How To Rock Athleisure Like A Pro

Athleisure has been a trend for a quite a while now and it isn’t going anywhere. Why? Because it’s comfortable!

If you’re a little behind on the lingo, athleisure is a trend in which people wear clothes typically destined for the gym (or a lazy day at home) out in public. It began with the surge of group fitness classes and the increasing popularity of yoga, pilates, and other group classes. It’s been seen on celebrities and us “normies” alike. So what’s the difference between wearing your gym clothes out and about and rocking the athleisure trend? It’s all in the details.

Today, I wanted to get up bright an early to hit Trader Joe’s before the “Saturday in Manhattan” rush, but I really didn’t feel like getting dressed. I decided an athleisure look would get me through the day comfortably while still translating as a look. If you’re like me and you want your athletic wear to look like a style choice rather than plain laziness, follow these tips:

1.) Pick a Bold Legging. The leggings I’m wearing above were plain when I first bought them, but I gave them an abstract pattern by covering my hands in paint and putting hand prints all over them. The bold print on this legging elevates the piece by making it a confident statement rather than a lazy piece to hide in. Other options could be a legging with mesh panels or a neon color.

2.) Choose a Top in a Warm Shade. When I want to look wide awake, I choose a color like orange, yellow, or red. Like the bold legging, this makes you look confident in your outfit choice and it actually makes people perceive you as a warmer, more inviting person. #colortheory

3.) Wear a More Stylish Shoe. If you want to wear athletic gear out in public, you can transform the look by ditching your Nike trainers and opting for a less athletic looking sneaker. With a look like this, I prefer Keds or Vans to keep things casual, but street-worthy.

4.)Strobe and Curl. First of all, you should never wear makeup to the gym. That being said, if you want to do a gym-inspired look for everyday wear, you should absolutely wear makeup! By wearing makeup, you show that your athleisure look is deliberately for the sidewalk, not the treadmill. I like to strobe rather than contour and avoid any color on my face when I’m doing an athleisure look because you want to look “done” without looking overdone. If you have a bold lip and eye, you’ll look like you have no idea where you’re going today! I also like to add waves to my hair, almost so it looks like I just finished a workout, took my hair out of a bun, and now I’m heading to get lunch with someone. The finished effect is put-together but easy-going.