ACTIVEWEAR VS ATHLEISURE: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
As health and fitness reach mass-scale attention, more people are exploring the benefits of today's athleisure wear and activewear trends. Apparel like leggings, sweatshirts, hoodies, trainers and sports bras have become staple parts of everyday wardrobes for inside and outside training areas. Everyone looks as if they've just stepped out of the gym, even if they're just grabbing a coffee, meeting friends or going shopping. People are looking for comfortable clothing that embodies both fitness and casual leisure time. But while activewear and athleisure might be your wardrobe staples, they aren't the same and are two different types of sportswear.
This guide will help you understand
what makes activewear and athleisure different in terms of what they are and
when and how to wear them.
Is activewear and leisurewear the same?
While activewear and leisurewear
can both function as workout clothing that allows you to move around easily,
athleisure items can be worn all day long, giving off a fashion-forward
streetwear look, while activewear is typically just worn for working out and
sports. Activewear and athleisure overlap with loungewear which is designed for
maximum comfort and relaxation.
What is activewear?
Activewear is casual and
comfortable clothing that is specifically designed for exercise, sports and
outdoor pursuits, allowing you to actively and freely move around during
strenuous physical activity. You'll typically wear this clothing to a yoga
class, the gym, or a daily run. Its primary aim is functionality, and it uses
lightweight, quick-drying, airy and figure-hugging material that promotes
comfort and movement. It's the most popular type of clothing worn at the gym or
changed into and out of at the gym. Activewear comprises fabrics with softer
profiles, such as Nylon, Spandex, Lycra and other synthetic materials. The main
items of activewear clothing include:
Sports tank tops
Shorts
Hoodies
Aerobic wear
Tennis shirts
Polo shirts
Tracksuits
T-shirts
Polo shirts are often found in
sports like golf and tennis whereas more casual gear such as tracksuits and
tees are commonplace for general exercise. Sports hoodies and other premium
outer layers are distinguishable in their unique performance fabrics to remove
trapped sweat and heat excess while maintaining function for warm ups, cool
downs, and moderate training.
What is athleisure?
Athleisure is a type of versatile
sportswear that combines function and fashion that you can wear daily in
non-sport settings. It combines activewear and trendy streetwear and is
designed for daytime and leisure activities, even if you don't work out.
Athleisure takes traditional sporty clothing made from technical materials and
integrates it into your everyday wardrobe. While there was a time you wouldn't
have considered visiting a restaurant wearing gym clothes, athleisure clothing
is now being seen in a variety of casual and formal settings.
It takes the concept of comfortable
indoor sportswear to a new level by combining it with business-casual designs
that have seen athleisure become increasingly popular with students and office
workers. While it's comfortable and stylish and complements busy lifestyles, it
harnesses high-quality, athletic fabrics to create breathable and airy shirts
to seamless stretch trousers that look business casual. The main pieces of
athleisure wear include:
Yoga pants
Trainers
Joggers
Stretch chinos
Crop tops
Tights
Tracksuit bottoms
High-waist leggings
High waist capris
Who wears athleisure?
Athleisure wear is most popular
with people aged 16 to 30 and those who feel younger and wish to dress younger.
Fitness has become so important worldwide that also slightly older age groups
are embracing athleisure, either wanting to buy actual sportswear or buy into
the athleisure look.
Where can I wear athleisure?
