The problem with living in workout clothes is that after a while, every other piece of clothing you own starts to seem REALLY uncomfortable by comparison. Jeans? Even comfy pairs seem awful compared to leggings. Underwire bras? Forget about it. When it’s frowned upon for me to show up somewhere in my usual gym fare, I’m still constantly looking for ways to sneak my workout gear into my “normal” outfits.
Styles like these go a step further. They’re not actually made for working out, but they’re made out of the same luxe, athletic fabrics I love to wear. That means I get the stretchy goodness without getting the funny and/or judgmental stares. Another bonus: styles that blur the line between gym and street make shopping way easier for us sporty types. The fact that I can just buy all my “regular” clothes from the same places I get my activewear is way more convenient and a lot less overwhelming. Plus, it’s made my wardrobe more cohesive: getting dressed is easier when almost everything goes together. Honestly, I’ve almost completely stopped buying clothes from traditional fashion brands at this point for those reasons. These styles from Carbon38 are the latest additions to my “all of this is secretly workout clothes” wardrobe.
Disclosure: the dress and blazer were gifted to me from Carbon38 (the boots and bag came from my closet). All content and opinions are my own.
The gallium blazer from Carbon38’s in-house label is a stretchy, incredibly silky blend of polyester and spandex. The look of the fabric is quite polished; no one would ever guess it’s workout material. The fabric is substantial, not paper-thin, but because it’s a stretch blend it does not have the same structure of a traditional blazer. Mine is a size XS, but a smaller size also would’ve worked if it were available. I suggest taking your true size, or the smaller size if you’re in between.
There’s a zipper detail around the middle for an edgier twist on the basic blazer. You can actually zip the whole lower piece off for a cropped look. Because of the zipper detail, there isn’t a button closure.
My new marble Balsa bag happened to be an awesome addition to this outfit, since it kept the theme of (mostly) monochrome and sophisticated-meets-sporty. If you want to see more of this bag, I wrote a full post on it here.
The mold dress by Koral is a fitted, sexier style. I got a size XS and it’s quite fitted on me (I normally wear XXS/XS or street size 00/0). If you’re in doubt about which size to choose, or if you’d just like a little more room to breathe, I suggest sizing up.
The jacquard fabric is a textured knit (rather than printed) and is quite thick. Although it’s very form-fitting, the substantial nature of the fabric makes the dress pretty forgiving, unlike what you might be used to with its cotton counterparts. The mold dress is basically the sporty equivalent of a bandage dress.
The model on Carbon38’s website is 5’7″ and it’s quite short on her, but since I’m only 5’3″ I expected it to be longer on me when I got it. I was surprised to find that when I put it on, it ended up being about the same length on me as it is on the model. C38 notes that she’s wearing a size small versus my XS, so you might get a little extra length as you go up in size. The moral of the story, though, is that you should expect this dress to be quite short. Personally, I prefer to wear leggings underneath to make this decent for polite company.
The high neck helps to balance the short hem, and the racerback cut shows off the hard work you’ve been putting in on your back and shoulders. The cut also tends to emphasize the hips. If you want to downplay that area, this might not be the dress for you. But if you want to embrace and emphasize your curves, then go for it. Overall, if you want to look sporty, sexy, and strong all at once, this dress will be your jam.
By the way, Carbon38 just recently added the magnify dress by Koral, a similar style made of the same jacquard fabric. One key difference is that it appears to be a bit longer, making it a good alternative if you’re taller or just want a couple more inches of coverage.
Also: I just have to take a moment to gush over these boots. They’re Stuart Weitzman’s iconic highland boot, which every fashionista and their dog is pretty much obsessed with, myself included. The slim silhouette is perfect for petite ladies like me–it lengthens everything and works for my proportions. Because of my smaller legs, a lot of boots tend to make me look like a swashbuckler, but definitely not these.
Some people might say not to pair OTK boots with a high hemline. Some people also say that petite women shouldn’t wear OTK boots. On all counts, I have to disagree. :)
I’ve been a diehard OTK fan ever since they solidly came onto the fashion scene circa 2009. I fell in love with the highlands in particular this past fall (how they weren’t on my wishlist sooner, I don’t know) and was pining after them something fierce. I decided to try to assuage the obsession by trying a few pairs on. Thanks to my try-on session, my boyfriend decided he loved bordeaux on me and later got them for me as a birthday present. Since I wear a lot of neutrals, the deep wine shade is the perfect statement-making accent. Next on my wishlist: topo suede and nero leather. (I can dream, can’t I?)
