fashionable, but first and foremost, it is a pre-requisite to having a good and safe workout. A simple tip is to choose running shoes with the least possible colors so that they can match all your training clothes.

Another type of shoe one should steer clear of is the good old Velcro strapped shoe . They were really the big thing ten years ago, but lately, these shoes have been found in discount retailers that target less fashion conscious people. Then again, many top designers are including Velcro in their latest sneaker designs. The difference between designer shoes and the normal Velcro shoe isn't only the price; the designer sneakers will have a Je ne sais quoi that make them more suitable and glamorous. Another little tip is to try to keep your sneakers free of the gray film that accumulates over the years. This will keep the dirty glances away from your shoes.

Pants

Next up in the gym's fashion no-nos are the v-shaped bodybuilding pants. We all know that bodybuilders have their own little subculture with distinctive clothing, accessories and even their own vocabulary. Unless you weigh 300 pounds of pure muscle and eat a surplus of protein, you're probably not part of that subculture and should therefore not wear those funny looking pants.

It is one thing when pants have a baggy look on top and a narrow cut near the boot, but on top of that, they are available in different colors and designs. The unstylish cut and the unpleasant colors give way to a totally unattractive piece of clothing. The recommended bottom attire would be track pants. They are the most versatile clothing apparel to wear at the gym because they are comfortable, and if the color is uniform, they will match with any top and any pair of running shoes.

Shirts

The next big fashion mistake men make when suiting up for the gym is to pull out a white t-shirt with sweat stains in the armpits. The sweater might be totally clean, but time allows most deodorants to leave yellowish stains under the arms. It is a simple question of perception; people might see a yellow stain and assume that the person isn't clean. As a general rule, no one wants to be perceived as an unclean person. The easiest solution to this problem is to save up a mere 20 dollars and buy yourself a new white t-shirt; the investment is worth not going through the embarassment.

Another fashion gaffe is to wear spaghetti-strap tank tops. Even if someone has a shredded and defined body, there is no reason why any man should be wearing a top designed like lingerie for the beach. If you really need to see your muscles, have the decency to wait until you are home behind closed doors. Wearing a less revealing tank top instead will still allow you to see just enough skin and muscle to properly execute your training movements.

These little fashion tips may seem obvious, but unfortunately, we see many of these fashion no-no's every time we step into a fitness facility. Suit up your simple training gear and start pumping away. Remember to keep your cell phone in your locker because your going to the gym to train, not to chit-chat .