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."

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!

You've run a long way...baby!

Fashion has come a long way and this includes the outfits women wear for sport. This turn of the century photograph illustrates my point (although the photograph of these Australian women is perhaps a bit contrived and comical).

I wouldn't doubt though that the collision of activewear and fashion is coming a bit full circle if we studied "sporting fashions" of the past.

One element of style that has surfaced in activewear is the presentation of a complete outfit. Running Skirts fall 2010 collection showcases this beautifully (view their coordinated collection here). Moeben out of California also presents coordinated running outfits from head to toe (view here). Another on the list is Skirt Sports (view here).

Running fashion has come a long way. It's not for all, but - hot dang - it's sweet for those that like to indulge in sugar and spice and all things nice!

New ASICS AYAMi Running collection

I definitely scream for custom athletic gear!

How fabulous is Ice Cream?
Pictured above are three styles from the Quebec-based company (yes - called Ice Cream!). There are many more. What's absolutely fantastic is that you choose the style and then you choose the fabric. The fabric is all sweat-wicking so you're only limited by...nothing really! This is almost like being a kid in a candy store! I love ICE CREAM!

Smitten by the season's hottest colour!

I've been admiring this runner's top for some time now. Called, "the purple haze" it apparently feels quite light-weight against the body. A neat little feature are the thumb holes on the sleeves. Although I've never been one to search this feature out, I know I've had a number of women ask me if I would consider adding this to my own line of shirts.

Quite frankly, it's the colours and mix of shimmering top pattern with the bold colour on the bottom half of the shirt that make it a must-have on my clothing list (which, by the way, is growing by the day!). This top, made by Skirt Sports can be found at many online retailers, like this one.

Stella McCartney for Adidas

I had my first glimpse of the line Stella McCartney made for Adidas at the Philadelphia Marathon this past fall. It was this top in a stunning shade of purple that I saw and new I had to have.

The running top has all the characteristics of what stylists predict to be trendy in the activewear industry for 2011: colour, feminine details and a sleek cut.

The price point may seem out of reach for some, although it depends on your approach to dressing for the great outdoors. Style does matter as it represents how we feel about ourselves and in turn, what message we are communicating with others.

This beautiful piece can be purchased online here, or at other stores that carry the Adidas line.

Running Clothing Trends

Creating stylish clothes for active folks is not a new - or a small phenomenon. With large players on the scene like Lululemon, Nike and Adidas, the topic of style in activewear cannot be ignored. Here, for example, are what style experts are seeing for this industry in 2011:

• Sleek and modern cuts (think streamlined)
  
• Feminine details (ruching, whimsical, undefined prints)
• Updated puffers and sweatshirts in classic and fashion forward shapes
  
• Electric cobalt and purple stand out as colour choices
• Jagged geometrics and abstract prints (think crazy leggings)

For the "colour of the year" in 2011, it's honeysuckle. With adjectives like "energetic" and "vibrant" used to describe this reddish-pink hue, I think it is only deserving that it makes its way into an item of running apparel next year. Here is a sample of the honeysuckle colour.

Swiss Miss style

When I think of gals that are already rockin' style on the run, I think of Swiss Miss Iris. Iris has run - not once but twice - the absolutely brutal Badwater desert ultra (135 miles). I had the pleasure of crewing for her one year and know that the conditions can make for a very ugly experience with staying awake and running for well over twenty four hours and battling the extreme heat (averaging 130 F by day).

Like many Badwater competitors, Iris was outfitted all in white, however, her signature colour is black, by day and on the run. In one respect this seems counter to my critique of womens running clothes where black dominates to a boring degree.

Perhaps what sets Iris' style on the run apart from others is her insistence on buying quality items. Her tops and bottoms are always fitted, not baggy and she sports trendy accessories, like the Moeben animal print armbands, dirty girl gaiters and white compression socks.

The Swiss are known to have discerning tastes, and when it comes to running, this Swiss Miss is no different.

My fave tattoo

I love tattoos but I couldn't ever imagine covering my body in permanent, full colour designs. Sugoi has developed the next best thing - the "Tatu" armband for runners. For much less than the cost of a real tattoo, these sexy little runner's accessory even received positive reviews from the New York Times. Not surprising for a company like Sugoi that makes functional clothing for runners, triathletes and bikers. The armbands are available online from Sugoi here.

Pretty cold running

If you ever thought it was hard to dress for a run in nice weather, you know that almost any attempt to dress smartly for a cold night's run is futile.

Have women in cold climates no choice but to dress in dark, non-coordinated, drab and dare I say - overly bulky - outfits just to get a run in on a cold winter's night?

Here's one fabulous piece of winter clothing that is putting new meaning to the term "pretty cold." It's the puffer winter vest from JC Penny. With colours like lime green, vivid blue and matador red, women can at least add a splash of colour to their winter running wardrobe. And for under $20, we can afford a few splashes. These vests are available to purchase online from JC Penny.

Dressed to run

I recall meeting a gal at the Ottawa Marathon Expo several years ago that had just purchased her first running dress and was looking for seamless panties to go with it.

I don't think running dresses ever really took off - not like running skirts at least. Although I don't actually own a dress of this sorts (yet) I know that my fear would be accidental exposure. It can't be much different though from a running skirt - especially considering my preference is a skirt with briefs, not full shorts underneath.

A friend recently introduced me to the Nuu Muu brand. The patterns alone are adorable and I love the dark contrasting piping on the sleeves and neckline. There also appears to be a slit in the skirt - cute! Even cuter is the teardrop detailing in the neckline. I'm definitely willing to try "dressing" for a run next summer.

Too sexy for running?

I produce running events and I'm always on the lookout for ways I can add "funk" to my races. T-shirts, for example - how boring are so many of the shirts we receive in our goody bags as swag? And - how far can we push the gamut of what we give away as swag (speaking from a race director's perspective)?

I won't divulge all the details of what I'm thinking of making for one of my events, but I came across this fabric the other day and my mind has been going wild ever since.

Is it too sexy for running?