Introducing: Athleisure
By: Lauren Nathan
The struggle of sacrificing comfort for style is over. Women everywhere are contributing to the shift towards the latest category of clothing known as “athleisure”.
Now we all wish we could wear our favorite pair of yoga pants to work every day, but for some reason, society decided that wearing clothes conducive to a sweat-coated gym environment to work is somehow “inappropriate”. Lucky for us, brands such as Betabrand, have stumbled across a loophole. The marvelous loophole I am referring to is known as Yoga Dress Pants. Finally, we can dress both comfortably and professionally for the office.
The Yoga Dress Pant is a prime example of how comfort has trickled into other clothing categories besides athletic wear. According to Nike CEO Mark Parker, “leggings are the new denim”. Yoga pants now come in a vast collection of prints and styles. While they are appropriate for the gym, most won’t ever see the inside of such an establishment. Similar patterns are seen with stylish “running” jackets, strappy sports bras, and sweat-wicking tank tops.
Brands like Lululemon have targeted fashionable athletic wear for those who lead busy lives and are constantly on the go. Dresses, skirts, sweater wraps, everyday t-shirts and tanks fall under Lululemon’s “to and from gear”. These garments are mostly made out of Lycra with a high stretch factor to enhance comfort while transitioning from grocery shopping to a lunch date.
As athletic wear becomes everyday wear, it is easier than ever to hide the fact that you’ve actually only been to the gym once in the past two weeks.
Photos: Lauren Nathan
Sources: http://www.vogue.com, http://www.lululemon.com
