What to wear when running? It's the eternal question!

One of the subjects that I'm most frequently asked about is running: what to wear, what to eat and how to get out there and do it in the first place!

Well luckily, the issue of how to get out there in the first place (and hopefully quite a few other things besides) is addressed in this post here which I wrote back in October. I've written several running posts over the years, which you can also read here and here (there may be a little overlap. Sorry!)

But as to what to wear? Well that seems to be something that causes much discussion if not a little distress. So I'm going to identify some of the things that you might want to think about and then have a chat about them. Oooh but first, I should just say that I'm not able to include images from GAP and M&S for some reason. I've tried for hours but I'm just going to have to get on and post, or else abandon the whole thing!

So here goes....

1. Layers
2. Underwear 
3. Socks 
4. Leggings
5. Tops  
6. Jackets
7. Hat and gloves

Layers

Layers are, if you like, the holy grail of getting it bang on temperature wise. Layers of fairly well fitting pieces made from sporting fabrics that are of similar thickness and which can be taken off and on again as needed, are essential. Anything heavy, such as a sweatshirt (non breathable) or with feathers in it such as a puffa (too hot) will leave you feeling uncomfortable and heading for home before you've finished your first km.

And the point of the layers being fitted as opposed to baggy is that they will fit underneath each other without getting ruched up and becoming uncomfortable.  

Even on the coldest of days, such as today when it was snowing, I'm only in 3 layers - and I'm an utter wimp. I always wear a fitted no sleeved vest as a basic. Then when it gets colder I'll add a long sleeved top and from about mid October onwards, a jacket. The only thing that changes during the winter is the weight of my jacket. I have one heavier one that I wear when it's really cold and rest of the time (if a jacket is needed at all) it's a lighter weight one.  And apart from your first layer of a vest top, in my humble opinion, all of them should have long sleeves so that they can be tied around your waist.

Underwear

Irrespective of your bust size, I would absolutely say that a sports bra or cropped sports top is necessary. They are made for comfort and offer the best support possible. They can be padded or not, underwired or not. They can have racer backs, wide straps, narrow straps - anything that you like really but I would say that the right underwear is key. We've all seen those women running in the wrong bras and I'm not sure that any of us wants to go there.

Personally I love the M&S ones but I think that I'm inherently lazy and I just can't be bothered to try other brands. Plus I guess if they work, there's no need to look anywhere else. They have great prints, colours and styles, all of which you can take a look at here. 

There are special pants that you can buy to run in but I've never ventured into those. My everyday pants have always served me just fine but if they're your thing by all means give them a try (and let me know what you think.)

Socks

This sounds dramatic but the thought of running in "normal" socks fills me with horror. I don't know why - maybe it's a security thing. I like nice, soft, well padded, sports socks. Some of the best are, for my money, in Primark. I like them cut quite low too - they're just more flattering around the ankles, especially if you're wearing capri leggings. 

Leggings

Oooh now there's a subject with legs. Capri or full length? Low rise or high rise? Fabric composition? Thermal or not and how about compression? 

I would say that I've probably tried most of them and my favourites are high rise capris. Full length thermal tights are great for when it's really cold and compression tights do feel lovely on a very long run but both of those are pricey. So on the whole, if you're just starting out and don't plan on over investing in them, capris seem to do the trick 90% of the time.

Some of my favourite capris are the high rise sculp capris from GAP (£62.95)  I have to say that I've never paid anywhere near anything like that for a pair of Gap capris. Usually I pay no more than £25 in the sale or with a 40% friends and family discount. But see the high rise and the wide waistband? That's what I really like about them.

Or for a legging, there's the high rise Winterbrush print leggings from GAP (£59.95).

There's even a 7/8th legging which is longer than a capri but shorter than a full length legging. There's so much choice, so I've linked to them all here

I've also had great leggings from Victoria's Secret as well as these Body Glove Active Wear leggings (£69.99) that were gifted to me by Cocobay this time last year. 

Oh and on a really, really cold day, full length tights with shorts over the top can stop you from getting a chilly bum on a long run. 

Tops

I've already mentioned vest tops. This is the kind of fitted vest top that I like but it all comes down to personal preference. If it's a really hot day I might wear a slightly looser vest as I won't be putting another layer over the top. Otherwise it's fitted all the way. 

H&M sports vest top (£8.99)

This top is fab. It comes in 8 colours and whilst they're not necessarily very "shouty" that's fine if you don't want to stand out too much. If you do, then there are brighter ones at H&M or Primark again is good for running vests. 

