Sports luxe
An Olympic year throws the spotlight on sportswear, but sporty dressing needn’t mean go-faster stripes and tacky sweats. Cool cottons and subtle styling play a stylish game and squash those naff stereotypes. Adopting this luxury approach is sure to convert even the snappiest of dressers.
LIGHT AND SHADE
An un-buttoned shirt and cool pair of shades immediately give-off a sporty vibe.
PICK ME UP
A roomy holdall is the perfect bag for carrying your sports kit.
Brasco trousers, Wainwright top, Filo bag
THE GOOD HOOD
Banish the bad-rep of hoodies with a luxe approach to styling.
SHORT SHORTS
Our swim shorts work as a stylish alternative to sportier styles.
Rovner sweater, Corsica swim shorts
SMART AND SPORTY
If you can’t part from a shirt and tie – you can still go sporty, from the blazer down.
James shirt, Goldie tie, Lord pocket square, Wicker shorts
DARK AND DAPPER
Forget garish colours and acres of white, pile on navy for a stylish approach.
Brasco blazer, Tibbs top, Prom shorts
ZIPS AND ZING
A bold short adds a pop of colour and zips are instantly sporty.
BLAZE A TRAIL
A sharp blazer over your tee instantly takes you from pitch to pub.
Princeton blazer, Baltimore top, Fenchurch navy
LOAD ON LAYERS
You don’t need to wear all your layers at once – just keep them to hand.
RED, WHITE AND BLUE
Classic colour combinations keep things fresh.
SET THE BAR
Simple and stylish, a classic sweat is a subtle nod to the trend.
TAKE COVER
Introduce sporty elements with outerwear – a funnel neck jacket is perfect.
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In an Olympic year it comes as no surprise that designers, stylists and guys on the street are throwing elements of sportswear into their look. A tricky trend to tackle, sportswear has a rep for being a bit naff – but, we think, unfairly so.
Gone are the go-faster stripes, tacky sweats and shiny jackets which immediately spring to mind, and instead a focus on cool cottons and garments with hoods, zips and technical fabrics come into play. Approaching the trend with these luxe pieces places a stylish spin on dressing ‘sporty’, making the whole concept more appealing to the sartorially-minded.
The set for our shoot is based on the lines of a squash court with an East End gymnasium feel, and the clothes in this environment offer an easy gym-to-work, on/off-the-pitch look. This laidback dressing isn’t turning its back on looking sharp, it’s just an alternative way of doing it.
Cottons are vital to a Sports Luxe look, with more than half of the pieces in our shoot being cotton; from chinos to shorts and jersey tops. This breathable, natural fabric keeps you cool and allows you to layer – an important part of the trend.
Try classic cotton tees (like our Bless) with zip-through tops or pair preppy polos with shoulder-knotted knits. Look out for melange sweats, granddad-collar shirts, baseball-style zip-through cardigans and nylon hooded jackets. While swim shorts (style dependent), chinos and cotton shorts all provide the perfect base for these sporty layers.
Alternatively, pull-on a smarter cotton shirt and tie with a blazer over the top – a subtle nod to the pacing football manager.
And don’t forget your high top sneakers, retro neon laces, pulled-up socks and roomy tote bags – all essential kit for any sporty look.