You can wear athleisure virtually
anywhere. The obvious places are of course, the gym, yoga class, golf course,
hiking trail and anywhere you wish to work out. The concept of athleisure is
about using the same materials you’d find in traditional activewear and
sportswear. But aside from the gym, athleisure can also be worn in most situations
in your everyday life. For instance, going shopping, seeing friends, eating a
restaurant, or even going to work, it all depends on the particular occasion
and setting. For an occasion that requires something a little more formal, you
could opt for a long-sleeve athletic polo instead of a hoodie or a t-shirt or
swap your tracksuit bottoms for a stylish pair of chinos. Here are a few
examples of when and where you may consider wearing athleisure:
Workouts and yoga sessions
Travelling by plane
Running errands
Going out to lunch
Shopping
Going to work (with a smart casual
dress code)
How to style athleisure
The emphasis of athleisure wear is
style, and choosing slim-fitting items will give a more polished look. Look for
crisp, classic colours in bold and neutral shades such as red, blue, grey and
black. But what's most important about choosing athleisure is its athletic
features, which offer good breathability, stretch, UV-protected fabric and
moisture-wicking technology. Here are some tips to keep in mind when styling
athleisure wear:
Do focus on comfort
Athleisure wear enables effortless
styling that you can easily take to the gym, shopping or even the office. But
comfort should also be a priority regardless of what you do with your day.
Do say no to bright colours,
patterns and prints
Athleisure wear is all about
fashion with an emphasis on minimalism. Focus on light-toned and neutral
colours, simple prints and patterns. While it's fine to go bold, patterns that
are too busy or shades that are too bright can look gaudy if not styled
correctly. Aim for a cult athleisure look that's as minimal and relaxed as
possible.
Do mix and match slim-fitting
pieces with oversized pieces
With athleisure, you have endless
options to mix and match. You can create a solid athleisure look by combining a
loose-fitting athleisure crop top with slim-fitting leggings or combine loose
joggers with a tight-fitting t-shirt. Alternatively, pair a quality sports bra
with a pair of sweatpants.
How to style activewear (for
outside the gym)
While it's perfectly acceptable to
wear activewear for shopping, running errands and grabbing a coffee, there are
some must-know secrets to wearing activewear outside of the gym or yoga class.
Do use accessories to dress up your
activewear
Depending on where you are going
and the occasion, you can "dress up" activewear with accessories and
jewellery. Even something as simple as a denim or leather jacket or
accessorising with a statement necklace or pair of sunglasses can give gym wear
a trendy athletic look.
Do level up with layering
Your black leggings and plain tank
top may rock in a Pilates class, but you may want something a little more
stylish if you take the outfit outside. Layering with a jacket or lightweight
swear will add a cool dimension to your workout look. You don't even need to
wear the extra layers; tie the sweater around your waist to create a stylish
"just out of the gym" look.
Do wear a pair of decent trainers
that match your workout apparel
A good pair of quality trainers
that coordinates with most of your workout outfits will create a finished look.
If you can’t decide on a colour, stick to a pair of good black trainers. After
all, black matches everything.
What are the key differences
between activewear and athleisure?
Activewear can be worn for both
active and casual activities. It's suitable for exercise and then the
transition to casual wear. Athleisure sits at the crossroads where traditional
sportswear meets activewear, originally designed as daytime or leisurewear but
ultimately adapted for more formal situations.
Activewear is more stylish and
versatile, comfortable and functional. However, athleisure tends to be more
popular because it combines the aesthetics of both fashion and sport. While
fashion boosts sports' respectability, sports bring practicality and function
to the fashion sector.
When did the athleisure trend
start?
It was in the 1970s that modern
athleisure apparel began to take hold. As personal fitness and working out
became increasingly popular, brands began designing clothing for exercise in various
fabrics that offer improved breathability, odour-wicking and moisture-wicking
technology. As the research and investment into athletic apparel continued to
improve the quality of the clothing, more people began purchasing them.
"Athleisure" was first coined in 1979 in an issue of Nation's
Business, which described shoes and clothing designed for people wanting to
look athletic. As time went on, athleisure moved away from sportswear, which
was clothing designed for specific sports, to a one-size-fits-all approach that
defines athleisure clothing that we see today.
Athleisure vs Activewear: the
lowdown
So there, you have it, everything you need to know about athleisure wear and activewear, both in terms of what they're designed for and how to wear them. If you’re looking for apparel that combines style, comfort and function, check out our extensive range of high-performance and stylish activewear and athleisurewear that’s designed to help you work hard and play hard.
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