Getting yourself to work out and staying fit can be challenging. Factors like your busy schedule and how well you slept last night can derail your fitness goals. However, your workout outfit could come in the way of your performance in the gym. How’s that?
According to study findings published on SWNS Digital, 79% of fitness enthusiasts say owning good-looking sportswear is vital to achieving your fitness goals. Choosing the right sportswear can help you maximize your workouts.
The rising trend of sweating in style and comfort is another factor influencing the demand for stylish and on-trend athleisure. Keep reading to understand the importance of proper sportswear. And learn how you can elevate your fitness fashion for comfort and style for the active lifestyle.
Table of Contents
Why the Right Activewear Matters
1. It Boosts Confidence
Based on the “Enclothed cognition” phenomenon, your clothing can change your thoughts about your situation and surroundings. Even the slightest psychological change can affect your confidence and performance levels.
Think of it this way; when you wear stylish clothes that make you look good, you feel good about yourself. And when you feel positive about your looks, your self-esteem and confidence increase. In short, wearing workout outfits that make you feel strong and confident can motivate you to perform well during fitness training sessions.
2. Prevents Injury During Workouts
Lack of appropriate workout clothing can increase the risk of injuries. Therefore, choose high-quality compression wear to enhance your safety when exercising in the gym, at home, or outdoors. These clothes protect the muscles against inflammation that increases when lactic acid accumulates during long or rigorous workouts.
Compression fits also improve circulation and blood flow to the heart. Increased circulation ensures working muscles receive enough oxygen, thus reducing soreness and fatigue. As a result, your endurance and performance levels increase drastically.
3. Promotes Recovery
Ideal workout apparel does more than prevent injuries. It promotes recovery in between workout sessions. Since activewear consists of infrared fabric, it helps regulate temperature and prevent delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS and post-workout cramps.
4. Enhances Comfort
The best activewear fits well and offers flexibility to support all your movement patterns. In addition, it is composed of breathable fabric that wicks away sweat, keeping you cool and dry. So, avoid choosing loose clothing and overly tight activewear.
Loose t-shirts and pants seem perfect, but they could ride up or slip down when you run or jump. Tight workout clothes are not better; they prevent blood circulation and restrict movement.
Tips to Elevate Your Fitness Fashion with Style and Comfort
Understanding how to combine fashion and function is the key to looking stylish in athleisure or activewear. By nature, athleisure is a relaxed and low-maintenance style that blurs the line between what you wear to the gym and what to wear for lunch. Let’s explore how you can style your activewear without sacrificing comfort.
1. Blend Oversized with Body-tight Pieces
Pairing baggy pants, little shirts, crop tops, and vice versa is a classic athleisure-inspired style that elevates your fitness fashion. For example, wear an oversized T-shirt with ankle-length tights or tight-fitting cycling shorts. Alternatively, pair a sports bra or stylish crop top with baggy sweatpants.
Form-fitting clothing improves your style, while baggy or loose-fitting clothes give you a casual look. This blend means any athleisure style combination will help you look great.
2. Choose Stylish Activewear with Minimalist Aesthetics
Simplicity is the key to looking stylish in athleisure wear. Many fashion enthusiasts will tell you activewear looks great if it looks like you threw your clothes on randomly. With that in mind, go for minimalist outfits. Your athleisure pieces should feature classic, clean cuts and simple silhouettes.
Think of pieces that will stand the test of time and look stylish in any season or event. Minimalist athleisure wear is versatile, meaning it will mix and match with anything in your wardrobe. You can pair together a wide range of outfits effortlessly.
3. Mix Fabrics
One easy way to achieve a chic activewear style is to mix traditional sports fabric, like nylon, spandex, lycra, and polyester, with non-gym materials. For example, pair your mesh and lycra leggings with denim or a leather jacket. Wearing cotton shirts and wool sweaters boosts comfort and could also create an appealing visual contrast to leggings or bottoms made of high-performance fabric.
4. Layer
Putting on a sports bra or oversized t-shirt with black leggings does not look chic. But you can elevate your style and comfort by layering. By layering, you add dimension to your sports-inspired look.
For instance, Bella + Canvas suggests to pair a spaghetti strap or racer tank top from your favorite baby tee collection with biker shorts and a denim jacket. You could also wear an oversized blazer over a tank top or baby tee paired with baggy sweatpants. Tying a cool sweater around your waist is another classic way of layering that allows you to style up your sportswear.
5. Accessorize
A few essential accessories can take your sporty look to the next level. Consider accessorizing with stylish sunglasses, a colored or neutral-toned baseball cap, and a cool backpack.
Wearing jewelry also helps elevate low-key activewear. Go for a simple gold or silver necklace, bracelets, and hoop earrings. For example, wearing a pair of sizable chunky hoop earrings and a baseball cap can enhance your casual outfit.
6. Choose Your Footwear Carefully
Wearing proper footwear for running or working out helps prevent injuries and enhances comfort. Your footwear can also impact your style. So, invest in a pair of high-quality sneakers to refresh your look. You can stand out with your casual wear by pairing colored sneakers with bright clothing. If you do not like bright tones, neutral colors, such as sage green and beige, are an ideal option.
Fashion and function go hand-in-hand, meaning your activewear should look stylish and provide maximum comfort for optimal performance. Wearing good-looking sportswear boosts your motivation to work out. Moreover, you can wear trendy gym apparel or athleisure wear on different occasions outside the gym. The key to elevating your athleisure for comfort and style is to mix your fabrics, accessorize carefully, pair oversized with tight-fitting clothes, and layering.
