I want to look good on my run, sue me!
A case for looking chic while sweating
Every morning, I throw on some combination of things that make for an acceptable public-facing outfit, contemplate whether I’m satisfied with it, give up, and head out the door for a run.
I run a lot. On average 100km a week. My friends routinely joke I’m a living billboard, as I favour the same 3 loops of my local park every morning. I say this not to brag, but to get one point across: I know what runners wear.
Running has become a bit of a cliche, and I fully recognize its bad rap is not without merit. But for better or for worse, you can’t deny running has boomed.
We’re at a point where moth-holed running tees are the new status symbol. And while I love watching the “hybrid athletes” treat the park like it’s a runway, it’s not really ME. Maybe this is why I often feel like running is a secret part of my life. It doesn’t really have a place in my public-facing persona. It’s never really clicked visually for me. More and more, I’ve wanted to clear my whole wardrobe in favor of having just black bike shorts and single stitch tees. But where’s the fun in that?
So, I’ve been searching for those perfect pieces that will not only make me feel good on a run, but look good. And I’m not alone.
When I started running, athleisure was at its peak. Brands like Set Active, Splits59, alo, and Beyond Yoga began to surpass what OV and lululemon did for the yoga studio, commodifying the commute to overpriced and overbooked pilates classes. We were still Doing Things. Lisa Rinna was shaking her booty in rainbow sweatpants. We didn’t have to be ashamed to wear our leggings out of the house… as long as they were subtly logo-ed, expensive, and paired with a matching bra and designer bag.
Today, we’re seeing more and more sport-style (high-low) outfitting: gym shorts paired with heels, it-girls posting on grid in stirrup leggings, and
is making me want to wear a swimsuit out of the house.
Tod’s, Tory Burch, Ferragamo, and Miu Miu are sending sporty-chic looks down the runway while non-sportwear brands like The Row, Guest in Resident, and Donni are enjoying the comfort dressing hangover. To add to all this, pieces from Sportmax, High Sport, and OpéraSport (do we see a trend?) are leaving me feeling ??? about the whole athleisure approach in general.
Has sport really become fashion? Not convinced, but if we’re talking capital-f-fashion, PFW was a good case study. It seemed like almost every
dispatch mentioned a sport-adjacent brand. BoF asked how marathons became fashion shows. Running brands took the runway!
I think a lot of us view this phenomena through the (predominately male) running lens. I remember going to a run club recently and realizing everyone there was using the excuse of the run as a gateway to talk with other men (because it was, like I said, predominately male). Is it as simple as: men = lonely // running = community ??? Maybe not, but you can’t argue there’s been a huge breakthrough in male-focused running fashion, and that the best brands out there are the ones building community. I mean, I see more Soar than Saucony in the park every day. Women’s running may still be “a big market to win…” (as per
), but how hard can it be?While I’m not going to say I’m the most fashionable runner, what I (or more stylish people than me) wear is a big part of what keeps me interested in running, and I am passionate about it enough that I often find myself sharing brands and pieces I find.
So, what better way than to document here, for you?
the top 5:
literary sport:
WHAT: Elevated (dare I say luxury) gear made of considered fabric, all sourced from small mills in Italy and Japan, with a focus on performance. Pieces are stripped down to “exactly what it needs to be and nothing else” which brings a chic-ness that feels very right. I spoke to Jackie when the brand did a run with London store Knees Up, and it’s clear the need for run-to-reality outfitting is considered, not just for men.
WHO: Jackie McKeown and Fran Miller (read this interview in
or this in ). Also need to mention for their brand work.WEAR: I’m eyeing the Joan tank (to wear like this), the Tove jacket looks like the perfect in-between jacket, and I’m genuinely intrigued by their trousers for a completely non-running moment.
H-O-R-S-E:
WHAT: 100% cotton workout wear (surprisingly hard to find!) that is a “cross between a modern day P.E. uniform and if a legacy luxury brand remade my dad’s college workout gear” – I’m sold.
Similarly to Literary Sport, it’s all unbranded, and carries a welcoming relaxed attitude. I don’t feel like I need to run faster, or further, or even at all.
WHO: Sue Williamson, consultant/writer/ and also owns an upcycled vintage brand. And she clearly has fans –
wrote about their launch, has featured the shorts, and her launch instagram post has very cool people in the comments.WEAR: I can say everything, because it’s a small catalogue. So I will. The shorts, the sweatshirt, and the tee.
pruzan:
WHAT: Sustainable, considered silhouettes. All unisex and size inclusive. I recently saw a girl talking about feeling uncomfortable running in the New York heat – pruzan was born from city running, and continues to show up in interesting ways. Minimalism, art, and coverage – but in a sexy way!
WHO: Jessie Hyman and Lexy Copithorne – friends from college, now across London and LA. I run with Jessie and you can tell not only does she really love what she does, but she also embodies the running aspect of the brand. Which to me is important.
WEAR: Because I see so much pruzan day-to-day, I want it all (lol). The mesh singlet is always a conversation piece, but I’m personally really into this red shade.
comme si:
WHAT: Technically not a running brand but deserves a feature after their recent sport launch, with a trip and subsequent popup in Austria:
this pop-up brings our expanded collection of technical sport socks and exclusive merchandise to life in its most natural element: the rhythm of outdoor movement and elevated performance.
I’m excited to see if they expand, and am really eyeing the socks… it’s like distance, but fashion.
WHO: Founder Jenni Lee, former head of marketing at Harry’s and head of brand Arielle Tylim (over at
). They’ve partnered with some great creatives: their physical spaces by USM are dreamy, and Diana Louise Bartlett always captures the brand beautifully.WEAR: I am primarily eyeing a pair of boxers. But I want to try the socks, of course.
spence:
WHAT: ALSO not a running brand, but I’m including because this is truly a brand that embodies the one thing I keep harping on about: community = authenticity = value. Based around tennis, yes, but more so the spirit of tennis:
“I started making storytelling decks answering the question, ‘Why is it different?’ I saw what was different was that big athletic brands like Nike and Adidas talk about tennis as an intense, lonely, independent sport. When I started thinking about Spence, I realized how many friendships, relationships and connections I made with other people through doing this sport.” (source)
WHO: Founder/Creative Director
and designer Lauren Powell. Amanda has a background in creative strategy and brand narrative, and I think she’s really smart. Excited to see where this goes.WEAR: While I love the sweatshirts, I’d be curious to know if anyone has run in any pieces, as the base short is intriguing to me. I went to order the shopper before realizing they don’t ship to the UK! Devastating!
honorable mentions:
Thanks to
’s post I’m obsessed with Rummage Stretch, sourcing vintage sportswear and posting amazing archival references.Alex Zono for his infamous trucker caps, and I’ve told him he needs to bring these silk shorts back.
VERY intrigued by ernest leoty’s corset situations.
Of course District Vision and Satisfy, because they’ve done lots for the category and I do like their gear… but want more women’s options!
ebay for tees, without the MothTech price point, lol
bonus: is OV… coming back? What do we think they’ll do?
While it’s fun to poke fun at the absurdity of running culture, it’s exciting to watch something grow in real time.
Tell me – what’s running through your mind, or cart lately? What are you looking at, running in, loving?
i’ve been saying this as i click add to cart on the satisfy website (launching women’s pieces in
September btw!!)
Loved this read! Thanks for the shoutout xx