Amen to this. I have a huge list of athletic clothing I wear to work (in my very dressy office), jet crop slims go with tunics, Lululemon pullovers in the right colors, Lululemon dresses are amazing for work, Athleta ponte pants. I pretty much wear Lulu or Athleta to work every day—and still look professional.
Ponte pants are THE BEST. I have a pair that’s several years old and they’re my go-to for work. They’re almost *completely* worn through so I’m about due for a new pair…
awesome outfit. I live in my Lululemon jet crops, i cry if they are dirty and I have to wear my jeans. lol
Haha yup! I wish jet crops worked for me for that exact reason. Maybe I should give them another shot…
Great post! I love mixing “athleisure” or pure athletic wear with other types of clothing. And it is fantastic to be able to limit your shopping destinations. I do make an exception for Free People-mixing it up works so well with their styles.
Thank you! :) It’s nice to have a handful of go-to stores as exceptions. It still keeps things a lot more simple than they would be otherwise, which is really the ultimate goal for me.
Love this post! This outfit is fab.
Thank you. :)
Love your outfit!!! I have Lulu Power Date blazer from last year that looks just like yours. That Koral dress is super cute, but you are right , it’s really short to wear on its own. Does it ride up when you walk/move? I need a size small and wonder if it’ll be an inch or so longer. I am also 5″4.
Yes, it does tend to ride up a bit on me unfortunately. But, since I wear leggings underneath anyway, it’s not a huge problem.
I was just thinking lately about how my workout gear has slowly started seeping into my day wear repertoire! And yes, even my super soft, stretchy True Religion jeans are super uncomfortable compared to my favorite tights. Unfortunately, underwire bras are here to stay for me :(
Your whole outfit looks great! I’m pretty keen on that gallium blazer – do you find the fit more straight, or could a curvier lady pull it off?
Hmm, good question… I think either a straight or curvier figure could pull it off, since the material is so stretchy. Also, since it doesn’t have a closure, you don’t have to worry about busting out. On the other hand, the waist is cut a bit on the bigger side, so if you have a particularly slim waist, it might not do much to accentuate the whole hourglass thing. Hope that helps!
Love this post! You look fantastic :) I might have to make that blazer mine! The dress is just amazing and you pull it off so well. It’s so true about jeans. I can’t even bring myself to put them on they’re horrible compared to leggings.
Yup, if I wear them to work I pretty much change into sweats as soon as I get home, lol. Hopeless.
Forgot to ask if the dress has a built in bra and cups?
No, it does not! I’m wearing an energy bra under it in these pics and it hides it pretty well.
Totally agreed on the jeans vs. leggings. While I do love Paige denim, I hardly ever reach for my jeans anymore. I wear Athleta leggings to work almost everyday, either the bettona’s or the metro’s because they have pockets and seams that give the effect of pants not just leggings.
And holy crap, I might need that blazer…
Yes, seams and pockets are super helpful for getting away with “fake” pants!!
Just wanted to add — off topic — that I just received my first order from Sweaty Betty (sale!) and I love everything! I think I almost like their tank better than the crb. And you are why I branched out to try the brand, so thank you!!
I too love that blazer…
Hooray! So glad you had some good luck with the SB tank. :)
I love this whole outfit so much! I’m so tempted by the dress but don’t think the curved hem in the front wouldn’t work for me. I actually was looking at that blazer when I first saw it. Love it!
Yeah, I agree that the short cut and curved hem probably wouldn’t work as well, since you’re quite a bit taller than I am. Money saved for you, though. ;)
Love the whole look. Looks awesome on you :)
Thank you!! :)
Ive been craving those boots for two years now! Love your maroon ones :) Steve Madden’s “georgous” boots are a dead ringer (I have them in taupe and black)
Good to know! Steve Madden shoes usually fit my feet really badly for some reason, but it sounds like those would be worth a shot. Thanks for the tip. ;)
Hi! I was thinking of purchasing the blazer–it looks fab on you. !!! How is it holding up?
Hi Donna! The jacket was a little bit big for me, so I ended up giving it to one of my friends a couple months ago. Still looked nice when I gave it to her though. :)