For many of us, the dream is to wear our most comfortable clothes and still look stylish. Thanks to recent and mainstream fashion trends, it’s now easier than ever to achieve this look. Following the pandemic, which made us all slow down and turn to comfort wear, and with the ever-growing industry for athleisure and streetwear trends, we’re now in the perfect position to do just that.
In recent years, men’s athleisure and streetwear has boomed. After featuring on many runways and being interpreted by many different designers, there’s a style, look and design for every man’s wardrobe. One of the biggest reasons as to why streetwear and athleisure has excelled in the past few years is the comfort element of the typical pieces that make up the trend. So with this in mind, let’s take a look at how comfort became mainstream fashion.
What Is Athleisure?
You’re probably already familiar with the term athleisure by now, thanks to its prominence in men’s fashion over recent years. But, athleisure is not as simple as just wearing your gym wear to do your food shop. It’s a curated collection and collaboration of ‘athletic’ and ‘leisure,’ with these two styles combining sportswear with ready-to-wear pieces. It has been a part of the fashion industry for over 100 years, so it’s no surprise that it continues to change and evolve with modern influences.
Typically, athleisure pieces focus on high performance and quality fabric, sportswear accessories, wardrobe essentials such as t-shirts, hoodies, jumpers, and athletic durability. Athleisure combines practicality with functionality with a good mix of style, which is why it is so popular.
Key Trends To Take Note Of
As the athleisure trend evolves, there are ever-shifting trends and influences that make it into what we know it as today. Although the fashion industry has been through a tumultuous few years thanks to the covid pandemic, the very nature of athleisure and streetwear – laidback, comfortable clothing – lended itself perfectly to stay-at-home messaging of the pandemic, and activewear and athleisure brands flourished. Now, the trend takes inspiration and influence from growing trends.
Sustainability
Although a long-term trend in fashion, it has recently become a huge focus for the athleisure market. Consumers continue to discover and invest in brands that have sustainable, durable, and high-quality products, as well as a good environmentally-focused ethos.
Diversity and Inclusivity
Consumers are wanting brands to become more diverse and inclusive, from their sizing to the models they use to advertise the clothes. By offering a more inclusive range, athleisure brands not only cement their place in the market but increase their customer base and revenue too.
Luxury
Designers have long been contributing to the athleisure industry, with designers such as Balmain and Stella McCartney creating lines and products for the luxury and designer market. It is predicted that more and more luxury brands will either create their own ranges of athleisure wear or pair with activewear brands to launch luxury collections.
Pieces To Invest In
The athleisure and streetwear trend shows no signs of slowing down, and it’s not hard to see why. All the biggest and best brands have contributed to the trend, and there are some must-have pieces for every wardrobe.
Track Pants
Track pants are an essential when it comes to building an athleisure wardrobe. Whether you choose the classic shell suit style or a more stylish designer pair, track pants can be paired with white trainers and a graphic tee for a stylish yet comfortable look. You could also wear a matching hoodie and plain tee for a full tracksuit look.
Printed Tees
When paired with a plain tracksuit, simple joggers, or just to make a statement, printed tees are a fun and colorful addition to any athleisure wardrobe.
Hoodies
Simple to style, hoodies should feature in everyone’s wardrobe and are an athleisure staple. Whether you dress up with a trench and jeans or style down with joggers for a casual weekend look, there’s a place for hoodies in everyone’s wardrobe.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at BlueFashion. She has been steering the website's content and editorial direction since 2013. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra's expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
