Defining style and success in active wear

When I'm researching active wear clothing I come across a fair number of companies that have the same colour offerings. Take for example the three pieces on the left. These were popular colour choices in 2010 and according to trend researchers, will continue to be so into 2011.

Apart from big name designers and companies that are players in the growing female active wear market, I ask myself what contributes to the success of a line put out by a company like Running Skirts? They may incorporate the season's latest colour trends into their line, but other factors also contribute to their burgeoning success.

I've been contemplating this for some time and chose to look at Running Skirts after viewing this television segment on the company:



Perhaps I just haven't looked deep enough into current styling trends to expose an interest in argyle. I think this is irrelevant though. I think companies like Running Skirts are setting a trend in the market. Similar to other women-run companies in North America (Skirt Sports, Moeben), the Running Skirt's line incorporates funkiness through pattern selection, use of bold colours, playful femininity and the presentation of coordinated outfits. The company's approach to merchandising and promotions certainly creates a strong picture of their brand.

I also think that the concept of wearing a coordinated outfit in a sport like running is so novel that it sells. Of course it repels some that believe fashion has no place in sport, but the success of these smaller companies and their global presence show the demand is there. And at the end of the day, fashion is business and it's the bottom line that counts.

Olympic fashion gold, Stella style

Last summer it was reported that Stella McCartney had been chosen to be the Creative Director for Team Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics. Fitting - given that England will also play host to this prestigious event.

Here's what I love about Stella McCartney's designs for Adidas - the feminine touch. Of course, not every design embodies the embellishments I showcase in the photos below, but some do. Her pieces go beyond what most are even capable of producing in the active wear scene simply because she has the design background and experience of working in the fashion world.

Each of the pieces I've chosen below contain details that create a strong feminine look and feel from the use of sheer fabric, school-girl pleating, ruching over the belly area and the use of textured fabric to outline the female form and bring attention to bare shoulders.

Textile Design Interview

The following is an interview with one of the owners at Creativo Surface Design Studio in New York. The studio produces textile designs for a major performance apparel company.

DR=Dirty Runner, CSD=Creativo Surface Design

DR: Are there differences in designing for technical fabrics (e.g. poly/spandex or nylon/spandex) versus non-technical?

CSD: One difference would be in the style of print. Most performance apparel companies tend to like active prints or prints that have movement. Also, from company to company, there may be certain color limitations. Other than that, you can pretty much achieve what you want, design wise, on most fabrics.

DR: Are you commissioned to create a specific design that the end user is looking for or alternatively, is the user buying textile designs from your collection?

CSD: In most cases both. Sometimes the client will find exactly what they are looking for in our collections, other times, they find something close that needs to be reworked slightly. Alternately, we also get commissioned to design single prints and whole collections as well.

DR: You’ve stated elsewhere that your influencers for textile design are shopping the market in New York and trend reports. Does this apply to active wear as well or does active wear have it’s own unique influencers?

CSD: Yes, it does. Trends trickle down in to all markets. It's just some markets will use those trends slightly different depending on use and market.

DR: Do you find that there is less demand for textile design in the active wear industry than in others industries (e.g. home furnishings)?

CSD: I wouldn't say that. Our core customers are swimwear/activewear. The active wear market certainly isn't as large as women's or juniors on a whole, but it's pretty large and growing none the less.

DR: Is there a predominant application for textile design in active wear? For example, are textile designs used primarily for accents on tops or as side panels? My thinking is that the cost of performance fabrics is usually greater than non-performance and in turn prohibits a design-intensive approach to active wear construction.

CSD: I would say the approach is the same as far as design no matter the application or placement.

DR: Do you find that your textile designs for active wear are more feminine in nature, and this is based on the assumption that there is more demand for design in the female versus male active wear market?

CSD: Typically, they are more feminine in nature, but most of all that is driven by color. The mens active wear market is pretty large as well, but is less print driven than the womens side.

Boldy go...

In an earlier post I wrote about there being two distinct sweat couture categories: chique and playful. I'm beginning to see a third category and this is bold, non-patterned designs as pictured above from Fit Couture.

My own style is more suited toward prints, but on the pieces pictured above I do love the contrast in the black piping/trim with the solid, distinct colour of the top. And the colours chosen for the tops break that old mold of drab green, blue or grey as the only choices for women. Paired with your favorite black running pants and voilà - you have a perfect example of sweat couture!

