With a few notable, if sometimes impractical, exceptions, athletes are not too interested in wearing jewelry while actively participating in their sports. Adding a sporty influence to fashion, however, creates quite a different dynamic. This season, high-tech fabrics and designs inspired by sports are the base for stylish looks that incorporate jewelry and other accessories to create unmistakably feminine takes on athletic-inspired designs.
The March 2012 issue of Vogue highlights this trend: “Sports influences run like a streak through spring fashion. This sleek, elite-athletic concept delivers high-performance pieces at their most chic.” The above look is described: “Pleats at back give minimalist whites a tennis spin; the leather vest serves up a touch of tomboy.” The diamante collar, cotton shirt, and bag are from Celine, worn with an Altuzarra vest and pencil skirt from Diane von Furstenberg. The look is accented with Ann Dexter-Jones Design ID bracelets.
Among the looks pictured by Vogue is this ensemble, featuring a track jacket as a “great, trim layering piece for spring.” A leather jacket from Nina Ricci is shown over a Lycra jacket from Alexander Wang and a pleated skirt from Bottega Veneta. Plenty of jewelry accents the look: a Ben-Amun “silver-link necklace” and a Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci “shark-tooth necklace.” The bracelets are not identified but appear to be variations of the Ann Dexter-Jones Design ID bracelets pictured above.
The March 2012 issue of InStyle devotes several pages to the sporty trend, explaining “Why We Love It”: “How much fun it is to step out in those high-contrast colors direct from the playing field in fabrics designed for comfort, speed, and breathability! There’s a sense of freedom in these weightless, body-conscious pieces: You don’t have to do anything but strut down the street knowing you look good.” As to “How to Wear It,” InStyle advises: “Perfect for casual dates and weekend get-togethers, this sleek stuff grazes—not grabs—your curves. Whether you’re in rugby stripes or silk track pants, anoraks are your go-with-everything outerwear. Navy is your neutral; cuffs, your chosen jewelry. Your lips are nude, and your shoes are open–and absolutely not sneakers.” On the page above, the Tommy Hilfiger runway look is accented with a cuff bracelet.
The second page of the InStyle spread features a Rag & Bone runway look accented with not only cuffs but also a choker. The Y-3 look is shown with sneakers.
On a third page, the March 2012 issue of InStyle illustrates what to wear, including sporty runway looks from Michael Kors and Donna Karan, both of which are accessorized with bracelets.
Also appearing in the March 2012 issue of InStyle is a page of bungee cord-inspired jewelry, featuring designs from ASOS, Spring Street, Auden, Fiona Paxton, A.V. Max, R.J. Graziano, Miansai by Michael Saiger, Orly Genger by Jaclyn Mayer, Holst + Lee, and Hallelu.
“Mesh details and sleek lines bring home the gold in the season’s style Olympics,” comments the March 2012 issue of Harper’s Bazaar. A cuff bracelet from Lacoste and watch from Hublot are among the featured sporty-themed fashions.
Elle magazine takes a clever approach to the sporty trend, showing four variations — quirky, minimalist, sophisticate, and what is simple labeled “sporty”– in this March 2012 fashion spread anchored by a mesh look from Alexander Wang. The jewelry featured consists of a plated brass and agate cuff from Eddie Borgo (“sporty”), and a stainless steel watch with leather strap from Pandora (“sophisticate”).
The March 2012 issue of Elle also suggests what to wear with specific athletic-inspired garments. To wear with a sweatshirt, as inspired by Marc Jacobs, the magazine suggests, “Keep athletic fare girly with hits of bold color.” The gold-plated necklace with coral beading pictured is from Assad Mounser.
The Feb. 20–27 issue of New York magazine includes as one of the key spring trends “Sporty Gets Spiffy.” In the collage of sporty looks, only Rag & Bone has a style accented with visible jewelry (a collar necklace and cuffs bracelets).
The February 2012 issue of Glamour recommends “wear a chunky watch” (pictured is a style from C. Wonder) as a sporty-chic essential, positing, “Why wear your BF’s jersey when you can rock these? Keep just one piece bright and body-hugging.”
The January 2012 issue of Marie Claire focused on pieces under $100, noting: “Techno-athletic gear in a sporty palette gives wardrobes a workout without breaking the bank.” Along with a Rag & Bone runway look accented with a collar and cuff, upper left, the magazine highlights a collar necklace from R.J. Graziano.
In the second page of the January Marie Claire spread, the magazine highlights a pair of wristwatches from Nooka and four woven bracelets from Nissa Jewelry.
Notice that, with the exception of some of the bungee-inspired jewelry pictured in InStyle, all of the jewelry is limited to bracelets, watches and collar-length necklaces. Hairstyles are all easy care, with ponytails presenting a slick option. Jewelry and footwear, along with handbags, are what bring these sporty looks into the world of fashion.
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