WHAT TO WEAR: Workout

Ask any Northeastern student and they’ll tell you, without hesitation, that we go to the best school in Boston. Despite competing against over 100 other colleges in the city, there is one thing that helps Northeastern stand tall above the rest: our gym. The Marino Center is open from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. every single day and offers every workout tool you can imagine. This basically means that there’s no excuse not to go to the gym. It’s there, it’s free, it’s almost definitely never closed and somewhere buried in the three floors, there’s a machine with your name on it.

Everyone feels differently about working out, but there’s one thing that Fashionistas can agree on: sweat and style are not mutually exclusive, meaning there are countless ways to bring your love for fashion to your next spin class. Personally, I love to pair my neon sneakers with neutral shorts and a bright top because wearing something cheerful and cute will amp up my motivation.

This Fashionista nails the staple gym look. Her snappy purple sneakers allegedly feel like slippers, which is perfect if your workout involves jumping or running. Her shorts have an incognito pocket for earbuds or cash, and those combined with her T-shirt provide awesome ventilation for when the gym starts to get stuffy. Every part of this outfit helps her exercise better rather than distracting her. We’re already at the gym, so we might as well have a productive workout, right? The right clothes can give you the performance that you’re looking for, instead of making you overheat or feel claustrophobic (the wrong cotton freebie T-shirt can do that to you). All hail workout brands for creating a girl’s go-to shirt and shorts combo that breathes like a dream. And, of course, Nike knows a thing or two about what they’re doing. If you’re looking for a new pair of sneakers, definitely give them a look.

My favorite thing about this Fashionista’s outfit is her FitBit Charge HR. I’ll go out on a limb and say that the wearable technology trend is here to stay, especially for exercise. This specific device will track your steps, sleep, calories, floors and, best of all, your heart rate. If there’s anything I learned from five years of rowing, it’s that heart rate tracking is essential. If you’re looking to get serious about your fitness, invest in a heart rate monitor of some sort. If you do the same workout every day and your heart rate peaks at a lower number each time, that means you’re getting stronger, which means it’s time to amp it up.

One Simple Change: Maybe you’re feeling a run along the Charles instead of the StairMaster indoors. Try a light and airy jacket like this one from Fabletics so that you’re not chilly on a fall morning but still get plenty of ventilation. Happy calorie crushing!

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