Pucci thing going on

Sugoi's got that Pucci thing going on with these technical running hats.

They've named their version "Souchi."

For me this is really beginning to define the term "sweat couture."

Itchy & scratchy no more!

I remember in my years of downhill skiing of reaching for something wool in a desperate attempt to keep warm. I can still recall the feeling of being so itchy from wool that my skin still rebels at the thought of anything that offensive next to it.

That was before Merino wool!

Last weekend I was running alongside a gal that wore a beautiful hot pink Merino wool hoodie. "Dye-able" is what crossed my mind. I know that Merino wool isn't a 2011 phenomena, but check out this gorgeous piece on the left. Love the fit, love the technical aspects of what it does for us cold weather runners and I love the design! This top is available here from Nature Shop.

Funk this outfit!

Here's a budget-conscious approach to adding a little funk to your running wardrobe.

Start with one piece that is representative of life on the wild side - like these poly/spandex shorts (yuppers - cheat a little and look to other sports, like volleyball for unique pieces).

Add your favourite black running top - long/short sleeve or short with black armbands. Spice up the outfit a little more with some black running socks and my god girl - you're smashing!

Fabric Roll Call

Here is a selection of activewear fabric's I've chosen that would make my "roll call" list for production. Sassy little running skirt? Dress? Armbands?

Gotta love those Italian cyclists!

If you haven't heard the news already, our west coast-based sports apparel company Sugoi is the new clothing designer for the Italian men's cycling team, Liquigas.

I love Sugoi because they are definitely pushing design in performance apparel to the max. Check out this post from December with their outstanding tattoo arm sleeves.

Way to go Sugoi!

Finally - body hugging fashions!

This is Article 4 of 4 on the history of Running Fashion
Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4

I was engaged in an interesting conversation with two gals at the Club last night about what we wore - or had to wear for fitness pursuits while growing up. Well guess what? Both women recalled having to wear rompers (or bloomers) in high school. One dated herself in this blasé outfit to the sixties, the other - the seventies.

I'm sure the picture on the right doesn't even do justice to the elasticized, heavy cotton uniforms us gals wore in the archaic years of long ago.

And it is only in the privilege of being able to look backwards that we can thank our lucky soles that certain trends, like the bloomers eventually died. Keep in mind that for the most part, young girls made to wear rompers/bloomers certainly did not have a choice in gym wear. By the eighties, adults did but fared no better in their activewear choices, at least in a look back at this era. I say this in reference to the nylon track suit craze that swept North America.

Oh yes - the fitness boom was on and demand grew for easy care fabrics, like that of synthetic nylon. The comfort of this roomy, brightly coloured suit made its way into everyday wear too. You see, the "boom" meant nylon clad folks working out only one day a week were also wearing their suits on the other days of the week. I'm sure even hard core fitness fiends could be spotted in the suit outside of workouts as, after all, it was a trend and anyone and everyone can buy into trends. Thank goodness the trend died with over-production and cheap knock-offs saturating the market.

Well bye bye eighties and hello nineties! This was the era of body-hugging lycra/spandex. Look at the two running photos below from the Olympics and notice the change from the loosely fitting synthetic material of the eighties (left photo) to the tight fitting synthetic of the nineties (right):


















There is quite a change happening here and I for one quite like it. It's not only in the fit but the fact that the outfit on the right also incorporates design into the mix. I think it's quite powerful.

Even more powerful is the marketing of the nineties that had athletes promoting clothing lines (think Nike, Reebok, Adidas) and the link between athletic performance and streamlined athletic wear.

It is true that research and development in synthetic fibres, including elasticized ones like spandex has and continues to evolve. Today we can choose clothing for sport that claims to aid in recovery (compression socks, shorts etc.), take away bacteria when we sweat, protect us from the sun and pull out excessively charged positive toxins from the body.

WOW! Now don't all rush out and source this gear thinking it's all you need to push yourself that one extra mile to make it to the podium. Perhaps I'm just too much of a skeptic, too relaxed as I hit middle age (ew - I've never quite thought of myself as a "middle ager") or perhaps I'm more someone that buys into the whole relaxed pace of life thingy and live it up to the end. I certainly am more interested in celebrating my running and dressing in a way that says "I'm rockin' this run" than "move outta my way, I'm heading for the podium." But does it have to be one or the other? Do we have to choose between an aerodynamic piece of clothing that will help us shave seconds off our time or a piece that could be featured in a near-Vogue like magazine?

