I first started seeing velvet activewear popping up last fall/winter, but I figured it would fade away quickly. As it turns out, it’s back and even bigger this year.
So: velvet in your workout wear? Chic and festive or garish and impractical?
Photo: Alo Yoga layer long sleeve via Carbon38
What I love about velvet is, of course, the texture. It looks luxe, it feels soft, and it adds a totally different look. Not to mention, it’s festive around the holiday season.
There are 3 major ways I see the velvet trend playing out in the active and athleisure zone, and I’ll highlight each of the 3 below.
By the way: what’s the difference between velvet and velour, you ask? Velvet is woven while velour is knitted. Velour tends to be stretchy while velvet is not. For the purposes of this post, I’m using the term “velvet” as a catch-all term, even though some items may technically use velour.
Option 1: go big or go home
Beyond Yoga velvet sets exclusive for Bandier
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Sweaty Betty velvet fashion leggings / Sweaty Betty velvet bodysuit
Purusha People misty crushed velvet bell bottoms
Ultracor knockout velvet leggings via Revolve
Not for the faint of heart. If you want major velvet, then by golly, you can get it.
When I was a tween, I was mildly obsessed with velour. My absolute favorite pair of pants was a pair of black stretch velour flare pants. They looked and felt like a million bucks as far as 12-year-old Suzanne was concerned. (Perhaps surprisingly, I never ended up being the owner of a Juicy Couture velour tracksuit later on.)
Unfortunately, through that experience, I learned the downfall of velour and velvet: wear. I wasn’t working out in those fancy velour flare pants, but over time, they developed two awkward-looking splotches on each side of my bum where the velour had worn down simply from sitting on normal surfaces. They didn’t last long before the worn splotches rendered them unwearable. Granted, they were probably $10 from JC Penney, but even so, the sad experience of my favorite pants rendered useless has stuck with me for years.
With that in mind, bear in mind that these styles may show abrasions and wear quickly, depending on the type of activity you’re wearing them for. These styles are best for either casual, comfy wear, or low-impact, abrasive-surface-free workouts like barre.
Besides longevity, another issue with these styles is, of course, functionality. I struggle to imagine these all-velvet pieces would maintain the same sweat-wicking technical properties of their more traditional peers. The fit also may not have as much of the sculpting look or flawless fit we love about more technical fabrics.
Personally, I’ve thought about trying out velvet fabric for aerial silks class, since I think the texture of the velvet might provide some nice grip on the silks and ward off slipping while doing certain skills–a huge plus!
Option 2: velvet layers
Maaji hazy joggers via Revolve
Alala velvet bomber jacket via Carbon38
Carbon38 velvet off-the-shoulder sweatshirt
Think of this as a much more updated and refined version of the 00’s era Juicy tracksuit. If you don’t want to wear velvet for your workouts but want it for warmups or a to-and-from athleisure look, these layers are what you need. Feel fancy but stay comfy.
Option 3: velvet accents
If technical performance and longevity are key, velvet accents are the way to go. It’s pretty much the only way to pull off the trend without majorly compromising on something else. Obviously, you lose the in-your-face aspect of all-over velvet, but you gain actual wearability. Velvet accents are the most common way I see the trend play out in workout clothes, which makes sense given its practicality.
Velvet accents can still be prone to damage and abrasion, so care is still needed if you want the velvet to stay looking its best, but being careful is much easier when the areas are much smaller.
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Lululemon special edition flocked wunder under tights / Lululemon special edition flocked define jacket
Ultracor high rise gradient velvet knockout leggings via Bandier
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Alala vamp tights / Alala race turtleneck
Body Language Meena leggings via Bandier
Ultracor altitude swarovski tuxedo crop top via Carbon38
Have you tried any velvet workout wear? What did you think? Is velvet a no under all circumstances?
