So you’ve done it again, in a great burst of self-confidence and a spirit of self-improvement, you’ve decided to do the gym/ workout/ get-into-shape resolution… again. Great! Fantastic! First steps are essential to getting to your goals. Now have you taken the second step and actually gone to the gym or for a run/ jog/ brisk walk?
If you haven’t yet taken that second step, and let’s face facts here, have no intention of taking it but want to look like you might in fact get physical in the near future, then it’s time to introduce you to athleisure. As a styling trend athleisure has been with us for a few seasons now and generally refers to the mixing of athletic wear and leisure wear to create one look, i.e., looking like you’re about to get active when in reality you’re really just chilling.
The foundation piece for any athleisure look is the T-shirt. Whether they’re oversized or slim-fit, crew necked or V, the humble T-shirt is the comfortable, relatively inexpensive and practical hero garment in just about any wardrobe. If you’d like to reinforce a more athletic feel to your look choose a T-shirt with sports branding or logos.
When it comes to pairing your T-shirt with a bottom, leggings and yoga pants are probably the go-to items in womenswear. In fact, if you haven’t seen this styling combo out just about everywhere, I’m afraid it might be time to visit your local optometrist. Proportion is key when styling your T-shirt with bottoms, form fitting leggings are best paired with a more loose fitting top, preferably one that extends over your derriere while a crop top is perfectly suited with some joggers or track pants.
In men’s athleisure dressing, pairing your T-shirt with some joggers, track pants or knitted shorts is just about fool-proof. Quick tip on which type shorts to choose; if they have a button and zipper, they’re the wrong kind.
The tracksuit has always been a staple of activewear. Originally designed as a way to keep athletes warm before competing, the tracksuit has evolved to become synonymous with athletic wear, street wear and lounge wear. The return to fashion favour of the retro-styled tricot tracksuit has given street wear both a seventies and mid-nineties feel while looser fitting silhouettes, especially in soft brushed cotton knits, are the perfect garments for just lounging about.
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No athleisure look can be complete without the one piece of athletic gear that has most successfully broken free from its original sporty roots; the sneaker. The vast majority of tennis shoes sold today will never step foot onto an actual tennis court, you’re far more likely to find a pair in your office than on a court. When it comes to athleisure dressing, there’s no correct sneaker silhouette that you have to wear, whether it’s a court sneaker, a classic running silhouette or a pair of high-tops, just choose the pair that speaks best to you.
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Looking for more sports/athleisure inspo? Check out the following:
Running for beginners
