The bizarre love affair

I took this happy OOTD and sent it to the bestie. Love this pair of comfy capri leggings which may not be the most flattering pair I own, but definitely ranks high on the list of those which just brightens my mood wearing them.

Flashback to just two years or so back, when I remember famously whinging on Instagram the possibility of having to don a pair of leggings for my very first dance performance. I actually went to H&M to try on leggings to try and desensitize my repulsion towards them.

Such a drama queen, eh. 

Who would have guessed that within months, I would start slowly liking the feel and look of leggings. And that this piece of active wear which I used to cringe at, would now be a staple in my sportswear wardrobe?

It just shows how fickle my brain is. Or perhaps, it's just fashion doing its usual, when something takes off in popularity, the variety and choices available then expands such that it's much easier to find a cut or fit that flatters. #stilltryingtoselfjustify

Heh. *shrugs*

I likey :)

In one piece

I love the breezy playfulness of rompers and playsuits. Somehow, they just have that unique touch of casual chic that sets it apart from other outfit choices - it tends to look less formal than a dress, but a notch more put together than a two piece combo (top with jeans/shorts/skirt).

I never used to like wearing them though - well, not on myself anyway. I loved the playfulness of the designs, but would bemoan that my body proportions are not the chic, slim figure that tend to carry these pieces effortlessly. Whenever I've tried on a cute piece spotted on the racks while shopping, the fitting room experience usually ends up with a grimace at the lumpy reflection in the mirrors.

Thankfully, in recent years, fashion designers have now become more inclusive of other body types (or perhaps I have just become more savvy at spotting better cuts/fits for my figure, heh). These days I find that you can carry most styles, no matter your size or shape - you just need to find the pieces that suit you best.

It all started with a certain cute Mango romper that I spotted a couple of years ago. While I had reluctantly resigned to myself that it's just one of those fashion looks that I can never pull off, I decided to try it, just for the fun of it. And amazingly, it fitted well and actually looked nice, if I may say so myself. That one purchase made me open to trying this dreaded cut more, and I have since scored a nice collection of them in the wardrobe.

One of my favourite things about these pieces? For social dancing, it's a fantastic option - eliminates the stress of accidentally flashing someone when executing multiple or quick turns, and also helps one to stay relatively cool on the dancefloor in our warm climate where one can get work up a sweat too easily after a handful of consecutive dances, even with strong air-conditioning.

So here is my declaration of affection for these flirty pieces. All brought about by a random OOTD I snapped of my outfit while heading out for a dance event. :D

Love elevators with mirrors. 😂

What's in my gym bag: workout essentials

Workout buddies!

Thought I'd do a frivolous post today, on what I pack in my gym bag when I'm headed for a workout. These are my essentials and each serves a specific purpose for my workout, be it prior, during or after the session.

Gym bag - A trusty companion that has been with me to the gym as well as on various travels. A lovely birthday gift from a dear galfriend from years ago.

Workout plan - A practice I started sometime last year when I attempted the famed Bikini Body Guide by Kayla Itsines. Thereafter, I learnt to appreciate the effectiveness of having a plan in place whenever I do my strength training - it just saves so much time as I don't need to think about what I want to do next, although sometimes it does involve some switching around, depending on the availability of the machines or weights I had intended to use.

Wireless earphones - I have to say that these totally changed my enjoyment of my workouts, and helped ramp up my focus. Music is not only a great motivator, but also made an immense difference in shutting out the world and just focusing on the muscles and breathing. With the right playlist, it felt like I was just having fun playing with the weights and machines to those groovy beats. Woots. Of course it doesn't hurt that my earphones are gorgeous with pretty good quality sound. Heh. #bimbo

Ipod touch - This nifty gadget that was gifted by AB last Christmas has turned out to be an awesome workout essential. Not only because it provides the music I just mentioned as mandatory for motivation, but also because using this instead of my phone (which I relied on for this function prior to having the ipod) made me concentrate better as well, with no messages or notifications to distract me. Little things that make a big difference. I also discovered to my pleasant surprise that it shows me the battery level of my bluetooth earphones - something I had to guesstimate previously.

Deodorant - well, this is kinda self-explanatory I think. Basic gym etiquette, like wiping down the machines after use so the next person doesn't have to touch your sweat. If you scrunched up your face and went EWW at this description, imagine the revulsion of the person who was actually subjected to such inconsideration. 'Nuff said.

Waterbottle and supplements - Other than the obvious function of keeping me hydrated, I had also started to delve more into sports nutrition to get the most of my workouts. Cue BCAAs that help for strength training, and protein shakes for recovery after. They are not mandatory by any means, but I definitely can feel the difference when I take them. Helps when they are tasty, and in a cute purple bottle too. Hehehe.

Conditioner and shower gel of choice - My gym provides nice toiletries, but I still like to use my own conditioner, since my hair apparently never takes to these complimentary ones in the shower. The shower gel is just something I like as I'm a very "scents" person so it makes me extra happy to use a shower gel I like after a good workout.

Body spray - This is something I like to spritz on prior to my workout to avoid smelling offensive, and also something light before I leave the gym. It's just a breath of fresh air, literally speaking. Heh.

Not pictured:
Sports gear - The gym provides the basic top and shorts as well as socks for working out, but while I appreciate the service to help make it less cumbersome for gym-goers, I hate wearing generic uniforms, and would just bring my own workout gear that I have tried and bought for myself and are most comfortable and (let's face it) confident in. Sports shoes are part of the equation as well.

Makeup - On most days I really just need my eyebrow pencil and a light fuss free lipstick, occasionally some concealer if the face got too flushed from the workout. All just to ensure I don't scare people when I leave the gym.

So there you have it - you will realise that these all boil down to either maximising my workout performance, basic social consideration, or just things to make me feel good.  In truth, I don't NEED them for a workout (well, other than the apparel and shoes obviously), but they just make the exertions happier - I do really enjoy being active anyway, but making the effort to prepare all these for myself is all part of a self-care routine which helps to incentivise the activities. :)

scabby

I am so proud of myself - for not picking at the scab on my knee, results from the clumsy ankle twist weeks ago. It's almost entirely healed now - something that struck me when I was examining it the other day.

And that's rare, an undisturbed recovery for a wound of mine.

As a kid, I was the little miss klutzy, always knocking into things and falling. Thus, my legs were perpetually smattered with 'five-cents' and 'ten-cents' bruises and scabs. And being the itchy-fingers I am, could never resist picking at them. My mum's incessant well-meaning naggings 'Girl, don't scratch!' just falls on deaf ears, much to her consternation. I would be fixated, fascinated, and kept at it till the wounds eventually heal, but leaving a darkened mark behind.

But I did remember feeling conscious about them in high school years, and berating myself for not listening to mother's wise words. I remembered fearing that these scars would stay for the rest of my life, leaving me with no choice but to wear long pants all the time. Well, thankfully, those scars/blemishes have faded over the years, so no real damage done.

And fortunately, I'm *cough* less of a klutz now, and more of a vainpot too. So that should hopefully be something I never have to fret about anymore.

It's a lesson that can be applied to other things in life: Thou shalt not pick at wounds or scabs - for the simple reason that re-opening these injuries do more harm than good, and makes for a tedious, long-suffering recovery, with marks that could brand you for life.

And I pray that one day should the need arise, I can remember this simple logic and practise it diligently, conscientiously.

satisfaction

is waltzing out of the salon after a much-needed haircut, all pampered, primped and coiffed. :)