AD: This is a paid post for Asquith who have been described by the Telegraph as “A flattering alternative to brash logo-accented sportswear”
I don’t know about you but I always find January to be a little bit pressured. A little bit too full of people taking extreme steps and giving things up like alcohol and animal products. “Dry January” and “veganuary” feel excessively focussed in a deprived kind of way – a way which just sets people up to fail, frankly – or to reach for the first bottle of gin, and a huge burger, as soon as February arrives.
That’s not to say that I don’t believe in a healthy life-style – I absolutely do. But for me it’s a little more about a balanced approach. One which we can sustain and maintain over a long period of time. Rather than being like a pendulum swinging in an exhausted state from one extreme to the other, I’d prefer to just sit happily in the middle, conserving my energy, whilst being mindful and living in the moment.
And this is an approach that I’m trying to adopt a little more in many areas of my life, from seeking to be a little less busy all of the time (point to note, I’m failing miserably at this), to being a little more aware of the environmental impact that we have as a family and being more mindful of which brands I’m investing in when buying clothes.
Largely I’ve come to the conclusion that we spend the first half of our lives acquiring “stuff” and the second half, trying to get rid of it. Is anyone else’s idea of a fab Saturday afternoon to have a skip on the drive and to be chucking stuff in it? Yep, me too!
[Asquith on the school run. Great for those days when you know that you’re going to be active at some point in the day but you’re not quite sure how you’re going to fit it in! Flow with it leggings snake/navy (£59) and Mellow hoodie navy (£79)]
Now you might wonder how all of this talk applies to a clothing brand. Well this is how! Asquith is a brand that makes sustainable activewear and it’s a brand that I’ve come to know and love. I’ve previous written about them here and here
Everyday, at the end of a long day, I reach for their heavenly harem pants, which truly are heavenly. And whenever I go on a long flight, I wear one of their jumpsuits (there’s a new one coming in May). I couldn’t quite believe, when I first heard about bamboo, how it really was going to make a difference to how I viewed clothing and in particular clothing that I exercise and relax in. But it has. I love the softness of bamboo yoga clothes and the fact that they wash and wear so well.
[I’m not sure that my husband “got” this outfit. In fact I know that he didn’t. But I love the mix of activewear with the everyday for that athleisure look. And when the dividing line between what we wear at “home” at “work” and what we exercise in is increasingly fluid, it’s a super versatile look]
Asquith’s clothing is made from bamboo, organic cotton or bambor (which is combination of bamboo, cotton and elastane which is added for comfort.) Bamboo is a sustainable and environmentally low impact fabric, and absorbs more carbon dioxide than hardwood trees. It’s naturally anti-bacterial, breathable and it wicks away sweat. Their cotton is ethically grown, chemical free and responsibly manufactured.
[I love the whole high/low dressing idea. For me it’s about dressing my fancier items – like my red boots and pink bag – “down” with more casual items like this Mellow hoodie navy (£79) and more casual items “up” with fancier items. I love this kind of look for lunch out with friends. There’s room for growth everywhere. ]
It is true that the price point of the pieces is higher than it is possible to pay for activewear but the cost per wear is fabulous and if you’re of the mindset of “buy less, buy better” then Asquith absolutely ticks that box.
And I really do think that it’s all of those small decisions in life that make for a calmer and more considered existence. If I’m honest, I get slightly overwhelmed by the amount of clothes that I have (which I know is a lovely position to be in) but I’ve made a conscious decision to say “no” to many of the offers of gifted clothes that come my way and I feel a huge amount of relief that the doorbell doesn’t ring so often with parcels for me.
And you know, when you’re going to spend a day dancing with Davina herself, what better clothing to wear than head to toe sustainable yoga clothes from Asquith? I hadn’t realised that we were going to be dancing the day away and instead I thought that we would be doing yoga. Had I known, I might not have chosen to wear the heaviest boots known to man! But in the end rather than being embarrassed about my faux pas, I embraced my “head to toe snake print with biker boots outfit” and it felt good!
Good vibes top in snake/navy (£55)
And you know, when you’ve worn your sustainable activewear on the school run, when you’ve been out with your friends in it, when you’ve met your real-life hero in it and gone on a long haul flight in it, you may just want to put it through its paces on a run or in the yoga studio. I’ve worn mine for both and I reach for it every time. The high rise on the yoga pants, the built in bra in the yoga tops and the stretch and comfort factor of Asquith’s sustainable activewear really make their pieces fabulous ones to wear. You can shop the rest of Asquith’s sustainable activewear here.
