Long ago, before I was a fitness instructor, my pajamas and my gym outfits looked pretty much the same. Probably in some cases they were the same. When I first started teaching classes, I maintained my, uh, casual approach to dressing. But over the years, I’ve become more enamored of fitness clothes. My theories are A) that I finally noticed people were looking at me when I led the classes; B) since I now seldom wear much besides fitness clothes, it seemed worth buying good ones; and C) that fitness clothes have gotten a lot cuter, thus inspiring my interest in acquiring them.
Here I am in my Via Prive Ivy tank and Aster pants.
Whatever the reason, I’ve developed a passion for yoga pants, brightly colored sneakers and tops with built-in bras. But it does seem a little greedy to have so much, especially when I’m trying once again to jam a drawer shut around my surplus of active wear.
Via Privé, an athletic clothing company based out of Boston, has found a unique way of allaying this guilt. Their “buy one, give one” program ensures that every time a customer buys yoga pants, hoodies or any other Via Privé product, an impoverished child somewhere in the world gets an item of clothing. As a video on their website points out, most of these kids have never had clothes that actually fit, let alone anything brand new. For some, this is the first time they’ll get to choose the color of their shirt.
To make things even better, the Via Privé line is made in the USA.
This is the Freesia top and Aster pants. Cute, but a little low cut for me.
I met some of the Via Privé crew last year at the annual IDEA World Fitness Convention. They offered me the chance to try out a few items of their line. Over the last year, I’ve acquired three of their pieces: A black Ivy tank, a black Freesia tank and black Aster crop pants. I know, I always say enough black already, but it matches everything.
Of these three pieces, I especially love the pants. The material is heavy enough to feel substantial, and has a way of hugging my legs. I was used to wearing pants that were looser around the thighs and knees, so was skeptical about the Aster pants. With my hips, I worried about resembling a bowling pin. But I was pleasantly surprised by how good they look and feel. And I love the details of little polka dots on the cuffs and a matching band of polka dots on the back of the pants just below the waistband. Extremely cute.
Here you can see the polka dots on the cuffs of the Aster pants. The Via Prive logo is a cross between an Om sign and a heart turned sideways.
The Ivy tank is pretty and flattering and gets a lot of use. The length is nice, ending mid-hip. The Freesia comes down longer and has strangely long straps. Since the straps are so long, it’s too low-cut for teaching. I haven’t figured out how to shorten the straps without messing up the clean lines of the top, so when I wear it I have to keep hiking up the front so as not to expose my entire sports bra.
Via Privé also makes a line of maternity wear. These are definitely for the bump-proud. You won’t find much camouflaging going on here! In fact, several of the tops are just the same as their regular line, but with a little more room up front.
The Via Privé website says a men’s line and a CrossFit clothes are both coming soon. The company is still new – less than two years old – and the selection is fairly small. But they’re one to watch, as quality is high, designs are attractive, and you know that your purchases are helping somebody with a way smaller wardrobe somewhere in the world.
