An Argument for Athleisure
Most days I am either in one of three outfits: barn clothes (I live on a horse farm), workout clothes (I run) or what I call mom clothes. I am a lawyer by trade but in the last few years I shifted gears to be a SAHM as it seemed like the years with my kids were slipping right through my fingers. My days of suits or even dressy office attire are mostly over. Unless I am tagging along to a work event with my husband, it’s rare that I am too dressed up these days.
Over the last few years I have noticed my wardrobe has started to maintain an arguably Garanimals feel. If you are old enough (read: over 40) it’s likely your mom dressed you at least occasionally in Garanimals. Much like the Gymboree of today – everything was comfy and soft and everything coordinated. When our mothers were our age they likely had few elastic waist options. Jeans didn’t stretch. Yoga pants didn’t exist. There was no argument about whether or not tights were pants. But ladies we do have that choice. And here at The Summers Collective, Athleta is our go-to choice for pulled together, living life on the run clothes. I’m not saying that athleisure picks are like wearing Garanimals but the fact that I can transition from indoor to outdoor activities throughout my day – in the Florida heat no less – without changing clothes makes athleisure my kind of grown up “play clothes.”
Some may argue that athleisure is kinda lazy. Maybe it is, but dang it if it isn’t comfy. And easy. And soft. And if done right not sloppy. While I am not going to go for a run in an Athleta knit dress, I can and have in a pinch, cleaned a horse stall in said dress, changed out of my muck boots into cute sandals and dashed back out the door. If I am squeezing in barn chores before heading to a parent teacher conference or a lacrosse team meeting I know all the sweat from the Florida heat will quickly wick away and I will show up looking pretty ok. Same with travel, give me a cute knit funnel neck from JCrew and a pair of Athleta joggers and I am warm and cozy on the plane and ready to hit the ground running in the Bahamas once we land. Off comes the pullover and under it a simple tank that wicks but on its own is pretty polished and I am good to go.
There will always be date night clothes in my closet that require ironing. I will always be a lover of jeans, silk shells and good cashmere. But that’s another post for another day. These days more often than not my life is lived pretty high impact and I will be hanging onto Athleisure and my Athleta habit for as long as I can!
