Streetwear and athletic clothing have always been separate in menswear. The clothes you wear on the street are meant for the elements and looking your best. The clothing you wear in the gym is meant to allow you maximum movement while also keeping you cool and dry by absorbing your sweat. Now the world has changed, and the casualization of men on the street and the advancement of technology have resulted in a new kind of clothing: athleisure. But it isn’t just gym clothes made cool; there is much more than meets the eye.
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What is athleisure?
Activewear is clothing specifically meant to work in the gym and help you create the best version of yourself. Streetwear is meant to give you the ultimate casual looks to keep you stylish. Loungewear is designed for the ultimate comfort to wear around the house. Athleisure was developed to find the perfect balance between the three. Stylish enough for the street. Tough enough for the gym. And comfortable enough for the couch. If you want the most efficient clothing in the world, one of the following brands will offer the best there is.
There aren’t a lot of brands that can boast comfort, style, and best sellers. Public Rec finds the balance perfectly well with a collection of men’s clothing that looks just as good in the office as they do on the couch. If you are in the market for a new pant, the All Day Every Day Pant is the perfect choice.
Pickleball is the newest sensation sweeping the nation. While it may resemble tennis, the clothing also has an upscale feel similar to that worn by the best of the best on the courts. Moveable and stylish, don’t miss out on some of the most comfortable pieces that make both the grocery store and the courts more comfortable.
Todd Snyder, the man, has been obsessed with athleisure since before the term existed. He collected vintage Champion gear starting back in the 1990s during his days at Ralph Lauren. He brought that mid-century athletic wear to J.Crew during his time as Men’s Creative Director. Then he struck a deal with Champion when he launched his eponymous brand to create a signature line of elevated athletic wear that works equally well with a suit as on the field. Todd Snyder, the brand, has expanded their offerings of fashionable athletic gear beyond just the Champion collab since then.
You’ve probably heard that Champion invented the hoodie (though Russel challenges that claim). So you could argue that they invented athleisure since the entire movement kind of revolves around hoodies. Regardless, they have been making high-quality, no-frills athletic wear for a century. The 1960s-style athletic gear that has been intermingled with workwear and formalwear for over a decade is pretty much all based on Champion. The Champion reverse weave hoodie is arguably the best hoodie in the world and certainly the best value.
Way before athleisure was a thing, Lululemon was already making a name in the sportswear scene. The Canada-based brand provides high-quality yoga pants and athleisure wear that you can pull off on a daily basis. Although they are known first for their women’s wear, their men’s wear is packed with essentials like joggers and running jackets that are comfortable and sleek. Each garment is perfect for whatever task you have to do, wherever you are.
One of the more consistent purveyors of athleisure out there is Reigning Champ. In fact, this Canadian brand defies trends and continues to make some of the best gym and lifestyle gear around. We love the classic crew-neck sweaters and pullover hoodies, both made with quality fabrics in neutral, easy-to-style colors.
If you’re more concerned with use than style, Ten Thousand may be the brand for you. This company has been churning out quality products for a couple of years now, and it puts a tight focus on function. That’s not to say the pieces don’t look good — they do! — but they’re built with performance in mind. We especially like their trio of activewear shorts, which range from the lightweight Session to the ultra-durable Foundation.
What do you get when a group of very serious runners with very respectable styles create the best running apparel brand they can? You get Tracksmith, the Boston-based high-end athletics brand. They can certainly be categorized as athleisure because their gear has a vintage sportswear vibe that fits in perfectly with preppy or streetwear style. However, Tracksmith is designed for serious running first and foremost.
While they may have started out with a mission of making the best yoga workout clothes around, they have definitely mastered all aspects of activewear. Inspiring mindful movement is at their core, and it helps when you have high-quality clothes allowing you to move to your capabilities, without restrictions, and Alo Yoga allows you to do just that. But it is not just the function that makes this brand great, it’s their form as well, with silhouettes of all shapes, whether that’s trim and form-fitting or loose and ultra comfy, they have it all.
Look good and feel comfortable doing it, that’s the name of the game. Whether you’re actually playing a game or going to work out or not, athleisure is a fashion trend everyone can get into. They’re designed just as much for 18 holes with the guys as for binge-watching on the couch. Better yet, if you choose the right products you can even style some of their pieces with high-end brands, merging high fashion and comfort together. All in all the brands on this list are doing their best and will certainly help you update your athletic wardrobe.
Serious Question: Why are you wearing anything OTHER than Taylor Stitch this fall?
Look, I am admitting it right here. The internet is forever. So I know I can never take this back. But I am not an unbiased journalist. Sure, I try to be objective in my reporting of brands and trends. But subjectively, I have favorites. Brands that speak to me. Brands that fit me well. The ones that define my lifestyle better than any others. Now that I have that off my chest, I can objectively say that there is no better brand for your casual wardrobe than Taylor Stitch. I have always loved them more than most, but this year, the Taylor Stitch F/W collection has me asking one very important question for all of you out there:
Why the Hell are you wearing anything other than Taylor Stitch this fall?
Christopher Ward’s new release turns its sporty Loco into a dress watch
Can a watch be a dress watch if it’s got an in-your-face design element like, say, the balance wheel visibly spinning on the dial? Christopher Ward is betting yes.
The Maidenhead, England-based brand just launched their C1 Loco Classic, a dressed-up take on last year’s C12 Loco. That watch was an angular, brightly colored sports watch built around the brand’s in-house CW-003 movement.
Old Fitzgerald and Jonathan Adler team up for a bourbon-night backgammon set
Some bourbon bottles live in the cabinet. Old Fitzgerald’s were made to live on the coffee table.
The brand’s iconic decanter debuted in the 1950s and became a fixture on well-set tables and home bars, backed by the tagline “Your Key to Hospitality.”