As to long sleeved tops, again I prefer them to be fitted but it's all a question of taste and what works for you. I also like them to have a thumb hole in them so that I can cover my hands on colder days. 

Seamless sports top H&M (£17.99)

This is a great top in four different colours. I love that there are bright printed pieces out there at places like Sweaty Betty and Lululemon but I think that it can be too easy to get sucked into the mindset of thinking that it all has to look super cool. If you're trying to impress in a central London yoga class then maybe - if you're running along the canals in the urban hinterland of Birmingham - not so much! 

Jackets

This is my absolute favourite lighterweight jacket. It's the Seafolly Flower Festival windbreaker jacket from Cocobay and it's now in the sale, reduced from £82 to £49.20.

The best thing about this jacket is that it's cropped, so it offers all of the warmth that I need over my arms and upper torso but there's not too much flapping around, should I need to take it off and tie it around my waist. I love the print too and the fact that I can put my keys in my pocket. 

Hat and gloves and bits and bobs

Hats can be a real love, or a real hate item. One of my friends goes a bit woozy if ever she wears a hat, however cold it is. Others get earache - in which case a hat can be essential. A head band (not Bjorn Borg style I hasten to add) can be a great idea and if you've got long hair and they can also look fab. 

One of my favourite places for those extra bits and bobs is Sports Direct. They have all manner of things from the obvious hats and gloves, to reflective strips, head torches, and armbands for your phone. I've gone through many armbands over the years and this neoprene Karrimor X-lite reflect armband, which comes in four colours, is my favourite by far. 

Karrimor armband (£8.75 instead of £19.99)

It's great because first, it doesn't come undone, secondly there's room for a key and some money in it and thirdly, unlike the plastic ones, it doesn't chaff if it's against bare skin in the summer.

Running Like a Girl (£6.99)

And I still think that this is a great place to start if you want to know the ins and outs about running. I get it out every time I'm about to run a race, returning to my favourite pages for the hints and tips. 

I hope that this post helps but if you have any questions or queries, you know where to find me! 

A round up of new season HUSH!

Shall we? On this cold (and now snowy) January Tuesday evening, shall we treat ourselves to a peek at the new collection from HUSH? Oh the flip yes! Let's take a moment or two to cast aside those winter chills and turn our thoughts to warmer weather and lighter clothing.

This colourblock jumper (£110) is going to sell out in a flash, for sure. So if you're even vaguely tempted, I would secure one now. Is it not the perfect transitional jumper? Maybe it's something to do with the fact that it's pink. And navy. My two favourite colours ever.

And oh hello, Mrs Predictable strikes again with this printed silk shirt (£115) which just happens to be in midnight and pink. I am a huge fan of silk shirts. Easy to say I know but they feel so lovely against the skin and the older I get the more I appreciate them - which I think is a good thing. Sort of.

I love how it's styled here with the Amesbury shoe (£149) and these stripe bryce culottes (£59). I wasn't sure that I particularly liked this style of shoe when I saw it on its own but I knew that when I saw it as part of an outfit I probably would. And oh what a surprise. I do!

Oh hello puff sleeved sweat top (£59) aren't you the perfect piece to take us from winter into spring?

And I am absolutely feeling all the love for this asymmetric Veria frill skirt (£69) which will be brilliant with heeled ankle boots, or 70s style boots and a roll neck now, or with flat sandals or trainers plus a t-shirt and denim jacket once the warmer weather arrives. It's already limited stock so again, be quick!

Oh and how about this to completely fall in love with? The famous Hush Onyx leather jacket in Blush (£295). With its 166 reviews (albeit most are for the other colours of grey and black) this is a much loved jacket across the shoulders of many a women throughout the country.

And last but definitely not least, I'm over the moon to see these frayed star jeans (£79). They are really similar to a pair of jeans that I have from Mango and which people always ask me about when I wear them on Instagram. Up until now I haven't seen anything similar but these are so similar that hopefully they will make a lot of people really happy! It's made me happy just knowing that they may make someone else happy. And they're a relaxed style so you can get the same slouchy fit. Someone please buy them and tell me what they're like!

Well that's certainly brightened up my Tuesday night as I sit in front of the log burner with snow outside. Please go away soon snow. I can't stand any more slippery journeys to school. Oh and it is Tuesday isn't it? I said to my daughter's boyfriend earlier that perhaps they should consider going to a particular place for dinner as they did 2:1 on burgers on a Monday. He gave me a slightly odd look before gently saying "Is it Monday today? I thought it was Tuesday." The boy has tact.

