Fitness Fashionista

Do the words fashion and sportswear belong in the same sentence? If they didn’t before they certainly do now, writes Brooke Carrillo.

As a fashion-conscious athlete, I am constantly on the prowl for a combination of great design and performance enhancing ensembles.

Spending much of my time in dance rehearsals or classes at the health club, I try to be something of an athletic trend-setter. Assuming that I am not alone in the fact that I take as much pride in my workout clothes as I do my work out, I decided to investigate the athletic wear options available to me and other fashion-savvy athletes here in Brisbane.

First stop on my strictly-business shopping voyage? adidas on the Queen Street Mall.

In previous generations wearing spandex gym shorts and an oversized t-shirt was enough to be cool at the gym. However, accessories are absolutely necessary to a fashion-conscious athlete.
Wrist bands with a timer and the latest designer handbag are a must when walking into your health club, and as a dancer, I marvel at the Stella McCartney range.

From her leg warmers to her oversized jumpers with large buttons and side zippers, going to the gym is something like being a rock star.

After peeling through Stella McCartney’s range I was doubtful that the low-publicised Nike ranges would be able to compete. It was then that I learned Nike is performance focused and while they have some great styles, their ranges boast performance-enhancing materials and design that will satisfy any devoted athlete.

As I ventured out of the shop with a couple of bags, we both headed for Brisbane’s success story Lorna Jane. I took it on as my personal responsibility to find out if the LJ brand could compete with its highest competitors, Adidas and Nike.

While the friendly sales staff explained the intricate design process and high-quality materials used in their clothes, I realised that Lorna Jane was an obvious winner in the competitive athletic wear market. Still, Lorna Jane doesn’t stop at design and performance when considering her customers. They also promote a healthy lifestyle and a never-give-up attitude.

With clothes that meet the needs (yes, needs) of the fashion-savvy athletic consumer as well as ranges that satisfy the intense athlete, the only thing that Lorna Jane is missing is a menswear range…But who is to say that it’s not already on the way?