Question: Am I the only one who remembers the sophisticated fitness look of the eighties composed of leotards, tights, leg warmers, and headbands? (You Tube Olivia Newton John’s Let’s Get Physical video if I’m going over your head).

I ask this fascinating question because this week post takes a hard look at athletic wear, active wear, workout and sports wear which are all fancy adjectives to describe the apparel otherwise known as gym clothes. For all you young bucks that may not know this, back in the day work out clothes were actually FOR working out. Initially, fabrics used to design active wear facilitated the preferred physical activity. For example, yoga pants made mostly from stretchy materials (i.e. spandex, lycra, and nylon) allowed even the most novice yogi the flexibility to execute various poses. On the other hand for those of us who feel a surge of pride and accomplishment in the ability to simply touch our toes without falling over, yoga pants along with other active wear has evolved into everyday casual wear and, if put together correctly, is as stylish for a play date as it is for a Pilates class. Due in part to retailers like Atheleta and Lululemon, active wear has taken its rightful place in the pantheon of stylish women apparel. So whether you’re attending an informal social event or attending to your workout, you can hit the ground running looking fierce while leaving the baggy sweats and saggy tees at home.