What really is Athleisure? - YouLookFab Forum

Came across this older article in Forbes about Athleisure.
I think Link Love may be closed for the week? Could not post there.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/c.....isundersto

Thought it might be of interest.
It interested me because a lot of what I see, I guess on street or Pinterest and even here, that I thought was considered, oh gear, is not gear as I understand it, and so has been part of interest in understanding if there is actually "one" style or many variations/definitions, and read that it is not the above author's idea of Athleisure aeither. Then as well, I do not tend to wear truly high-tech sport/athletic garments as part of regular wear.
Also I've been interested in discussions of "technical fabrics" because not all athletic wear is, hmmm, "technical"--there is cotton, and Tencel--not all items claim "wicking"; and merino for serious winter..
In addition, many "real " garments are either made of, or lined with, synthetic fabrics--blazers and pants may be lined with thin polyester or perhaps semi-synthetic acetates. Many pants such as Boden and others are synthetic poly blends, though may be with stretch for....activity! comfort! Many folks like natural fabrics but wear synthetic base layers--like Heattech (which I'm wearing now under a cashmere sweater) .

Something of interest because I'm always interested in fabrics, blends, how they feel, launder, wrinkle.

3 years ago

Irina

Veteran

Thank you for this article, it resonates with me and my own understanding of Athleisure. Gear is an item of clothes that is specifically designed for a sport activity hence performance fabrics and finishes. Athlisure is designed to look like gear but is not suitable for sports due to the material and cut choices. My joggers are not for jogging, they are silk pants with elastic cuffs, my hoodie is cashmere and no one, probably, would be able to play any sport in my ‘city’ sneakers I don’t have gear garments as I’m not interested in any athletic pursuits and would not require technical fabrics for my lifestyle. With an exception of Heattech (which I have on right now), I find them more comfortable under sweaters so I compromised on “no synthetics” rule.

Bonnie

This is a really interesting article. Thanks for sharing it.

Kate

Interesting article, unfrumped. Thanks for posting it.

rachylou

... so... synthetic fabric doesn’t make a garment technical wear... right?

kkards

Unfrumped...i see athleisure as a straight line continuation of the 1920s sportswear fashion trend (which probably it self has roots in another time). You might find this interesting (or not) . In fact, when i started in retail back in the 1980s all women’s apparel that was not dresses, coat, swim suits or lingerie, was still called sportswear.
https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1920-1929/
Another trend for women that enjoyed massive popularity in the twenties was that of sportswear worn as daywear. Sportswear had long been an acceptable form of casual wear for men, but in the 1920s, it also became acceptable for women

Kkards, thank you for the link. Fascinating, makes me want to study fashion history.

LaPed

Like kkards, I tend to see today's athleisure as an extension of rather than a break from the casual wear of previous eras. The Atlantic ran a really good article about this a couple years ago: Everything You Wear Is Athleisure.

From an industry standpoint, stretchy synthetics are everywhere, not just in clothing marketed as activewear. The great thing about elastic fabrics is that they allow manufacturers to make a garment in fewer sizes -- S/M/L vs 25/26/27/28/29/30. I know I've seen designer jeggings that come in "one size that will always fit" and more and more hosiery, undergarments, etc are being crafted in super stretchy materials and marketed as "one size fits all". Modern performance fabrics are the reason we don't have to choose between body-conscious fits and range of motion. How many of us would choose shrink-to-fit Levi's in 100% cotton over a skinny jean with some stretch?

For my own part, I mostly don technical fabrics as dictated by weather and activity. I'm very appreciative of waterproof breathable membranes when I'm outside for hours in the rain, of extra grippy rubber outsoles when a trail or sidewalk is wet or icy, of synthetic insulations that are more breathable/less bulky/lighter weight than ever. Yet the clothes I prefer for daily wear tend to be cotton and linen, some wool, some silk. On a day-to-day basis, I don't need (or necessarily want) the quickest-drying pants or a sweat-wicking top, but I'm very glad to have them for the activities to which they're best suited. I'm also not opposed to gear-casual outfits that mix technical pieces with "everyday" pieces. These combos often end up being very practical for my life, and sometimes even have aesthetic appeal. Because of this, I'm trying to be more mindful about buying technical pieces that I will enjoy wearing in public/social settings (colours and prints I like, excellent fit, etc), so I can't complain about the explosion of options athleisure has given us.

Helena

So interesting, and I agree with both Irina's and kkards points really ... but as a current trend, I tend to think of athleisure as either gear fabrics on non-gear pieces, or gear pieces in non-gear fabric ... if that makes sense?

Joy

This is very interesting . For years I had misunderstood and saw athleasure worn for athletic activities, It did not work, of course. I will now keep a more open mind to athleasure. I will be careful to choose the real thing if I need athletic wear

UmmLila (Lisa)

I find KKards' connection of the dots from sportswear to athleisure interesting. I always did wonder why the departments named sportswear in stores had nothing to do with sports.

Category