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| photo by trendhunter.com |
And on the first day, God created couture.On the second – he realized he should’ve gone with sportswear.
Forever exciting, it is no surprise how unexpected and mind-blowing the fashion industry can get, and – when you least expect it. And while we have become somewhat accustomed to pairing the weirdest patterns with even weirder cuts, we were all utterly surprised when fashion
sportswear started taking over the fashion world so quickly and with no hesitation. But were we, really?
sportswear started taking over the fashion world so quickly and with no hesitation. But were we, really?
I don’t think we were. Nowadays, wherever you turn you are bombed with health and fitness alarms going off with every bite of something deep-fried. Fitness became the new religion of Hollywood and modern people everywhere who have realized how important it is to stay fit – both health-wise and image-wise. So, fashion moguls took the opportunity by storm and fashioned a sportswear style that, it seems, won’t be going anywhere, anytime soon.
photo by kuruza.ua
This shift from forced high fashion to easy sportswear appears to have happened overnight, when in reality – the signs were there for a long time, blurring the lines between high and low so successfully and cleverly that any modern woman would find it odd now not to have at least a few pieces of sportswear in her closet.
Truth is, as The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language puts it, “the term sportswear started out as a fashion industry term describing informal and interchangeable separates (i.e., blouses, shirts, skirts and shorts), and in the 1920s became a popular descriptive term for relaxed, casual wear typically worn for spectator sports. Since the 1930s the term has been used to describe both day and evening fashions of varying degrees of formality that demonstrate this relaxed approach while remaining appropriate wear for many business or social occasions.” So, it wasn’t really discovering hot water, was it, but bringing back of something that has proven practical before and then upgrading it and adjusting it to the current lifestyle we live.
The reality is, we all still love high fashion, tailor-made clothing but, we also love the fashion we can actually live in. This is why so called streetwear and sportswear have long ago dropped the label of a “fashion phenomenon” and become our every day thrills. And is that okay?
It absolutely is. The lives we live are so overwhelmingly hectic. We need something comfortable yet chic to put on our back and avoid being held back by a piece of clothing. The sportswear launched by major fashion brands is both sporty and sleek, with many details pulled directly from actual athletic wear. It’s no surprise that Alexander Wang is the obvious poster child who has received a glorious recognition for his take on the trend. Then, there are designers generally known for their show-stopping catwalk looks who embraced the change and took their high-fashion looks to the gym – designers like Riccardo Tisci, Stella McCartney, Raf Simons, Jeremy Scott and many others.
photo by clairepepper.co.uk
With the fast-paced expansion of the trend, even lower-priced brands are getting a high fashion leg-up and becoming favorite shopping destinations of both wealthy and average customers. Online offers are plenty with companies like Kill Cliff offering all sports-related items in one place – from sportswear to workout supplements, you name it – they probably got it. Old school luxury brands are adapting to the trend too, consulting young designers who are privy to the latest trends, and all with the idea of infusing their designs with a more contemporary vibe.
Sportswear sounds like perfect harmony, an ideal state of fashion for a contemporary woman, if you will. This blend of super gorgeous designs and utility will sure find its way around catwalks and its worshipers for a long time to come.
About the author:
About the author:
Peter is a fashion stylist and a writer from Brisbane, Australia. After graduating from Australian Institute of Creative Design he worked as a fashion stylist for few local fashion events. Beside fashion and styling, he enjoys traveling around exotic destinations and discovering new vintage stores. He’s future plans are in creating his personal styling business.