People Will Work Out in a Dress This Summer Thanks to Outdoor Voices

Erin Lukas

Updated May 24, 2018 at 12:30 AM

Last night I went jogging in a dress—and I liked it. Avid tennis players excluded, dresses and exercising aren’t usually words that are thrown together, but Outdoor Voices’ latest launch is about to change all that. The brand known for its minimalist-cool athletic wear just launched a gym-friendly, sweat-proof dress that’s made for exercising in.

Aptly named the Exercise Dress, it has an A-line shape that hits mid thigh. The lightweight, stretchy fabric holds everything in, but it isn’t so tight that larger busts can’t wear a sports bra with it. Designed with the fact that you’re going to be moving in it (a lot) in mind, it dries fast so that you won’t feel damp if you don’t plan on pausing your day to change right after any recreational activities like hiking or a dance class. And the answer to the obvious question of what to wear underneath it in case it flips up: There’s a built-in silky bodysuit.

My initial opinion of the dress was that it’s not far off from something I would normally wear since it almost looks like one of the slip dresses I live in during NYC’s humid summers. But, as someone who intuitively grabs a pair of leggings whenever I plan on doing any sort of workout, I wondered what kind of things you are supposed to do in it. “It’s a style that’s meant to be worked out in,” Outdoor Voices founder and CEO Tyler Haney tells InStyle. “Where we really found that it works out super well is in aerobics-based exercises, dance-oriented classes, and anything weight-driven. It’s ideal for activities where you’re upright and moving around.”

So, why a dress? Haney first started thinking about it a year and a half ago. ““Outdoor Voices represents powerful, feminine, diverse groups of women in the often male-dominated activewear space,” she says. “We’re a female-founded company with a staff that’s 82 percent female, so we wanted to create a silhouette that was equal to leggings, but represents a strong female alternative.”

VIDEO: 4 Ways to Work Out Without Killing Your Wallet

And so I jogged and walked across the Williamsburg Bridge in it. (No, there was no chafing thanks to the bodysuit.)

Blush pink, navy, or a blue ink scrawl pattern are the dress’ current color options. Considering it's an outfit you'll want to wear during and after a workout, the $98 price-point isn't enough to make you break a sweat. (Fitness pun intended.)