You've seen her running up that hill on West Wheelock St.: shorts swishing and iPod blaring. She's at the gym on the elliptical reading Us Weekly, checking the clock and looking in the mirror. Countless articles in The D have talked about these girls, categorizing them as being concerned with one or all of the following: fitness, fashion and face-time. Let me tell you, though, that while these girls may differ in their social or physical goals, they all share this: the Nike tempo track women's shorts.
You know the shorts I'm talking about, even if you aren't someone who works out. They come in countless color combinations; pink piping, white mesh, navy body is definitely the most popular. As trivial as it may seem, and it definitely appears that way, these shorts are as ubiquitous as those green and black Wayfarers that even Susan Wright was seen wearing at graduation this spring. They're everywhere.
More and more people seem to be purchasing them; more color combinations keep budding up uncontrollably, taking over Dick's Sporting Goods and City Sports alike. I was stopped on West Wheelock St. the other day by my friends because I was wearing a pair of these shorts. Yes, I succumbed to the trend over interim when I realized that my spandex shorts were wearing thin. Yikes. My friends commented on my "different" color combination: orange, white and gray, sparking a conversation about how "great" the shorts are.
Apparently "great" to them meant comfortable, flattering and cute, what any "great" piece of clothing should be. Sometimes they can be tight around the thigh, though; be careful of machine drying. On the other side of the spectrum, buy them too big and they look like a puff of polyester. Not good. So really, they aren't that great, which brings me to another point: why are women's workout shorts so tight?
Like I said before, I'm all in favor of spandex. It's comfortable and stretchy, and really, it makes for great fake pants (dare I go into the leggings-as-pants debate?). But if you're a lady who likes to wear actual fabric when going on outdoor excursions, note that most shorts tend to fit tight in order to flatter the derriere. Ever since the 80's aerobics craze (getting physical, Olivia Newton-John?), we've seen short-shorts and spandex making cyclical appearances in everyday life. That tightness has infiltrated other shorts styles, making it difficult for women to find the perfect pair for working out.
Finding the right size can prove challenging. I tend to buy my shorts a bit bigger because I hate tight waistbands. When it comes to running shorts, I like mine to flow freely, not restrict me. I guess I'm willing to sacrifice flattering fashion for comfort. Working out isn't necessarily walking down a runway (though it can feel like that at the gym sometimes). If the Nike ones don't fit right, there are plenty of versions that look just like them at running stores; it's just if you prefer to have that little Nike symbol on your thigh or that brand's particular colors you can buy them. I'll admit I'm in the latter group. Trendiness isn't a sin.
