BUST A MOVE!
Women are taking the plunge in racy sports bras that leave little to the imagination — but is the trend something all fitness fiends can support?
BEFORE she started going to the highintensity sports-conditioning studio Tone House, Callie Gullickson used to dance and do planks in a boring racerback sports bra. But when the 22-year-old Upper West Side resident saw the women in her classes wearing strappy and low-cut models, she knew she had to step up her game. “I was like, this [bra] is awesome, that is so cool, I want to buy that!” says Gullickson. Now, the Tone House coach-in-training sports a collection of V-neck, mesh-paneled, asymmetric bras from the likes of Victoria’s Secret and fashion-forward athletic-wear brand Michi. “It’s definitely something we bond over, here at Tone House,” she says. “We’re always complimenting
each other, saying, ‘That’s such a cute bra!’ It definitely helps motivate you in your workout.”
That is, if you’re already fit, trim and have a small- to medium-size chest. Sports bras designed to showcase cleavage — rather than tamp down the girls — are all the rage, complete with fleshbaring cutouts, dominatrixlike straps and plunging, zip-up necklines. They’re meant to draw attention to a body you’ve worked hard to achieve — think Bella Thorne leaving a yoga class in September wearing a bra with ultralacy trim that looked more suited for the boudoir. And body-conscious NYC women are competing to wear the hottest styles.
Jamie Krauss Hess, a publicist who lives on the Upper West Side, first noticed women wearing sports bras with peekaboo cutouts about a year ago at Barry’s Bootcamp.
“Social media has a lot to do with it — you see women taking that pre-sweat selfie in the locker room to prove they were at Barry’s,” she says of the mania for sexy gym clothes. But there’s a larger reason why Hess decided she needed to invest in these trendy sports bras herself: competition.
“At Barry’s, you really have to keep up because everyone looks like a million,” the 37-year-old says. “When you see a girl walk into Barry’s with an entire outfit, you’re like, ‘Damn, she’s got it together.’ ”
The sex appeal doesn’t hurt, either.
“My husband and I work out together, so it’s very important to feel like I look appealing to him when working out,” Hess adds. “I put my best foot forward as I would for a night out on the town.”
And it seems to work. Freelance fitness writer Amy Schlinger says that while she’s more focused on her athletics, she has been approached at the gym by guys — and her flattering bra may be why. “When I work out I want to feel good, and part of feeling good is in what you’re wearing,” says the 27-year-old who lives in Midtown East. “People notice that.”
So have brands. Athletic boutique Bandier has seen sports-bra sales increase by 30 percent year-to-date at its Flatiron flagship store, while Lorna Jane Clarkson, founder of Aussie company Lorna Jane, has been expanding her colorful, figure-flaunting activewear with ever-sultrier sports bras, which range in price from $60 to $75. Her most popular styles? The “Roanna,” which features a deep V-neck to highlight one’s cleavage, and the “Alexa,” which has a halter neck and sleek graphics.
“Whoever put on a boring sports bra and felt motivated to work out? Not me!” the designer tells The Post.
But some experts say calling these tops “sports bras” is a misnomer, arguing that they serve no practical purpose beyond fashion.
“They don’t provide any actual breast support or stabilization,” says 32-year-old Leah Hansen, a Harlem-based columnist for the women’s Web site Hourglassy.com. “They’re not appropriate for athletics that are any more active than moderate walking.”
Take Samantha Primack, a 26-year-old Financial District resident, who tried plenty of sexy sports bras before discovering Bloom Bras, the only company she’s found that designs a cute product that fits her 34G bust.
“I have tried zip-up sports bras from places like Victoria’s Secret and Lululemon, and all you see is cleavage — I look grotesque,” says Primack, who works in advertising.
One of the shoulder straps even broke in the middle of a workout. “I was so embarrassed,” she adds. “The SoulCycle instructor had to help me put my bra strap back on!”
Shape magazine senior fashion editor Jenn Barthole says women looking for more support should seek out racerback styles or bras with thicker bands at the bottom.
“DDs and above need thick straps — preferably with a J hook and adjustable,” she says. “A crisscross back is really supportive.”
Nevertheless, plenty of women find these sassier styles confidence-boosting.
Pamela Treiber, a 28-yearold store manager who lives in Astoria, has seen her workouts and her attitude improve since ditching more modest gym wear.
“I used to work out in cheap leggings and an old T-shirt,” she says. But when she started working at Bandier about a year ago, she started dressing sharper for her barre and mat classes.
“It’s amazing when you wear stuff that fits and looks good,” she says. “It’s suddenly fun to work out.”