I like to think of athleisure as the other style trend known as “off-duty model style,” which is actually just supermodels walking around when they’re not, you know, modeling. It’s the cool outfits you’ve been seeing on girls like Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Kylie Jenner, and Kiersey Clemons. Keep in mind that it can vary too. For most of us, athleisure means pairing sweatpants with heels and good accessories and looking like a rockstar. For others, it can mean wearing sporty-looking pieces (like a varsity jacket or a skirt made of sweatshirt material) with more chic items. Hence the term “sporty chic.”
Anyway, enough of the backstory! Athleisure is comfortable, effortlessly cool, and easier to achieve than you think. You probably already have all of the pieces in your wardrobe, you just need to put them together. Want to get in on this? Here are 20 style tips on how to wear the athleisure trend this summer:
1. Wrap a plaid shirt (or any button down) around your waist and add a baseball cap to leggings and sneakers – the shirt and cap are both trendy right now.
2. You can instantly make workout pants and sneakers look more stylish by adding a low-cut shirt and a strappy bralette.
3. A huge part of nailing the athleisure trend is adding the right accessories. A glamorous bag is sometimes enough to make your sweats look more chic.
4. Pair a sporty looking dress with sneakers to keep it super casual.
5. One piece that makes any pair of sweats look instantly cooler is a leather jacket. Wear this with your workout clothes on chilly days.
6. You can also try adding a denim jacket, which is a little less glam, but still cute. A messy bun and a scarf tied around your neck add even more style to this outfit.
7. A lot of athleisure looks involve all black, but they definitely don’t have to! Go for brights and coordinate each piece of your look to make it a little more stylish.
8. One super simple way to go for athleisure rather than just gym wear is to swap your sneakers for cute sandals.
9. More proof that what’s on your feet makes a big difference: Wearing heels with a pair of sweats or jogger pants makes you look dressed up instantly.
10. Opt for patterned or embellished leggings instead of plain black ones. They look a little bit more fun and intentional rather than “I just rolled out of bed.”
11. Opt for leather/pleather leggings instead of cloth, wear a cool mesh tank instead of cotton one, wrap a chambray shirt around your waist, and go for a bright crossbody bag instead of a gym bag.
12. You can do the athleisure trend without leggings! Pair a sporty looking dress with heels for an unexpected outfit.
13. Sometimes simply adding a bright top is enough to make your outfit look cooler. It also helps if your hair is blown out, obviously.
14. Throwing on a chic sweater over your plain t-shirt and leggings can make a big difference. And it’s comfy!
15. Want to try this trend with sporty shorts? Add a printed graphic tee, some nice jewelry, cute sneakers, and a bright lip and you’re good to go.
16. Wear a pleated skirt, which is usually more dressed up, with a sporty jacket and sneakers.
17. A crop top makes anything more trendy! With this top, the heels, and the accessories, you can barely even tell these are jogger pants.
18. You can also try wearing your sporty sweatshirt or workout shirt with a pair of jeans and a cute bun.
19. You can even throw something professional, like a pencil skirt, into this look. A black skirt with a baseball tee and sneakers looks awesome.
20. Make a dress fit into your athleisure aesthetic by adding a baseball hat and sneakers.
