By
2 years ago
Dress to de-stress
It’s 2024 – and our wardrobes are more relaxed than ever. Long gone are the days of meetings held in stuffy suits (now nobody bats an eyelid if a colleague jumps on Zoom wearing yoga gear) and sitting at home in jeans (far too uncomfortable for modern loungers), this is decidedly the era of athleisure wear. First coined in 1979 by Nation’s Business, athleisure was described as ‘garments and shoes designed for those who want to appear athletic’. These days, it’s more about channelling stylish comfort. Want in on the trend? Here we round up some of the best athleisure brands to know now.
The Country & Town House Responsible Buyers’ Guide
Athleisure wear combines athletic wear and trendy streetwear, creating a hybrid style of athletic clothing typically worn as everyday wear – even if you have no plans to actually work out. Think yoga pants, tights, sneakers, leggings, shorts, sweatpants and gym tanks, all worn for comfort rather than fitness.
This casual fashion trend is a firm favourite amongst celebrities too, with the likes of Beyoncé, Rihanna, Gigi Hadid and the Kardashians all getting on board (and some even starting up their own athleisure lines).
While colourful leggings may be a staple of gym attire, some would argue that bold patterns and vibrant colours don’t work so much for athleisure wear as they’re difficult to style and your outfit can run the risk of looking gaudy – or at least very 2011. If you’re starting out with athleisure, opt for more minimal styles and colour palettes to see how they blend with your current wardrobe, and then build out from there.
Best For: Second Hand Heroes
Resale platform Reliked has an entire collection on its website dedicated to second hand gym clothes and activewear (aka the building blocks of athleisure), which were all previously owned by influencers. Many of the items have only been worn a few times (and many have yet to be worn), meaning you can extend the life of these garments by giving them a second home.
ADVERTISEMENT
Best For: Yoga Clothing
As the name suggests, Alo Yoga was set up to create quality yoga gear for yogis (and yogis-to-be) with an emphasis on a ‘studio to street’ lifestyle. The brand was set up in LA back in 2007, with idea to create an athletics line that looked stylish both on and off the mat. Celebrity fans of Alo Yoga include Gigi Hadid, Kenall Jenner and Taylor Swift.
ADVERTISEMENT
Best For: Athletic Athleisure
Nike is undeniably one of the biggest brands on the global stage when it comes to athleticwear – so, naturally, it also plays a big role in defining athleisure wear trends. From trainers and leggings to sports bras and hoodies, Nike has one of the broadest (and most stylish) athleisure offerings out there. Think a combination of sporty looks driven by performance and fashion-forward streetwear.
Best For: Relaxed Activewear
Inspired by the active Coastal California lifestyle, Vuori steers away from traditional activewear in favour of lifestyle clothing – with intersections between fitness, sport and art. Alongside stylish skorts, shirts and surf wear, the brand also commits to offsetting its carbon footprint, reducing its waste output and working with suppliers to ensure the fair treatment of workers.
ADVERTISEMENT
Best For: Eco Materials
Contemporary athleticwear brand Girlfriend Collective is perfect for minimalist styles and neutral colour palettes. All products are made from recycled materials – think post-consumer water bottles, fishing nets retrieved from the seas and fabric scraps – and all factories the brand works with are verified by third parties and have certifications like SA8000 and WRAP. The brand is very transparent when discussing how and where its products are made, with a page on its website dedicated to ‘Sustainability FAQs’. Many of its pieces are also recyclable through Girlfriend Collective’s takeback program, ReGirlfriend.
Best For: Outdoor Exercise
Founded by ex-track athlete Grace and her sister Charlotte, Natural Grace was launched with the aim of championing ‘sweat over selfies’ and reconnecting women with nature. The pieces are stylish, but also high-performance, created from high-tech recycled fabrics: the Kamala leggings are ultra-compressive for muscle for instance, while the Charlotte jacket is designed to keep you warm en route to the gym.
ADVERTISEMENT
Best for: Gear That Blends Function & Style
You might know 1Rebel for its high-energy, party-style spin classes, but now the London-based fitness brand is venturing into the athleisure space too. Launching this month, its inaugural 1R Collection includes three key styles: Seamless (comfortable and smooth), Tech Pro (sweat-wicking and perfect for high-intensity workouts) and Tech Leisure (a loungewear collection). Blending performance with style, it includes jazzy all-in-one sets, flattering leggings, tank tops, cosy hoodies, tracksuits and more, featuring colours including black, khaki and oat, with many items gender-neutral.
Featured image: Peter Conlan, Unsplash
