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The exercise dress has been trending for the last few summers, and while I love the way this style looks on others, I just couldn't get into it myself. I tried, I really did, but every time I slipped an exercise dress on for the gym, I felt out of place; every time I paired one with a cardigan for lunch, I looked too sporty. I didn't quite understand when to wear one—and they never seemed to flatter my body type. Not to mention, I try to avoid wearing something that requires me to completely undress when I go to the bathroom, like these types of dresses or jumpsuits often do. This all changed when I discovered Halara's Softlyzero Easy Peezy active dress.
I now officially understand the exercise dress hype, thanks to Halara's thoughtfully designed take on the trend. It's called the Easy Peezy dress because it's made with built-in bike shorts that are detached from the sports bra in the back—meaning I don't have to take the whole dress off to go to the bathroom. Instead, I can just slide down the shorts like I would any other pair and the rest of the dress stays on. Genius!
I first tried out Halara's dress earlier this summer when I somewhat reluctantly packed it for a weekend trip to Montauk with my girlfriends. I tucked it away at the bottom of my suitcase, doubting I'd actually pull it out and wear it (it can be rolled up tightly without wrinkling or taking up much room). To my surprise, the Softlyzero dress was my most-worn piece of clothing during the four-day weekend (other than my bathing suit cover-up, maybe). I wore it to grab coffee in the morning with a pair of flip-flops; on a long, brisk walk with a pair of white sneakers; and to a seafood-heavy lunch with cute sandals and some jewelry. The dress was more versatile than I could imagine—especially since I have it in black, which helps it be less memorable and match any shoe or jacket in my carry-on.
When I first slipped on the Softlyzero dress, I couldn't believe the fit. The A-line dress flares out toward the bottom and perfectly hugs my waist without being too restrictive, creating the LBD silhouette of my dreams. Finally, a flattering activewear dress I actually want to wear. The exercise dresses I've tried on in the past have always been too long or too short, but the length on this one is just right. I've also found other styles to be too loose; sure, you want activewear to be comfortable, but you also want it to look good and feel supportive. The material is buttery soft, and offers four-way stretch, making it comfortable even after a full day of wear. This dress seriously checks all the boxes.
My weekend trip came to a close, but my love affair with Halara's performance dress didn't end there. Since then, I've worn the dress to the grocery store, on plenty of walks around my neighborhood, and to grab an Aperol spritz with a friend. It's proven to be a real workhorse—especially when I don't know what to wear. Whether I'm being active outside the gym or just want to be comfortable while still looking put together, this goes-with-anything dress is my secret weapon.
It offers decent support, with a removable shelf bra and sturdy crisscross straps. While I wouldn't wear the dress for a run, it's great for walks, light workouts, or outdoor games like pickleball. The standout feature of the dress is certainly its built-in shorts that can be slipped down, but more than that, these compression shorts really stay in place. There's no pulling them down every few minutes or uncomfortable bunching in all the wrong places. Lightweight, breathable, and smoothing, the compression shorts are about as good as it gets. More features I love about this everyday essential: the side pocket for your phone, the chic teardrop back design, and the moisture-wicking fabric.
Best of all, the dress comes in at $40. Activewear doesn't usually run cheap, especially good quality pieces. Halara's exercise dress performs better than its competitors I've tried that are double or triple the price. This means if you love it as much as I do, you can stock up on this summer staple in multiple colors (20, to be exact). That's right—the dress is available in 20 colorways, including shades of pink, blue, yellow, orange, and green. I've got my eyes on a few different hues, but the wear-anywhere-with-anything black shade is my go-to. I have a few more weekend getaways and day trips planned this summer, and this dress has earned its spot on my packing list for every single one.
