Friday Favorite Fit: White Oxford

By LL

Who doesn't love a crisp white button-down shirt? There is something iconic and classic about the white Oxford, and it goes with just about everything and can be appropriate for endless contexts (i.e., it is more than business).

Today, I am wearing the above Brooks Brothers button-down with a pair of skinny jeans, tan pumps and gold accented jewelry (it is casual Friday). I feel fresh and put together. And I will likely wear the shirt into the evening for cocktails and dinner with my husband and friends. I am tossing around the idea of wearing one of the following combos to make it appropriate for a night out:

Whether channeling Miranda Kerr or Alexa Chung, the white Oxford button-down is this Friday's Favorite Fit. And it is perfect for all seasons!

Fitting Remarks: Travel Itineraries and Marathon Mantras!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Tomorrow, we head out for our week-long tour of the grand ol' state of Oregon. 

Said tour will include a 26.2 mile foot tour of the coastal town of Newport!

Newport, Oregon!

I have re-adjusted my marathon goal slightly, as my training didn't go exactly as planned, and the previous goal now feels a little aggressive...though the weather appears to be in our favor!

If you know me, you might know that I am a planner. I love to pencil things into my planner, plan things in advance, and then finalize the agenda! 

I don't always put together a travel itinerary for every trip we take. Yet this time our friend Kelly is joining us, so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to compile all of the recommendations that we had received into a travel binder.

There's a page with information about each city along the way, 

a page with dining suggestions, 

and even a blank page for note-taking!

I included the "36 Hours in Portland" article from the New York Times. 

Their travel articles are the best!

But most importantly, at the end of the binder are a few pages of Marathon Mantras to inspire us!

I gathered together as many as I could find, but here's where I need your help....send me your personal running mantras! What keeps you going for the long haul? I'd love to add more pages to the binder.

Here's what I have so far:

"This is your race. This is your opportunity. Trust your training."

"Run the first 10 miles with your head.  Run the next 10 miles with your legs.  Run the last 10k with your heart."

"Don't listen. Don't look. Just run."

"Hills are my friend."

"Just stay calm."

"The strong get stronger."

"One mile at a time."

"Save it. Save it"... or "Savor it, savor it!"

"This is what you came for."

"Define yourself."

"You're tougher than the rest."

"Think strong, be strong, finish strong."

Today is my day.

I can do this.

"All I smell is my personal best." ~lululemon

I believe in myself. I believe in my run.

I don't stop when I'm tired. I stop when I'm done.

"The difference between winning and losing is not quitting." ~Walt Disney

Enjoy the mile I'm in.

I am strong. I am tough.

"Stepping outside my comfort zone is the price I pay to find out how good I can be. If I planned on backing off every time running got difficult, I would hang up my shoes and take up knitting." ~Desiree Davila

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you.

"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going." ~Beverly Sills

I kill hills. I kill hills. I kill hills.

I'm a runner. This is what I do.

My mind will quit a thousand times before my body will. Feel the pain and do it anyway.

Never throw in the white towel. Instead, use it to wipe your sweat and keep going. 

"The only person who can tell you 'You can't' is you ... but you don't have to listen!" ~Dean Karnazes

"Pain is nothing. It doesn't exist. I cannot feel it." ~Maurice

"No one goes this far and leaves without a medal." ~@AdrienneRunsAZ

"I'm STRONGER than running. It WON'T beat me." ~Dorothy Beal - @MilePosts

I was strong enough to get this far. I am strong enough to keep going.

I've done this before. I can do it again.

"Every mile is a good mile." ~runningzen.com

I can dig deeper. I'm almost there.

"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra." ~Jimmy Johnson

MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Please share your mantra in the comments!

Fits Do Race Reviews: The Memorial Day Pub Run

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Happy Memorial day, friends! I hope you are enjoying your long weekend. The Calhoun Beach Running Club celebrated yesterday with the 4th Annual Memorial Day Pub Run!

This event is not a sanctioned run, nor is it open to the public (CBRC members only) but it does have a very sophisticated website: http://memorialdaypubrun.com. Basically, you run from bar to bar, having one beer at each bar. The entire course is just under four miles, ending with a BBQ at our coach's house.  Coach Paul does an amazing job planning this event.  Again in 2013, the race went very smoothly, and was a big success!

I give this race a 10/10 in the pub run category.

You can find lots of additional information on the website, so I'll do this recap primarily via pictures!

Course Map

Start Line: There were corrals for VIPS, elites, and "commoners"

Packet Pickup: Every runner received an official 2013 Pub Run Pint Glass!

Star-spangled banner to start the race.

Course Marshalls: Don't mess with these guys!

Course Details:

The first stop on this year's pub run was Stella's.

The second stop was Roat Osha:

The third stop along the course was the CC Club:

The fourth stop was the VFW:

And the fifth and final stop of the 4th Annual Pub Run was the Cafeteria:

It was quite a rowdy crowd by the end!

After Cafeteria, it was time to run back to the start line for a BBQ:

Lots of hungry pub runners ready for some grub!

Though the criteria for "winning" the pub run is a little unclear, Dustin was overwhelmed with pride at being named the male winner, while the talented trumpeter from earlier won the women's title.

A lot of planning went into this unique event. I had such a great time!

