Fashion

Roxy Pros Reveal How You, Too, Can Rock The Waves and Teeny Bikinis

May 7, 2013 at 9:17 am
By Lauren Cardarelli

“Follow your heart and dare!” The DVF Loves Roxy Spring 2013 line’s motto perfectly describes the collaboration’s bold prints and playful silhouettes. In celebration of this laid-back but confident surfer sprit, Roxy pros Kelia Moniz and Monyca Byrne-Wickey flaunted the new bikinis for the camera after lending a hand in the design process. We sat down with the two gals to hear about their recent epic ride. Read on to learn about Kelia and Monyca’s swimsuit requirements, bikini-friendly diet and why fitness is not just a passion, but their lifestyle. 

How did you two get into surfing?

KM: My dad was a professional surfer, so it was in the family. We were raised going to the beach—pretty much on the beach. My mom homeschooled us so surfing was a big part of my life. Every day after school (and during school!) we’d go to the beach and surf. And I have four brothers—it was something we did for fun. Being in Hawaii, there’s not much to do so the beach is pretty much our playground.
MBW: I grew up in a really small town—like literally two general stores, one gas station. There’s not a ton of stuff to do and so the beach is kind of like our playground. That’s where everybody goes after school to have fun. My family didn’t really surf. My sister surfed a bit, but I mostly learned from my two best friends growing up…they’re all boys and boys usually pick up surfing a lot easier than girls do so I always was trying to be as good as them and keep up. They’d really push me.

What do you look for when searching for the perfect suit?

MBW: Comfort is very important, especially in the water because you need something that’s tight to stay on, but at the same time you don’t want it digging into your neck or imprinting on your sides. You want it to stay on so a cross-back top is always really good. Something that’s not adjustable here [points to rib cage] so you’re not flying open. As far as bottoms go, I prefer regular—no ties or anything like that—because a lot of times you’re standing up on your board and you could get them caught on your hand…I want something that’s functional, comfortable and also looks cute on the beach. So if you’re going to the beach, the waves aren’t looking good and you decide you’re not going out, you’re still going to be really cute. And just as cute as all the other girls who aren’t surfing. I also prefer a smaller bottom just because I think it’s more flattering and you don’t get as crazy tan lines.

Do you draw your color/pattern inspiration from Hawaii or other places you visit during competition?

MBW: Sort of. I feel like there are some places we go that there’s definitely more of a style that we don’t see at home in Hawaii. In Australia, all the girls wear structured tops, like mostly bra tops and florescent colors. I do like a bra top, but I feel like for surfing, if you’re going to be out there for hours it can get really uncomfortable. It’s super cute; I still love it. I prefer pastels, florals and solids mostly. All the girls we travel with and all the girls on our team completely enjoy a different thing and the great thing is we’re all with Roxy and they have such a wide array of all that—there’s a print for everybody, there’s a style for everybody and there’s a color for everybody.
KM: [Monyca] loves, just like she said, a cross-back and I love triangle adjustable tops. I love tie sides.
MBW: And we’re super different surfers. I ride a short board and she rides a long board so she could even get away with wearing a bandeau because it’s not as rough.
KM: I’m above the water most of the time and I’m not duck diving where my top’s going to come off so I wear bandeaus all the time, especially to stay away from tan lines. Read more

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Win an Exclusive Half-Marathon Necklace!

April 10, 2013 at 2:17 pm
By FITNESS Editors

Bling it on!

In celebration of our 10th annual More/FITNESS Women’s Half-Marathon this Sunday, three lucky readers will each score an exclusive, sterling silver necklace from Erica Sara Designs!

You can enter to win between now through next Tuesday. Don’t want to wait to see if you won? Pop on over to the ESD site and use the code FITNESSHALF to purchase this fabulous necklace for 20 percent off.

Enter to win here and good luck!

 Official rules

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The Boys of Summer

April 9, 2013 at 10:00 am
By Argy Koutsothanasis

It’s that time of year in NYC when everyone is restless and so over winter. We’re all chomping at the bit for warmer weather. I’m not gonna lie—I’m a total beach bum. The last week I’ve been working on swimsuits for our July/August cover shoot, strategizing over what cool sporty bikini will look best on our cover girl. But yesterday when the temperature hit that 70* mark I was ready to start thinking about what I’d like to be wearing on the beach in Miami while I stand behind the scenes of the Fitness cover shoot. It’s an easy answer after my meeting with the Faherty twins. They just launched a brand of swimsuits that is everything I love: surf-inspired, in yummy mixable prints, that give killer coverage for an active girl (running back and forth between wardrobe changes requires a suit that keeps my girls put!). I should also mention that the brand offers the softest swimsuit fabrics I’ve come across so far.

