- Image by Al_HikesAZ via Flickr
The basic tank tops, shirts, shorts and two piece sportswear suits of yesteryear are evolving. With the popularity of extreme sports and green living sportswear technology has been taken to a new level.
Most sportswear today is made with dri-weave or dri-fit materials. These designs are truly revolutionary. You have the flexibility that is necessary for your fitness routine as well as breathable fibers. Unlike the former cotton options these designs are light weight even when you are perspiring. Their fibers will also pull perspiration away from your skin and dry quickly.
If green living is top of mind check out sportswear lines such as Atayne or Nulethics. Atayne features UV resistant sportswear made from recycled materials that is void of unnecessary chemicals. Nulethics also offers eco-friendly manufacturing with a strong emphasis on a low carbon footprint.
Companies such as Northface and Columbia offer sportswear that is designed specifically for extreme cold temperatures. Amazingly enough, many of their materials will allow your body to breath while keeping you safe from frostbite. Whether you are skiing, snowboarding or mountain climbing proper protection is paramount. Under Armour cold gear is another option for working out in cold weather.
Visibility is a concern with many outdoor sports. The new options in visibility sportswear are far beyond neon colors. Neon will never be out of the ballgame here, but reflective options have been beefed up. Reflective materials are now built in to the design of your sportswear. Many of the material are even washer/dryer safe. By reflective I mean many of these materials can essentially glow in the dark and will be illuminated with minimal lighting. Whether you hunt, hike, bike or jog being easily identified could save your life.
Top athletes have long been attaching their names to popular brands such as Nike and Reebok. With the popularity of MP3 and iPod’s the music industry is joining the branding circles. Much of today’s sportswear options are designed with your musical devices in mind. You will find sportswear with built in pockets to house your devices and sleek slots to lace your ear buds through.
If high fashion is one of your concerns while working out top designers such as Prada and Gucci have options for you as well. Your sportswear can transform into or layered with your day to day ensembles. This is convenient since many of us have hectic schedules and are always on the go. Whether you’re doing yoga or picking up the kids from school, activewear pants can be a comfortable part of your day.
Sportswear options will continue to grow and evolve as our fitness routines do the same. Whether you are on the market for any combination of comfort, performance or protection your needs are sure to be met.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=41ce863f-ee92-4970-a73a-7fc718f0600b)
Accessorising with jewelry
Basic fashion principles apply to jewelry too. Gold is a warm, bright color so it coordinates easily with earth tones, warm neutrals, reds, orange etc. It contrasts with strong, cool colors (sapphire blue, turquoise, forest green) and is trickier to team up with cool grays and pastels. Silver is a cool, pale color and works, generally, the other way round – ie, at its best with paler and cooler colors. Both metals are great with black for an understated look.
For more vibrancy, wear your black, white or neutral outfits with more colorful jewelry. Of course, if you’re wearing a color already, select jewelry with stones or enamel that harmonize with the garment or the accessories. A yellow summer dress with red shoes and earrings flashing with rubies – okay, perhaps just garnets for most of us – looks coordinated without trying too hard. With lapis lazuli earrings, the same outfit is a mess. Get some blue shoes!
Don’t overlook the role that jewelry can play in making your body shape look more symmetrical, taller or slimmer. Vogue’s suggestion in November 09 that we wear ‘hair furniture’ may sound odd but an updo, elaborately decorated with jeweled combs and worn with heels, could add over six inches to your height and slim a round face. There are many tricks you can play once you’ve grasped the principle that the eye moves towards colour, light and detail, and registers that area as ‘bigger’. So if you’re somewhat ‘straight up and down’, you could use a wide, attention-grabbing necklace draped or pinned like a shawl to make your bust look more prominent – and sling a big blingy belt round your hips to widen them too. Presto: more hourglass, less ironing-board. Equally, if you feel a little too apple-shaped, learn how to accessorise with long bright beads against a plain garment to break up your form into tall, narrow rectangles.
If your clothing’s highly patterned or ornate, keep the jewelry plain, and vice versa. Wear a single piece of jewelry for class, and two matching or strongly coordinated pieces to make the effort for formal occasions. Multiple pieces of jewelry can be worn casually (many bracelets or beaded necklaces can look boho-chic, artistic, etc) or else saved up for costume parties when you really feel a need to pile on the rhinestones.