Reviewed & updated: October 19, 2022 by Jamie Wilson BA
It’s the look that takes sleek and stylish and relaxed and comfortable, and creates a whole new style. Sports luxe is the melting pot of different cultural and fashion influences. Stir the pot and you’ll get an incredibly versatile aesthetic. Read on to find out how to wear sports luxe, we can guarantee you won’t be able to resist its charm.
Over the last few years Sports Luxe or “Sports Luxury” clothing has been on the incline in public popularity, undoubtedly aided by the rise of celebrities and musicians showing off their outfits on social media. When people hear the word ‘sport’ in relation to clothing, they often have the tendency to immediately assume that the outfit will basically consist of some type of jogging bottoms and sports vest, I can assure you that’s not the case. If you’re not familiar with this trend, there’s a whole world for you to discover. Let’s have a look at the sports luxe definition, shall we?
What Is Sports Luxe?
Well, it’s clothing and designs inspired by sport, but by no means exclusive to sports labels. Typically the pieces are comfortable to wear and usually have a relaxed feel to them. You certainly wouldn’t go out for a fine dining meal wearing a complete sports luxe outfit, but it can appear smart if worn in the right way. Over the years, activewear has evolved and gone beyond its more obvious uses and environments. It doesn’t just simply do what it says on the tin.
Streetwear used to be a taboo in the high ranks of fashion. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t even considered to be part of it. Luckily, things have changed. The words ‘street wear’ were used for commercial purposes for the first time in 1986 by American brand Vision thus creating new market possibilities. Those two words have since then transformed and turned into a broader concept involving luxury brands rather than being a fixed category.
Now the lines between the streetwear and catwalks are progressively being blurred and quite successfully so. The fashion industry and its customers alike have been massively benefitting from this successful contamination that has no intention to stop. This evolution has now reached a stage where sport luxe and streetwear simply aren’t enough to capture the essence of these creations:
The words sportswear or streetwear are demeaning to the city’s young designers: what they’re creating is pure fashion
– Charlie Porter, Financial Times
Sports Luxe
Think of sports luxe as the more high-end and more fashionable version of football casuals. That doesn’t mean that you have to exclusively use the latest and most cutting-edge streetwear brands such as Gosha Rubchinskiy, Cottweiler or Nasir Mazhar. Some of the pieces from those brands are undoubtedly amazing, especially when combined with other labels via cool collaborations that make them even more desirable. That said, you can achieve a variety of sports luxe outfits without necessarily breaking the bank.
Most people can afford two or three expensive pieces and if you can you should by all means invest in that cool jumper you’ve had your eyes set on for ages. You can treat yourself once in a while. But on most occasions, you can rely on more affordable sports brands that will deliver the same results.
One of the most important things about sports luxe is functionality combined with style in an urban setting. Channelling that city, concrete jungle vibe is essential. Sports luxe trend is designed for the man with a passion for dynamic, stylish and constantly evolving streetwear. If you’re looking for practical yet cool clothing in the top tiers of streetwear, sports luxe is right up your street.
Sports Luxe Trend
This trend has been embraced by more traditional fashion houses such as Balmain, Givenchy and Balenciaga and has therefore successfully infiltrated in mainstream fashion. That way, sports luxe gained a reputation and higher level of respect in the industry making it a desirable aesthetic for a wider and more varied audience. Thanks to these dynamics, conventional fashion categories are in constant expansion.
The power of sport luxe and streetwear knows no boundaries and shouldn’t be underestimated. More recently, 22-year-old journalist Noor Tagouri created streetwear clothing line ‘The Noor Effect’ along with designer Adam Khafif with the aim of donating 50% of profits to anti-human trafficking charity, Project Futures. How’s that for streetstyle engagement?
The great thing about sports luxe garments is that their quality and more sophisticated look will allow you to combine them with the more classic elements of your wardrobe. Working sports luxe elements into your existing range of clothing will definitely give your overall appearance a contemporary spin. Sports luxe is continuously reinventing itself and this is a great chance for you to reinvent your wardrobe as well.
Luxe Clothing
Jackets
Statement jackets are your sports luxe armour. Outerwear gives you a great chance to stand out and break away from the mundanity of more classic looks. I’m not trying to suggest that you should be lazy or anything, but if you build your outfit around an eye-catching jacket, you can definitely afford to wear a simple t-shirt, a pair of jeans and trainers. If you’re jacket’s good enough, that’s everyone’s going to be looking at.
