Heidi Klum For New Balance: A Collision of Sport + Fashion

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Heidi Klum for New Balance through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Heidi Klum for New Balance, all opinions are my own.

A couple of months ago, I was cleaning out my closet when I realized that workout clothes make up about 50% of my wardrobe. It’s funny because I am someone who rotates through the same office clothes over and over without really caring how many times I repeat an outfit. I also couldn’t care less about wearing name brand items or buying a thousand pairs of shoes. I’d rather buy a fitness trampoline, remember? I actually JUST reluctantly bought new black flats after wearing the same pair for over a year. Whoops.

But when it comes to my gym gear, it’s a totally different story. As a fitness instructor, personal trainer, and fitness blogger, I like and want to look good. I want to look my best for members who take my class and for all of you who support my blog and use my fitness posts for motivation. Imagine if I were showing up to class in sweats and a t-shirt? Or if in every post you saw me sporting baggy and worn out clothes? Woof. (No judgment if you prefer to wear those items, it’s just not what works for me).

Basically, I like to stay fit without sacrificing how I look, and I like showing people that the burn is beautiful. Sometimes fitness newbies say they don’t want to sweat or mess up their appearance, but I tell them sweating doesn’t have to mean that. Sweating helps you look good AND feel good. I definitely care more about buying and wearing name brand items for exercising than I do for anything else. I won’t fathom spending over $30 on a purse, yet I’ll spend upward of $50 on a fun workout top. I like to wear form-fitting tanks, cute zip-up jackets in bright colors, and anything that is head-turning and heart-pumping. My favorite workout bottoms are capris or crops. And don’t even get me started on sneakers. I can’t get enough!

One of the most popular athletic names you’ll find in my closet is New Balance, and recently New Balance teamed up with Heidi Klum to launch their new Heidi Klum for New Balance collection (HKNB). This collection is one part Heidi and one part New Balance, as you can see in the description below:

“Designed for any workout regime, the HKNB collection represents modern, sophisticated style that is both functional and fashionable to not only make you look good while working out, but also feel great doing it. We’ve carefully crafted each piece taking Heidi’s fashion ethos coupled with our performance expertise, to create flattering styles that help maximize performance.”

I recently tested out the new HKNB 1600 sneakers in the picture above. The 1600 is a running shoe that features a blown rubber outsole, breathable air mesh, and a synthetic/mesh upper. Heidi Klum describes this shoe as being for a runner who is “both serious about running and serious about looking good.”

When I received these sneakers, I was a little nervous because they looked a lot narrower than the rest of the sneakers in my collection. They have an 8mm drop and a reduced toe box volume, so I wasn’t sure how that would affect the small bunion I have on my right foot. When I wore them around my house to break them in, the first thing I noticed was the tight fit, as the sneakers conformed to my feet like gloves would to my hands.

However, despite the glove like fit, because the sneaker material is mesh and so breathable, these sneakers have worked for me. In fact, the more times I wear them, the more I like them. The low platform is a nice change of pace from some of my other sneakers (now I need to get more low socks!). I love how lightweight they are. Plus, how cool is this color combination? It’s nice to add a pair of black sneakers to my ever-growing collection of bright hues. Black with cosmic sky, that is. 😉

I haven’t been able to test these out while running yet, but I’ve sported them for cardio cross-training and in the weight room.

Not gonna lie, I feel cool wearing these sneakers. Don’t judge me. I also showed them off to my friend Ashley during our morning gym date yesterday. Don’t mind the streaky mirror pic!

For more pics from the Heidi Klum for New Balance collection, check out the board I created on my Pinterest page.

–Let’s chat–
Are you someone who owns more workout clothes than “regular” clothes? What do you like to wear while you exercise to stay fit without sacrificing how you look? What features do you look for in an athletic sneaker? Do you own any items from the HKNB collection?

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