Dress Like A Champion, Sports Luxe Style

Posted by Styloko

We’re not going to lie: we’ve never really been the ‘sporty’ type, but with the Olympics fast approaching, we, along with the rest of London, are getting unusually excited. And we can’t think of a better way to get into Team GB spirit than by tapping into one of this season’s biggest – and most relevant – fashion trends: sports luxe.

Luckily, the spring/summer 2012 runways were awash with sports-inspired collections. Alexander Wang showed skin-tight biker-chic knits and tropical floral print cagoules, and Marc Jacobs cleverly combined two spring trends by giving us sporty sweatshirts in pretty pastels worn over ruched silk taffeta skirts, while Victoria Beckham won over her crowd with a softer, more modernist spin which saw figure-hugging racer back dresses and drop waist pleated skirts.

Integrating sportswear into our existing wardrobes, however, is a whole different ballgame. The idea is not to look like a first time gym goer or a try-hard tennis amateur, but to add an athletic twist to your everyday style. The first rule? Never try a sport-inspired look head to toe – instead, focus on hi-tech fabrics like nylon, airtex, mesh and neoprene, and details like exposed zips, thick canvas straps and velcro.

We highly recommend taking a leaf from Isabel Marant’s book by pairing slouchy silk drawstring pants with a simple tee and heels (far easier than running the 400 metres, we promise), but for more wear-right-now inspiration, take a look at our Sports Luxe Scrapbook and see just how easy it is to champion Olympic style.

1. Diane Von Furstenberg Dennett jacket, £384, Matches 2. Reiss lace insert bodycon knit skirt, £60, Reiss 3. Kenzo checkered jacket, £369, Farfetch 4. 3.1 Phillip Lim silk crepe de chine pants, £350, Net-a-Porter 5. Topshop military rib zip bralet, £20, Topshop 5. Balenciaga glove leather mule slides, £279, My Theresa 6. Theory tria vamp pleated crepe-jersey skirt, £170, Net-a-Porter.

Want more tips? Read Julia Neel’s Now Trending column on wearing sports luxe here!