Wear Now, SS10: Varsity
As much as I abhor the very idea of physical activity (I wrote a one-thousand word email this week to my school, complaining about the PE department… don’t ask), the uniforms that the sporty-types are wearing are actually bang-on trend this season, with a refined athleticism coming through in a number of the international collections. Although these creations are the very opposite of their gym bag-ish, sweat-covered high-school origins, their roots in the sportif come through in a mixture of relaxed and restrained lines and the typically athletic colour palette.
Alexander Wang, RTW SS10
At Wang, the socks were pulled high and the sweater hems stretched low. It would be wrong for me to compare the slouchy, soft leather shoulders shown in the picture to military epaulettes, but that would probably be an accurate mirror of my thoughts on sport. However, if you’re a cleaner, more minimal kind of girl, then some of the basics at Maison Martin Margiela rose particularly well to the occassion, with paper used alongside grey jersey to create a kind of trashy, lithe-y agility.
Lacoste, RTW SS10
Lacoste is always good for a laugh, with the Bloody Mary-drinking tennis set humoured by the traditional $200 polos, whilst their somewhat languorous cable-knit sweaters gave the brand its preppy zest. For a more European style, hit up Hermés- for his last collection with the brand, Jean-Paul Gaultier produced tennis-tasia in an almost Paris-meets-Ivy League move. A more glamorous take on the ball-and-rackets theme could be found at Isaac Mizrahi, where striped polos were paired with sequins and sex appeal.
Hermés, RTW SS10
So, however you respond to the sportwear trend- whether it’s dashing to Net-a-Porter or stealing your boyfriend’s baseball jacket- the winning combination seems to be sportif, confidence and a smile that screams joie de vivre. Sport is competitive, so be quick to act and embrace this genuinely forgiving trend!
