3 Athleisure Outfit Formulas for Stay at Home Moms

Happy Wednesday friends!

After getting four posts up last week, I took a bit of a break this week and it was much needed. I had a lot to share with you last week so it was fun to get those posts up, but two posts a week is a much more sustainable amount for me.

SOMEDAY my kids will be in school, and I’ll have all the time in the world to dedicate here (right?? Ha!), but for right now we’re operating one week at a time.

And that’s okay!

I’m a mom first, and a blogger second. You guys know that.

Speaking of being a mom (see what I did there?), I shared a photo in my stories on Instagram last week of me wearing an “athleisure” outfit (anyone else hate that term?? But what else would we call it? If you have a better idea leave it in the comments ha!), and a bunch of you mentioned wanting to see more of those types of outfits…

which I totally get. Being a mom can be really active at times, and where normal clothing may work 90% of the time, there are also days where you need to be able to sweat and move without worrying about your clothes.

Trust me I know. When the twins were younger I moved away from style content for awhile because I was literally in leggings or gym shorts everyday because when there’s two… well, they tend to go in two directions so I was constantly running after them!

Thankfully Kit is very much the oldest child, and she has always been good about staying by my side otherwise I’m not sure how I would have done it with three runners.

Though I have a feeling Gabe will be one to contend with.

ANYWAY, what I’m trying to say is that I get that there is a real need as a mom to be able to move and chase if necessary.

With that said, I do try to utilize my closet. I think it’s really important to still feel like myself and wear clothing I love and feel good in. So 90% of the time I do wear my normal clothing, and on most days even if I start in workout clothes I will typically change into a “real” outfit by lunchtime.

But, especially when it’s the summer and hot (plus 90% humidity… yuck) there’s no way I’m wearing anything other than workout clothes when I’m outside with the kids.

So that’s where this post comes in. Because I don’t live in my workout clothes I really don’t own very many (I actually did a post about my 20 piece workout capsule here), but I’ve kind of created three different formulas that I reach for when I do want to put on workout clothes, but still look cute and put together enough that I could run to the grocery store without looking like I just came from the gym.

Here’s my three formulas:

legging review here | shoe (gifted) review here

Let’s break down formula 1: leggings, tank, tennis shoes + a sweatshirt on days it might get chilly.

When it’s really hot I’ll skip the sweatshirt, but I love using one to tie around my waist if I go to the store. Personally, I wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing this outfit with just the tank and leggings out in the “real” world so I love tying a sweatshirt around my waist for extra coverage. You could also wear a longer tank top, which I do sometimes BUT I think the tied sweatshirt actually makes this feel more like a real outfit than just a long tank top and leggings would… it adds a bit of a style element if you will.

Particularly, the leopard print and the zip up sweatshirt are both timeless, yet modern, touches to this outfit so it looks stylish without it being so trendy that it’ll feel dated in a year.

I have a review of these leggings here, a review of the sneakers here, and I plan to review this tank soon as well. For now I’ll tell you that you definitely need to size up in these tanks. I have a small in another color and I would never feel comfortable wearing it with leggings like this because it is so tight. I like it for working out, but not for using as athleisure. I typically wear an XS/S and I got it in a medium. The sweatshirt is very affordable, and so cozy. Like I was surprised at the quality for the price (I obviously ordered it hoping it would be high quality, and was pleased that it was but also surprised ha!). I love that the zip detail adds a bit of something extra.

Let’s breakdown formula 2: athletic shorts, tank or tee, and sport sandals

This is honestly just such an easy, very comfy, very cool outfit to wear on super hot days. It still looks like an actual outfit because of the neutral colors and cuts of the clothing, but it’s all clothes you can sweat in. If I really needed to take it up a notch, I’d wear my white sweat wicking tank from Outdoor Voices (I have it linked above).

I am also almost never without a fanny pack these days. They are the perfect way to carry all of your essentials while keeping your hands free. Plus, many a lovie has been stuffed into one so I no longer have to lug lovies around either.

These shorts are not included in the 20 piece workout capsule I mentioned above because they are a newer addition, and I honestly love them more than any other workout shorts I have owned. They are so lightweight and comfortable, but I love the way the dolphin hem looks. They are a bit short, but there’s lots of room in the leg so they don’t feel short.

These sandals are one of the best things I have ever purchased for my wardrobe. I bought them 16 years ago for a trip to South America when I was in college, and I have worn them every spring and summer (at least 3-4 times a week) since then for walks and hiking and they are still in pristine condition. That’s incredible! I really can’t recommend them enough. I believe I have these in an 8.5 even though I usually wear a 9. My feet have grown since college, but these still fit fine so if you do want to try them out I would try a half size down.

Let’s breakdown formula 3: bike shorts, oversized tee, sports sandals

I have to admit, David always makes fun of me when I wear this combo because, yes, I do look like I just stepped out of the 80’s. But maybe the 80’s kind of knew what they were doing a little bit because this is pretty darn comfortable.

I think the key to keeping this from looking like a costume is to keep the palette a bit more muted. In this case I chose a navy and black combo, but can you imagine how much more costumey this would look if it was electric pink and blue? I think you get my drift. I also originally had this styled with the fanny pack around my waist, and… I just couldn’t do it. Again, it looked like a costume. So I put the fanny pack over my shoulder, and it gave it a much more modern feel.

To be honest, bike shorts are not something I would wear in my normal style… they’re much too youthful for me. BUT they are very practical for day to day stuff with my kids, and I’d be happy to wear this on errands paired with more sporty accessories.

These particular shorts are from Girlfriend, and they are really supportive, and lightweight enough to not feel like you’re being suffocated by your pants (you know what I mean??). I ordered my true size small, and they fit really well BUT if you don’t want them to be quite so tight I would order a size up.

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Well that’s all I’ve got for you guys today! I hope this was helpful in getting you thinking about different formulas for athleisure. I don’t think it’s necessary to have a wardrobe jam-packed with these types of clothes (unless, of course, you only wear athleisure), but I do think it’s helpful to have a few go-to outfits that you can re-wear.

What do you guys think? Do you have a few sportier styles that you like to pull out when you’re with your kids? Or are you a legging all the time lover? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time,