/How are matching tracksuits a thing … again? COVID?

How are matching tracksuits a thing … again? COVID?

How are matching tracksuits a thing … again?

We could blame it on COVID times coinciding with the arrival of winter in Australia but “celebrities” were captured embracing the matching tracksuit trend pre-lockdown.

All this “inspiration” did was throw fuel on a fire that has us reaching for comfy cosy pieces to substitute all the hugs we’re not receiving on the outside world. 

I mean … look at Zoe Foster-Blake, making us all suddenly yearn for next-level matchy matchy.

As a woman of a certain age, I’ve well and truly lived through the many incarnations of the matching tracksuits trend.

Exhibit A: 1981

Nikki Parkison and mum Margaret Parkinson 1981 in matching tracksuits

Oh, I thought I was IT and a BIT in matchy-matchy red velour for my 14th birthday with my late Mum rocking similar. Both were probably bought from Target. SAH fancy. As was my plastic oversized N brooch.

It was definitely the era of the “good tracksuit”, when loungewear was acceptable outerwear. And you definitely saved up your good tracksuit for wearing out of the house.

Now, we’re looking for loungewear because we’re doing a whole lot of lounging. We’re keeping things varied by swapping our activewear trackies or tights for our lounge trackies or tights because it’s comforting and comfortable.

Like most trends, this one exists to push the fashion boundaries, to give a little inspiration as to how you could change up your wardrobe. But, as I always say, never embrace a trend unless you’re really feeling it. And it’s VERY ok if you’re not. 

I’m very much a fan of the fancy tracky but, as for combining a matching sweat with pants, I’m not so sure. HOWEVER, I’ve long learned never to say never because that comes back to bite me. What I will do is try a few different tracksuit and sweat combinations that are tonal or complementary and see where it takes me.

HAH … I’ll start with black shall I? That seems do-able.

Styling You The Label Sharon long-sleeve tee and Suzie ponte jogger pant

Styling You The Label Sharon long-sleeve tee (launching Sunday, May 17) | Suzie ponte jogger pant (launching Sunday, May 17) | FRANKiE4 Footwear SYLViA sneakers

If you want to branch out even further to pastels and brights, I’ve done a little online retail browsing and I found the following options.

The matching tracksuits trend autumn-winter 2020

1. Cotton On tracksuit

2. Elwood tracksuit

3. Binny tracksuit

4. Seed tracksuit

5. Natasha Gan tracksuit

6. Piping Hot tracksuit

7. Nike tracksuit

At the end of the day, fashion and how you wear it is all about you. If you’re here for the matching tracksuit, then I say embrace. 

And, who knows? By the end of winter and weeks of social distancing, I may just join you!

Over to you … will you go matchy-matchy with your sweats and tracky dacks? Already on board?