Probably not. Here's my point - synthetic fibres have come so far today that we actually have choices. There are pieces that are marketed solely from the standpoint of performance enhancement. There are also pieces that are marketed solely from the standpoint of fashion. Synthetic fibres are not exclusive to the activewear industry. In fact, activewear fashion has almost always been adopted into everyday wear, the fitness boom of the eighties and the nylon track suit phenomenon is a prime example of this merger.

Will history witness a further merger of fashion and activewear?
As far as running clothing goes, I say "yes" for several reasons:

1. The 25 to 34 year age group is the fastest growing segment of runners at road races and this segment of the population is more concerned -and demanding- when it comes to style and trends. Given the number of choices in activewear today, they are going to be the first to demand more stylish options when it comes to any sporting wear, especially given the fact that they can choose between some of the major players in the game who already produce stylish activewear pieces; Nike, Adidas, ACIS etc.

2. Although growth has slowed in the number of women competing in road races, it has grown from a mere 23% in 1989 to 53% in 2009. Couple this stat with the fact that 40% of racers prefer a 5k to any other distance, this means that the average women involved in running is not spending hours upon hours every week in high performing technical gear.

What will this look like - "running fashion?"
Not completely sure but considering Nike leads the way as far as the preferred brand for running clothing (64%), they would be the company to watch as far as trends. It is also worthwhile to watch what all the small women-owned apparel companies are producing as I do believe they are akin to the "street style" of mainstream fashion. That is, they represent the micro needs of women that run. And guess what? Most of the small women owned running apparel businesses use style and fashion as their competitive advantage.

That wasn't so bad - now back to sourcing out all the amazing styles of modern running fashion!

Polyester is polyester is polyester - Or is it?

This is Article 3 of 4 on the history of Running Fashion
Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4

Dabbling in the technical apparel industry has given me a unique perspective on the activewear scene. I do love to learn and it surprises me sometimes what power marketing holds. For example, I found myself snickering one lovely summer day when a rather arrogant runner tugged on the sleeve of a techie top, turned her head and walked away from it rather snobishly. I inquired into her strange behavior and was told that what I thought was an "uber-ly cool" tech top was rejected as inferior because it was "made of polyester." If this gal only knew that our running gear is primarily made of either a nylon/elastine or polyester/elastine blend she would have seen more value in the top.

Of course, trademarking and marketing assign "uber-ly cool" terms to nylon or polyester that we are sometimes tricked into believing one material is superior to another. This is not to say that some technical fabrics are not superior to others. Techie materials are a HUGE business and span the range of applications from fire fighting to military to white water paddling to running and everything in between.

And let's not forget that the development of spandex by Dupont and its subsequent mass production in the seventies and beyond was also picked up by mainstream fashion. Here are two examples I absolutely love of the "inter-mingling" of fashion and the "techie" textile industry (i.e. if we claim spandex and other synthetic fibres as best suited for functional applications):

1) Following on the heels of the matching top with bottom tracksuit trend of the sixties (nylon being the fabric of choice for this trend), stretch velour became all the rage in the seventies under the guise of "exceptionally sexy party gear"

2) Princess Diana reportedly used expedition underwear made of chlorofibres as a base layer in cold weather so that she could wear much lighter, fashionable garments on top

Back to synthetic fibres and their functional application, the inventions of nylon and spandex also infiltrated the running industry. At least this was the case for top performing athletes in the seventies and eighties when synthetic fibres were first being mass produced:



The photo on the left is dated 1984 and the photo on the right, 1979. Both items of clothing appear to be constructed of nylon fibres.

Compare these outfits with those of the twenties and thirties in these photos here that are most likely derived from cotton.

In my next post I'll look at runners' wear in the nineties and beyond and how marketing influenced and changed what we wear.

Dupont I love you!

This is Article 2 of 4 on the history of Running Fashion
Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4

Geez! Gosh! Darn! It is interesting researching the history of women's activewear but it certainly doesn't capture my attention like stumbling upon a daring new design or colour of technical fabric! Double that with the challenge of finding information particular to running clothing and I think my lovely audience would be much better off to read this wonderful piece on the history of sporting wear for women by Pauline Weston Thomas.

