Not that you’ve asked, but I’m a sweaty beast. I don’t know when it happened. When I was younger, I never sweated. Like never, no matter how hot it was or what I was doing.

Then when I started exercising in earnest about 18 months ago I learned things have changed. Maybe it’s a slower metabolism or differing hormones or advanced age or a combination of factors, but now I sweat like it’s going out of style. At my RivFit class this week I apologized to the girl doing box jumps next to me because I was pretty sure droplets of sweat were flinging off the ends of my pigtails. I could actually feel sweat pooling on my eyelids.

My children recoil and run away when I come home after a run or workout. I am slick with sweat. I am disgusting. I find it strangely fascinating and hugely satisfying.

Anyway, with the new sweatiness I’ve developed a definite preference for tech fabrics and for certain cuts of bottoms (I’ll cover that another time; for now suffice it to say I really hate the feel of sweat rolling down my legs under pants). There is nothing worse than walking around in a shirt soppy in cold sweat.

If you follow me on Instagram or FB you’ve seen this shirt YMX by Yellowman sent me. A lot. I’ve worn it to kickboxing, RivFit, yoga, the gym and running. And to dinner. And the beach.

It’s the Black Living Peony Tank. It’s in my top 5 most worn tops right now for a lot of reasons, but first I want to give you a bit of background about the design.

YMX apparel is collectible, wearable tattoo art. The company founder traveled the globe tracking down and building up a library of tattoo art spanning Japanese Irezumi, Maori Tribal, American Traditional, New School, Biomechanical, even rare work from a remote Buddhist monk in Thailand. Why? Tattoos are universal yet culturally symbolic. They cross cultural borders and attitudes. If you’re inked, you get it. Tattoos have meaning and they bring people together.

YellowMan founder, Peter Mui, started the concept of YellowMan under that premise that skin color should never be a barrier against social status. He should know. Chinese blood, and Oklahoma native, his identity breaks all the usual cultural stereotypes. He’s true to all dimensions of his identity, proudly exuding his Chinese heritage on one side and down-home country singer on the other. Tall, broad-shouldered, and overflowing with confidence, Peter Mui can not be packaged into any preconceived category.

And so it is that he thumbs his nose on the derogatory label “Yellow,” and instead declares it a badge of integrity and pride for those who dare to be different.

Speaking as someone who has similarly reclaimed “derogatory” ethnic labels (I like to answer the inevitable “what are you?” with “Oriental- like the rug”) I can’t even tell you how much I love this, and it’s pretty much enough to make me a brand loyalist all on its own.

But BONUS! DOUBLE PRIZES! this gear is high quality stuff, folks.

• Most notably, it is light and sweat wicking like nobody’s business. The design also helps mask all that sweat so people passing by on the street aren’t horrified by what a slimy mess you are.
• The sweat evaporates quickly. It also dries quickly out of the wash.
• It’s got SPF 30+ UV protection built in.
• It’s soft and comfortable.
• The fabric has a slight sheen that makes it look dressy, as does the detailing around the neck.
• It’s hard wearing, having gone through the wash umpteen times it still looks like new.
• Available for men and in plus sizes, unlike a lot of fitness apparel companies.
• It doesn’t wrinkle. At all. This makes it particularly nice for traveling, as it doesn’t make you look like a slob (some people would say “doesn’t require ironing” but let’s be real folks, I haven’t ironed since I stopped working at Small’s Formal Wear in 1996), takes up like NO suitcase space and does double duty as workout or everyday wear.

YMX also sent me a long sleeve top, the Elemental Earth in pink. I don’t have many pics of this one as a) I generally prefer tank tops even in cold weather and b) when I did wear it to run, I wore it as a base layer which isn’t very interesting to photograph. As a base layer it’s ideal, both for the sweat wicking and because it’s so light you don’t even notice it’s there.

The tech fabric is temperature regulating, which means that it’ll stay cool if I wear it over a sports bra for early morning beach runs (which I intend to, so as to avoid tan lines), but also that it kept me warm and toasty when I wore it under a hoodie for winter runs.

This outfit is a good example of one you can get away with all day and then wear for a run. Just change your shoes. Or rock your sneaks all day if you’re so inclined. (Running skirt is Palm Beach Athletic Wear.)

It’s worth noting that both the sleeveless and long sleeve styles are cut close with a ton of stretch. What that means is that there’s no peekaboo cleavage issues, and my biceps look kind of awesome in the clingy long sleeve. While I usually freak about “grabby” clothes, I don’t mind these at all because they’re so soft & stretchy and there’s no issues with seams (I just checked to see if they had seams. They do, but I honestly didn’t know, so there you go). You CAN see bra lines and pant waist lines, I’m used to that but if you have issues size up.