So this morning before getting to work I went on fahertybrand.com and ordered my swimsuit for next week (this top, and this bottom..how cute?). I’m so ready for Miami—now I just have to wait for the Faherty’s to launch their T-shirts and rompers!

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Stronger Girls Make A Stronger World

April 3, 2013 at 9:06 am
By Lauren Cardarelli

As we fit gals know, there are few things more powerful than a good sweat. The adrenaline rush, tight-knit team camaraderie and sense of accomplishment athletics provide can turn any negative into a glowing positive. It is for this reason that we give the new bag brand Activyst a big thumbs up for their mission to support girls’ sports programs worldwide. With a belief that active girls are a catalyst for change, every sale makes a difference in their partner-focused funding. The adorable vibrant colored bags are made of durable, waterproof macen, a popular material used in the brand’s Nicaragua birthplace. Tote your sneaks, yoga mat and change of clothes in style, while giving girls the opportunity to blossom into strong, active women. Here’s to jocks supporting future exercise junkies!

To buy a bag of your own and learn more about using sports as the solution, check out Activyst’s website.

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Crowning Achievements for Married Women

January 22, 2013 at 4:42 pm
By Christie Griffin

Glamorous gowns, toned bodies, and serious accomplishments. No, we’re not talking about Hollywood’s awards season—we’re talking about pageant season, people! Why you should care: Based on the 2,000+ entries we received for our 2012 Face of Fitness Contest that required essays about your accomplishments, some of you married ladies very well could be contenders for a crown someday.

Curious about the Mrs. America pageant, we chatted it up with Raquel Riley Thomas, a stunning military officer turned pageant queen. Not only is she the Executive Producer/Director for the Mrs. DC America pageant, a preliminary qualifier for Mrs. America, but she is also Mrs. Maryland America 2010-11 and Mrs. American (1st RU) 2010-11. Her accolades would take up this entire post, so we’ll have to skip right to her insights about competing.

On the difference between Miss America and Mrs. America:

The Mrs. DC team likes to say, “Marriage has never looked so good,” but just like the unmarried-girls version, this is not a beauty pageant. It’s a whole package deal. The difference is that instead of a med student standing to your left, she’s a doctor now. And on your right is an attorney. Mrs. America is like the Superbowl of married women.

On competing at the state level:

I can’t speak for the other states, but the reputation of the women in Mrs. DC are that they are the crème de la crème. Not only are they very fit, but they are accomplished in their fields and honorable about their causes. We even have a diplomat in this year’s competition!

On her experience of going from military boots to bikinis:

I love the glitz and glamour, but the service to the community is still there. I just get to do it in heels and beautiful outfits now! Running the Mrs. DC pageant gives me the chance to put a spotlight on some amazing women and say, ‘Thank you for all the hard work you do for the community.”

On her fitness advice for potential competitors:

You have to be really disciplined. Once you have the fitness down, everything else falls into place.

So get to it, readers! We want to throw some roses at you.

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A Day with Lole: Get Inspired

January 18, 2013 at 5:15 pm
By Argy Koutsothanasis

The best part of my job is visiting the different active brands and seeing what they have up their sleeve for upcoming seasons. I recently spent some time with the team at Lole. Aside from their awesome leggings and funky jackets, they have managed to build a community of empowered and inspiring women. We are all on a journey, staying fit and looking chic is the fun part. The hard part is taking that first step, making the choice to get healthy and to be active. But seriously, with so many fun active lifestyle brands out there, most of the time I work out just to sport the cute clothes. I shared my story of shedding sixty pounds with Lole,  and you can check it out here for some inspiration, and a chance to win an Lole sweater! Sporting the latest styles is my shallow motivation for staying fit.

Tell us: What keeps you motivated?

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Get Out There With Roxy’s New Outdoor Collection

January 18, 2013 at 1:00 pm
By Marianne Magno

If you need extra incentive to peel yourself off the couch this winter, Roxy’s new Outdoor Fitness Collection may just do it. The company just launched a line of apparel and accessories that mix fun, fashion and of course, fitness. With technical features like UV protection, sweat wicking fabric , zone mesh ventilation and four-way stretch, the line provides cute and functional workout gear that you’ll want to get moving in.

Check out some of our picks below.

