Live And Breathe Active Shorts

REVIEW BY:  Alexis Oosterhoff

TRAIL GEARS/Sports Wear

If you still haven’t found the perfect all-rounder shorts, ladies…it might be time to stop looking. 

Live and Breathe is the next generation of Catfish Apparel, so they aren’t new to the activewear world. With strong ties to the sport of triathlon, this new iteration of the business is (excitingly) becoming a strong contender in running apparel with their expanding range but still in keeping with their core values and flare for beautiful prints.

LAB operate out of Sydney’s northern beaches and constantly demonstrate how important their sporting community is to them. You’ll frequently find the team, led by co-owner and head of marketing Lana Threlfall, on the sidelines of events dishing out free high fives with Super Mario Bros Power Up-style energy levels and enthusiasm to keep your spirits high on course! 

They genuinely love what they do, and this shows in the time and care they’ve taken to rebrand as Live and Breathe Active.

The team sent me two of their mid-thigh seamless shorts to try out, and personally I was excited that one of them was plain black. I’ve always been a little afraid of ‘loud’ shorts so tend to steer away from them, but when I saw the new patterns on the second pair I can genuinely say I was excited because the print is beautiful. 

Their new prints have been designed by Australian based artists; the Australiana short is designed by Brisbane-based artist Dominique Collins of Stixylin. 

So, the shorts…drumroll please. 

THERE’S NO FRONT SEAM!

It’s revolutionary. So simple, and now I don’t think I can buy another pair of shorts that don’t have a front seam.

The Australiana shorts are made with LAB’s signature swim to run performance lycra fabric (nothing like a fabric that can deal with moisture and not rub or irritate when you’re on the move!) I put these shorts on and I didn’t have to adjust any part of them – not even once on my long run. No tugging or pulling to remove front wedgies or stop them riding up my legs, no hiking them up at the back or fiddling with waistlines. Not once. 

Camel Toe’O’Meter: Zero.

The inseam is 7.5in so they sit nicely around my mid-thigh (I’m 159cm on a good day) and the waistband sits just at my belly button, so they are a great high waisted option for those of us who like a little more support. I ran in these shorts in direct sun, heat, cool summer weather as well as rain, and had zero issues, chafe or discomfort. 

LAB has kept it simple with just two side pockets, an excellent fit and beautiful print. I’m sold.

The black shorts are advertised as more of an active lifestyle short, or as the perfect option for low impact exercise like yoga or pilates, but I still had to take them out for a test run, literally. These shorts have an extra high, super soft waistband, same seamless front and 7.5in in-seam. Again, passed the camel toe test with flying colours. 

It’s a different fabric to the run shorts, a soft touch lycra that has loads of stretch. As with the Australiana shorts, when I ran in these I didn’t touch them once to readjust and they felt ridiculously comfortable the whole time. As they sit higher up on my waist (a good couple of inches above my belly button – again, I’m short) they actually sit under a hydration pack really well and so I think if you’re prone to chafe around the bottom of your pack, these could be a really great solution for you!

I wore an XS in both shorts and if you asked me if I would buy these again? Absolutely. I might even be a printed shorts convert! 

Would I wear these for my next ultra? Happily, and with confidence that I wouldn’t have to touch them for the entire run.

VITALS

RRP: Australiana Seamless Mid-Thigh Shorts $90.00 AUD

RRP: High Waist Seamless Mid-Thigh Shorts (Black) $75.00 AUD

Available at liveandbreatheactive.com