Needless to say, it is not only voting that women weren't allowed to do last century. Perhaps it was thought of as very unfeminine for women to engage in rowdy behavior with odd physical maneuvers. Gosh knows that I've pulled some horrid-looking, very unfeminine soccer moves on the field in my lifetime. To top it off, the thinking "back then" was that competitiveness was certainly the domain of the male, not us females (good thing I have no recollection of being alive in that era as I don't think I have an uncompetitive bone in my body).

As I mentioned, there is scant research dedicated to running clothing. Perhaps it was a rather insignificant sport at the turn of the century, at least compared to golf or tennis. Of course, womens involvement in running was just heating up in the twenties so it's no wonder the Google and Yahoo databases lack resources on archaic running fashions.

What is quasi-certain is that despite the conservative - but evolving - battles being fought by women on the tennis court in terms of what was acceptable to wear, shorts and t-shirts were already liberated on the running scene. Check out these dated photographs from outside of North America:

The image on the far left is from the Olympics in 1928 and the photo to its right is dated 1932. This next one of young girls is dated to the 1930s:

Here's where things start to heat up for us runners - the 1950s and sixties! Hello spandex and nylon! And the inter-mingling of sports and everyday wear (errr...more later on this).

Spandex liberated every sporty women's slide into home base, game-saving slide on the soccer field, climb up a jagged limestone peak or smear up a slippery rock or heck, dive into the bushes in the midst of an adventure race! Now we're talking! Spandex was our liberator and nylon paved the way to be loud and colourful and full of pretty (or neat-o) patterns in the midst of a once male-only adventure!!!

More on my next post about female liberation thanks to the development of nylon and spandex. Dupont I love you!

(Dupont was the first to hit the market with the lovely stretchy chemical invention)

Vintage bloomers circa. 1915

This is Article 1 of 4 on the history of Running Fashion
Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4

I'm beginning to do a very long piece on the history of activewear clothing for women. The above pictured "bloomers" are said to belong to the Edwardian era (~1915 to be more specific with the pieces showcased here). They would have been worn by women/girls active in sports such as bicycle riding, gymanastics and were standard issue for many, many years for girls in school physical education programs.

The fabric is very sturdy - a cotton canvas and the entire piece screams modesty with its square neckline, baggy cut, below-the-knee length and conservative black colour. A shirt would have been worn underneath. The style is an obvious match with conservative turn of the century values.

I can't wear that!

Of course you can't! Maybe your clothes wear you instead of you wear your clothes. It's kind of like this - I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with this Blog. I'm doing it to find out where I want to go. I'm feeling my way forward. It wasn't until my last few posts that I had a brain burst through. Some of us, even in sport wear clothes to cover our bodies. Others wear clothes to express what's inside of us - even in sport.

Am I in turn saying that "sport" is not only about performance? Yuppers. Let's not be fooled here - sport is about performance. After all, without goals and measurements, the human race would be pretty lost.

And I'm sure many of us out there have had a fantastic moment we can recall where everything came together and the resulting feeling could be described as euphoria. But that's just it - it was momentary. Hello! Goodbye. And we're baffled as to how to ever recapture that lusty experience.

The brain starts to reflect on what worked and didn't and for those that are lucky enough, they move onto the thought that, "Hey, maybe there's more value to what I'm doing out there than just the goal chasing." The next stage usually lasts a lifetime. It's about exploration. It's about feeling. It's about a growing awareness of the environment that surrounds our sporting pursuits.

If we persist in this stage of exploration - of a new way of experiencing our sport - then we begin to dance with this wonderful, almost surreal state of mind called peak performance. And that's just it - it's a state of mind based on a growing awareness of absolutely everything. We aren't always in it. It's not black or white. It's not momentary but long lasting. It's not automatic we always have to work towards it. We don't turn into a robe-wearing, preaching individual. It's nothing like that. It's just you - enhanced.

Is this state measurable? Sure - one of my favourite writers on the topic is Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. He (and many other researchers on the topic) report that during peak performance (the author's term is "flow") time feels like its standing still; one feels completely engaged or absorbed in the activity at hand; action seems almost effortless, ego falls away and it seems like the entire purpose of the activity is just the activity itself.

