The effects of running on your physique and your wardrobe!

[Pendulum]

I have been running about 5 years but in the last year have done my first half-marathon and am training for the second next month, with a third booked for spring.

Since I started training up for the half marathons (went from averaging 9-10 miles per week to 25) I have gone up a full dress size on my bottom half because of the muscle I have built up on my hips and bum. Also I am not sure that I my legs can still carry off certain items that used to suit my frame quite well, like skinny jeans and wispy skirts.

I am really happy to be fit and achieving running goals I never thought I would, and I am not bothered by the increase in size- I have always bordered on too-thin and it is very nice to fill out a pair of trousers with some curves. But I am thinking that I may have to adjust my wardrobe from 'waifish' to 'athletic'.

So in the spirit of splicing a runners' threads and the style and beauty discussions, I would welcome any tips on how to flatter the more muscly of leg. Any voices of experience on whether the increased muscling will reach a plateau would also be appreciated (i.e. would trainnig for a full maraton involve replacing all my long boots?)

I run, but I'm naturally fairly muscly in the calf. If the rest of you is trim, which you certainly am and I am - at least for the moment - I find you can either do long skirts or short skirts or shorts but that anything flapping about in the vicinity of your knees is very unflattering and draws attention to it. If you have a waist then something fitted with a belt that grabs attention too would be good - there is a ruched dress in the Isabella Oliver 365 collection with a leather obi belt that I have my eye on. I'm aiming for a 10k, so don't know what effect a marathon can have on physique, but the professionals seem to look slender and lithe.

thanks veryconfusedandupset (I hope you no longer feel this way?)

I think you `are right about the knee length skirt. Well actually, I can wear one that sits right on the kneecap (because you can still see the in and out bit underneath the knee), but the worst is something just below the knee, lands at the widest point. Adding heels (for work) makes things even more complicated!

Unfortunately I don't have much of a waist or a bust, so I have to be careful with dresses and generally buy non-stretchy tailored ones (no wraps or deep v's). The IO dress you described sounds lovely though.

Good luck with your 10k, is it your first?

I am also very muscly in the calf. I blame it on my dad's genes rather than the running .

As with vconfused I can't wear mid-length skirts and tend to just wear trousers (preferably jeans). In the winter I can wear short skirts with knee-high boots from Duo to hide my big calves. I very occasionally (for weddings etc.) wear an ankle-length with heels.