This fashionista has a confession to make: I own a pair of yoga pants. Shocking, I know, but I am human (although in most fashion boutiques I feel Divine, but that's another column). I try not to call too much attention to them in the hopes of one day redeeming myself in my inevitable future meeting with Anna Wintour, but there's no hiding it.
As the weather turns colder, they taunt me with their comfort and warmth. I stare at them like a style jet-setter adrift in a fashion desert, desperately seeking an oasis of ready-to-wear bliss. These deranged hallucinations highlight a problematic type of fashion interpretation: all or nothing. Often we feel as though we can't be simultaneously casual and dressy, comfortable and elegant.
We are either in our finest clothes, longingly dreaming of the yoga pant aphrodisiac, or we are in yoga pants and other comfortable, sportive gear (think your favorite old t-shirt, or overused sweatshirt) without a care for how unpresentable we really look. Think Anne Hathaway in "The Devil Wears Prada," dressed in her headband and sweatshirt after a day at Runway. Now think of her full Runway get-up. You see what I mean.
It's as though we fashionistas are dealing with our own Robert Louis Stevenson complex: Dr. Sport and Ms. Luxury. However, we are living in the 21st century. If ever there was a generation that could combine two dueling personas into one without forsaking any style desires, it's ours. Recently, our London counterparts have blazed a trail to help us solve this very real style challenge. Enter SportLuxe.
SportLuxe is a way of dressing that combines your finest luxury wear with those ever loved and oft-derided yoga pants. The main mission of the style movement is this: Wear the yoga pants and every other precious comfortable item in your closet, just not all together. Say you want to wear your yoga pants ⎯ go ahead, but pair them with a nice sweater and a suit blazer.
Keep the shoes comfortable (tennis shoes, boots), but don't go for the obvious choice. Pick the odd shoe out. Maybe they're those pink Converse you've been dying to wear, or the green high-tops stashed in the back of your closet. Play with volume. Pair your favorite hooded sweatshirt with a down vest, adding jeans and a pair of killer shoes. Ladies, grab those stilettos ⎯ why not?
Accessorizing is key here too. Unless you want a NickiMinaj (although she was recently front and center at Versace for H&M) or 50 Cent look, leave the sparkly stuff in your jewelry box. But do go big, and add touches of fur (faux or not, and as the weather suggests) wherever you can.
The best part about this trend is its unisex factor. Incorporate your boyfriend's sweatshirt into the look. Gentlemen, get a great parka with a touch of fur yourself and show the women how it's really done. Note to all, however, leggings and other pajama inspired gear does not apply. Treat the structure of this ensemble as you would a job interview outfit and you'll be good to go.
At this rate, I might just incorporate those yoga pants into my next Swiss Alps chalet ensemble. Well, a fashionista can dream, right?
Contact Felicia Caponigri at fcaponig@nd.edu
