The Dos and Don’ts of Sportswear Fashion

You may have heard of the term “athleisure” recently. If you are unsure what exactly that entails, it is exactly how it sounds – athletic clothing that is worn more for leisure than actually working out or competing in sports. Sportswear has held a place in the fashion world for quite a while now and now athleisure is its latest look.

You don’t have to know anything about professional sports to enjoy the look and you don’t even need to know your way around any of the Vegas betting sites to explore this fashion trend. But that is not to say that you shouldn’t follow a few rules when it comes to sportswear – or athleisure – fashion.

You may think that there is nothing much to putting together an outfit when sweats and leggings are involved. But it might surprise you to discover that you can still get things wrong if you don’t know how athleisure works. Here are a few of our suggestions on how to get this comfortable look right.

Do Mix and Match

You may have seen celebrities wearing head-to-toe tracksuits and keeping the look of a particular brand to the fore. We would say that this is a particular look, while perfectly acceptable, that is only part of a wider athleisure style. We much prefer to mix things up a bit.

Mix and match sportswear tops with denim jeans or skirts for a really striking look. You can then decide whether you want to go with sneakers, boots or some other kind of footwear. But the main takeaway here should be that some of the best outfits deliberately mix and match fabrics and styles.

Don’t Treat Athleisure as High Fashion

Kanye West might attend galas and awards shows wearing what is generally regarded as sportswear. But that doesn’t mean that everyone should feel comfortable wearing ultra-comfortable clothes to functions and social events. Most people should still go for formal dress for formal occasions.

As you will see from some of our other athleisure fashion suggestions, these are clothes that can be worn in a lot of different situations – and ones that you may not have considered just a few years ago. But for now, keep with the shirt and tie or formal dress for the big occasions.

Do Wear Sneakers

We have already made a big thing about having the confidence to mix and match your outfit and not think that you need to be sportswear-clad from head to toe. But there is one look – that has been taken up by a lot of people already – that we are not as keen on.

Heels should definitely be left in the closet if the rest of the outfit depends on sportswear. Strappy sandals or even wedge sneakers should also be disregarded. Just trust in some clean sneakers to avoid looking like you really are trying too hard to capture a look.

Don’t Take Comfortable Fashion Too Far

There is nothing wrong with wearing battered and worn sweats around the house. Sometimes all you want to do is get into some comfortable old clothes and lounge about a bit. But it is important to note that there is a clear distinction between the clothes you wear at home for comfort and the sportswear or athleisure you wear out.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your stained sweatpants are fine to wear to go shopping because your favorite celebrity was pictured wearing her immaculate athleisure outfit getting some coffee. You still need to take pride in your appearance and make sure your clothes are crisp and clean.

Do Accessorize

Just as you can mix and match the clothing when it comes to incorporating sportswear into your look, you should also feel free to accessorize. Thanks to a resurgence of all things 1990s in the fashion world at the moment, there are some excellent jewelry ideas to take from that decade.

Chunky bracelets, thin necklaces, and even big gold hoop earrings can all work really well with an Adidas or Champion top. Your accessories can work even better if your entire style is taking inspiration from a number of places. Don’t be afraid of giving something different a go.

Figure 2 Keep sneakers part of the look

Don’t Abandon Your Look

This should be a fashion rule for everybody, all of the time. We understand that the very nature of fashion is that we get all excited about creating new looks and changing our outfits. But, unless you are a teenager, we also think that by now you should have some kind of signature look.

If you have favored darker colors traditionally – in whatever style is currently in fashion – then some brightly colored sportswear might be a step too far the other way. There is a reason why a particular look suits you. Wear sportswear and athleisure by all means, but ease it into your ensemble.

Do What Makes You Feel Good

Although this entire guide has been designed in a dos and don’ts style, it should be remembered that the most important aspect of any look is the person actually wearing the clothes. Take our suggestions for what they are – just suggestions to help you achieve a new look using sportswear.

The most important rule should be one that you design. Wear what makes you happy and what you think looks good. There is enough mixing and matching of styles these days that you will never look too far out of place – unless you want to. What you wear should be down to you and what makes you feel and look good.