Freshen up your fit kit
IS YOUR WORKOUT WARDROBE IN NEED OF AN UPDATE? PRUDENCE WADE DETAILS THE HOTTEST ACTIVEWEAR TRENDS FOR 2022
WHETHER or not a fresh exercise routine has made its way into your New Year’s resolutions, January is the perfect time to have a look at your activewear wardrobe.
Satin
Throughout the pandemic, many of us have lived in our activewear. This has opened up a whole world of sportswear trends – particularly for athleisure that doubles up as sporty and everyday.
In 2022, watch out for satin-look athleisure – which gives your workout clothes a shiny, luxurious look.
If you’ve been wearing the same threadbare leggings for every workout, it might be time for a refresh. These are some of the sportswear trends to watch out for in 2022...
Sustainability
LJ Holmes, trainer at Boom Cycle (boomcycle.co. uk), predicts sustainability will be front and centre when people are updating their
2022 activewear wardrobes. She says: “Thankfully, plenty of brands are now investing in sustainable manufacturing and fabrics, which are also supportive and stylish.”
Some of LJ’S favourite brands focusing on sustainability include Girlfriend Collective (who “use plastic bottles, fishing nets and other waste in making their bras and leggings”, she says) and Contur, “A Britishowned sustainable activewear brand, made in London using Econyl yarn – a regenerated nylon yarn made from industrial waste”.
Periwinkle blue
Pantone’s colour of the year for 2022 is ‘Very Peri’ – a bright periwinkle blue. Pantone says it displays “a carefree confidence and a daring curiosity that animates our creative spirit” – and this trend will likely permeate sportswear, too.
It signals a shift away from neutral tones and low-key colour palettes – this is a bold colour, meant to stand out in. To really channel Very Peri, choose bright blues with purple undertones.
One-pieces
Eighties-inspired athleisure has been big for a while now, with bright colours and geometric patterns dominating. It looks like a big trend for 2022 will take even more inspiration from the era: unitards.
Once you’ve embraced one-pieces, you won’t go back – not only do they save packing lots of different bits of kit into your gym bag, but they’re also extremely comfortable. Choose neutral colours for a balletic look, or lean into the retro vibe with loud patterns. Jane Fonda, eat your heart out.
High-tech footwear
One of the best ways to optimise your workout – particularly if you’re a runner – is to look at your footwear. There’s been a rise in high tech footwear, and now there looks to be a shift towards making sure women are getting the most out of their runs.
In December, Adidas launched the Ultraboost 22 – created by an all-female team and specifically tailored to women’s feet. Where Adidas goes, the industry tends to follow – and it could mean we see more female-focused, high tech footwear in 2022.