Yahoo News The cool girl's guide to seriously stylish athleisure wear
Athleisure wear has had a serious upgrade. Like Californians and Aussies, wellness-conscious Londoners now too proudly parade around in their yoga tights, mats casually strewn over one shoulder, well beyond the studio. And a number of brands have upped their activewear game in response.
We want comfort – no saggy bums, please – a flattering high waist, quick dry material – no sweat patches in certain places, thank you – and some funky prints to keep up that fitness momentum into the soon to be (hopefully) balmy summer evenings.
From leopard print to cheetah, lightening crackle to snake, and the return of the controversial unitard, below are a few of the the pieces we're coveting right now – we've also road tested items from each brand to ensure they deliver in the comfort stakes too.
Nimble Activewear
Bondi-beach born Nimble uses clever 'Compresslite' fabric made from recycled plastic bottles, which are cleaned, melted and turned into a yarn that’s knitted with spandex to give the tights an super silky finish.
The ultra light weight tight and wide waistband is really flattering, while the quick dry material keeps you cool and sweat patch free. You can probably size down – we did – and we're particular fans of the the dusty pink feather and hunter green designs.
The good news is that the Australian brand just launched at Selfridges and Browns, marking its first physical presence in the UK.
Born Nouli Activewear
British brand Born Nouli has some fantastic bold prints at an affordable pricepoint.
The leggings are seriously stretchy – don't be alarmed if they look tiny when they arrive, they've been cunningly designed using 4-way stretch technology for ultimate support, which compresses, lifts and shapes your body while you work out.
The cloud crackle pictured above is currently our favourite, closely followed by the noir crackle, supernova and storm jetta featured in the gallery at the top.
Vaara
Founded by model and mother Tatiana Korsakova, also the wife of billionaire Andrey Borodin, Vaara is a premium activewear brand designed with comfort and quality in mind.
Each piece has been thoughtfully created to suit the needs of Korsakova's own busy, yet wellness-conscious lifestyle.
We love the Tuxedo two-tone pieces in the collection particularly, as the stylish side panelling gives a lengthening and slimming effect – win, win.
Push Rio
This cool Brazilian brand has some seriously fun activewear sets to jazz up your workout look. The asymmetrical Miranda bra in camo (above) is a fun alternative to the usual crop top style and the cut-out detail gives it an extra sporty feel.
An added nice touch is that each product comes packaged in 100% recyclable silky polythene bags, each of which have been lovingly made by the 82-year-old mother of founder Carolina.
Varley
Activewear brand Varley designs seriously stylish athleisure for yoga, running and training, and blends London's cosmopolitan vibe with LA's lifestyle (the brand has headquarters in both cities).
It's known for it's quality, pastel-hued leggings and bralets, as well as bold prints – we cannot wait for this yellow snake set with eyelet detail to drop from the new collection in mid-May.
Silou
Silou was founded by former Victoria Secret’s Angel Tatiana Kovylina. Each piece of the collection has been certified by Oeko-Tex, a textile industry standard, which means they're free from toxic chemicals, and the brand uses sustainable fabrics sourced from Italy.
We love the monochrome design of the Emma Crop (above) and hadn't considered white gym leggings until now – très chic.
And if you hadn't already heard, 2019 is the year you'll be seeing all the cool girls in your yoga class busting a unitard, yes really. The Phoebe (£189, below) comes in black/white and chilli/black.
Lorna Jane
Australian-born activewear brand Lorna Jane is a firm favourite among any fitness freak in the know and it's just launched into London's Selfridges, huzzah!
You will want every piece from the collection, which delivers ultimate support, comfort and some serious steeze.
evveervital
Having launched at the beginning of the year and opening its store in Canary Wharf in April, evveervital is a newcomer to the activewear scene.
The brand uses a high percentage of recycled and bio-based materials for its fabric. Our top picks from the collection so far has to be the Breathe Sports Bra and Hops Leggings in rich mocha which are perfect for your next yoga or barre class.
Shop more activewear looks in the gallery at the top
