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What Is Athleisure, And Why Is It Trending?
Athleisure is a combination of the words “athletic” and “leisure”. The trend started gaining traction alongside the boom of social media fitness culture. Workout gear used to be seen as ugly and unglamorous, but as more designer collaborations with known athletic brands gave way to more stylish and sophisticated options, celebrities wore gym clothes everywhere and effectively made them the next hot trend.
Athletic wear no longer just came in the same plain shirts and boring running shorts. Nowadays, athleisure encompasses sexy sports bras that you can wear to the club or comfy leggings that are easy to pair with any trendy top.
The best part?
Athleisure pieces are fashionable and functional. They often dry sweat quickly, are made of breathable fabrics cut for maximum comfort.
Some people think that you need to be fit to wear athleisure, but that’s totally untrue! The trick is to pick items that flatter your figure. Hoodies, for example, are extra comfortable and can hide a multitude of sins, and they pair really well with leg-slimming leggings. Treat athleisure as a fashionable way to dress, not an image you need to back up with a gym routine!
Who’s Been Spotted In Athleisure Wear?
Young Hollywood is a huge fan of athleisure. Kendall and Kylie Jenner have often been spotted wearing gym bralettes, trackpants, and sneakers.
Kim Kardashian, their sister, is practically the face of athleisure, as she’s a huge fan of her husband Kanye’s sporty brand, Yeezy.
Supermodel sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid love their comfy sneakers, which are perfect after days of walking runways in insanely high heels. They love to pair designer brands with their Reebok or Adidas sneakers!
Selena Gomez makes athleisure look effortlessly cute. She wears it everywhere, from her coffee runs to lunch dates out with friends!
How To Mix Athleisure Clothing Into Your Wardrobe
You can wear athleisure pretty much anywhere. The trick is knowing how to mix and match your pieces so your look is more street chic than Pilates class-ready. Australia has some pretty amazing athleisure brands, so check out these outfits to get some inspiration. Here are some ideas of how to pair athleisure wear depending on where you’re going:
Athleisure Shoes
Athleisure shoes in neutral colours like white or black will go with virtually any look. If you’re sporting a pair in a bright shade, choose a more muted palette for your clothes so the shoes stand out more. Your sunset-orange sneaks will definitely make a bigger statement when you sport them with an all-black outfit!
They don't even have to be worn with other athletic pieces. These fashionable exercise sneakers are just as cool with jeans and cardigans.
Leggings Or Trackpants
Gone are the days when wearing leggings as pants was a fashion no-no! The trick is to make sure that your pantylines aren’t visible when you wear them. Plain black leggings have become a staple in everyone’s wardrobe.
A popular athleisure alternative to leggings are trackpants, which are just as comfy and versatile as leggings. The best part is that both men and women can wear these bottoms.
Looking for a no-fuss way to wear them? Try wearing leggings or trackpants with a plain white tee, then layering with a leather jacket or windbreaker.
Tracksuits
The velour and velvet tracksuits of the early 2000s got a bad rap for looking a bit cheesy and dated. The latest tracksuits couldn't look any more different from their predecessors!
Choose from the new sleek, tightly-fitted tracksuits, or slouchy hoodie coordinates with accent stripes. They come in a variety of colours, but the best feature they have? They're essentially a way to put together a cute outfit without worrying about matching your top with your bottom.
Black, as always, is the way to go. But a lot of women have been spotted getting adorable pastel tracksuits. Baby blue and seashell pink make tracksuits look fresher without being too twee.
Conclusion
Athleisure is young, fresh, and effortless, and anyone can wear this hot new look. The emphasis on coordinates and the versatility of sporty pieces means that they can easily be worn anywhere and for virtually every occasion.
There are affordable athleisure clothes you can work into your wardrobe. These tips and outfit ideas are just some of the ways you can rock the look. Thanks to athleisure, you don't need to sacrifice style for comfort!
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