Sorry to be a dunce, but I'm still a bit confused. I'll confess, I quickly scanned through the thread, but I'm not quite clear on the terminology and which retailers might be representative of each. I get confused when all the terms like "gear," "sportswear," "sporty," and "performance wear" get thrown around. I think of "gear" as being more like something you would pick up from REI to go hiking, mountain biking or backpacking. I think of "sportswear" as being a somewhat outdated term from mid-last century for casual, nautical-type wear for the affluent set to wear on yachts on the weekends. I think of "performance wear" as being geared to a specific sport, like yoga or running pants and moisture-wicking technical fabrics, and then I think of "sporty" as being a more casual version of performance wear, kind of like what Athleta and Title Nine sells. And I don't even know if I dare ask about "leisure wear!"
Marianne, I'm an avid runner and have always been a big fan of Athleta's clothing, but I agree with you completely about the patterns making them look too boho. I've been buying Athleta's running clothes and swimwear for years, and while the swirly patterns have always been around, I've noticed that they've come to dominate their offerings since the Gap bought them out. It's a trend that worries me. I count on Athleta for clothes that stand up to the elements and perform well, and I'm worried they'll go the same route that Title Nine did and shift their focus to casual leisure wear.
Angie, I don't know if you've addressed this in any of your blog posts before or are looking for new ideas for blog posts, but I would love some guidelines that addressed this. While I understand the reluctance to link style to performance wear for fear that even more people will start living in yoga pants, fleece and Tevas, we all know the importance of having a fitness routine in our lives. And having a fitness routine necessitates being out in public for an hour or two a day in your fitness clothing while you're running, heading to the gym, a yoga class, etc. I'd like my clothing to look as stylish as possible, and I have seen a significant shift in the past decade toward fitness wear that is much more stylish, IMO. But I think I would still like some style guidelines around WHAT is considered acceptable to wear, and WHEN is it acceptable to wear it? For example, I know that swimsuits are acceptable to wear on the beach, in the water and by the pool, but that you should throw on a cover-up anywhere outside of those spots. What other style guidelines exist around "performance wear?"
Whew! Sorry for the long-winded response!
