Sports wear that doesn't make a size 14 look like a sack of spuds

[Cardilover]

Help! I regularly go to an exercise class and I enjoy it - but all my sporty clothes make me feel fat and well, lumpy. I'm a size 14, probably 16 in sports clothes. There are women in the class that are a similar size that seem to have well fitting, stylish sporty things but I haven't plucked up the courage to ask where they buy things from. Any ideas?

Lululemon for butt improving tights - expensive but they last forever, Sweaty Betty for very lightweight tops & H&M for cheap seamless tops- always go for seamless to avoid painful chaffing.

Mountain warehouse often has nicely fitting and cheap stuff. To maxx is good too

I'm the same size as you, and usually buy my branded stuff in TK Maxx or Sports Direct. Sainsbury's Tu and Primark are also rated for gym kit (having taken a straw poll in the office!).

Upping the budget, my boss who is a real gym bunny buys a lot of her stuff in Sweaty Betty, although she has picked up some pieces in Ted Baker who I understand are doing kit now.

Alternatively, I was in Oasis yesterday, and they are doing a tie-up with Pineapple and had some really nice gym wear - the two tops I looked at were £24 each.

Hope that helps!

I get a lot of mine from bamboo clothing. Not the cheapest but its flattering as it's quite heavyweight so skims rather than clings.

Thank you for all the tips! Will check them out. I do occasionally rummage in tk maxx but haven't found any treats recently. Like the sounds of oasis doing fitness clothes - at least I'll know what the sizes are like.

Also... if you're the same size as me, what styles do you find flattering? I'm tempted to go for baggy bum covering tops and calf length tight leggings. But then sometimes fitted is more flattering than a big billowing cover up!

I am a size 14 and wear Lands End (new) and Reebok (old) bottoms -straight and slightly boot cut. I don't like the tights-shaped ones as am short, and LE was the only place I could find doing slightly looser fit. And I like more structured tops too, not clingy, as I am quite busty and have some old Reebok ones that hang but this year they all seem to be very thin, floaty, clingy fabric. I am definitely not stylish in the gym but they do fit well, stay in one place and sort of keep lumpy bits in their place! I prefer this style for wearing before/en route too, more like proper clothes. I have also just bought two new sports bras which I am very excited about!