A few years ago, if I wore my yoga pants all day, you'd likely peg me as a little lazy. But for those of us who work outside of a traditional office setting where the dress code is up for grabs, a morning workout (or diverted workout!) can easily be followed by conference calls and lunch, a mountain of paperwork and laundry and an intent to change and shower...but never quite getting there before dinner time.
Yes, I love wearing my yoga pants from dawn to dusk.
Yes, I look good grocery shopping in them.
They are comfortable, easy and versatile.
Why should I change though I'm not doing down dog?
Then the "athleisure" trend rolls around and thanks be, it formally gives us license to enjoy what we've been doing all along without the guilt, and that is to wear workout clothes from studio to street, from workout to creative work settings and from day to date night. It will soon get a dictionary entry.
Athleisure--defined as workout clothes you can piece together with other separates in your wardrobe and wear casually--started out essentially as a simple T-shirt and leggings. From there it has morphed into a multi-billion dollar industry that continues to grows exponentially, and leaves us fashionistas and exercise fanatics hungry for more.
Let's be honest. There's another reason for the boom. Americans rock this category on a global scale. The entire WORLD looks to us when it comes to casual dressing. It's no surprise we defined this corner of the market and own it.
Below are model ensembles from The Wendy Williams Show that I styled, and some pointers on how to get the athleisure look.
1. BOLD COLORS
One notable athleisure style is taking a solitary print like florals or a monotone color like red and going to town with a bold, head-to-toe statement. There's a profound crossover occurring between the fashion and athletic worlds right now. For example in the spring collections for 2016, one of the hottest trends to emerge was off-the-shoulder tops, and clearly we're seeing this parallel in athleisure too.
2. DESIGNER CONNECTION
Designers have jumped on board by collaborating with athletic brands or creating entire dedicated collections of athleisure wear, including Tory Burch, Cynthia Rowley and Stella McCartney to name a few. Look for fabric treatments like laser cutouts, mesh, ombré and asymmetric lines that liven up workout designs, and don't be afraid to kick off your sneakers for the perfect pair of heels to pump up your look post-reps.
3. A.M./P.M.
To make athleisure work from down dog to date night, try tops with metallic threads, jazzed up joggers beyond your standard cotton, edgy jewelry and a pair of comfy wedge heels. Complete the look with a warm, faux fur coat that you can wear atop any workout ensemble to get you to and from your gym to ward off the frigid temps.
4. RUNNING AROUND TOWN
All of the paparazzi shots of celebrities coming out of gyms wearing their workout gear and going to lunch? This actually may have perpetuated athleisure into being. On that note, straight from a recent ensemble by Kendall Jenner, a crop top and a motorcycle jacket done in faux leather, with some additional color-blocked running pants with mesh cutout panels: the perfect balance of performance and sex appeal. Depending on where you are headed you can add a backpack or a structured handbag--that's the beauty of athleisure: anything goes!
