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My Body’s Favorite Things | My Manifesta Athletic Clothing For Women

by | Oct 30, 2014 | Exercise & Fitness, Health and Fitness

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Once I got over my issues with fitness and exercise, the next hurdle was to deal with the anxiety around going to public fitness arenas.  You see, in my experience, and the experience of many other plus sized women, we aren’t very welcomed in the fitness community.  It’s so ironic that people are constantly judging women by their bodies and telling them to lose weight, but when they go to the gym they are ridiculed, mocked, and even shunned.  Most exercise classes are welcoming to skinny people, including yoga, dance, zumba, etc.  It can be challenging for women of larger size to feel at ease when taking classes or working out, because of the prevalence of body shaming in fitness.  

One of the things that can be a deterrent to women going to the gym is the challenge in finding quality, comfortable workout gear in their size.  I know for a FACT that is can be HARD to find this in plus sizes.  If you are in a body that is over the size 12 most brands don’t even want to serve you, so good luck with that! Most of the options left for the cuties with the curves are baggy sweat pants or leggings.  Trust, me I’ve worn both to yoga and dance class and they work, but they don’t feel as bright, bold, and sexy as the lycra outfits that I was surrounded by.  That is why I was ELATED to find My Manifesta!  They truly represent body diversity by providing athletic clothing for women sizes 2-26 in bold, beautiful, quality material.   It is rare to find a company with such a wide range of sizes, much LESS an athletic clothing company that offers those options.   So when I reached out to Rachel Blumenfeld, the CEO and founder of Manifesta, I was intrigued to learn more about her mission and the company.  I must say that Rachel was very personable, friendly and accommodating in sharing information about Manifesta.   I even had the pleasure of wearing some of their clothing pieces and their customer service was patient and helpful with my search for the correct fit. I’ll be sharing more about my PERSONAL experience wearing Manifesta clothing (I can’t wait to share) soon.  But I want you to learn more about the founder, the mission, and how to win some of your OWN!

 

For the “My Body’s Favorite Things” Give-Away

Rachel Blumenfeld of Manifesta, LLC

is offering one pair of athletic capris (sizes 2-24)

Learn More About her and register to win below:

Rachel Blumenfeld

CEO and Founder

Manifesta, LLC

 

How did the idea for your business come to you?

I was always curvy, no matter what weight I was, and workout clothing was never comfortable for me. But I specifically remember the moment I realized I had to do something: I was at my CrossFit gym and saw a new woman walk in who was probably about a size 20, and she went straight for the back corner of the class. She was wearing gray sweatpants and a baggy tshirt and obviously was nervous about other people seeing her and it made me so sad for her. I’ve had my own share of being embarrassed at the gym, but it was really then that I decided that someone had to make a line so women like this one could walk into a gym feeling confident. There’s enough to be nervous about without wondering whether your clothes will perform.

What do you love about your business the most?

Hearing the appreciation and good feedback from customers. It is so gratifying to know that I’m helping someone!

What is the most challenging part of what you do?

Being able to make everybody happy. I want to be able to fit everyone perfectly and offer what everyone wants, but I also have to be reasonable about my limits, especially since this is a brand new company and we’re still trying to figure out what works.

Why do you offer such a wide range of sizes?

I don’t want women to feel like they are not included because of uniquely “plus size” and “straight size” stores and outfits that are only available in one size range or another – anything we offer, we want to offer to everyone. I don’t believe in separating customers or making them feel lesser about themselves because of size. Why CAN’T a size 24 wear the same thing as a size 4? Because society says so? Because society believes different things are flattering on different women? I don’t believe it. I believe you can design for shape, and that outfit will be flattering on anyone that shape, regardless of size.

What makes your fitness gear different from others?

We have a higher waist to help hold you in and so your clothes don’t fall down, and we have more elastic and support in the waistband so that it doesn’t go anywhere during your workout. We have carefully designed tops that offer more supportive (and adjustable) bras, and that allow freedom of movement with your arms but also provide more coverage to avoid awkward bulges. We are also one of the only athletic companies based in America that uses a flatlock stitch, which protects you from chafing. And, of course, the clothes have a curvy fit that you just won’t find anywhere else.

You have a social cause involved in your business, tell us more about that.

Well we wanted to offer a trade-in program, and we debated for a while about what to do with the clothes that were traded-in. We like to support our community and keep things local, so we decided that we could use those clothes for Philadelphia’s programs that encourage fitness and sports among underprivileged teenagers. The teens who are involved in those programs may love learning how to take care of their bodies, but still be unable to afford quality workout gear, and we’d like to make them better able to take charge of their health.

What is one thing that you want every customer to receive from your business?

INCREASED SELF-CONFIDENCE.
Social Media info:
instagram and twitter: @mymanifesta
email address: [email protected]

Win a gift from Rachel Blumenfeld

or any of our other contributors

Enter to Win!

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Ivy LaArtista

CEO & Founder at See Body. Love Self.™
Ivy Cooper, The Body Relationship Coach™ is a professional health coach and body image expert. She offers education, empowerment, and encouragement to help people build health, loving relationships with their body and self.

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