PATTERNITY + John Lewis

We are lucky enough to have a fabulous John Lewis in Birmingham and when I was sent the look book and press pack by the store about a new brand that was launching, I was really excited to write about it. 

The new brand, "PATTERNITY + John Lewis", is stocked within our Loved & Found section in the store, which is essentially like a boutique comprising lots of niche brands. The range can also be found online here.

PATTERNITY was founded in 2009 by Anna Murray and Grace Winteringham who had a drive to use pattern as a tool to "explore, innovate and inspire mindful living through design." The founders chose to collaborate with John Lewis because they felt that as well as being iconic, it is also super forward thinking, as represented by this collaboration which combines fashion with interiors, for the first time.  

PATTERNITY + John Lewis long line parka John Lewis (£99)

The brand is about laid back sophistication with pieces for the home, together with active wear and leisurewear which can be combined together, or with existing pieces in your wardrobe, for a really modern look. The strong monochrome pallet and geometric prints are striking without being overwhelming (unless you choose to make a real style statement with them.) 

I love the above parka. It caught my eye straight away for its print, length and volume. It's a real "throw it over" item of clothing and it doesn't really matter what's going on underneath because it's all about the parka. That's my kind of dressing. 

PATTERNITY + John Lewis Jumper Dress from John Lewis (£75)

This is a look that I'm pretty rubbish at. The off duty jumper dress over leggings and trainers. Actually, that probably means that I should try it because I always love it on others and then just feel a bit of a numpty myself. My friend did a similar look the other day and she looked really cool. I just look like I've forgotten to get dressed properly. 

PATTERNITY + John Lewis flow print roll neck top (£39)

Oooh now I really fancy this for when I'm running on a warmish day. The days of me running in cropped tops are long gone. I did it a few years ago in the Great North Run because it was baking. You have honestly never seen Mo Farah looked so shocked in his entire life as I approached him after I went over the finishing line and said "hello" to him. I wondered why he looked so horrified. And then I saw the photos. Mind you, it could also have been the ice pop sticking out the top of my cropped top that had been handed to me en route and which I'd forgotten about. 

Mo need fear no more. The coverage that this top would offer would deal with all of that, whilst offering something a little different from my usual sporting attire. 

PATTERNITY + John Lewis drawstring boxy top (£38)

Now this cool top could be worn in all sorts of amazing ways - either for an "athleisure" feel or for something smarter - such as wide legged trousers and trainers or with a pleather pleated midi skirt.

This product also supports "BCI" (Better Cotton Initiative) farmers. These farmers use water efficiently, care for the environment and promote fair and decent work. I think that we are increasingly looking to issues of sustainability and environmental impact when choosing which brands to buy from. I remember listening to Stella McCartney talking on Desert Island discs when I was on a very (long and lonely) run in the summer. What she said made complete sense but I do have difficulty with her prices. 

PATTERNITY + John Lewis signature print long length leggings (£45)

Some days I'm in the mood for a full on printed legging, other days I choose to hide behind my plain navy ones. These would definitely be for those braver days but oh boy, when those days arrive, you've just got to embrace them. 

PATTERNITY and John Lewis intarsia knit cardigan (£99)

And this is this a bold geometric pattern at its very best. I love how some people I know would buy this and just wear and wear it wear it with utter joy. The way that it is layered over culottes is just fab (and another look for me to pinch!) There's 5% cashmere in this long cardigan which adds to its softness. 

Quite a few pieces have sold out but there are new pieces which are due to be released mid-season. And if pattern on your person is not your thing, there's an option for pattern in your home instead - which can sometimes be easier. 

 These organic towels which would make a real style statement in a bathroom that needed a lift (varying in price from £8 for a pack of two flannels to £28 for a bath sheet). I love buying new towels. Even if everything else in the bathroom remains the same, they can just really pep up a bathroom up.

Or for a nod to something monochrome and printed for your soap, there's this soap dish (£12)

And I'm not sure about this fab tumbler for your toothbrushes (£12) being only for toothbrushes, I think that it would look great as a pencil holder on a desk, alongside something in rose gold. Yep, that's me sold. 

I think that there might be some bedding coming too and the pieces are such a good price that it would be a shame not to bag something that you like before it goes. I shall be heading to our store as soon as I can (ie as soon as I've done my tax return!!!) for a much closer look of all things PATTERNITY + John Lewis related.