A newly published article on The New York Time's website, called "Why Yoga Pants are Bad For Women", has stirred up some strong opinions including my own. The author's main claim is yoga pants are unnecessary. Whether you're actually doing yoga, lounging around, or wearing them in lieu of jeans, she does not believe women are wearing them for the right reason. What is this 'right reason' you may ask? According to the author, "We aren't wearing these workout clothes because they're cooler or more comfortable... We're wearing them because they're sexy." The author then goes on to explain that many women wear yoga pants to merely evoke attention from the opposite sex. The author also states, "The gym is one of the few places we're supposed to be able to focus on how our bodies feel, not just on how the look."
Many women, including myself, wear yoga pants because they are comfortable. Some days, you just don't feel like wearing jeans and a black pair of leggings is the perfect option. Plus, yoga pants are more practical for the gym. I would rather be able to focus on the exercise I'm doing, rather than worrying about if my sweatpants are flopping around. Yoga pants are widely worn to the gym for this exact reason. They stay where you want them to stay and don't interfere with your workout.
As for her claim, "we're wearing them because they're sexy," that is simply not true. Now I'm not saying there may be women out there who do dress to gain attention or wear certain clothing items because they believe they represent sexiness, but not everyone thinks that way. The women I know that wear yoga pants, simply wear them because they feel good in them. Personally, when I get dressed in the morning or before a workout, I am more focused on what I feel comfortable and confident in. I am not thinking about, is this sexy or will this make people stare. For some of us, yoga pants are when we feel most confident.
The author also believes wearing yoga pants (and athletic wear companies) may somehow skew you beliefs on what's truly important in life. She wrote, "All of this turns working out from a healthy thing you might do twice a week into a Way of Life...When yoga pants are the first thing a grown women put on every morning we can't help absorb the message that staying fit is our No. 1 purpose in life." While I will agree many athletic companies severely overprice a simple pair of yoga pants, I don't believe they push false beliefs upon us. For many people staying fit and being healthy is a huge priority in life. And I believe being fit will still be a priority even if they don't slide on their yoga pants until the evening.
The author's point of view on yoga pants is apparently clear, but I hope she decides to put the yoga pants she owns to good use, because they are so worth wear.
