The 7 best catsuits to buy right now, because Keely Hodgkinson has made us want one
If you’ve spent the past week wondering why everyone suddenly looks like they’re about to run an 800m final, blame Keely Hodgkinson.
The Team GB Olympic champion turned heads at Athlos London last week (18 September) when she stepped onto the track in a custom all-black Nike catsuit.
Complete with a hood, long sleeves, dramatic open back and a special opening for her ponytail, the one-of-a-kind suit promptly went viral with Hodgkinson herself saying that style was important to her when it came to competing, describing the design as comfortable, cool and a little bit sexy.
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Now, most of us aren't about to commission Nike to engineer a bespoke aerodynamic racing suit, but the everyday catsuit is considerably easier to get your hands on.
You can wear one to yoga, Pilates or the gym, throw one on for a quick matcha, or wear it with trainers and a jacket when you're doing errands and want to look slightly more put together than you would in yesterday's questionable tracksuit bottoms.
Here are seven worth knowing about right now.
ASOS 4505 Tall Square Neck Soft Touch All In One in Rosy Brown
£38, currently £20.99
If your ideal catsuit involves looking like you have your life together without actually having to put an outfit together, start here.
ASOS 4505 version comes in a soft rosy-brown shade, with a square neckline, long sleeves and a bodycon silhouette.
The fabric is soft and stretchy, and it's specifically available in a Tall fit, which is useful if you've previously experienced the faff of a one-piece looking like a jaunty three-quarter-length jumpsuit on you.
The soft-touch fabric makes this one a good shout for more low-key workouts, travelling, coffee runs and pretty much pretending you've made significantly more effort than you actually have.
adidas All Me Flare Onesie
£60
The adidas All Me Flare Onesie is a close-fitting one-piece shape with an open back and flared legs, making it feel a little more fashion-forward than your standard gym unitard.
The black version is currently listed at £60, and adidas positions the All Me collection around yoga, gym and studio activities.
The onesie is made from recycled polyester and sits within the brand's fitted All Me range, which also comes in an extensive selection of colours across the collection.
This is the one we'd reach for when the morning workout class is followed by a coffee date, as the flared leg does a lot of the styling work for you.
Sweaty Betty Soft Touch Super Soft Flare Jumpsuit
£110, currently £49.50
Sweaty Betty has gone all-in on the soft-touch approach with its Super Soft Flare Jumpsuit, which is designed specifically for yoga, Pilates and barre.
It has a slim fit, scoop neckline, full-length seamlines and little ankle slits that give the flared leg some extra movement.
There are also two side slip pockets to pop your phone in, which is always handy for a gal on the go.
The fabric is supportive, breathable and sweat-wicking, with the brand describing it as 90% squat-proof.
It's made from 35% polyamide, 35% polyester and 30% elastane, so there's plenty of stretch too.
lululemon Nulu Mesh-Leg Bodysuit 28" Designed for Yoga
£99, reduced from £138
Now we're getting into catsuit territory properly.
lululemon's Nulu Mesh-Leg Bodysuit is essentially a leotard and tights rolled into one, with buttery-soft Nulu fabric through the body and mesh panels running down the legs and across the back. It has a tight fit, a 28-inch length designed to hit at the ankle and adjustable straps.
The body is made from 81% nylon and 19% Lycra elastane, while the mesh uses polyamide and Lycra.
It's four-way stretch, sweat-wicking and breathable, so despite the rather fashion-y appearance, it is actually perfectly designed for yoga and stretching.
PrettyLittleThing Black Ultimate Sculpt Short Sleeved Unitard
£28, currently £21
For a considerably less painful hit to the bank account, PrettyLittleThing's Ultimate Sculpt Unitard in black is currently £21, reduced from £28.
It's a full-length, short-sleeved style with a high neckline and a second-skin fit designed to contour the body.
The Sculpt Active fabric is 80% polyamide and 20% elastane, with the brand describing it as supportive, shape-retaining and suitable for everything from high-intensity training to yoga.
It's also available in espresso, mocha, raspberry and olive if black's not your vibe.
Gymshark Everyday Seamless All In One
£38, currently £19
Gymshark's Everyday Seamless All In One is exactly what it sounds like: a simple, body-hugging one-piece designed to cover a whole lot of bases, from running and lifting to studio workouts.
The current black version is on sale for £19 and is made from soft, lightweight, stretchy fabric.
Gymshark describes it as body-fit and suitable for running, lifting and studio training, while the sizing runs from XXS through XXL.
Arguably the most practical of the bunch, there are no dramatic mesh legs or enormous flares to contend with, just a clean, streamlined silhouette with an open back - kind of like the activewear equivalent of a reliable black dress.
Oner Active SoftMotion Scoop Back Flared All In One Long
£92
Oner Active's SoftMotion Scoop Back Flared All In One has a figure-hugging fit, soft V-neck at the front and a low scoop back, with a subtle glute separation detail to make sure your butt gains really pop.
The legs flare out towards the ankle, giving it a distinctly more fashion-y silhouette like a few of the others.
It's made from 81% polyamide and 19% elastane, with sweat-wicking technology and plenty of stretch.
Crucially, Oner Active says it's intended for low-intensity training and recovery rather than high-intensity exercise, so this is more Pilates and barre than marathon training.
There are Short, Regular and Long lengths, with colours including black, True Blue and Dark Khaki.
Rhiannon Ingle