By: Tilly Ailsa

With everything going on in our daily lives, having a practical wardrobe helps ensure that you can breeze through your schedule without any hassle. Many popular styles tend to compromise style for comfort, especially for brands who cater to women over 50. But that doesn’t always have to be the case. Enter the athleisure trend: a combination of athletic and leisure attire. This is a style you’ve probably seen on the streets or on magazines without even knowing it — from off-duty models wearing sports bras on their coffee runs, to teenagers dressed in joggers at the mall. But this isn’t a trend confined to a certain age group. Because athleisure is based on daily comfort, it is designed for anyone and everyone, whether you’re 15 or 50.

Athleisure For All

But of course, not everybody is comfortable stepping out in a cropped top and calling it a day! With this in mind, more and more brands are creating activewear geared towards older women, such as the California-based brand, Athleta. Their items aim to encourage living a healthy lifestyle whatever age or body type you are, recognizing that beauty and health come in many forms and dimensions. Fortunately, their styles come in a variety of more mature cuts and prints, expanding options outside of the candy-colored clothing one would usually find on the racks. After all, millennials don’t have the monopoly on yoga, fitness, or looking good — so don’t let the stereotypical image of athleisure models you see discourage you from trying this trend in your golden years.

Tips to Keep in Mind

Layer Up
Previously here on Honey Good, we established the importance of having solid layering options for dressing stylishly over 50. The same principle holds true for mature women approaching this new athleisure style. An extra layer is what will separate a hiking trip-appropriate top from your grocery outfit. But like we’ve mentioned before, don’t fall victim to frumpy-looking pieces that swallow up your entire figure and make you look bulky. Balance out your silhouettes — so if you’re wearing a tight sports camisole, for example, you can throw on a loose jacket.

Image Credit: Athleta

Combine Form & Function
Mixing form and function is the heart of athleisure. Thankfully, this trend is easy to integrate with a mature woman’s current wardrobe. Have a denim jacket? Wear it with some stylish joggers. Not only are they more comfortable than your jeans, but they also allow you to get creative with fabrics, as stated on Pretty Me’s guide to wearing athleisure. The beauty of it is that you can take it from casual social events to weekend activities with the family. Or if you have any loose t-shirts lying around, you can combine them with a contrasting inner layer for a subtle outfit accent. All of these ensure maximum style without compromising your comfort.

Image Credit: New York Post

Stick With Sneakers
Gone are the days when trainers were looked at as the ultimate shoe. With a wider array of styles, there’s a runners’ shoe for every occasion, even for those of us no longer young enough to run long distances. Chunky sneakers might be the rising trend, but if you’re not comfortable with the bulk, you can choose pairs with a slimmer fit and simpler design, like classic white Stan Smiths. These can be combined easily with skirts, trousers, and other looks any older woman would want to rock.

Image Credit: The Guardian

Accessorize
Glamour recommends this as the easiest trick in the book for upgrading the athleisure look for today’s mature women. You wouldn’t wear your earrings at the gym, so pairing them (or your other accessories of choice) with your athleisure clothes shows you’re presenting yourself a cut above casual.

Image Credit: Nordstorm