Congratulations are in order. You kept your New Year’s resolutions, finished your first month of dieting and totally dropped 10 pounds—if you didn’t, it’s okay, neither did we. But it’s never too late! You’ve got the whole year to get to a slimmer you, so no calling it quits after just a month. One of our favorite brands to help you on your journey to that Jennifer Aniston bod, is Australian line Lorna Jane. With active wear, accessories and motivational books, Lorna Jane isn’t just about outfitting its clients with gear to get them through workouts, but giving them the inspiration to start living a more active, healthier life.
In 1989 founder Lorna Jane Clarkson, a fitness instructor at the time, began cutting and designing her own active wear after finding nothing on the market that suited her taste for something stylish and functional. Gaining a small following from the students in her class, Clarkson began utilizing all her spare time creating pieces for her newfound fans. Almost 25 years later the brand has grown from sewing patterns in a studio apartment to a global brand that spans 150 stores and includes sportswear, yoga and lifestyle clothing, accessories, an online magazine, and an ongoing video series.
The line of active wear is fun, functional, and comes in better patterns and colors than anything you’ve got in your gym bag. Staying away from drab neutrals, the collection incorporates everything from bright florals to pale pastels with a multitude of socks, headbands and sports bras to match. Pants, shorts, tees, tanks and jackets come in an excess of styles—you might not be into boot cut yoga pants, but at least the option is available. Inspirational sayings run rampant across tops, which at first seems like a 2002 Juicy Couture throwback, until you realize they actually are inspirational.
Even more than the edgy designs that could double as street style, we love the mentality and passion driving the brand. With an active community that includes the monthly Active Living magazine and an online T.V. series dedicated to wellness, Lorna Jane is driven by the motto “Move, Nourish, Believe” as a way to motivate women to better themselves. Knowing that staying active is only part of the battle, the brand fills their magazine, videos and social media with healthy eating tips, fun workouts, community events and motivational sayings.
While there’s something to be said for a tough-love approach when it comes to exercise (because sometimes we need a kick in the pants), the idea of being able to develop your body from the inside out, is amazing on its own. Lorna Jane fosters and drives this motivation, pushing you to eat well, stay active and live a better life—and it doesn’t hurt that we can do all that while wearing an awesome pair of pants.
Lorna Jane is available online and priced from $10-$230.