Here's where I see "sporting fashion" fitting in with peak performance. I said at the start of this diatribe that we either cover our bodies with clothes in sport or we choose textiles to express our inner being. We have options - performance fabrics don't come only in black or white these days. They are dyed, printed (patterns) and available in various textures (e.g. buttery soft thanks to great research and development in performance textiles). Making a pattern to actually fit a woman's body vs cutting patterns based only on the male form is akin to women being allowed to vote. This development was inevitable. Bottom line - women have options in buying clothing for sport. So what's holding women back from choosing fashionable sporting clothes?

It's how we approach sport. This is really no different from mainstream fashion. Fashion is an attitude. It's our own attitude - it's what we are saying to the world and it's what we are saying about ourselves. If we're out there cutting up a trail, bombing from hill to hill and completely lost in the moment, are we saying "I'm on top of the world and lovin' it!" or "Oh I better slow down as someone might be watching me and I don't know if I'm doing this right." It's not rocket science - but it is psychology - so pick the former, get out there, give no shits about what the world has to say and scream back at the world in your favourite technical outfit in hot pink, ravishing red or whatever represents you.

Tattoo you...Tattoo me...please!

Yes - this FABULOUS tattoo designed top IS a performance top. A Yellowman design - gosh, geez...enough said...still drooling.

Yellowman.

Read about Madkool performance fabric here

And hey - DON'T even think about wearing a top like this unless you have BIG, DEEP thoughts to share with the world and a matching attitude! (Read about Yellowman here)

Fashion is an attitude

Fashion is an attitude. It's confidence bursting at the seams. It's you saying to the world, "I am my own brand." And hot damn - this goes for the running world too!

Tammy's sense of style is unmistakable on the roads and sometimes trails of the ultra world (pictured left). Always sporting shades of pink, flowers and a shirt emblazoned with her own "bib name," she takes the path less traveled in life.

I've had the pleasure of running with this Mathematician on several occasions and it's clear that she is all about leading, not following. In 2010 she ran nearly 20 marathons, several hundred milers, a number of 40 or 50 milers and a 24 hour run to ring in the New Year.

You rock Tammy! (In a very fashionable way!)

(Her funky sleeves are from Moeben and skirt from Skirt Sports)

HIllary Swank athletic apparel line

I have to find a post I really enjoyed viewing awhile back showcasing a few keynote celebs running and what they wore en route. It was actually a bit disappointing as only one celeb's outfit was anything of interest - to me at least. Otherwise, the clothing was drab, drab, drab.

But hold 0n - this may be changing as another celeb enters the athletic apparel design world. Hillary Swank just announced her plans to create such a line. This could be really interesting as I was really impressed with parts of the Stella McCartney line for Adidas. Apparently Ms. Swank's background is in gymnastics and swimming so it will be interesting to see how she markets her line.

Read more about the Hillary Swank line here.

There really is a Queen of the Laundry!

Oh yes there is - and it's not me! Of all the domestic chores, however, I must say that there are parts of the laundering process I actually enjoy. And I do take a wee extra care with all of our technical gear. Not enough though as I was floored several years ago when I commented to one gal from our running group on her top and how it must have been the latest of this or that. No no no - her top was five or so years old but LOOKED like it was just off the shelf. In fact, all of Pat's running gear looks this hot and dandy! What is the secret of this wise running Goddess? It's the way she launders her technical clothing. I asked Pat to share a few of her secrets and this is what she had to say:

[Me] Pat, what is the best way to wash and dry technical clothing?

[Pat]

1. Gentle cycle or permanent press, cool to cold water, second rinse, mild-powdered detergent, no fabric softeners, no bleach
2. Inside-out zippers, buttons open, pockets empty
3. No soaking, no sitting damp/wet
4. Hang to dry or lay flat or sometimes low temperature on the dryer for dri-fit or cool max but, not for outer wear with reflective materials or inner wear with spandex
   

[Me] Knowing you Pat, I'm assuming you're going to recommend powder vs liquid detergent and no dryer. Why?

[Pat] Liquid detergent has fabric softeners which is not recommended for the "wicking properties" and low temperatures of a dryer can be used except for reflective material and spandex fabrics.

[Me] What's the oldest item of technical clothing you have that still looks smashing?

[Pat] An early 1980's Gortex Bill Rodgers jacket and pants.