In case you missed the portmanteau, athleisure—a combination of the words athletic and leisure—is officially going to be added to the Meriam-Webster dictionary sometime this year. Athleisure is known to fashion aficionados as the phenomenon of activewear making its way out of the gym and into streets, classrooms, and even offices. It has warranted media attention in prestigious publications ranging from the New York Times style section to Vogue Magazine.
Not only have athletic wear companies gradually retailored their practical fabrics to be more and more polished, quotidian designers are also launching sportier collections. This trend is literally everywhere, from Fashion Week runways to lower cost retailers. The ever popular athletic brand Nike has expanded what it calls its “Lifestyle Shoes” selection, which consists of sneakers that, ironically, you aren’t even supposed to wear to the gym. The popular high-end designer, Tory Burch, has spawned a new sub-brand called Tory Sport, complete with its own website. Like any unaffordable fashion trend, more reasonably priced retailers haven’t failed to produce more realistic options. Just this year, Target teamed up with the popular fitness craze, SoulCycle, to make affordable and chic athleisure.
Nearly everyone has embraced the athleisure fever, from soccer moms to pop-culture icons like the Kardashians, Jenners, and Hadids. However, athleisure is especially well-received on college campuses across the nation. Unfortunately, young women everywhere feel some degree of pressure to constantly look put-together. If you’re anything like me, it’s nearly impossible to get out of bed for my 8:05 class, let alone look presentable. Athleisure is giving us a break! The advent of this new apparel category has made it nearly effortless to look good and feel comfortable. Not to mention I don’t have to do lunges to squeeze into skinny jeans.
The key to wearing athleisure right is topping off your leggings and tech tee or sporty hoodie with your favorite accessories. This can mean a statement sneaker, cozy blanket scarf, cool beanie, or chic jacket.
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