We Need to Talk Tracksuits
We can all agree now that athleisure is a thing. It genuinely won't surprise me if it eventually becomes a dictionary-authentic word. We find ourselves opting for that cozier option because it's commonly acceptable - which is all good, right? Comfortable as fuck and looking fly. It's the dream. Except when you have half the fashion community in fuckin' track suits.
Sadly, it’s not always done well - it’s very easy to commit to a seemingly effortless classic Adidas or Nike trap suit.
The track suit got a new lease on life as Gosha Rubchinskiy and Demna Gvasalia’s VETEMENTS gained more and more traction in late 2015. As the #cozy look became the weapon in the arsenal of every basic boy, as the overexposed Tech Fleece and Roshe Runs were truly approaching their death. Rubchinskiy pioneered the reappearance of the slouchy, Slavic appeal - calling back to late 80’s and mid-90’s, with ensembles you’d usually see on the lower-to-middle class in the Soviet Republic. This was furthered with collaborations with sentimentally adored brands such as Kappa and Sergio Tacchini. As much as it was becoming common to see teenagers dressed head-to-toe in Tommy Hilfiger and FILA (also collaborated with by Gosha), this was a breath of fresh air: a foreign take on an American classic. …at least that’s what I would’ve said last year.
Gosha Rubchinskiy
Trends have their life-cycle, of course. We all know the entire sweatsuit getup has been done time and time again in the last year or so, and we can’t say we’re fans anymore. Every second a ‘fashion kid’ is seen draped in your classically uninspired “Russian mobster” look: Gosha sweats, some Reebok leathers, and maybe even a cheeky gold chain. It’s not so fun when something so playful is overexposed, but it’s really been run into the ground.
Palm Angels SS 18' show
But that doesn’t mean it’s time to move on. Out of the eye of full-blown mainstream fashion, brands like Rhude, Palm Angels, and Fear of God, to name a few, are reinventing that classic look gone stale. Even as of recently, your everyday track pant silhouette has become a jawn to some of the most vigilant archive hunters out here. Track pants from Japanese brands Needles and Final Home are skyrocketing in price on the resale market as the appeal for the muted approach to the classic sweat becomes more favorable.
Fear of God
Here’s where we come in. We’ve curated some of the more tasteful ways of taking on the look below. The track pant is still a classic look, and if done correctly you might just get a fit off.