The only velvet I have is the floral flock scuba from LLL last year. It’s just accents and it’s casual. I feel like that’s where velvet should stay. Athleisure or maybe yoga, but I can’t see myself doing CrossFit or running in velvet tights. To each his own.
Yeah, I think CrossFit and running are both on the definite “no” list. Either the pants would get destroyed, you’d be uncomfortable, or both. I’m sure people have done it though.
I admittedly have a bit of a WTF cloud over my head with the velvet activewear trend right now. I couldn’t believe how much velvet and how many sequins I saw when I walked into Sweaty Betty a few weeks ago.
For a person like me who likes to trick the world into thinking activewear pieces are ‘real’ clothes, I’m all for it, and considering grabbing something fancy(ish) for the holiday season.
For a person who needs a new piece of gear to sweat in? Nah fam :)
It seems to me that the activewear market has gradually drifted more toward fashion, and velvet seems to fall in that category. I’m all for regular-looking clothes that happen to be secretly more comfortable, but as you implied, it’s important to know the difference between that and actual sweaty workout clothes. :D
velvet to work out in? gross.
velvet jacket that is for fancy fun wear and not a work horse? YES.
i have an Alala velvet jacket from last year that i like a lot still and i like the velvet snap-off track pants they have this year. nothing says “super cool mom” at daycare drop-off like velvet snap-off track pants.
p.s. i love your OpEd style pieces. LOL.
Where were velvet snap-off track pants when I was younger and only wore comfy pants? Geez. I was born 15 years too early, clearly. Alas, I don’t think I could get away with that get-up at work, haha.
Hard pass for working out. A velvet hoodie for casual, maybe.
That seems to be the popular vote around here. Waiting for someone to ‘fess up to working out in it. :)
Definitely not for working out in! I’m a runner and I sweat a lot. I can’t imagine velvet or velour anything for running.
Maybe a small accent piece, worn casually, would be ok. Velvet Vinyasa scarf? I’d consider that if Lululemon made one and kept the price down.
Totally agree on running, I could never run in velvet! I’m kind of surprised a velvet vinyasa has never been a thing–I think it could be really pretty.
I bought the Flocked Define jacket from LULULEMON website yesterday. Im looking forward to getting it. It looks so pretty.
Yeah, I think the define jacket is the prettiest out of this year’s flocked lineup, especially with the nice metallic logo detail.
Hah! I had a bunch of Juicy Couture velour tracksuits back in the day. Did not work out in them at all, it was just kind of cool to wear and after the look was over I ended up using them as pajamas and lounge wear for years afterwards. I wanted to get my monies worth since they were not exactly cheap! Comfy they were. Did not have an issue about wear showing and I wore them a lot.
As for now? I don’t have any velvet pieces but the new plush Scuba hoodie that just dropped may change that. It has velvet piping. =)
Heh yes, Juicy suits were definitely not hardcore workout gear. :) Interesting that they never showed wear–perhaps not all velour is a lost cause after all.
I am a big fan of velvet anything and everything. I have a numerous amount of velvet clothes, from full velvet sports bras from Alo Yoga and Beyond Yoga, to velvet accent pieces, like the new Lululemon flocked wunder under. From someone who sweats a lot, I have never had any issues with any of the velvet I have in my workout collection. I am a firm believer in that feeling ‘good’ in the workout outfits you wear will actually help you workout harder and push yourself more – maybe just me, but these velvet pieces definitely do that! If you’re concerned with sweating – I also have velvet bathing suits that go in chlorine often and those have been totally fine over the years (told you I love velvet ;) )
I was waiting for a pro-velvet person to show up! :) That’s crazy that velvet can stand up to chlorine–definitely wouldn’t have guessed that! I totally agree that what’s most important is wearing what you feel good about, whether that’s traffic-cone-orange or all black or prints or velvet or whatever!
Would love for you to review Alo’s velvet tights! I’ve been curious about them because they are pretty.
I haven’t decided if I’m going to give full-on velvet a shot, but if I do, it’ll definitely end up here. :)