Drinking five beers while running four miles probably isn't the healthiest thing I could do one week before my marathon, but it was definitely a fun-filled celebration. Time to rest and enjoy the taper til next Saturday!

Race Details:

Cost: $30 for "commoners," extra for VIPs

SWAG: Pint glasses, awesome post-race food

Course: ~3.6 miles through Uptown

Support Stops: 5 stops 

Crowd support: Very strong

Weather: Usually warm, but 2013 was chilly. Wear layers.

Guest Fits: A Running Themed Baby Shower!

Guest Post from Meggan (friend of Cool J in Minneapolis)

A few weekends ago, I was in Kalamazoo to visit my parents. Unfortunately, that meant I had to miss a friend's baby shower that was held that same weekend. I was sad to have missed the event, but fortunately, one of the hosts offered to do a guest post about the shower, so you (and I) can read about all the fun! 

Now, why would I want a guest post about a baby shower on a Fitness, Fashion, and Fitness Fashion blog? Because this special shower had a running theme! You might have a running friend who is pregnant, and you may be searching for a creative way to throw this fit momma-to-be a suitably themed shower.  Here you go!

I'll let Meggan explain:

"Since most of us met through running club or through running club friends, we immediately were drawn to a running theme for the shower. We couldn't find many runner themed baby showers out there- {hence this post- now all you runners can learn from these creative girls!} so we brainstormed, and built off of the few that did we find online. THIS LINK is to one of the most helpful examples that we used as a guide.

For this shower, we chose pink and green for the color theme. Pink was for the twin girls {yes, twin girls!}  and green is Amber's (the guest of honor) favorite color.

Organize your baby shower just like a race!

We came up with the idea to have "stations" at the shower {so cute!}

• There was a "Finish Area" with the food {just like at a race!}

• A "Water Stop" for beverages and a couple of sippy cups for kids

• A "GU Stop" for desserts {Got to get those sugars in during a long run- or a baby shower!}

• "Runner's Expo" for gifts

• "Family Meet-Up" for photos

...and of course, a "Porta Potty Stop" with diapers! {unfortunately, no pic of that one}

We liked the idea of race "bibs" but were too close to the shower date to order an official batch. Instead, we made our own using good old MS Word and Kinko's for printing. We made up the little signs for the stations and printed those at Kinko's too.

We ordered pennant flags just like those you see at races to decorate around the windows and front door. 

Amber (the guest of honor) is not a shower  game gal, nor are the hosts, so we did a couple little things in lieu of games and shower favors. 

We had people decorate a "race bib"!

We also had everyone self-address envelopes for thank you notes (saves lots of time for the guest of honor!). In one of the envelopes, we stuck a piece of pink ribbon, and whoever received the pink ribbon got a door prize of champagne. 

There was a tasty menu full of some runner's favorites:

Menu:

Chicken Curry sandwiches

Caprese sandwiches

Quinoa Salad

Fruit Salad

Cake Pops

Hummus/ Pita chips

Chocolates and cookies

Erin of Denim & Ink picked out some very fashionable clothes for the babies.

How cute is that whale sweater!

And of course, a nautical theme!

I think the girls were super creative in planning a shower that showcases part of the basis of their friendship, as well as something that is important to the mother-to-be. Great job ladies!

Friday's Favorite Fit: The Bubble Necklace

By LL and Cool J

Today's installment of Friday's Favorite Fit is the Bubble Necklace!

The Right Fits are huge fans of the Bubble Necklace. We've incorporated this statement necklace into so many different outfits over the past year or two! 

JCrew bubble necklace at the store

We both loved the necklace from first sight, and each purchased one in a different color with the intention of swapping out. LL got turquoise and Jess got red. Then, LL got red and Jess got yellow. And then LL bought Jess a turquoise one as a gift... You see where this is headed. There hasn't been any swapping. 

So with so many color options, we both find this necklace to be the right fit for multiple different looks. 

Here are ten of the outfits we wore with the JCrew Bubble Necklace. 

{Jess - green and yellow, green and yellow}

{LL - turquoise with pink}

{LL - red with chambray}

{LL - turquoise with orange & white}

{LL - Navy stripes, denim and red bubble}

{Jess - great fall colors with mustard and red bubble}

{LL - nautical themes of navy and reds}

{Turquoise and plum}

{Turquoise and navy}

{Silver and red on New Year's Eve}

Lots of different stores carry their own version of the bubble necklace these days, but we recommend you check out ebay and search by "bubble necklace." I bet you'll find one you like for a price that fits the bill!

Favorite Fit: Banana Republic Friends and Family Sale!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

In honor of my friend Jill's birthday, I want to give her an official Right Fits shout-out! Happy birthday!

And while I'm at it, I want to thank her for passing along a recent Banana Republic "Friends and Family" coupon a few weeks ago. Thanks to Jill, I updated my work wardrobe with the below new items, all for 50% off with my Friends and Family coupon. Thanks Jill!

Jill is a friend from the Calhoun Beach Running Club; in fact, she was one of my first running companions at the club! She was training for Grandma's Marathon (in Duluth) when I was training for the Seattle marathon in 2010.

{Seattle Marathon 2010}

Now she lives in California, where she runs an Athleta store (jealous!) We miss her here in Minneapolis, but wish her much birthday cheer on her special day!

{The birthday girl on the left, at her going-away-shindig!}