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July 18, 2014
Believe it or not, Activewear has been one of
those trends that's been with us but without us
noticing. It's just that the business
gurus of fashion have started noticing and dang
it if they aren't right!
So you say: "Claire, I'm not wearing that
stuff. I've given up exercising for
lent!!!!" OK - I grant you that a lot of
us aren't exercising, but you're missing the
point here. Activewear, believe it or not,
has very little to do with exercising.
Yes, that's what it was invented for, but the
way that activewear has crept into our daily
lives has been so subtle that it's hardly
noticeable.
In the 1950's or 1960's, leggings were strictly
the purview of the ballet class at a studio. If
you wore them out of the studio, it was because
you were rushing home to change into something
else or just after ballet class. You
wouldn't purposefully put on your leggings to go
shopping or to go out.
Today it's nothing at all to see a person even
in a dressy evening look, with leggings
on. As Tim Gunn says:
Every
woman should own a pair of leggings.
Leggings are one of those things that have sort
of snuck in under the radar and before we knew
it became an integral part of our wardrobe.
Today it's become a wardrobe basic, and you
don't have to be svelte thin to look good in
them. Quoting Tim Gun again:
I'm always talking about counterpoint.
If you are wearing something that's slim
and close fitting on top, have more volume
on the bottom, and vise versa. If you have
a legging[s], wear a loose fitting tunic.
If you have tight and tight, you're going
to look rather trampy, to be blunt, and if
you have loose and loose you're going to
look sloppy.
Yves St. Laurent said the same thing:
There are
seven parts to accentuate to a woman's body.
(1. shoulders, 2. breast/cleavage, 3. waist,
4. hips, 5. legs, 6. back and 7.
silhouette) If you show too much you
look like a street walker. If you show
too little you look like a bag lady.
Same concept, said differently, but the
main thing here is that leggings offer a nice
counterpoint for a loose top which is always
comfortable. And leggings which were once
only seen in the workout studio, are now seen on
the street regularly and with just as much
fashion flare as the most modern of clothes.
Another example is the tank top, again worn as
an integral part of a whole look. Another
piece that was relegated strictly to the
exercise studio.
But the tank top now has it's own place firmly
planted in the fashion icons of clothing
essentials.
There's an updated look to all of this
activewear implants into today's fashion like
the fabric they're made from and how they're
used - sometimes the tank tops are very loose,
and over another tank top, or they are used as a
base under another see-thru garment.
See-thru is so vital in today's fashion, that
both the tank top and leggings can coordinate
beautifully. These two items work as a base to
start with and then add an important or strong
piece on top.
No matter if it's a sheer shirt (from left to
right above), see-thru longer shirt/tunic,
dressy top or tunic (from the Chanel runway) or
a jersey top, all of these styles work with the
leggings and tank top. You don't have to
be model thin plus these styles and looks are
all comfortable.
This is why I'm so hot on activewear now. It's a
trend that is beginning to gain steam and will
be with us for a while. Remember
denim? It really hasn't lost any steam,
just sort of leveled off, but there was a day
not long ago when you wouldn't dream of seeing
denim at an opening or on any red carpet, and
now it's a go-to pant for any savvy fashion
wardrobe. Same is true of activewear. You
will need and want a basic black to start, and
then a great white top and a nude top is a must
for a really elegant, dress-up look under your
sheer garments. After that you can spring
into some color. Here's the really great
thing about activewear is that you have a few
models and a few variations, but mostly you're
sticking to a legging or capri (think a short
look to cover your knees), and a top to put
under all those sheer garments.
With a great pant/legging (there are lots of
pants out there that aren't leggings that will
work for you), and a top (once you get a fav
pattern, make it in several different solids
then some prints!), you are set to go and have
that new fashion look without having to wait for
it to hit the stores in your size, style and
shape!
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