Alpha Industries
Oversized MA-1s and bomber jackets are a must when it comes to sports luxe. Giving a street style flavour to essential pieces of the military apparel, Alpha Industries outerwear is exactly the kind of premium streetwear you need to introduce to your closet. If you think Tom Cruise looked cool in Top Gun, you’ve seen nothing yet. That’s ancient history now. These jackets will get you one step closer to a pilot licence in no time.
Top
The t-shirt is the sports luxe staple. It’s usually plain but can sometimes feature a bold colourful print or pattern. The fit varies the most though, and you can get away with baggy oversized t-shirts, to more tight fitting designs. If football stadiums and skate parks are your natural habitats, this is the kind of gear you need.
Soulland
If you’re a big fan of the minimalistic Scandinavian and nordic aesthetic, you should definitely get your hands on some pieces by Soulland. Their T-shirts and sweatshirts are great for an everyday yet street aware look. If you happen to be in Copenhagen, make sure you visit their flagship store for some real life inspiration.
Wood Wood
If sports luxe and streetwear have no secrets for you, Wood Wood needs no introduction then. With over 50 collaborations with other brands under its belt, Wood Wood has immensely contributed to the popularisation of sports luxe. With its innovative and street culture-influenced aesthetic, the brand has taken the fashion industry by storm. Wood Wood’s extensive selection of sweatshirts and T-shirts will make you street royalty in the blink of an eye. Needless to say that their tops are also extremely versatile and you can pair them with basically any pair of jeans and trainers you currently own.
Trousers
For sports luxe there’s a lot of choice when it comes to trousers. You can go for something casual, like a fitted pair of joggers, or try something less relaxed, like slim fit jeans. Occasionally there can be small details and patterns on the trousers, but they’re usually left plain to help draw attention to the footwear. One thing is for sure, though. Sweatpants are no longer limited to the walls of your living room or gym. That said, don’t use relaxed fits as an excuse to be sloppy. Sports luxe is all about comfortable sophistication.
Luxe Trainers
Footwear
It’s all about the shoes when it comes to the sports luxe style. Like the tops you’ve got a lot of choice here, and can go for the popular Hi-Tops and trainers, or pick a more formal look with boots. There needs to be a bit of colour to really pull the outfit together though, so avoid black and brown. Subtlety isn’t the main way to go about your footwear in the sports luxe look.
Garment Project
Trainers are simply key when channelling a streetwise attitude. More often than not, they’re all you need to nail the sports luxe aesthetic. However, if you’re not too keen on a loud pair of kicks but still want to achieve that modern sports luxe feel, Garment Projects is the right brand for you. Their minimal leather trainers are exactly what you need. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, these trainers can also be paired with your favourite tailored suit. Their modern potential and contemporary feel can be easily elevated to the territory of formalwear.
Your Quick Guide to How to Wear Sports Luxe
- Sports luxe is simply stands for sports luxury and it’s in constant expansion.
- Sports luxe includes skateboarding and surfing brands, high-end streetwear and even the most luxurious of orthodox designer brands. With its variety of cultural tribes and price points, sports luxe can be easily accessed by any kind of wallet.
- You don’t have to spend a fortune on your sports luxe wardrobe – luxe doesn’t mean inaccessible. The real luxury here is the freedom to dress comfortably yet stylishly.
- Invest on a few luxurious items, like a pair of statement trainers or a crew neck jumper.
- You can rely on more affordable brands that will give the same sports luxe tone to your outfit without spending a huge amount of money.
- Sports luxe gives you the chance to be comfortable and stylish at the same time. It’s literally every man’s dream so what are you waiting for?
- Use sports luxe’s versatility to your advantage: calibrate your outfits according to each occasion so that you can easily go from casual to semi-formal with the addition of just a few items.
- Sports luxe is often more about how you channel your personality through your clothing as a means of expression, you could have the latest adidas YEEZY Boost trainers but if they’re not your thing, you’ll end up looking like an idiot.
On That Note
Sports luxe and streetwear have massively contributed to making fashion more accessible for everyone via a total infiltration and subversion of its standards – and it was about time. Now that you now that sports luxe includes so much more than sweatpants and t-shirts designed in some guy’s dodgy basement, it’s probably time for you to get yourself some appropriate to walk the streets like you own them. Keep in mind that it’s great to push fashion boundaries but remember not to cross the line between sports luxe and loungewear. There’s always plenty of room for style faux pas but luckily for you, we’ve trained you well.
