Workout clothes were never a top priority when I was frivolously spending cash on my shopping days. For years, I would always grab a few scrubby workout tops and pants here and there from different stores because, quite frankly, I never thought the investment was worth it. My mother would always give me lame examples of professional teams that trained in ripped, old clothing, saying “it’s not about what you are wearing while training, it’s how you train.” To an extent, I believe this to be very true. However, over the past few months I have really changed my opinion. I never wanted to give in and buy the trendy expensive workout clothes or shoes because they were cute. But seriously, I find they really do make a difference.

I am not saying that in order to workout you should be wearing 800 dollar workout clothes, but I find the more I put myself together to go to the gym, the more I am excited to go. Over the last couple of months, I have seriously increased my workout gear stash ranging from Marshall’s to Old Navy to Lululemon.

Buying any type of gear used to be my forte until I started working at Equinox. Once you walk through the front door everyone — and I mean everyone! — has Lululemon workout clothes on, top to bottom. I had never even heard of Lululemon, so I was a little confused as to why every single individual had every little piece of apparel on. I hate to admit this, but I gave in and tried on the cute little Lululemon pants hanging in the gym’s Equinox store. From there it was love at first sight and I attacked the store, buying everything I could, like a tornado.

Is the gear expensive? YES, it’s on the higher end of the spectrum, but not that much more than the typical popular workout gear such as Nike. I talk about this brand so proudly because for me it really made a difference. I haven’t looked back since and keep progressively increasing my collection! I would go to the gym in “tight” yoga pants or weird material that clung to my thighs and showed off every little crevice on my body – EEK! Every girls worst nightmare.

There are so many different pant options from Lululemon that you can choose pretty much any style you like. My favorite are a pair that my sister likes to call “90’s break dancing pants.” The options range from parachute pants to itty bitty little shorts. To me, the material of these pants are a life changing revelation. I can go to the gym, look in the mirror, and actually not be horrified by the reflection. Not only that – they’re cute and I feel comfortable. They’re good to either lounge around in or go sweat your butt off in. Although they are the typical ritzy workout brand, I feel like one million bucks (even if I’m truly not) and I am ready to go hit the gym hard. It’s the same concept as wearing a great outfit and going out feeling confident and ready to go! The great thing about this is that anyone can do this with any type of workout gear. My example was just Lululemon pants, just like I love the tight fitting long sleeve tees from the Gap that I religiously work out in. The more I invest in great workout clothes that are cute and that I am content and comfortable in, the better I feel about working out in general. Could I be wrong? Of course. Maybe you like to wear whatever the hell it is you love to wear to the gym. One of my co-workers wears a shirt so tiny his nipples hang out. The less the merrier!

Even if it is just one random time, I think you should wear a well put together workout outfit. I don’t care if it’s from TJ Maxx or straight from the hands of the Lululemon creator themselves! Just go for it and contemplate how you feel while working out.