How To Wear Athleisure To Work

More and more offices are adopting a loose dress code with athleisure influence for their quarters. Why are we collectively moving away from that traditional corporate look? Well, according to research, enforcing suits and ties does nothing good for the company morale, image or worker productivity—people often just end up being uncomfortable and looking inapproachable. Even if it’s just Casual Friday, companies with a looser dress code have happier workers who are not distracted by their clothes. But just because your office allows casual athleisure clothing, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stick to some basic rules:

Go for darker colours

You might be utterly in love with your tie-dye hoodie, but no matter how casual your office dress code is, those bright hues won’t be appropriate for work. A much better option of athleisure wear comes in colours black, navy or deep brown -darker hues which give off an air of elegance and sophistication even when they are very casual.

Watch out for the fit

Athletic wear can often be quite tight to the body, just imagine your spandex workout top. On the other hand, leisure clothing can be too baggy, just imagine your oversized knit sweater. Neither of these fits is appropriate for work! Ideally, you should meet somewhere in the middle when it comes to your fit, so you can feel comfortable while still having a clear silhouette. An exception to this rule can be found in black leggings which are appropriate for the office when combined with something longer and looser to cover up.

Rock some leggings

Okay, you might want to avoid neon gym tights or that nude illusion pair of leggings that show off your gains. However, you can still rock leggings to work, as long as you find the right pair. Opt for a pair of leggings in black and you’ll look perfectly appropriate. Aside from your cotton-spandex solid black leggings, you can also opt for leather leggings for a more edgy and elevated look. Whatever you do when preparing for work, make sure to combine your leggings with something long enough to cover that booty. A good idea is to pair your casual tights with a longer button-down shirt, maybe a longer cardigan or an oversized blazer. Flats will flatter your combo very well, but with leather leggings, you can even opt for heels.

Shorts are a no-no

As much as we would like this not to be the case, especially when the summer heat creeps into the office, but shorts are not appropriate office attire, even for the most casual of dress codes. Shorts can be a part of athleisure, just not for the office. To be safe, stick with full-length pants or skirts below the knee.

Sneakers for the office

Today, sneakers come in very elegant looks that match perfectly with your athleisure vibes. Sneakers work with anything, and they can make even the most elegant outfit look comfortable, relaxed and casual. And a quality pair of dressy sneakers or a simple pair of New Balance runners will always be fashionable, so you don’t have to think about trends.

Feel free to accessorize

If your athleisure outfit doesn’t look complete, you can always opt for accessories to elevate your look. For instance, you can easily add a brown belt to your knit sweater dress. A black sweatshirt can instantly be elevated with pearl earrings for a beautiful and modern contrast. In order to achieve the perfect balance between athleisure and workwear, accessorize your looks with leather loafers, modern pointy pumps, delicate jewellery or a sleek tote bag—these will make every look more polished.

Athleisure might be the perfect style for casual workplaces because it’s more elegant than street wear yet more comfortable than formal wear. With your athleisure outfits, you’ll strike just the right balance between formal and casual and fit into every company dress code.

Words by Guest Writer - Peter Minkoff