Times are a changing and if you missed the memo women no longer are forced to dress like their mothers and grandmothers before them.
For about 15 years there has been a shift in the way women dress everyday,
Image credit: @sissymua Gymshark.com
"I don't know a single girl that doesn't own at least six pairs of black leggings." Lois Woodcock, Senior Womenswear Designer. Gymshark
“Athleisure” has taken hold as more than just a trend, it's a massive lifestyle shift as women everywhere recognise they are no longer restricted to wearing “age appropriate” or “activity appropriate” clothing, a school uniform, that first interview suit, special occasion wear or the dreaded compulsory black something for a funeral.
Don't be confused that athleisure style or athleisure styling means not making any effort at all and just wearing the trackies and sweatshirt you went to bed in. No. You still have add your own styling creativity and flare but despite the fashion industry’s attempts to steer us all in yet another different MUSTARD direction for AW2020, women are finally free to decide for ourselves what we want to wear and it's a fact, the best quality black leggings on the high st will take you from your daily grind to VIP seats at a Rock Concert when styled correctly.
The reality is leggings as an everyday staple are here to stay, you only have to look around to see what everybody is actually wearing day to day. You also don’t have to look very far in the media either to see every celebrity regardless of age is rocking their own version of Athleisure styling and the beauty of this styling concept, it's exactly that, a concept. We are no longer tied to a specific brand or particular exact sneaker or logo, we want the best quality leggings UK wide available and then be able to exercise our own creativity and use this styling framework to incorporate all the individual items in our wardrobes we love but don't know what to do with. (click images to shop)
Busy, dynamic fabulous women lead effective and productive lives, we are no longer decorative, and to do this being comfortable is key and the number one priority. Think about styling for travelling, we all want to look our best when we travel, (if you want a free upgrade to first class looking good is vital) but on a long (or short) flight being comfortable is always the priority, so substitute a bra top for your bra and always wear good quality cotton leggings if you want to feel relaxed, fresh and on point once you arrive at your destination.
Worried about looking too casual, too sporty, too young? You must make sure you buy the best black leggings that aren't see through, (performance/workout leggings are great for exercise but difficult to style with regular clothes) and choose thick leggings that offer good stretch and recovery. i.e. don't go baggy at the knees when you wear them. Make sure your leggings aren't see through, the biggest faux pas when it comes to styling athleisurewear. Make a fist and stretch the fabric around your hand to test it before purchasing or read reviews online and check the content label, natural fibres/fabric is always more sustainable and will likely last longer.
So how do you make sure you are always enjoying minimum styling effort, maximum comfort and at the same time make maximum impact in the style stakes?
The secret is LAYERS or LAYERING but you have to have the right pieces in your wardrobe to pull this off and the first thing to realise is without an amazing, smooth, no bumps, no lumps base layer you can’t do anything unless your body is young, firm, toned and perfect.
Once you have the perfect foundation garments in place, the best black leggings that aren't see through and an affordable luxury staple T or bra top you can easily begin to build your outfit.
Layering a slouchy sweatshirt, cosy pullover or boyfriend T allows you to be stylish/comfortable and appropriate for shopping, working out and relaxing. (click images to shop)
A like nothing bra top not only gives comfortable additional support but also creates an invisible layer to cover bra straps, also serving as the perfect under garment when you are at home, don’t want to wear a bra but don’t feel comfortable going braless.
If you are working on your body because you love clothes and want more options when you style yourself stay away from jeans temporarily particularly stretch jeans which give a muffin, fall down, create additional bulk (pockets and zips) where you don’t want it and can leave you looking more like a sausage in a skin than a streetstyle siren.
The advantage of leggings as the alternative is a completely smooth finish even on a less than perfect body, good quality cotton black leggings with a high elastane content will leave you feeling slimmer, more confident and more motivated to keep moving closer to your styling goals and the best quality leggings UK are way better than jeans when it comes to disguising droopy bottoms and covering and smoothing pot bellies.
Don’t be convinced into believing covering the whole thing up with a big jumper or coat is the way to go even if like Shirley, you are curvy. Buying your clothes too big just makes the problem worse, as you look fatter so try a base layer that shows the reality of what you are working with & helps control it.
Once you have the high quality black cotton staples on everything else in terms of styling becomes a piece of cake as you begin to select pieces to layer over, show off your best bits, hide the bits you don’t like so much and build a look based upon your lifestyle and all the things you want to achieve in a given day.
Click images to shop your Made in UK perfect black leggings and preloved designer fashion from Hollywood celebrity stylist Shirley Yanez @Rescueluxury
Photo by: Hipkicks Unsplash