By LaShanda Millner-Murphy
Activewear has changed its name to athleisure wear and has created a buzz outside the gym. Athleisure wear is accepted by many as a wearable style on the weekends for parties and on the go. Some designers have even added add Athleisure wear to their fashion lines. In the retail market , sales for athleisure wear have surpassed denim…yes, I denim.
Women are looking for comfortable, simple, easy and stylish garments which has made this type of apparel reach uplevel sales and wearability. It has been known that the desire for athleisure wear may be because of enclothed cognition, where clothes have the power of the mind. Its definition is the symbolic meaning of the clothes and the physical experience of wearing them. We can all imagine the soft flexible fabrics (physical experience) that are designed creatively in bright, bold, textured patterns (symbolic meaning) can be an impulse purchase to add to the warbrobe.
We thought that the “sweat suit” was to run errands or activewear that was popular and limited to the ski and tennis players. Now it’s time to run those errands in a fashionable way and be worn by the conservative, chic, classic, romantic and/or trendy fashionistas.
Here are some ideas on how to incorporate athleisure wear tastefully and stylishly for casual settings even if you are not a workout/gym fanatic.
- Add a sports bra under a colored sheer top and pair it with some leggings.
- Wear cute shorts with a colorful pair of athletic shoes (do not wear them with pants because it does not give a great fashionable appeal)
- Wear ankle boots with leggings and a non-form fitting top
- Add a short couture sports/leather jacket to an athleisure wear coordinated set.
Athleisure wear is a design that’s easy to express your individuality. This is the finish line that has been socially and comfortably accepted.
LaShanda Millner-Murphy, Co-Author : Professionable-The Art of Being a Fashionable Professional (amazon.com)