Age doesn't matter.

How to Wear the Popular Athleisure Look

Knowing how to wear the popular athleisure look and the new athflow is integral to our lifestyle today.  Why?  Because, hey, we all like to be comfortable…especially over the past year when we’ve been hunkering down to keep from catching COVID19.  And then, wearing sweats or lounge wear anywhere you go is so laid back and comfy.  Wearing business clothes or evening clothes that are comfortable makes the day or evening that much more enjoyable.  Besides, athleisure and athflow outfits are perfect for workouts, errands and chill time too!

Now  that our lives have been changed by a pandemic that has prompted us to work from home, we have relaxed our lifestyles.  A new comfortable way of dressing has been evolving.  It’s a new form of athleisure called athflow. It seems that living in comfort is something we are becoming attached to!

So go ahead and mix activewear and lounge wear into your usual outfits wherever you go.  Use sportswear the same way you would your everyday polished basics and add high heels if you like.  Simply add one or more polished pieces to your comfy clothes and go out the door.  Wear what you love and have fun!  Age doesn’t matter.

What’s New in Athleisure:  Introducing Athflow

Leelah Embossed Jumpsuit from Soft Surroundings in velvet embodies the new Ath-flow look

Athflow is the next phase of loungewear that may be a product of the seemingly immortal athleisure movement.  But it calls for a refined emphasis on styling by way of slick fabrics, cascading silhouettes, and coordinated sets.  In short, Athflow is a polished take on ultra-casual, loose, comfortable apparel.  It includes flowy trousers, casual jumpsuits and oversized outfits.  So add those to the following athleisure elements below.  Athflow is being described as athleisure meets elegance.  Because of this, you’ll likely be finding a selection of nicer quality sweatshirts and sweatpants around to wear with your daily basics.

Athflow

A chunky ribbed sweater with Anastacia Velvet Wide-Leg Pants from Anthropologie shows how to wear the popular athflow look

Try using the following pieces to create the new athflow look.

  • Tie-dye pieces
  • Co-ord outfits
  • Knit pants and dresses that are dressy yet comfy
  • Wraparound cardigans
  • Boyfriend blazers
Women’s Oversized Blazer from Everlane over a turtleneck and leggings
  • Luxe fabrics, such as silk, cashmere and velvet
  • Fancy leggings
  • Oversized jumpsuits.

To create an athflow look for the office, whether at home or away, try these ideas:

  1. Layer a button-down underneath a comfy knit dress or jumpsuit.
  2. Upgrade a sophisticated sweatshirt with tailored pants and polished loafers.
  3. Slip a blazer over an elevated sweat suit.
  4. Wear a sweatshirt/knit blazer over a t-shirt and jeans or any bottoms.
  5. Toss an oversized blazer over a turtleneck and add matching leggings for a long line.  Wear with sneakers.

Athleisure

athleisure_large_2x

Before I even looked into the athleisure trend, I had been wearing my breathable sport tops and sport underwear to work on the days I would be going to the gym afterwards.  The air-conditioning system was so bad and the work environment so hot that I decided I may as well wear my moisture-wicking clothes all day.

Kian Sweatshirt from Anine Bing with leather-look pants

The word “athleisure” has become so popular that it has been added to the dictionary.  It consists of sweatpants, hoodies, yoga pants, tights and leggings for the gym being dressed up to be worn at the office, shopping and other social occasions.

Dr. Scholl's
Dr. Scholl’s

Sneakers go with absolutely anything — a dress, or a fur jacket and maxi-skirt, or even a ball gown.  Got a lot of walking to do?  Try a long-sleeved black t-shirt inside a long black skirt with black sneakers.  Add a belt, bangles and sunglasses.  That’ll keep you comfy and chic for a day on the town.

The Basic Building Blocks of Athleisure

Just Peachy Sweatshirt from Soft Surroundings with refined trousers

Here are some athleisure pieces that you will probably like to have in your wardrobe to create comfortable outfits whatever your day or evening has in store.  Collect them in stylish or luxe designs and/or mix them with dressy pieces, including high heels.

