Sometime in the mid-2010s, it was unofficially decreed that all activewear must be of the sleek and sweat-wicking variety: bum-sculpting leggings and a coordinating spandex sports bra in pastel tones. Like everyone else, I too fell victim to the Matching Set Industrial Complex, and wouldn’t have dreamed of turning up to my local Park Run in anything other than Lululemon Align tights. But if you needed confirmation that the time has come to break out of the mould with your workout wardrobe, then look no further than Dakota Johnson, who this weekend flouted the clean-girl look in favour of something a little more eclectic.
There was nothing out of the ordinary about Dakota’s black leggings, but swap them out for jeans and that distressed, cropped slogan tee and logo cap could take her directly to lunch with the girls. It begs the question: why do we insist on such a strict separation between activewear and everyday wardrobe? Of course, there are practical considerations (leave the deadlifts in leather trousers to Lenny Kravitz), but there something to be said for bringing personality to your Pilates fit.
Conner Ives spirng/summer 2027.
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These days, I’m very much an advocate for an intentionally chaotic combo at the gym, and embracing the “lost property” look. If you’re struggling to chat as you huff and puff your way through those final reps, a great slogan T-shirt can do the talking for you. And who wouldn’t want to strike up a conversation with someone in a Conner Ives “Bring Back Shame” tee, or perhaps sporting a Geordie Campbell “Best Boy” number on a lap of the park? Clothes say an awful lot about a person – and that goes for the ones they wear to the gym, too.