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10 BEST Summer kit picks

thelma sideFrom Thelma Mensah, personal trainer, founder of the uber-cool blog kicksandkit.com and ultimate Healthista woman, we have her 10 picks for the season’s hottest kit  

Bordoni small1 BORDONI HOODED T-BACK VEST Think all hoodies are created equal? Think again. This sports luxe take on a traditional hoodie from Bordoni Sport is gorgeous, edgy and stand out style. The hooded T-Back Vest is so cool you’ll be forgiven for forgetting it’s for working out in.  Styled from super comfy, stretch fabric that keeps you dry and protects you from summer rays, the hooded T-Back vest also has a secret support bra so your assets won’t bounce along to the music. Bordonicreations.com

Suki Shufu Leatherbacks Leggings black gloss

2 SUKI SHUFU LEATHERBACKS LEGGINGS IN BLACK GLOSS ‘Suki Shufu’ is the name of Caroline White’s premium active-wear and accessories label and also her new alias. In Japanese ‘Suki’ means ‘I like’ or ‘favourite’ and is also a feminine name.  ‘Shufu’ meanwhile translates to ‘housewife’. First of all, I ain’t never ever seen no leather- looking fitness performance leggings like these and I’ve been in the fitness game a long time.  Secondly they are so damn on-trend that I could easily rock up to a bar in these and look fab. Thirdly, and probably most important, at my age a sistah needs some help defying gravity in the bumper area and these make my ass look like I’ve done a million squats without even stepping foot in the gym.  www.sukishufu.com £69.95

Nike-Free-TR-Breathe-Damen-Trainingsschuh-579968_700_A

3 NIKE FREES Any fitness fashion girl worth her salt knows that no workout wardrobe is complete without some super fly kicks and my go-to trainers for cross training and running have got to be Nike Frees. Not only do they look fresh and fly for summer but they come in a whole array of colours that will make your outfit pop – these are big faves for me. I wear these and most of my PT/instructor friends wear these too because of their ability to let your feet move more freely and naturally. They feel super light too which according to the science from Nike means that your muscles will be doing a bit more work than demanded in other athletics shoes. www.nike.com from £80

g-loves workout gloves leopard_2 black trim

4 G-LOVES WORKOUT GLOVES  With the popularity of Crossfit and Body Pump classes this is for all my ladies who, like me, love to lift but don’t want to compromise on style by wearing a pair of tired old lifting gloves. Hedda Royce, president and designer of g-loves has got you covered – from leopard print to this season’s flouro trend. In fact, they have so many styles and colours that you will be hard pressed not to find a pair of gloves to coordinate with your workout outfit.  They are based in LA but can ship to the UK so no excuses not to look hot in the gym from fingertips to toes. www.g-loves.com

Lululemon Ta Ta Tamer II Bra

5 LULULEMON TA TA TAMER RUNNING BRA Ladies, ladies, ladies letting your girls bounce all over the shop when you run is never a good look, it’s not good for your breast tissue either. Lock ‘em down with Lululemon’s Ta Ta Tamer Bra. It’s designed to minimise bounce when you run and comes with a slew of features that will not only protect the girls but ensure you (and them) have a more comfortable run. Removable cups, hook and eye closure for a better fit around the ribcage, optional crossover straps and my fave feature chafe resistant flat seams to help reduce chafing under the bust. Oh, and it looks really fashionable too unlike most other sports bras. It ain’t cheap though, at over £50, but a good sports bra is a must if you work out regularly and when you look at the features and the cost per wear (Cost Per Wear = the best get out clause if anyone questions how much you pay for something) factor then this is a must buy purchase for your summer workout kit. www.lululemon.co.uk £52

Wellicious Ballet Pants

6 WELLICIOUS BALLET TROUSERS I just love, love, love this Yoga, Pilates and Loungewear brand.  Everything in their range is luxe, stylish, comfortable and eco friendly. My fave piece has to be these yoga ballet trousers in dove blue just perfect for when I want to get my Namaste on. These ultra feminine pants come with a unique tie at the ankle which you can tie into a bow for slower classes or tie them tighter for faster flows. Made from 62% Lyocell which is, apparently, the most eco-friendly of the naturally regenerating fibres, they are made to feel light so you can move more freely too. www.wellicious.com £79.95

Striders Edge - C Map Zip- Thru Jacket

7 STRIDER’S EDGE – C MAP ZIP-THRU JACKET You’ve got to have a lightweight jacket in your workout wardrobe for warm-ups, cools downs and running. This jacket designed by Strider’s Edge Founder (and ex Sweaty Betty designer) Katy Biddulp comes with some serious science behind it  – ‘Engineered Climate Mapping’ aids faster perspiration transport in high sweat areas keeping you comfortable at all times. The fabric is antibacterial which means it won’t smell and is more hygienic against the skin. As well as looking good it has some pretty nifty features too like zip pockets at the back for storing keys, phones or i-phones. www.stridersedge.com £65.00

Adidas by Stella McCartney Women's Essentials Studded Tank

8 ADIDAS BY STELLA MCCARTNEY STUDDED TANK It doesn’t get more fashion forward than Stella McCartney and this tank has got style, fun and summer written all over it. This tank comes with playful studs, scoop neck and a cut out back that would not look out of place with a pair of jeans or some performance shorts. It’s more appropriate for cool downs or less intense activity as it is made from jersey and doesn’t have any of the performance science or technical stuff that comes with most high performance pieces. The price point is good too and its got that whole ‘gym to street’ look down to a tee. www.adidas.co.uk £40.00

Sweaty Betty - Triple Jump Short

9 SWEATY BETTY TRIPLE JUMP SHORT This pink violet turquoise short is a perfect summer short the colour pops and is great for running and working out. Its mid thigh cut is a flattering length and the subtle cinch cord side detail means you can adjust the length to suit you. Rock these with a pair of Nike Free in the sunshine and you are good to go. www.sweatybetty.com £30.00

Nike-Legend-20-Printed-Tight-Poly-Womens-Training-Capris-524178_371_A

10. NIKE LEGEND 2.20 PRINTED TIGHT  When it comes to innovation, fashion and science Nike seem to bring it every time and if you love a patterned legging then you’ll love these funky print ¾ length tights. They are Nike’s tightest fit to date and this allows for better core support and range of movement. They come with Dri-fit (anti wicking) as standard and other excellent features like a triangle-shaped gusset which help reduce ride up and the dreaded ‘camel toe’ effect. This fun polka dot print that also comes in a grey colour is a fab way to add some fun into you summer fitness fashion look. www.nike.com £30.00

See Thema’s blog at kicksandkit.com Thelma photographed by Claire Pepper

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