Without wanting to repeat an opening line that you've probably heard a million times already, 2020 was a weird year. I think I'm not alone in saying that my mental health went feral, taking me to dark places that I hadn't visited since I was a teenager. Pandemics will do that to you, I guess. And I know it's not over just because we've turned the page of this terrible book to January 1st, 2021. But I do sense a little hope in the air for this year, and I'm clinging to it.
On the flipside, I'll always remember 2020 as the year that I discovered a passion for fitness... not quite deliberately, more out of necessity. It was an easily accessible activity that delivered me oodles of endorphins, keeping my head above water while I paddled through professional and personal tsunamis.
I've been a gym-goer for around three years, but I never really took it seriously in the past. I would find excuses not to go (it's too busy/I'm too busy/I'm exhausted/it's exhausting) and when I was there I'd be watching the clock, wondering if I'd justified the time spent there (the answer was usually 'no').
One thing that really changed last year, in line with ramping up my gym routine, was the clothing I wore. As I gained confidence in my workouts, I gained confidence in what I could wear. I used to be the girl in a baggy black t-shirt and old Primark leggings - never wearing anything too tight, always covering up. Everyone else would wear matching, skin-tight two pieces in pretty colours.
I felt like a bit of an outsider. But it's only now that I realise I made myself an outsider. By dressing within my comfort zone, I excluded myself, and so I never felt like part of the community.
So, a little drunk on Christmas Day, I fell victim to the early Boxing Day sales. I had searched through the websites of several gymwear brands already that day, before Instagram picked up on my browsing habits and served me an ad for Alphalete. I'd previously seen Alphalete on one of my favourite Instagrammers, Dominique Asgeirsdottir, so I decided to purchase one of the outfits I'd seen her wearing, plus a couple more items.
These are the Alphalux Pocket Legging in 'Lava Red' and the UltraSoft Crop Top in 'Red'. The material is really bright, but not shiny (I'm not a fan of shiny gymwear, personally), and definitely stands out - a far cry from my baggy, all-black looks of previous years.
In terms of stretch, there's plenty, although I wouldn't say that it's the most stretchy fabric of all the gymwear I own. The fabric is on the thinner side, and so I would say that's it's not cellulite-proof, if that bothers you. It's also not completely squat proof unless you're wearing nude-coloured underwear. I wore black underwear when I tried it on, and it really showed in natural lighting as well as artificial lighting.
Both the leggings and crop top are true to size, with a very flattering fit. I'm 5'4", and the leggings are the perfect length on me. I would keep an eye on the leggings, however, as they slip down a little with not-so-rigorous cardio (I think this is because the fabric is fairly thin).
One problem I have with Alphalete clothing is that their logos are not embroidered. Personally, I feel that when I'm paying a bit more for gymwear, I like to see embroidered logos, otherwise they'll come right off in the wash. We'll see how this set fairs, but I hope that they change their designs in future. It's such a small but telling mark of quality!
Delivery was fast. I paid £6 for express shipping, and my order arrived within 5 days (not bad, considering the chaos experienced by postal services around the festive period). Each product comes in its own ziplock plastic bag, which I personally dislike, as that's a lot of plastic to throw away.
At the moment, most of the UK is in tier 4 pandemic restrictions, which means that gyms are closed. Therefore I've just been using this set for home workouts. But I can't wait to try it out in the gym, once they've finally reopened (I never thought I'd be saying that!). Here's to a happy and healthy 2021.