It’s always encouraging to see trends shift from street to high street to lore, which is why it was encouraging to see Kirsty Wark “sporting a bizarre fusion of business and sportswear” on Newsnight this week, a trend otherwise known as “athleisure”. The Daily Mail also said she looked ill at ease, which seems a little cruel given she clearly wasn’t: note the blazer and low heels, the crossed legs so as to flex the stripe.
Good luck wishing this trend away, too, because athleisure continues to monopolise the womenswear market: it’s the focus of Beyoncé’s new line, at the crux of Selfridges soon-to-be-opened Body Studio and Nike’s favourite off-shoot (apparently it’s upped its athleisure marketing spend by 10%). Wark’s ‘half-tracksuit’ trousers from ME+EM (a relatively new luxe leisurewear brand whose striped trousers have since sold out) have taken this trend to the next level: news. Still, given it was probably a trend started, in part, by the media, it’s merely a case of fashion coming full circle.