  • T-shirts
  • Sweatshirts and sweatshirt/knit blazers
  • Hoodies
  • Turtlenecks
  • Chambray shirts
  • Denim:  jeans, jean skirts, jean shorts or jean jackets
  • Utility jackets
  • Utility/cargo pants
  • Trench coats
  • Bomber jackets
  • Yoga pants
  • Harem pants
  • Cotton jersey skirts
  • Gym shorts
  • Sweatpants
  • Track pants
  • Jogger pants
  • Leggings as pants (just wear a long-enough top over them)
  • Lounge sets that can be broken up and paired with luxe items
  • Embroidered, custom designs or large screen-printed graphics, which can be paired with joggers, yoga pants or bike shorts
  • Technical special effects creating architectural patterns within the fabrics themselves
  • logo sportswear
  • Animal prints
  • Faux leather jackets, pants or skirts
  • Faux fur jackets or vests
  • Exercise dresses
  • Sneakers
  • And last, but not least, sustainability is more and more a feature of athleisure clothing.

The easiest sweatpants to dress up are joggers, especially printed ones.  As far as regular sweatpants, printed transitions well and so do luxe fabrics like leather, for instance.  Years ago, I had a pair of black velvet joggers that I found at a secondhand store.  They became a go-to item, especially for casual evenings.  I wore them so often that I wore them out.  Sadly, I’ve never found another pair just like them.  The fit was perfect!

Resized_PhotoGrid_Joggers
Me in joggers at work

Recently, I bought a nice pair of black joggers and wore them to work.  I got compliments all day and was asked what the special occasion was!  I went straight to the gym after work for my step aerobics class.  All I had to do was change into a t-shirt and sneakers.

Black always looks higher quality.  Going all black elevates your sweats.  And I love how black graphic hoodies and black graphic leggings with sneakers are street cool.

Outfit Formulas for the Popular Athleisure Look

On top:  you can wear a sweatshirt or a turtleneck or a t-shirt.  On the bottom:  add jeans or yoga pants or leggings or a jean skirt or a cotton jersey skirt or jean shorts or gym shorts.  Top it off with:  a black leather jacket or a blazer or a fur jacket or a jean jacket.  Then add bling, color, a scarf.

A black leather jacket is a basic that will give an edge to your tee-and-jeans-and-sneakers combo.  A black leather skirt or pants do the same for a t-shirt and sneakers.

A chambray shirt or jean jacket changes the sporty look of t-shirts, sweats and sneakers to a casual street look.

Ways to Wear the Popular Athleisure Look:  Outfit Ideas

tee set
Ribbed knit wrap tee and matching skirt from Anthropologie

5 Ways to Wear T-Shirts to Work

  1. A t-shirt + a long cardigan + striped pants.  Add fun flats.
  2. A t-shirt + a jean jacket + a pencil skirt.  Add pumps.
  3. A t-shirt + a long vest + flare jeans.  Add peep-toe booties.
  4. A t-shirt + a midi-skirt + pumps.
  5. A lace-up t-shirt + a short jean skirt + tall brown fringed boots.

More Ways to Wear the Athleisure Look Using T-shirts

For the Love of Geo Two from Free People with a mesh tiered skirt
  1. A t-shirt or sweatshirt + a tulle skirt.  Add boots or sneakers.  You might also like to add a belt for more definition or more layers for warmth.
  2. A black t-shirt + black maxi skirt or dress + sneakers.  Add a casual bracelet like leather + sunglasses if sunny.
  3. A sports tee inside a maxi-skirt + sneakers.  Add a leather bracelet on one wrist and a chain bracelet on the other.
  4. A sports tee + a short jersey skirt + sneakers matched to the t-shirt or skirt.  Or, you could wear leopard-print slip-on sneakers, printed espadrilles, etc.
  5. A white t-shirt + a drawstring skirt + sneakers or slip-ons.
  6. A white t-shirt + moto leggings + a chambray shirt as jacket.  Add pearls and sneakers.
  7. A leopard-print or striped t-shirt + blue jeans + sneakers + a trench coat.
  8. A black t-shirt + flared jeans + Chucks.

Ways to Wear the Athleisure Look with Sports Separates

  1. A sports jacket + cashmere pants or sweater pants or a sweater skirt.
  2. An athletic top + athletic jacket + short jean skirt.
  3. A chunky knit sweater + sporty separates.  Wear a light top or long-sleeve t-shirt underneath in case it gets too warm and you need to slip the sweater off.