Are they big box cheap? Nope, and they’re not disposable big box quality either. These are built to last through all seasons and are appropriate for a variety of sports. (The sun protection is a valuable added value.) You can also wear them as badass casual wear.

As I say, quality is the new sustainable, and I think these are excellent investment pieces. The trick is just to find the design that speaks to you and you’ll get the most wear out of.

I think they did a good job picking out prints for me but it was still easy to find more faves:

Join us on Twitter tonight for a chat with YMX by Yellowman and you’ll have a chance to win your own top! Hashtag is #lifeartsport, chat takes place at 9EST, and I’ll be tweeting from the @FitFluential account.

Tell me if you see a design you like.

Tell me if you have a tattoo. Or are planning on one.

Tell me if you find strange satisfaction in rivers of sweat.

I am a fashion person, and fashion is not only about clothes— it’s about all kinds of change.

― Karl Lagerfeld

I’m super picky about clothes.

I need them to fit fairly closely, but not so close that I feel constricted or that I am aware of the seams.

I need them to fall under a certain aesthetic.

I really like not-so-basic black; classic styles with little tweaks that make them interesting or stand out.

I like to look good and be comfy.

And with fitness clothing, I need it to be performance-based, super wicking (I am a very sweaty person) and a good value for the money.

Lorna Jane Active sent me some pieces to try out and review, and dang if they don’t hit every one of those points and then some.

Lorna Jane makes me feel like a ninja.

The sports bra is plenty supportive for a small-chested gal like me, with enough padding to create a bit of cleavage (! I have NEVER EVER had cleavage) but not so much padding that I feel like I’m living a lie.

I’ve been wearing this bra pretty much all the time. I love it. I wear it with dresses, everyday clothes, running, to RivFit classes, for yoga, you name it.

It has an adjustable Y-back that I really like and don’t mind flaunting under my boatneck tops.

This top has a sheer panel across the front and the back that really lets you show off your interesting sports bras of varying colors (but I’m so hooked on the LJ bra that that’s what you get photographed here). The fabric is stretchy and soft and has a sheen that masks the fact that it’s athletic wear. I wore it to lunch at a nice-ish restaurant today. It’s definitely in the rotation of my fave 3 or 4 fave long sleeve tops.

Best part is the fact that it has thumbholes— I love me some thumbholes. But while some thumbhole tops cut into my hands because I guess I have long arms, this one has both enough length and enough stretch that I rock the thumbhole all day long in comfort.

The pants pictured are compression tights and they are SERIOUS BUSINESS. There are actual compression panels that really hold you in. I look svelte, no? Like a dang ninja.

They are somewhat of a struggle to get into, much like my ProCompression socks. I don’t recommend putting them on in the line of vision of someone you’re trying to woo. But once on they’re very comfy, no sausage casing effect.

I wore them running on a fairly hot day (along with the LJ bra) and they both did great, no rubbing or chafing, although I was a little warm in the compression tights. I bet these will be good all through the winter.

Lastly, a top that combines my two favorite articles of clothing, the black tank top and the hoodie.

There’s a little pocket above the Lorna Jane logo there.

Another slimcut top that breathes and wicks sweat but looks totally stylish.

I wore it with a coral Reebok tank underneath and a running skirt to a Fitness Magazine event in NYC. And I love that you wouldn’t necessarily suspect that I was planning to workout in this outfit. Talk about sweat to street!

Bottom line: I’ve been pretty much living in these clothes since I received them. They are the types of things I would wear anyway first, and premium activewear to boot. Making them pretty much my ideal staple wardrobe pieces.

As a result they’ve also been laundered a ridiculous number of times in the past few weeks, and they still look brand new. Value for your dollar; endurable = sustainable.

And then there’s the fact that Lorna Jane is a really awesome company built on the determination and vision of one woman— Lorna Jane herself— and a truly inspiring company mission to MOVE- NOURISH- BELIEVE.

I selected black ninja garb because that’s what fits MY fashion sensibility and I wanted clothes I’d honestly wear again and again. But the selection at Lorna Jane runs the gamut, from currently on trend to more classic styling, from bright neons to more neutral colors. Mix and match as you feel comfortable in, but shop confident that the fit will be flattering and the cut will be comfortable.

Check it out and join us (I’ll be tweeting from the @FitFluential account) for a #LIVEACTIVE chat with Lorna Jane on Twitter tonight at 9EST! We’ll be talking about what it means to live an active, beautiful life and one person will win a $150 gift card.

 
Want to check out the specific styles I’m wearing? Links under the Polyvore board below.