Street Goth. Normcore. And, now Athlesiure. We’re super excited to see an explosion in the number of androgynous and gender-neutral genres, especially because masculine attire is not simply defined as dandy or suit-and-tie. However, we’re going to need a glossary to keep up with the fashion world’s sportswear vernacular!
If you’ve gone into any major retail clothing store lately, you may have seen that gym clothes have suddenly gotten a design upgrade, and, maybe even more shockingly, managed to make their way out of the athletic aisle and into the casual department. That’s because “athleisure” is the latest sportswear trend. But, what exactly is athleisure? The definition changes depending on who you ask, but in a nutshell: clothing that is “gym-to-street” chic or “gym-to-the-office” appropriate. Leggings and joggers are the new jeans, and sometimes even paired with dressier pieces like blazers.
Alexander Wang for H&M via Style.com
VPL via Accessories
via D’Marge
via NPR
The trend is booming, in large part because people are seeking less suffocating and more comfortable, functional style that is still fashion-forward. But, naysayers feel the trend looks sloppy. Further, even those who love the style are complaining that this trend is the industry’s sly way of justifying pricing sweatpants at $100 and up (and we’ve seen WAY UP!).
We absolutely love the style! But, tell us what you think of the trend and share your athleisure outfits with us on Instagram using #dapperQ.
*Feature image of Ari Fitz via Facebook.
