The athleisure trend is booming and there’s never been a more acceptable time to drop a cool couple of hundred quid on a hoodie. Just ask Rihanna, who is rarely pictured without a security blanket style baggy hooded jumper, preferably in black. Even two-year-old celebrity offspring North West is repping niche London skate brand Palace. Whether designed by luxury Parisian label du jour Vetements, LFW favourite Ashley Williams or cult skateboarding brand Thrasher, consider slogan hoodies your new shortcut to low-key cool with solid fashion credentials.
If you think about it, spending hundreds of pounds on a cotton jumper kind of makes economic sense. You can wear a hoodie to gym class. You can wear it to lunch, dinner or to the pub. In fact, there are very few places where you can’t wear a hoodie – apart from within a ten-metre radius of a shopping centre security guard that is. And it’s not just hoodies that have been elevated from functional to fashionable. As every item from sports bras to leggings to trainers nudge their way out of our ‘gym’ drawers to claim a hanger in our everyday wardrobes, the line between gym changing room and fashion week front row is becoming increasingly blurred. And the best news? Athleisure is a trend which fits all budgets. These are the athleisure essentials that’ll take you from sporty to spice...
Sports Bra
We don't need to explain the importance of a sports bra as the foundation of any athletic outfit. Unlike a conventional bra, a sports bra can easily be worn alone, crop top style, outside the gym- although maybe wait until spring to unleash this particular look. Of the many high street chains that have tried to conquer the fitness-fashion market, H&M is amongst the best.
Their strikingly bright and surprisingly high-quality sports bras can be matched with a pair of colour coordinated leggings for a very Kayla Itsines look. If you are looking for a functional, mid-range sports bra in any colour of the rainbow, try one of Nike’s Dri-FIT stretch-jersey sports bras, with prices starting at £25. Just been paid? Spend it all on one of Bodyism ’s minimal-but-chic stretch-jersey sports bras available from www.net-a-porter.com or, if patterns are more your thing, try a camouflage or floral lily pattern printed stretch-jersey bra from Australian sportswear brand The Upside.
The Upside Behati printed stretch-jersey sports bra, £80, available at Net A Porter
H&M Medium Support Sports Bra, £7.99
Leggings
Next up, leggings. For basics, try Topshop’s High Waist Extra Long Leggings or Sporty Elasticated Leggings from £18. If you’re looking for something a bit more evening appropriate, try their Sports Leggings (£22) and Mesh Insert Leggings (£20), both of which come with, you guessed it, mesh panels. Want to draw even more attention to your legs? If you can’t stomach spending a couple of weeks’ rent on Fendi’s printed stretch-jersey leggings (£300, Net-a-Porter), Sweaty Betty’s Santa Marta Run Tights at £90, are an acceptable substitute.
Budding yogis should head to Californian brand Alo Yoga for their exceptionally comfortable extra-long Goddess leggings in every conceivable colourway (available at www.aloyoga.com from $94), whilst those with bigger budgets should check out luxury west London brand Lucas Hugh. There’s a lot of meaningless PR about so-called ‘performance fabrics’, but Lucas Hugh sell the real deal. Their tight-weave compression leggings are made of antibacterial, UV protective, moisturise-wicking fabric. Basically, they make you less sweaty and give you the Sloggi bottom of your dreams. Try the Colour Bolt leggings at £175. But then why restrict yourself to leggings if you can have a whole outfit in one? Pepper & Mayne make Sasha Fierce-esque seamless compression performance unitards in black, olive and grey marl at £95.
Sweaty Beaty Santa Marta Run Tights, £90
Fendi printed stretch-jersey leggings, £300 at Net A Porter
Trainers
As for footwear, street-style staples Stan Smiths have more or less had their time under the paparazzi flashbulb. At last week’s London Fashion Week, skate trainers were definitely having a moment. For true sk8r grrrl points, try Vans SK8 Hightops, or, if you’re trying to channel Farrah Fawcett in Charlie’s Angels, a pair of Nike Cotez. Extra points if you can remember how to ollie.
As ever, you can’t go far wrong with a pair of classic Converse Chuck Taylor All Star high tops, from £45, although if you’re actually planning to go for a run, maybe steer clear of those and try some Nike kicks instead: you’ll beat all your personal bests in a pair of Flyknit trainers, from around £90.
But if you’re still after that all-white Stan Smiths aesthetic, try Isabel Marant’s Etoile Bart leather trainers (£240), Common Projects’ Achilles retro leather low-top trainers (£265) or Alexander McQueen’s leather low-top platform trainers (£360). A word of warning though: don’t run in platforms.
Nike Classic Cortez, £62
Isabel Marant Étoile Bart leather sneakers, £240 available at My Theresa
Hoodies
And as for jumpers? Impress your teenage self with 00s hero brands Ellesse, Kappa and Fila. Favourites include the Ellesse Panel Overhead Hoodie (£45), Ellesse Crew Sweatshirt(£40) and Fila’s navy Oversized Pull Over Hoodie With Large Logo (£50). Alternately, channel eternally off-duty dancehall queen RiRi in a skate hoodie from Thrasher, Palace or Supreme.
If you’re looking for something a bit more technical, try premium activewear brand Aeance for sleek, minimal zip-ups in power clashing red and pink. But it’s still Demna Gvasalia’s Vetements collective who are responsible for making what are undeniably the most wanted jumpers of the season. Whether plain or printed, red, black or green, manage to buy one of these and you’ve basically mastered the entire athleisure trend in one swipe of your credit card.
Vetements Hooded logo-print sweatshirt, £415, available at Matches Fashion
Palace Hoodie, £99.99
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