We Try It: The BL Body Collection and Cathe Friedrich’s Gear

I don’t know about you, but something as simple as a new piece of workout clothing can sure inspire me to get to the gym more often. Here are two new fitness apparel brands that we recently tried!

The BL Body Collection

Let me begin this review with a caveat: I’m not a huge “shapers” fan. So you might be able to guess at my initial thoughts on a line of workout apparel that combines shaping, slimming and performance. With that said, I really like the idea of the new The Biggest Loser-inspired line of fitness clothing.

Season nine contestant Ashley Johnston (Isn’t she cute as a button?!) is the spokesperson for the line that was created by designer Bruno Schiavi and consists of 27 styles in nine vibrant colors (reflecting the 9 Biggest Loser team colors, no doubt!). The line comes in sizes XS to 3X (finally, plus sizes!) for cropped and full-length leggings, sports bras, tanks, tees, jackets, skirted leggings and skorts. No piece is more than $75, and I love that the colors are bright and vibrant, rather than just neutral (black isn’t always that slimming). The pieces are definitely usable and feature longer cuts to help conceal any problem areas and many pieces have fun features like iPod holders, hidden pockets and thumb holes!

What I didn’t like about the collection is that the “shaping” pieces make you feel like a sausage! I usually wear a medium shirt and there was no way I would leave the house wearing the top that I tried. It was super tight on my arms (nothing like having to ask your husband to help you take a shirt off—and not in the sexy way—to humble you) and despite the thicker material around the middle, I still had a muffin top. My advice? The line is cute and functional enough to get the FBG stamp of approval, but be sure to order a size up if you want to breathe! Which, you know, is a good thing when you’re working out.

FeelFitWear

FeelFitWear had me at “We provide fitness clothing for Cathe Friedrich.” After all, she’s one fit chick and always looks awesome in her workout DVDs—the right mix of color, fashion and function (plus, her naughty bits are always properly covered and supported). This online boutique boasts gear made from the finest fitness fabrics that are elastic, help wick away sweat, improve blood circulation and support muscles with compression, are easy-care (no ironing!) and last longer than just one season. The line also features some really fun colors for when you’re feeling groovy-funky.

I tried the Alexa Exercise Tank in orange and the Marisol Exercise Cargo Pants in gray. Both were super cute and looked great together. The tank was made of a thicker, higher-quality material than most tanks, and although it wasn’t the most flattering on me (apple shapes beware!), the bright orange color was seriously awesome. I also really liked the cargo pants. I wore them to a BodyJam class, and they were perfect for helping me get my hip-hop on. Or attempt to get my hip-hop on. Especially when I pushed them up to my knees. My only real complaint with this line other than the unforgiving stomach area in the tank? The pants do have a tendency to camel toe. But that’s totally fixable as FBG Tish learned!

Stay tuned later today for another workout apparel review—this time it’s another pair of those “toning” pants. Believe me, you won’t want to miss it! —Jenn