The Essentials of ‘Hot Girl Walks,’ the Little Strolls That Save Our Sanity

If you spent most of the pandemic doom-scrolling, same—which is how we, and millions of others discovered the idea of a “Hot Girl Walk.” It’s more than just your average neighborhood jaunt to get some fresh air; it’s a way of being. Mia Lind, the 23-year-old creator of the Hot Girl Walk (by name), states in the TikTok that birthed a thousand “walking clubs” that you’re only allowed to do three things on the walk: “think about things you’re grateful for, your goals and how you’re going to achieve them, and how hot you are.” No drama, no cringey moments—just positive vibes that you then carry with you the rest of your day.

Whether you call it a “Hot Girl Walk”, a “Fugly Hag Stroll”, or your daily constitutional, the benefits of getting out of the house for a little exercise with added positive affirmations is undeniable. Not only does it force you out of your sad little hobbit hole for some fresh air and (if the sun hasn’t set by lunch) vitamin D, but the whole point of being THAT girl (or guy) is telling yourself, “I AM that bitch,” okay? Do you know how disgustingly beautiful, joyous, creative, and intelligent you are, you little [redacted]?

Sorry, blacked out on positivity for a moment. You don’t know how much the power of positive thinking (praise Oprah) can truly affect your mood and overall outlook on life. So if you haven’t started taking regular walks, give it a try. What’s the worst that could happen? If you’re properly equipped: absolutely nothing. Let’s go through the checklist of things that can up your #HotGirlWalk game so that you can ascend to a higher plane (or, at the very least, a better timeline).

Of course, to enjoy a Hot Girl Walk, all you really need is your feet and an open mind, but to make something a habit, you have to enjoy doing it. We’ve compiled a list of the Hot Girl Walk necessities for having the hottest, most productive, most spiritually cleansing “silly little walk(s)” of your life.

Hot girl walk essentials: sneakers

As the trend implies, if you’re going to commit to the “Hot Girl Walk,” you’re going to need comfortable shoes, of course.

We froth over Asics’ sumptuous Gels, and are really into these thicc-soled baddies, the Gel-Kayano Lite3s. In addition to being pillowy soft, the shoe’s FLYTEFOAM cushioning is made from organically derived materials, and the rest of the Kayano Lite 3 is made with a high constitution of recycled materials, so you can take care of the Earth and those hot steppers.

We’re pretty big freaks for Hoka here at VICE. Our staff writer Nicolette Accardi, a certified Hoka stan, has reviewed quite a few styles, but most recently said that the Bondi 7s feel, “like I’m walking on bubble wrap, in a good way. They…give me a nice pep in my steps and strides, and the hefty sole is also fabulous when it comes to stomping away.” Sounds like the perfect fit.

It’s about to get colder, and if we closed our eyes and imagined the warmest pair of sneakers it would be Allbirds’ Wool Dasher Fluffs. First of all, they’re made of fully machine-washable fluffy Merino wool, so they’ll stay looking fresh. Plus the sole is made with natural, sustainable ingredients like sugar cane and castor bean oil, on top of being super-cushioning and shock-absorbing.

Hot girl walk essentials: water bottles

Next stop, the hydration station baby. Just like Lizzo, “we don’t get dehydrated,” because we’re never #thirsty—if you know what I mean. If it’s hard for you to remember to drink water, try a smart water bottle; the Hidrate Spark bottle glows when it’s time to take a sip, and wirelessly syncs to an app to track your water intake, so you never have to waste another second of brain power on something dumb like, “How many ounces of H2O have I had today?”.

If you’d prefer something more *traditional*, go with a classic Hydro Flask (also a VSCO Girl essential) or a chic glass water bottle from Purifyou, one of our editor faves.

Hot girl walk essentials: music

Next up: the tunes. It’s pretty easy to vibe out and start feeling yourself like nobody’s watching when armed with a playlist of bangin’ disco tracks, or maybe Alien Ant Farm—just do you. But you can’t block out the haters (and the intrusive thoughts) without an excellent pair of noise-canceling headphones. We’re not ignoring that guy hollering at us, we simply can’t hear him. Beats noise-canceling headphones give off big-time “don’t bother me” energy, while delivering high-quality sound performance. Case in point: With the Beats Studio3 over-ear headphones, you get 22 hours of listening time from one charge, so you can basically run walk across the country like Forrest. Did we mention Studio3s are currently 57% off right now?

Prefer earbuds? Grab the GOATs—Apple’s AirPods Pro—which have top-of-the line noise cancelation, sound quality, and comfort, or if you’re on a budget, scoop a $35 pair of earbuds from TAGRY that are surprisingly great-sounding and functional for their (very low) price.

Hot girl walk essentials: workout gear

The whole point of the walk is to look hot and be comfortable, so why not treat yourself to a new ‘fit that’ll inspire you to get dressed and get walking? SKIMS’ Outdoor Collection is the chic, neutral-colored wardrobe we wish we could wear everyday around our Palms Springs abode (you know, if we could afford a “Palm Springs abode”). Since everything matches, you’ll always look effortless without even trying, so go monochromatic with joggers, a tank, and a bralette. Giant Balenciaga shades not included.

Hot girl walk essentials: step counters and fitness trackers

Obviously, the “Hot Girl Walk” is all about supporting your mental health, but there’s no denying the physical benefits of getting up and stepping out. If you’re interested in tracking your stats as you go harder, better, faster, and stronger, we’d recommend a fitness tracker that will give you the deets without being too difficult to use (and still look fly enough to wear, natch). Amazon’s Halo Band is sleek and discreet, while still giving you tons of info; it tracks steps, heart rate, sleep, and more, while also being completely water-resistant up to 50 meters (Hot Girl Swim, anyone?). It also comes with a complimentary six-month Halo membership, which grants you access to tons of helpful wellness apps, like Headspace, Orange Theory, and BetterSleep.

Hot girl walk essentials: everything else

OK, so we’ve covered Hot Girl Walk 101, but how about adding some flair? We love these Bala ankle weights for days we want to turn a mental health stroll into more of a fitness challenge.

Get in the right mindset pre-cardio by boosting your water intake with an electrolyte-infused hydration powder, or pop some Joggy Runner’s High CBD to achieve the perfect level of calm energy.

Last but not least, avoid wrinkles and any unwanted attention by slathering on the Supergoop’s ultra-popular sheer sunscreen. or wearing an incredibly 80s polarized face shield.

Step to it!

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