Dec 11, 2020
I share my favorite athleisure wear and how to style it for women 50+ who want to be cute, comfy and age-appropriate.
Let's talk about athleisure.
I decided to do a blog post + podcast on athleisure since I have gotten many DM's lately asking where I get certain items that I'll be sharing in the post. So if you were hoping for recipes, stay tuned. Lots of them are coming as we head into Christmas!!
2020 is the year of athleisure.
I doubt there has been any year better for athleisure sales than 2020. Comfy and casual just makes more sense now more than ever as we all navigate limited gatherings and mask-wearing. As I watched many stores close during the pandemic, one of my favorites~Athleta~never missed a beat. On my many trips to shop there, it was almost always busy and regularly getting in new styles. Now that many of us have returned to exercise studios and gyms, the studio to street style of athleisure just makes sense.
My favorite Athleisure for women 50+
It can be frustrating at times to find athleisure leggings, tights, and tops that fit well and look flattering on a 50+ frame. If I had to pick one store that I love the most, it would be Athleta. I can always find something there that is cute, comfy, and perfect for my age and stage of life. I just love that Athleta has so many CYA options (cover your assets). These are tops that come down long enough to cover some or all of the "bum" that many of us want to cover lol!
My athleisure "basics" and must-haves.
My athleisure basics include a few styles that I buy in different colors and patterns. I also have a few styles of footwear that I almost always choose to wear with my athleisure. Here are the essentials that I keep in my closet.
- Turtlenecks. These are my go-to almost year round. I have them in wool, cotton, and blends in various colors and pattersn. I wear them with everything and dress them up and down.
- Tanks. A tank that fits well is basic. When you find one that you love, buy it in several colors. You can wear a great tank with running shorts, leggings, skirts and more. Throw a cardigan over a tank and add some fun jewelry, and you'll look great for lunch with the girls. I love tanks that can be pulled down to CYA or pulled up when I am wearing shorts. Athleta has several styles that fit the bill.
- Leggings. I think that I live in leggings lol! Find the style that fits and feels best on your body type, and keep a variety of colors and patterns on hand to rotate with all the tops~tanks, sweatshirts, turtlenecks, and more.
- Sweatshirts. There are so many soft, stylish sweatshirts today that go perfectly over a pair of tights or leggings. The blue camo sweatshirt that I am wearing with the navy shine tights is one of my favorite pieces.
Tips for sizing Athleta clothing.
I find that tanks and tops at Athleta are pretty consistently true to size (TTS). I almost always wear a small in tanks and sweatshirts UNLESS I want to go roomier. The navy camo sweatshirt I am wearing in the photo is a medium, as I wanted it to be a smidge longer and looser to pair with the tights. If the label says "relaxed fit" on anything, I usually size down.
Shoes that look great with athleisure.
Who doesn't love wearing cute & comfy sneakers? I do, and thankfully, they look great with most athleisure. Leggings, tights, and front zip skirts or skorts all look great with athletic sneakers and fashion sneakers. I see women styling athleisure with everything from running shoes (On Cloud are hugely popular) to Golden Goose to everything in between. Booties and platform wedges also tend to look great with the leggings and tights.
Turtlenecks are an athleisure staple.
I can't have too many turtlenecks. They are my go-to to throw on with a pair of tights or leggings. Even in spring and warmer months, I have a supply of lightweight turtlenecks that I pull out. My lightweight ones come in handy when nights get cool or when the pilates studio is cold when I go to early morning class. A black and white turtleneck are esssentials, but if you find one that you love, stock up in all colors.
Here are some of my current top picks and how I am styling them.
Below are my athleisure staples, most of which I am wearing in the photos or that are in my closet. They are my favorite leggings, tights, turtlenecks, tops and sneakers. For those of you looking for some new pieces and ways to style them, I hope this is helpful!
Do you love athleisure? If so, please share your favorite brands/styles in the comments below! As always, thanks so much for stopping by. Be blessed, and stay savvy!!!