THE UPSIDE Activewear: Colorful Prints for Studio Days and Beyond

THE UPSIDE started with a thought I recognize: workout clothes should not feel like a separate, joyless uniform. Founder Jodhi Meares says the idea came while she was living between New York and Hawaii and practicing yoga, when she saw room for activewear informed by fashion. The official story describes the brand as Sydney based and says Meares established it in 2014. Color, prints, and crop shapes were her answer to a category she felt had gone bland. I love that the result can move from class to the rest of the day without changing the subject.

 

There is a real wardrobe conversation here: sports bras beside pants, polos, and sweaters, with a little more personality than a drawer of anonymous black leggings. In my fashion dreams, she leaves a morning class, slicks her hair into a bun, throws on a roomy knit, and gets coffee with a friend before the day starts asking for anything else. THE UPSIDE suits someone who likes her active clothes to feel connected to her actual style, whether that means a printed bottom or a polo that can meet the world outside a studio.

 

I would pass on a full matching set unless you already live in coordinated workout looks. The point is not to become a different person at the gym. It is to bring a little color and intention to the routine you already have.

Skirts, Pants and Shorts are where THE UPSIDE makes movement dressing feel like a real outfit. Lago Elita Pant is $170, the statement bottom I would wear with a plain tank, a slick bun, and a long coffee in hand. Toscan 25in High Midi Pant is $120, a polished studio-to-errands option with a close-fitting tee and simple sneakers. Javan 28 Inch High Rise Pant, also $120, has a different named proportion and would be my pick with a cropped polo when I want the look to feel sporty but pulled together.

 

Ludlow Lucky Run Short is $102, made for the kind of morning where a walk turns into a spontaneous loop around the neighborhood. Rhythm 25in Midi Pant costs $78 and has the easy weekday energy I want with a white tank and loafers after class. Tamara Juliet Pant is $88, another route if a trouser shape is more your language than a short. The mix makes it easy to build a rotation around what you actually do, rather than buying an imaginary new fitness personality.

 

I would choose one bottom that has a place in your week and style it with something familiar. This is for women who want their activewear to have a point of view. I would pass on a second printed pant unless it brings a genuinely different mood to the clothes already waiting in your drawer.

Loungewear and Intimates are the sports-bra corner of THE UPSIDE that can make a familiar workout feel more like getting dressed. Toscan Harley Scoop Sports Bra is $38, an easy first stop if a scoop neckline is already your favorite. Racquet Scoop Danni Sports Bra costs $42 and keeps that neckline in the conversation with a different collection mood. Javen Jade Bra is $90, a more particular choice for someone who wants a named piece to anchor a set rather than another plain black option.

 

Daytona Jetta Racerback Sports Bra is $90, for the racerback loyalist who already knows what she likes under a tank. Tamara Ballet Sports Bra is $70, and I would wear it with a soft-looking jogger for a slow Sunday stretch. Miami Scoop Neck Jasmine Sports Bra is $110, a bolder investment if you love the scoop shape and expect to wear it often. Form Seamless Anita Sports Bra, $72, gives the selection another quieter direction. Pair any one with a coordinating bottom or let it live under an open shirt on the walk home.

 

I would buy for the movement you already make, not the athletic routine you imagine starting next month. This category is for someone who likes a small flash of personality in the workout drawer. I would pass on several similar bras at once; one favorite neckline and a bottom you already reach for make a better beginning.

Tops and Knits are THE UPSIDE pieces I would happily wear well past the studio. Wonder Knit Polo Top is $190, my favorite for a day that begins with errands and ends at a casual dinner; add straight pants, loafers, and gold hoops. Sophie Cropped Polo Shirt costs $120 and has a more playful proportion by title, a natural partner for a high-waisted bottom and a little shoulder bag. Amelia Tank Top is also $120, the quiet counterpoint I would reach for when the rest of the outfit has a print or a stronger shape.

 

Archie Collared Knit Polo Top is $160, and I like the preppy note with jeans and simple flats. Bonita V-neck Knit Sweater is another $160 route, an easy-looking layer for a Tuesday at the office over a long skirt. Sakina Cardigan is $240, a more considered layer for someone who wants knitwear to be part of the outfit rather than a last-minute cover-up. Fenway Sebastian Knit Crew Sweatshirt is $96 and brings the category back to a relaxed, weekend mood.

 

This is my closing argument for THE UPSIDE: it understands that movement clothes can belong to a whole wardrobe. Pick the top you can see beside pieces you already own, and let one expressive item do the work. I would pass on the biggest knit investment unless you know you will wear it beyond one season of workouts.