Monsoon fashion: Rock a sporty look with this quick athleisure wear style guide

Seasonal changes in the weather and mood call for suitable wardrobe fixes. In a city like Mumbai, where monsoon becomes a major inspiration for people to shop for new clothes and footwear, which can help them battle the potholes, local-train crowd and humidity with ease. In recent times, this definitely has encouraged people to sport active-wear look or athleisure apparel outside their gyms, gymkhanas and homes too.

Athleisure wear refers to apparels meant for athletic activities, but can be turned into casual yet stylish everyday wear, which are comfortable and aesthetically appealing. Think street style, Y2K look, rock and pop effect or an old-school touch; athleisure can be effortlessly blended into timeless fashion trends. It's one of the fastest growing fashion fads currently and is in vogue with a number of Indian and western celebrities sporting such looks in their music videos, at events, gyms and at airports.

From Justin Bieber and BTS members to Janhvi Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, the list is extensive. Joggers, tracksuits, diverse types of tights, leggings, crop hoodies, basic tees, tank tops, sports bralette tops, biker shorts and all kinds of sports shoes and countless combinations of these with numerous shades, colours and catchy embellishments are currently driving the athleisure trend worldwide.

"I think we as a society have started embracing relaxed fits into modern fashion from the biggest fashion brands like LV, Gucci to all our celebrities have incorporated sporty looks into newer fields. The boundaries of fashion are getting less rigid and the athleisure trend is a product of that," says digital fashion content creator Khuski Karki.

Aaina Mahajan, founder of MellowDrama, believes the trend caught up in India due to the growing health and fitness consciousness among people, which has also fostered the culture of wearing the attire even outside their work-out spaces. "Moreover, brands are making and designing athleisure clothes in a more fashionable way, and this can be worn casually or even dressed up with heels and accessories for the evening," she adds.

Coordinated track suits. Photo Courtesy: MellowDrama

Experts Mahajan, Karki and digital content creator Sapna Malik provide a quick style-guide to incorporate the following active wear in everyday outfits:

1. Yoga pants:
Yoga pants may not look very style-able but it is a myth. Pairing them with a push-up bra or tank top is a common choice, but baggy T-shirts and printed tees also go well with it. It can also be worn with a cropped hoodie, a loose jersey, crop-tops and finally, jogging shoes or sneakers for a sporty look.

2. Plaid pajama pants:
These are great as relaxed outfit and work well with jackets, drop-shoulder T-shirts and tank tops. They may look very informal and home-wear type, but, if styled right can go well with solid coloured tops. Add a cap for a cool look. For a formal look, wear it with a solid-colour racerback tee-shirt tucked in.

3. Tights and leggings:
These serve versatile multiple looks and can go with windcheaters, specific tank tops and crop tops or hoodies, or you can totally switch it up for an ethnic look with a kurti! They can also be styled like yoga pants with loose T-shirts or push up bras. Additionally, biker shorts, considered as a version of tights, are really in vogue this season. They can be worn casually with a long tee shirt or formally with a crisp shirt.

4. Joggers:
The most trending athleisure apparel, joggers work best with crop hoodies, sports jackets, team jerseys and tank tops. They are great for everyday wear and can go with any occasion. Pairing joggers with flannel shirts is in trend, while jackets, oversized tees, crop tops, a nice sweatshirt with sneakers also look cool. With sport coats, crop tops with flare pants, they work as formal wear these days.

5. Crop hoodies:
Crop hoodies can give a cutesy touch to any outfit and go well with joggers, jeans, tights, jackets, biker shorts and sneakers. For a formal outfit, one can go about wearing cropped hoodies under blazers and coats. One can also wear them under white shirts with tights or jeggings and pair the outfit with heels or boots for a work look.

6. Tank tops and sport bras:
They are great for a sporty look and perfectly compliment the yoga pants and leggings. One can also wear a sporty jacket on top with sneakers or training shoes for a rejuvenating look. Tank tops can be worn with denims too.

Bonus tip:
When it comes to shopping for athleisure wear during monsoon, experts suggest one must go for darker shades as lighter colours can lead to unwanted wardrobe situations during rains. "Muted colours go well with the monsoon season. Track-sets in neutrals or fun prints are also a must-have wardrobe staple. Black, white and greys are classic colours that go all season long for athleisure attire," adds Mahajan.

Also Read: Here's how to plan your wardrobe for the Mumbai monsoon