By now, we’ve all taken notice to the athletic-chic trend with neon sneakers, caps and visors, zippered bodysuits and more making their way into most fashion blogger’s wardrobe rotations.
The trend was plastered all over the spring 2012 runway; Here’s a brief summary of the spring Ready-to-Wear looks: Phillip Lim: sleek & minimalist with sporty accents; Alexander Wang: always on the sporty side, even he took it up a notch this season; Cynthia Rowley: feminine with metallics, bold colors, track-and-field shorts and boxy, athletic tops; Rag & Bone: bright hues paired with netting, sporty knee-length skirts and boxy blazers; Helmut Lang: ultra-chic looks that form a marriage of tuxedos and gym-hitting attire. So what spawned these workout-worthy collections? Maybe it’s the fact that the Olympics are just around the corner, or maybe all of these designers are hinting to us all that we need to hit the gym! Regardless of the reason, I’m all about it; incorporating comfortable pieces into my wardrobe and having them considered stylish is a trend that I wish would never go out of style.
Expanding your daily wardrobe to include athletic wear is all about making sure that you don’t look like you are literally about to go for a run, and it can be really simple to accomplish. The easiest way to do this is to throw together a look that you would normally wear for a workout and then take two of those pieces away replacing them with knitted pieces and casual accessories. I love the look of replacing your hoodie with an open-knit sweater, exposing a neon sports bra. When it comes to thrifting this trend, a sea of neon, zippers and spandex awaits you, no doubt, at any thrift store you hit up. My focus this week is on retro track-and-field shorts, and it can be a cinch locating some cheapies when thrifting (I found all three shorts pictured in one spot, at a grand total of $3). These can really be spread all over the place, so make sure you browse not only the women’s shorts and athletic racks but also the kid’s (ladies short- shorts seem to end up here a lot) and the bargain bins (something about these shorts are not hanger-worthy to thrift store employees). Here’s my take on the running-short look:
- Casual: denim works well with neutral-hued track shorts. Keep it sporty-casual with a baseball cap and add a feminine touch with some chunky platforms.
- Goth: black track shorts work well with a cropped chunky-knit sweater, black tights, sneakers and some gold accessories.
- Bohemian: pastel floral tops complement pastel running shorts beautifully. Add some flirty nude platforms to complete the light and airy look. There is something very Greek goddess about throwing sportswear with feminine, pretty pieces. Aphrodite would be proud.
The most exciting part of the sporty-chic trend is, surprisingly, just how endless the options are for incorporating athletic pieces into your daily attire. The versatility is vast, and you can add just a touch (visors, neon sneakers) or make it Sporty Spice-worthy (track pants or shorts, sports bra). And I don’t know about you, but it’s that much more incentive to get in the gym more, and that’s never a bad thing.
By Whitney S Williams
Photos by Angela Miller
Runway Photos via Style.com