Ways to Wear the Popular Athleisure Look Using Track Pants

Button Up Tear Away Pant from Free People with a faux leather jacket and sneakers
  1. Errands:  Track pants + your coziest sweater.
  2. A fitted blazer + track pants.
  3. A jean jacket over a top + track pants.
  4. A t-shirt, solid or graphic + track pants.  Add a pendant on a short cord + sneakers.
  5. A simple solid-color top half-tucked into track pants or joggers.  Add heels.
  6. Athletic leggings + an athletic tank or tee + a bomber jacket or hoodie + a black faux leather jacket.  If sunny, add sunglasses.
  7. A ruffled jersey top + track pants.

Ways to Add Sneakers for the Popular Athleisure Look

Corryn Dress from Soft Surroundings is a comfy, sporty sweatshirt dress that goes great with sneakers
  1. A black dress + white sneakers.
  2. Black leather pants with black sneakers.  May add a white t-shirt + a black and white jacket.
  3. A sweater skirt with a matching sweater + sneakers.  Add nice jewelry.
  4. A black sweater + destroyed skinny jeans + colorful sneakers.

More Ways to Wear the Popular Athleisure Look

ath dress
Adidas originals trefoil layer dress from Eastbay
  1. A t-shirt dress or sweatshirt dress + a plaid or chambray shirt tied at waist like a belt + sneakers.  You might like to add a faux leather backpack slung over one shoulder.
  2. A sweatshirt dress + leggings + shoes of your choice.  Add dangle earrings and a printed scarf with a color that matches the dress.
  3. A black top + black yoga pants + black sneakers.
  4. A silk top + harem pants.
  5. A chambray shirt over black jeans or leggings + a black leather jacket.  May add mirrored sunglasses, a black fringed bag, snazzy sneakers.

    Outfit by J.Crew
  6. A black blazer + a gray cardigan + a white tank or tee + black joggers + sneakers.  Tie a charcoal cardigan around waist as a belt.  Then it’s handy in case you get cold.
  7. A tunic-length graphic t-shirt + animal-print leggings.  You may like to wear animal-print sneakers.  Or, top with a printed duster + heeled booties.
  8. A white graphic t-shirt inside slim black trousers + a navy or black zip-front hoodie + a jean jacket.  Add Chucks.
  9. A jean jacket or chambray shirt + a knit drawstring skirt + slip-on sneakers.
  10. A sweater + a matching color drawstring skirt.  Add slip-on sneakers.
Amaya Polka Dot Pullover and Pants from Sundance bridges athleisure with athflow

Let’s Connect!

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5 Comments

  • I’m having a lot of problems embracing this trend. I must admit that I’ve purchased some pieces that are oversized but I prefer leggings and a tunic. But the looks in your post are outstanding!

    • Hi, Phyllis – Oversized is the new athflow trend; leggings and a tunic are athleisure. So it sounds like athleisure is for you but not athflow. Athleisure seems like you to me because exercise is such a strong part of who you are and exercise/sport clothes are the main ingredient of athleisure. What makes the athleisure style is taking the gym clothes out to the street by mixing them with classy, dressy or businesslike pieces. It should make your lifestyle much easier by allowing you to go from the gym to the rest of your day. – Angie

  • So much great outfit inspiration in this post, Angie! I was never really into the athleisure trend but this new athflow business of being a bit more dressed up…I can get on board with that! I just picked up a beautiful velvet pants suit with a long cardigan style jacket. The pants are wide legged with an elastic waistband and they are so comfortable like pajamas but look dressed up. Thanks for sharing all of this fabulous inspiration!

    Shelbee
    http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com

    • Hi, Shelbee – Sounds like you picked up the velvet pantsuit just in time before reading my blog post on the subject of athflow. I have a flowing velvet pantsuit with wide legs and a long cardigan-style jacket too. Now that you mention it, I guess I can wear it around the house for leisure or anywhere else I go on a daily basis! I actually never thought of turning it around that way. Thanks for returning some inspiration. 😉 Angie

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