Active has a new look

Words: Daniël Geldenhuys | Photography: Supplied

Looking to up the ante on your pre-summer fitness routine? It all starts with adding a little extra dose of energy to your look - a jolt of motivation to keep you determined and make your minutes count. These style updates, though specific in their manifestation below, are significant because they can easily be adapted to your routine and pace without compromising their style appeal. 

Why does it always have to be a tog bag? More specifically, a grey, depressing, possibly neglected tog bag? Karlie Kloss is proof that all you really need to take a super simple active look to a stylish place is an unexpected bold take on baggage. (Top tip - don’t shop for this one in the sport section.) If you’re a fan of fashion’s oversized bag trend, you might just be able to fuse your active bag with your normal life bag - modern fashion really is at its best when it’s also convenient. 

Blame the comeback of 90s and noughties styles (and Bella Hadid) - right now there’s nothing cooler than a full tracksuit. It’s also infinitely adaptable: use it as a coverup, as separates during a workout, for travel, downtime or even to dress a friend or bae in an emergency. Recontextualised for today, the tracksuit is modest, gender unspecific, and infused with personality. A perfectly modern wardrobe staple. 

At 50, Jennifer Lopez seems to be transitioning from music to health icon, and doing it in style. When choosing something to pair your leggings with, go for a tonal option that feeds off the predominant colour scheme in the print. (It’s even easier if you’re working with block colours.) Take that colour commitment through to your accessories, but don’t stress about it being a perfect match. Jennifer’s white sneakers pick up on a different colour in the leggings, giving the look a crisp highlight. 

Model Cindy Bruna is just one of the many who’ve followed in Kim KW’s bike shorts-clad footsteps. Since the initial hype phase of the trend is over, it’s time to assimilate it into your style vocabulary in new and exciting ways. Cindy nails proportion play by offsetting the the shorts with an oversized tee, adding a touch of glamour with that chain strap quilted waistbag. There’s something about these shorts that always call for a great pair of sneakers (possibly paired with socks). So if you have a new favourite or old faithful you like to show off, this is the way to do it. 

When Ciara isn’t burning up the stage in an elaborate costume, she’s at rehearsals in something far more comfortable but with no less style appeal. At the end of the day, there’s nothing more reliable for your activewear rotation than pieces that move well in a graphic black and white palate. While classic, it taps into fashion’s contemporary love affair with streetwear. It’s also a no brainer, freeing your mind to focus on living your best life.