
Ask any of your gym gfs and they’d agree: You should switch up your gym clothes just as often as you switch up your workout routine. But we’re not gonna lie, a glimpse into our drawer of the same old activewear leaves us with little motivation to peel our butts off of the couch and get moving. Oversized tees and ratty yoga pants don’t at all match our fitness ambitions, and we’ve been hard-pressed to find workout clothes that actually do (you too?). So, early this year when Urban Outfitters launched Without Walls, a brand completely dedicated to cool and functional activewear and workout accessories, we knew we had finally found fitness essentials we could rely on to pump us up as much as our yoga buddies. This fall, it’s no different.
With a wide-sweeping range of colorful gear dedicated to surfers, cyclists, hikers and runners (as much as guys and gals who regularly hit the gym), Without Walls boasts both its own brand of trend-leaning tops, sports bras and spandex along with jackets, sneakers, swimsuits and yoga mats from a roster of hard-to-find labels and major-league active brands like Asics, Columbia, Patagonia and Vans. Whether you’re in the market for pieces that act as the final push you need to get your butt in gear (literally) to fit into your favorite fall jeans or are looking for a way to keep the dreaded Freshman 15 away, you’ll want to make Without Walls your go-to outlet for gear. Scroll through to get a glimpse of what workout wear will look like in your future gym bag.
1. Salt Gypsy Fanta Surf Legging ($68): Whether you catch a wave or jog for miles in these moisture-wicking, pattern-mixed leggings, you won’t be soaked for long. Made from quick-drying material, this pair is even equipped with a sneaky inner pocket to keep your keys at bay.
2. Without Walls Tie-Dye Dropped Armhole Tank Top ($28): This oversized, dropped-armhole tank is the perfect piece to wear over your go-to sports bra during cardio kickboxing or hot classes that make you sweat off the lbs.
3. K-Way Lily Mesh Jacket ($98): Mesh that doesn’t look like a flag football tank? It’s happening. Made with taped seams and water- and wind-resistant fabric, this breathable jacket will soon become your go-to extra layer no matter what course you crash.
4. Perusha People Ancient Coral Jumpsuit ($98): Yep, now you can workout in a jumpsuit, and we kind of love it. Think of how chill you’ll look clad in this handmade bamboo jumpsuit holding mountain pose, and how nice it will be when your fabric doesn’t tumble up your bod when you reverse your dog.
5. Onzie Pura Forest Dot Vida Pant ($68): Sometimes you just crave a little extra breathing room from your gym clothes, and these side-slit pants fit the bill. Tie ‘em at the ankle when you’re pumping iron, then wear them loose once you hit the mat.
6. Onzie Orchid Bustier Bra ($58): Don’t ever say that sports bras aren’t sexy. This bustier-style bra is your new uniform for low-impact workout routines.
7. MICHI Butterfly Cropped Top ($134): This knotted back crop top is our cycling class soul mate. We’re way more likely to push harder knowing that our backs won’t be puddled once we unclip.
8. Onzie Turquoise Track Legging ($64): If a legging ever made us actually want to get out and do more burpees, this is the pair! We’re obsessed with this black-neon blue-coral combo, but these spandex come in all kinds of swoon-worthy color blocks.
9. Asics Illusion Shrug Top ($58): Make your tank top go the extra mile with you in this comfy shrug top. A hood + thick cuffs with thumbhols make sure you’re completely covered when it counts.
10. Champion Novelty Short ($24): Mesh shorts made for a modern woman? We’ll take ‘em – one in every neon hue, please!
11. Nesh NY Illusion Patchwork Top ($128): This sheer top will work with whatever moves you decide to pull that day — keep it on for a little extra coverage while you run, cycle, crunch or stretch!
12. Onzie Elastic Bra Top ($44): Strappy bras are making the sportswear crossover (get it?) and we love it. Power walk in style in this scoopneck that comes in seven different colors.
13. Move by Alternative U R Powerful Hoodie ($68): Contrast trim and a crossed back adds street-style flair to this hooded workout tank. Toss it on over a neon sports bra and trek to the dance studio in style.
14. Onzie Colorblock Capri Legging ($58): Patterned cuffs and a contrast color waistband take these spandex from basic capri to gym class hero. We’d stretch it out in this pair any day.
15. ALIIGN Space Kimono ($88): This might be the ultimate way to peace out after you say namaste. A geometric print pops on this jersey kimono we’d totally wear outside of the yoga studio.
What pieces have you wishing you were sweating right now? Tell us what you want to be wearing during your next workout in the comments below.
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures