Next level sweats
And how they earned a place in my wardrobe
If you’ve been here for a while you’ll know my most well worn wardrobe items - blazer, coat, boots, loafers, jeans and bag.
Apart from leggings on exercise days, that’s pretty much it for my rotation unless it’s the middle of summer or I’m on holidays. And I’m largely happy with that.
But on a recent trip to my local shopping centre (mall) I may just have uncovered something new. Unusually I didn’t feel like wearing a blazer and jeans, maybe because it was a lazy long weekend. At the same time though my Lululemons didn’t quite cut it.
For the first time, I decided to throw on the sweatshirt and matching track pants I had recently purchased. It’s fair to say I don’t normally buy items like this. But I’d been able to take advantage of a generous discount and they were very cool. Which was hard to resist on both counts.
And I’m here to report that I loved wearing them! The experience was a good lesson in what makes an item of clothing succeed. Whether it’s a blazer or sweats the same things are important - fabric, cut and detail.
Fabric: The sweats are made from a very soft pre shrunk cotton which is light and breathable yet also warm. It has a beautiful texture and feel that makes you want to wear it forever.
Cut: The silhouette of the track pants is slim and slightly cropped. The sweatshirt is also on the compact side but is in no way small or shrunken. This gives the set a slightly edgy, old school vibe - which interestingly challenges the idea that oversized proportions are optimal in terms of style.
Detail: The sweatshirt has been custom faded, with the result that the colour has an uneven look overall. The pants have a screen printed design on the side of one leg, a different but complementary bespoke treatment.
All of these elements bring the pieces into another realm - the next level if you will. They make for an easy trans seasonal outfit involving minimal effort. More intentional than leggings but still with comfort and ease of movement at its core.
The verdict? My go-to outfit will likely always be a blazer and jeans. But when I want something less structured I’ll definitely reach straight for this set.
Wide leg sweat pants seem to be everywhere at the moment! Another reason why a slimmer track pant is appealing. So here are a few sets with a similar feel. In the absence of custom features add interest with your choice of sneakers, socks, t shirt and bag.
Uniqlo also has a simple sweatshirt and track pants.
I’ll leave it there for now. Thanks so much for reading, liking, commenting and being here. It means so much.
I’ll see you in two weeks! Bye for now.
x
Jennie
A good sweatsuit is an absolute MUST round these parts! Love the way you broke it down- it’s so true. The same rules of construction and fabrication def apply to sweats!
I’ve worked in high fashion for over 30 years, my favourite thing to wear is a cool comfy trackie! It’s the only thing I wear on my days off!