Activewear in Social Settings

Arc'Teryx Skyline Shirt in Light Carbide

When men talk to me about clothes, clothing for sports -- activewear -- is always a theme. Men in the San Francisco Bay Area are passionate about outdoor sports: hiking, sailing, cycling, skiing/snowboarding, running, climbing, surfing, tennis, golf, swimming, kiteboarding, rowing, etc. The landscape and weather are gorgeous, and sport is an essential relief from the highly technical jobs done by most men here.

Men often wear specialized sports clothes outside of the sporting context. It makes sense -- activewear is a triumph of functionality, and carries positive associations from past exploits. It's convenient -- if you already own the clothes, why not wear them all the time? Activewear is commonly seen in general social situations and at work, even in the boardroom. Some men feel that the ability to wear activewear at work is a reward and signal of success; and they enjoy bringing the exhilarating feelings from sports into their professional life.

Historically, men's clothes tend to evolve and migrate from sports purposes into work and social settings, so this is par for the course. Even the most formal business garments of today -- wool suits, oxfords -- originated from hunting, riding and sailing in the British Isles. Sportswear was so common it came to mean "casual" instead of "sport," so the new term activewear had to be invented. Men's clothing has always had two conflicting currents -- uniformity to show dedication to a common cause (the gray flannel suit of the 1950's); and subtle rebellion against such uniformity, which scores points for those who can get away with it through either privilege or nerve. Wearing activewear at work plays with these concepts...

As the tech frontier, Silicon Valley consciously avoids looking too traditional (like New York) or too frivolous (like Los Angeles). The absence of these two influences leaves a void in the relaxed office dress code, which is often filled by outdoor brands like Northface, Columbia, Patagonia, REI. Hiking fleece is more socially acceptable than, say, skintight cycling gear, and is worn everywhere.

In technical activewear, form -- how it looks -- closely follows the specific sports function. Beyond these utilitarian requirements, designs emphasize other sports attributes, for example, aerodynamic adrenalin (cycling); orderly, detailed structure (golf); swagger (basketball); or rebellious transcendence (board sports). Enhancing the attractiveness of the clothes-wearer is a lower priority.

This is fine when activewear is worn during the sport it was designed for. It can become a problem when the same clothes are brought into non-sports settings, where clothes are expected to perform a different role. In social settings like parties or restaurants, clothing's main function is to maximize attractiveness and social status. Since activewear wasn't primarily designed for this, it doesn't always succeed.

Sports clothes worn away from sports is one of the biggest style pitfalls for men. How can a man make sure that activewear isn't undermining his social goals?

• Choose activewear that functions well for you on a visual as well as technical level. Activewear can enhance your personal looks through color, pattern, cut and overall design. Our style service can help you find the most attractive activewear for you as an individual. 
• Invest in well-designed items that will look better wherever you wear them. Some brands are designed much more attractively than others, and extra effort to find the best is worth it.
• Reserve some items for sports instead of social purposes. Some items work great for sports but are very unappealing. In this case, it is better to wear the item only when you're doing the sport. A common example is the superhero-style sunglasses made for cycling or skiing (Oakley) -- typically very small, with a technical, streamlined design, and brightly colored, flashy lenses. These detract from the handsomeness of most men, so it is better to also have some aviator or other classic sunglasses (Ray-Ban) on hand for social uses.

Types of activewear that tend to not perform well socially (although there are always exceptions) include primary or bright colors; large, contrasting areas of color, aka color-blocking; machine-like designs; large/overwhelming graphics; too many drawstrings/straps/velcro/pockets; or too bland/boring. Our next blog post will share examples and explanations of technical activewear with sophisticated style.

Miss Menswear's online Style Plan delivers crucial, personalized information on the best clothing styles for you, to help you select visually effective clothing including activewear. Complete online personal shopping is also available.