As we progress into 2016, you’ve probably heard the word “Athleisure” thrown around here and there, but what sets this style of clothes from the traditional sportswear? Apart from “Athleisure” sounding a tad impressive compared to “Sportswear”, there are a few more differences.
With a little streetwear fashion steals, Athleisure is arguably, a more versatile type of apparel (Think leggings-all day, loose T-shirts over bralettes). An example would be Tanktops and Racerback Tanktops. Tanktops are the go-to tops when running rounds at Macritchie but it would a waste to don a racerback tanktop over your outlandish neon pink sports bra for the same kind of activity. You may be enticed to visit a café or go grocery shopping in the same getup.
Unlike Sportswear (clothing usually worn by gym junkies who frequent the gym), you don’t necessarily have to love working out to be part of this new phenomenon. It’s a socially unspoken rule that anyone who wants to look stylish can latch onto the trend, especially when living healthy has trended globally in the last few years.
Yoga pants consists of a huge part of Athleisure. These pants are a whole lot more comfortable than denim yet style is not compromised. Its also more functional since it looks just as good in the gym as it does anywhere else. We tend to focus mostly on garments but shoes also play a vital role in completing this trend. It’s almost a norm for many to own pairs of Adidas Superstars and Nike airs without living the lifestyle.
Athleisure could be seen as an improvement of sportswear: it stems from people demanding need for everyday comfort, especially for those aiming to squeeze in workout sessions into an already overtaxed schedule. Athleisure also represents a bigger, and likely permanent change in fashion. It has become too large a phenomenon for Haute couture to ignore. Upscale brands, from edgy names like Alexander Wang to classics such as Diane von Furstenberg, are incorporating active wear elements—hoodies or visible zippers—into their collections. Now everything’s gotten the luxury treatment, from cashmere sweatpants to stretchy jersey jumpsuits with pinhole mesh.
The Athleisure trend is obviously here to stay. Shortlisted below are some brands to get your athleisure fix!
- For the Eco-Conscious – Lululemon
As a major player of Athleisure, Lululemon popularized the idea of wearing yoga pants in non-yoga settings. Lululemon has a sustainability vision and aims to leave a positive and lasting impact on the world while running their business. The brand is also distinguished for its high quality products as a result of the best fabrics and technologies. If you’re an advocate for environmental friendliness, Lululemon may just be the perfect brand for you.
- For all Shapes and Sizes – Forever 21
Forever 21 hopped onto the bandwagon in 2014 when they figured that activewear was going to become a huge hit in the fashion industry. Since then, they have launched collections comprising of versatile pieces. You can easily find a strappy bralette or a mesh paneled top amongst their range of products. They took the Athleisure trend to different heights when they launched a plus sized collection, proving that Athleisure is not only for women with fit and skinny bodies. The collection comprises of criss-cross cut out yoga capris to strappy loose tanks. For women who happen to be on the bigger side, fret not as you can still rock that #athleisure trend with Forever 21.
- For those looking for affordability – H&M
With Athleisure becoming such a huge phenomenon, many mainstream labels have been launching their own activewear range at a relatively more affordable price compared to those of Nike and Lululemon. H&M offers activewear ranging from T-back tanktops to zebra printed yoga tights. Their versatile garments can easily be matched with a tinge of streetwear to make the perfect #ootd to get some errands done at the nearby heartland mall. With greater affordable options, we can still look 10/10 without burning a hole in our pockets.