The Dawn Run Tee in Sunrise has breathable fabric and thumbholes for comfort. Plus, the color makes us look forward to summer! ($58, roxy.com)

 

Bring the beach with you wherever you go with this fun workout tank that looks good even after your sweat session. ($44, roxy.com)

Don’t let wind or rain stop you from going for a run. Suit up in the Atmosphere Jacket. ($88, roxy.com)

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A New Way to Mix Fitness and Fashion

January 9, 2013 at 4:11 pm
By Colleen Moody

For the gal who wants to look good at the gym (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t fall into this category?) there’s a new site in town to do just the trick. Meet Carbon38, an online social platform that curates the newest trends and styles much like your favorite shopping sites, but specifically for fitness, wellness and health.

Launching January 14, each week carbon38.com will have hand-picked fitness products from your favorite trainer pros and celebrities on everything you love including apparel, accessories, vitamins and even fitness classes. You can buy it all right on the site, and keep coming back for the latest and greatest gear for your next gym session.

Can’t wait until January 14? Register now and enter Carbon38′s pre-launch giveaway for a chance to win a pair of Jimmy Choo sneakers, plus be one of the first with exclusive access to the site. If that doesn’t kick your resolutions into high gear, we don’t know what will.

 More from FITNESS: Sweaty Trend to Try: The Animal Flow Workout

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Friday Fashion Favs: Gettin’ Techy

November 23, 2012 at 10:00 am
By Marla Horenbein

We’ve eaten our turkey, devoured our pumpkin pie, and slept it all off , so what’s there left to do? Shopping of course! If the Black Friday madness isn’t your thing (don’t worry its not ours either!), you can still get your shop on from the comfort of your own home! All it takes is a few clicks, and voila! You’ve got holiday goodies for your friends and family, and maybe even for yourself too!

Now the question is, what to buy? The staffers here at FITNESS are all hoping to find something techy under the tree (or menorah!) this year. Here’s what’s on their wish lists:

• Nutrition Editor Juno DeMelo, Senior Editor Bethany Gumper and Editorial Assistant Lauren Cardarelli are all wanting a Garmin watch, like the Forerunner 10, to track their miles, burned calories, and speed/pace, while they train for their next big races. We love that it comes in fun colors, and the best part is, it’s super easy to use!

 

• Having trouble sleeping at night? This awesome Renew Sleepclock monitors your breathing and sleeping patterns using a non-contact sensor while you sleep. Pretty cool huh? All you have to do is download the app to your iOS device, pop it in the docking station, and sleep. When you wake up you’ll have you’re sleep stats! Our Senior Editor Lisa Haney already owns one and can’t wait to get one for a certain sleepyhead on her Christmas list!

 

Read more

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5 Ways “Empire Girl” Adrienne Bailon Stays Fashionably Fit

September 7, 2012 at 8:41 am
By Karla Walsh

Actress and singer Adrienne Bailon is known for her former role on The Cheetah Girls, for being a founding member of the music group 3LW (remember “Playas Gon’ Play“?) and today for her reality show Empire Girls. Now, in addition to her series that “focuses on friendship and following your dreams rather than fighting,” according to Bailon, she is recording a solo album, working on an upcoming film and is in talks to expand into the fashion world.

Bailon recently teamed up with Lady Foot Locker to celebrate their Fashionably Fit “refresh.” The campaign aims to make stores brighter, cheerier and filled with bolder clothing and different music. We spoke with Bailon before an event in Chicago to find out her top five tips to look stylish while sweating.

1. Invest in quality clothing. “You feel better when you look better while exercising. I get inspired to go to the gym if I feel good in my workout clothes.”
2. Save time with multitasking wardrobe items. “My go-to outfit is capri pants with a bright top and Nike sneakers. The gym can really feel like a fashion show with the vibrant colors on the racks now! What I love most is that if I make smart fashion choices, I can throw on a hoodie and meet my girls for brunch right after.”
3. Aim to be your best you.“My goal is to have the body of my dreams by age 30, but that’s strong and toned, not skinny.”
4. Make the most of today. “I get up at 5 a.m. to hit the treadmill and don’t stop working toward my goals—in all areas of life—until I hit the pillow. There are so many things I want to accomplish and I don’t want to have any regrets!”
5. Find a role model. “If I could join any other celebrity in the gym, it would be Beyonce. She’s extremely focused, so I know I would try hard to keep up with her. I wouldn’t be messing around with Instagram, that’s for sure! Even when I’m working out solo, her music motivates me.”

Now tell us: What is your favorite fitness outfit?

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