Athleisure: When sports attire meets fashion

Combining bomber jacket with tailored jogger pants and casual sneakers will give you a sporty yet fashionable look. Here are some more options

If you think athletic wear is just functional clothing for your workouts, you have missed out on one of the biggest fashion trends gaining popularity in India — athleisure. While many have heard of the term, some are still unsure of what it means. While someone may think it’s as simple as wearing your gym clothes to lunch, the reality is more sophisticated. Athleisure is a way of dressing that combines sportswear with ready-to-wear; perfect for the modern fashionista.

The brave ones who sported this trend outside the gym were considered unfashionable a few years ago, but this thought has undergone a major transformation with the focus shifting towards dressing for comfort. So big is the transformation that the Merriam-Webster dictionary actually included ‘athleisure’ as a new word, defining it as “casual clothing meant to be worn both for exercising and for general use.”

It’s no surprise today, that the fitness fad has driven several to get moving, get active and get into shape. With healthy smoothies, clean beauty, diet regimes and workout routines trending on social media and bookmarked by audiences, the conscious effort towards leading a healthy lifestyle are at the forefront of all conversations. While it affects what we do, what we eat and where we go, it has most certainly affected what we wear. With celebrities sporting track pants at the airport, fashion models using tights and treggings in high fashion Instagram posts – athleisure pushes past the confines of the gym and is today a fashion statement. Why does one only need to wear their gym wear at the gym? Sporting the athleisure look embodies symbolizes the aspect change face of fitness and it now becoming more and more a way of life rather than a task. The startup culture and relaxed coworking office spaces have fueled the growth of this segment.

So, whether it’s grabbing a coffee, taking your dog for a walk or heading on your international holiday, sporting a trendy pair of neon tights on a white tee with your joggers may just be the ideal of comfort meets fashion.

If you’re into this style, check out these five pieces to add to your wardrobe and rock the perfect athleisure look.

Bomber Jackets: A bomber jacket is a sure-fire way to give an outfit some athleisure feel. When it comes to picking the right bomber jacket for you, there are plenty of options one can choose from. Men who want to embrace the athletic side of this trend entirely can explore performance fabrics, such as neoprene and bonded jersey. Others can sport the lightweight windcheaters with smart detailing, mesh usage and bold brandings.

Polo Shirts: Created in the ’30s, polo shirts have revolutionised sportswear. The stylish design allows people to feel both relaxed and elegant on and off the court, thus making it a perfect athleisure piece.

Tailored Joggers: The extreme tailored jogger is a key athleisure staple and is extremely comfortable. Tailored joggers like the M7s by Metronaut are perfect for a casual lunch day or travel mood. One can style it with an asymmetric t-shirt and hoodie for a casual look or wear silk bomber jacket on top for a chic look.

Hoodies: Hooded sweatshirts are in fashion and available in different shapes and sizes – cropped, regular, and oversized. To experiment, style it as layering pieces under jackets and vests or as a top layer over a shirt.

Sneakers: Casual sneakers are the athleisure wardrobe shoe of choice, but not just any sneakers will do. While one can choose to wear running sneakers, retro or leisure sneakers are the go-to for athleisure. One can never really complete their athleisure outfit without stepping into a pair of cool pair of sneakers.

Keeping up with this megatrend, you will have a variety of products ranging from shoes, leggings, tee shirts to track pants at affordable prices.

(Contributor is the design lead of Flipkart Fashion)