I recently posted a guide to finding your unique personal style. Sometimes it’s still difficult knowing what defines a style and what separates one from another.
Often the lines blur a little with similar styles. You may have a main style and a secondary style, or your main style with a twist some days. That’s okay.
For the next few weeks, we will be exploring different types of style and what pieces you need to make outfits for those styles. If you applied the three word rule from the guide and came up with something like “sporty, simple, and modern”, or “classic, effortless, and active” or even “street, relaxed, and sporty”, your style may be sporty chic style.
You may be tempted to say your style is athleisure – athletic clothes worn as everyday wear, or athletic streetwear. and while it is a style type, it can be very limiting if you fill your closet with only things that strictly fit athleisure. Maybe it’s your secondary style and you embrace athleisure outfits for travel.
There will be times when athleisure is too casual for an event. Leggings and a sweatshirt may be fine for school drop off, but if you have an important school meeting or a school play to attend, you need to be a little dressier. You can easily level up to a sporty chic style and still be true to yourself and the things you like.
Since the sporty chic style builds from women’s athleisure, this article will discuss both.
The elements of women’s athleisure clothing will include comfortable fabrics and looser fits.
Your favorite fabrics will be linen, cotton, wool, and fabrics with a bit of stretch. Colors will primarily be neutrals- greys, blacks, creams or whites.
The Basics and Essentials for Women’s Athleisure
Cute athleisure abounds. Manufacturers quickly caught on to the trend when it started growing a few years back and began making athletic streetwear.
Many pieces have athletic vibes but are not necessarily made to hold up to the gym. Of course, if you want to keep things minimal, you can invest in pieces that you wear for both workouts and other activities.
Women’s Athleisure Outfits will include the following:
Sneakers- This is one area where you can definitely find a line between those pieces meant just for working out or sports, and those made just for style.
If your running shoe is also stylish enough for you to wear with your other pieces, go for it. Odds are you will also have a pair or two of fashion sneakers for your everyday outfits.
Black leggings- A basic building block for every closet. Wear them with hoodies, tee shirts with flannel or cotton shirts layered over or tied around the waist, or dress up leggings a bit with dressier tops and sweaters. See also One Dozen Long Shirts That Are Perfect to Wear With Leggings
Sweatshirts/ hoodies– Whether your prefer your sweatshirts with or without hoods, you probably have a few in your sporty closet. Half zip pullovers are great options too.
Joggers- Joggers can easily be dressed up or down. Joggers are another example of cute athleisure designed now more for wearing or hanging out than for running. You can find jogger style pants in any fabric or color your heart desires.
Tank tops and Tee shirts– Perfect for layering under zip up hoodies, button up shirts, and vests. You will have both long sleeve and short sleeve tee shirts.
Tee shirts may include striped tees and graphic tees, unless minimal is one of your stronger style traits. In that case, you may prefer solid, neutral color tees.
Puffer or quilted vests– Great layering pieces, especially in climates with fluctuating temperatures.
Jackets– Denim, utility and puffer jackets all have a place in athleisure outfits. Classic coats like grey or camel wool coats or trench coats may also be found in an athleisure wardrobe.
Tshirt dresses/ sweatshirt dresses– Knit dresses like tshirt dresses can be dressed down with sneakers, or dressed up with a pair of flats or cute sandals or booties and a jacket depending on the season.
Accessories– Accessories for someone with athleisure style will be minimal. If you are a hat person, a baseball cap will often be part of an ensemble. A beanie may also be part of your accessories. See also Outfits to Wear with a Beanie
Jewelry will be minimal and delicate, or sporty like fitness watches. Backpacks and crossbody purses, or belt bags (aka fanny packs but I prefer belt bag) have a place here.
If you are afraid of being frumpy in oversized sweatshirts and sweatpants, or if you are among the crowd that’s quickly growing tired of lounge/ leisure wear after two years of a pandemic, but your style is still sporty, you may want to level up with sporty chic style.
Sporty Chic Style is much easier and better suited for the mature woman over 40 who finally has time to consider what her wardrobe says about her.
What is Sporty Chic Style?
It’s practical and functional clothing for the busy, active woman who doesn’t want to fuss with an outfit. It’s still relaxed and comfortable, but much more polished. Yes, you can be sporty and polished at the same time.
The elements of sporty chic style
Fabrics will still be natural like linen, cotton, or wool, but the sporty chic style may include a few more pops of color beyond neutrals. The fit of clothing will be slightly more tailored and fitted.
Sporty fashion is easy to achieve with some of the athleisure basics mixed with a few more pieces like jeans, denim jackets, denim skirts, cargo pants or cargo skirts and tops like polo shirts, button up shirts and Henley tops. Chambray shirts and dresses can be worked into a sporty chic wardrobe.
A black or navy blazer can add the chic to sporty chic style but can still be worn with sneakers and tee shirts. Sweater blazers and knit blazers are a more casual option for the sporty chic style.
Footwear for sporty fashion style may be less athletic and more fashion sneakers and slip on sneakers. Functional but fashionable boots like hiking boots, duck boots or rain boots may also be worn. Loafers with lug soles or sporty flats will go with your cute sporty outfits.
Delicate jewelry and small hoop earrings or studs will compliment your outfits. You may also opt for a tote as a handbag, or a leather backpack or crossbody.
Cute Sporty Outfits
Outfit #1- Create a sporty chic spring outfit by pairing a pink utility jacket with a striped tee and black jeans. Finish it off with slip on sneakers. Snakeskin sneakers help add the chic touch.
Similar jacket/ similar tee/ jeans/ similar sneakers
Outfit #2- Transition from winter to spring with a sweatshirt dress, puffer vest and sneakers.
Dress; option option option vest option; sneakers –option
Outfit #3- Pair up jeans (boyfriend, straight or skinny) with a button up shirt, utility jacket and slip on sneakers.
Utility jacket- similar; gingham shirt; boyfriend jeans; similar non distressed option similar sneakers
Outfit #4- Wear a striped sweatshirt with jeans and a puffer vest.
Similar vest; similar sweatshirt; jeans; similar sneakers
Outfit #5 – A puffer vest also makes a great topper for a sporty chic look with jeans, sneakers and a button up shirt.
Outfit #6- Dress up a hoodie with a blazer and jeans. You could make this look sportier with sneakers, a slip on shoe, or lug sole loafers, a cute sporty loafer, or lace up oxfords with a sporty vibe.
Similar blazer; similar hoodie; jeans
Outfit #7 If joggers or leggings aren’t your thing, consider straight leg travel pants or track pants. They give off more off a sporty chic vibe.
Pair them with a tunic tee or tunic sweatshirt and quilted jacket. You can also pair these pants with a tank or tee and cardigan and comfy shoes for another option.
Shop this look here.
