Confession: I used to be pretty insecure about my legs. I'm really short (barely 5'1'') so I always felt like cellulite was more noticeable on my short and stubby legs, and therefore never liked to wear shorts or knee-length leggings because I thought 7/8 leggings or full leggings were more flattering. The only time I would ever really wear shorts was to Bikram yoga because let's be honest, everyone in the room is approximately this close to death and I knew no one had the energy to even glance my way, never mind see my silly insecurities.
I wish I could say that over the years my insecurities have magically disappeared, but alas, they haven't. However, recently I've noticed more and more people wearing short shorts to the gym and to yoga as the temps rise. Short and tall, women of all shapes and sizes, everyone is sporting short shorts, especially since it's been around 95 degrees every day for the last three weeks or so. And it made me reconsider my insecurity.
Do I look at people wearing short shorts and judge them? No. So why do I do that to myself?
Why are we so much harder on ourselves?
So in an effort to stay true to my mid-year resolutions, one of which is to go easy on myself, I made a change. Do I have cellulite on the backs of my legs? Yep. Do I care about it? Yes (sorry, just keeping it real!), but not enough to cover up and feel hot and uncomfortable when I'm working out.
What's weird about our society - and I realized this in Germany, where I've lived for most of the last four or so years - is that we're conditioned to cover up, which in my opinion tends to breed a sense of shame. I don't want to be ashamed my of my body anymore. I'm 31 years old, and if I have some cellulite then I'm freaking human, you know?
So I busted out some shorts I had bought for Bikram years ago. (These are the ones I am wearing in the above photo). They're ok, but they don't have a gusset, which, if you've been following along for a while, you know is basically like my number one priority when it comes to bottoms for yoga or workouts because #comfort.
Pin now, read later! Best short shorts for yoga and workouts
So I set out in search of some great shorts. Here are the ones I like the most, at a variety of price points.
Nike Compression Shorts Review
For the price point, I love these. They're $35.99, but I found my pair on sale for $23. They have a gusset, do not get stretched out with wear, and hold up well with multiple washes. They've got a good compression and stay put while working out. The length feels good to me - these were the 2.5 inch shorts (but they also come longer, if you'd like). The only improvement that I could see is a thicker fabric. While the fabric is opaque, I just like the luon fabric from lululemon better.
Lululemon Boogie Short Review
I've had these boogie shorts for ages and love them for yoga. They have a 1 7/8in inseam, so they're shorter than the Nike compression shorts, but the material is much thicker. They also come longer, if you'd like. The only downside is that these tend to ride up when I walk or run, so they're not great for working out, but for some reason they stay put for yoga which is why I only wear them for yoga unless I am fresh out of workout clothes and desperate for something to wear to the gym. They're $42.00.
Sweaty Betty Shakedown Workout Short Review
Ok winner winner chicken dinner right here! I feel like these are a combo of all the things I like in the previous two. The fabric is nice and thick - a lot like lululemon's old luon (keyword being old, because over time their newer version of luon has gone downhill). The little cords on the side allow you to make a custom length so you can decide how short you want these shorts to go. The nice design about the cords on the sides is that they help cinch the shorts in place. There is no movement whether you run, walk, or practice yoga - they're staying put. You can also tuck those cords in so they're not hanging out if you like. There's also a nice zippered pocket in the waistband at the back large enough for an iphone5, so that's really nice as well. And of course, there's a gusset. Hallelujah. They're $65.00.
Let's talk: What insecurities are you struggling with? What are you doing to overcome them? Anyone game for taking the pledge to work on them with me?