Sportswear Showdown

This year’s trend reports are singing the gospel of sportiness, and honestly,

it’s about time. Functional, flattering, and unapologetically cool, sportswear isn’t just surviving the fashion cycle, it’s running laps around the competition. Whether you're chasing a shopping cart dopamine hit or just chasing the subway, here are nine pieces in the ultimate face-off of iconic sportswear pieces. Let the games begin. 

        

Match 1: Tennis Skirt vs. Workout Shorts

Kent & Curwen SS25, Conner Ives SS25 ⓒvogue.com

                

Tennis Skirts

The tennis skirt is a siren. Always has been. With pleats that move like a well-rehearsed dance routine and just enough prep-school sass, it's impossible not to fall under its spell. And thanks to the great preppy comeback of recent years, she’s back and smugger than ever.

          

Dress it up with a crisp shirt for real Ivy League levels of prep, or toss on a crop top and you’re practically in a lost episode of your favorite Disney Channel show. Don't be fooled by the hemline, this skirt is a year-round operator. In the Fall, you can layer it with an oversize sweater. In Winter? Add tights and boots and you’re beating the cold like it’s fashion week in Moscow. And in summer, the tennis skirt thrives on its own.

        

Private Policy SS25, Enfants Riches Déprimés SS25 ⓒvogue.com

            

Workout Shorts

Once confined to treadmill trauma and accidental camel toes, workout shorts have risen. Clothing can glow up too, I guess. They’re now out here pairing with tailored jackets and statement vests, giving street-style photographers something to live for.

        

Alexander Wang's Spring show proved the point. When spliced with oversized blazers or layered under slick sportswear, these shorts become an aesthetic revelation. They’re like that guy you friend-zoned who suddenly started hitting the gym and got really good at conversation.

          

Alexander Wang SS25 ⓒvogue.com

            

Because nothing says new season, new me like reclaiming your kneecaps after six months of fleece. Surprise, the winner is: Tennis Skirts!

              

Match 2: Sweatpants vs. Track Pants

Knwls SS25, Casablanca SS25 ⓒvogue.com

           

Sweat Pants

What was before the uniform of people who gave up, sweatpants have also experienced a glow-up that would make a Real Housewife weep. High fashion embraced the humble sweats, and now they’re made from cashmere, tailored like trousers, and styled like you own a gallery.

       

The best ones are deceptively simple. Slouchy, but never sloppy. Structured, but still soft. If you’ve ever wanted to roll out of bed and into a meeting looking like a minimalist deity, sweats are the answer. You’re not lazy, you’re strategically relaxed. Definitely.

      

Paloma Wool SS25, Stein Tokyo SS25 ⓒvogue.com

        

Track Pants

Track pants are having a philosophical moment. The late Karl Lagerfeld may have declared them a symbol of defeat, but the fashion world disagreed and sent them down runways paired with heels, blazers, and occasionally, pearls.

         

This unlikely evolution has made them a darling of ironic dressing. Wear them with a razor-sharp blazer or stilettos and suddenly you’re the patron saint of high-low chic. They may still rustle when you walk, but now they do it with authority.

        

Off-White SS25 ⓒvogue.com

Dior SS25, Avavav SS25

Tracksuit fit by Emily Ratajkovski ⓒpinterest

         

Track pants feel stuck within the confines of a certain 3 lines, and nothing beats the warm softness of a great pair of sweats. They whisper, I could dress up, but I don’t need to. Winner: Sweat Pants.

              

Match 3: Rugby Shirt vs. Baseball Jersey

Nahmias SS25, Willy Chavarria SS25

       

Rugby Shirt

Equal parts posh and punk, the rugby shirt is fashion’s ultimate contradiction. Born in British boarding schools and co-opted by '70s punk kids, it carries just enough weight to hold a silhouette without collapsing into shapelessness.

       

Its charm lies in the weight. It’s got substance. Heavy cotton gives it shape and structure, so it doesn’t lose form or slouch by the middle of the day. It sits proudly on your shoulders and behaves like it belongs in every outfit. Jeans, Yes. Slacks, Of course. Mini skirt? Even better. You could walk into brunch or an art opening in the same top and no one would blink twice.

         

Baum und Pferdgarten SS25, Doublet SS25

Monse SS25 ⓒvogue.com, Yuhan Wang FW25 ⓒvogue.com

            

Baseball Jersey

Confession: coordinated couple outfits usually feel like a hard no, except when it comes to the baseball jersey. A baseball jersey is the social butterfly of sporty tops. Genderless, oversized, logo-forward, and deeply democratic. It works with literally everything. Buttoned up as a jacket, worn open like a cardigan, layered or solo, it all just fits.

       

Luxury brands are scrambling to reinvent it, probably because it’s the easiest entry point into sportswear without actually committing to physical activity. It’s like wearing athleisure with the excuse of team spirit.

           

Kolor SS25

GANNI SS25, Yuhan Wang SS25 ⓒvogue.com

Louis Vuitton FW25 ⓒvogue.com

          

Finally a legitimate reason to buy the rugby top that’s been sitting in your shopping cart for three seasons. It’s heritage and attitude in one thick cotton package. Winner: Rugby Shirt.

           

Match 4: Varsity Jacket vs. Windbreaker

3.PARADIS SS25, Simone Rocha SS25 ⓒvogue.com

       

Varsity Jacket

Varsity jackets are soaked in nostalgia. They're the fashion equivalent of a coming-of-age montage. They tell stories. Names, numbers and initials all stitched across the chest and back like a wearable yearbook.

      

They aren’t your average jackets. They have range, they’ve grown up with us. Clean lines, unfussy shoulders, a slightly relaxed fit all work together like they were designed to make every look better. Throw it on with denim like KENZO or layer it over a shirt-and-tie combo like Rhude. It plays well across styles, moods, and seasons. The more you wear it, the more it becomes yours. Its value grows not because it’s flashy, but because it never needs to try that hard in the first place.

        

KENZO SS25, Rhude SS25 ⓒvogue.com

Louis Vuitton FW25 ⓒvogue.com

        

Windbreaker

If your wardrobe had a secret weapon, it’d be the windbreaker. Always there, quietly waiting in a corner, ready to step in when the weather plays games. Lately though, it’s been stepping up and stepping out, grabbing our attention in bold colors, technical fabrics, and unexpected pairings.

      

You don’t need to reinvent it. The silhouette already works. What’s changing is how you wear it. Layer it over something soft and romantic like lace, or keep it simple with denim or slacks. Either way, it blends in and stands out at the same time. Low effort, high mileage.

       

MIU MIU SS25, Attico SS25

Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood SS25, Maitrepierre SS25 ⓒvogue.com

     

As much as varsity jackets carry their charm, the windbreaker wins for sheer utility and surprise-level styling options. Winner: Windbreaker.

         

Wildcard Round: Bodysuits & Micro Shorts

Chloé SS25 ⓒvogue.com

      

Sometimes, the most unexpected player changes the whole game. Welcome to the bodysuit. Terrifying at first glance, yes, but a dream once you figure it out. It doesn’t ride up. It doesn’t fall down. Whether you're dancing, lounging, or layered under something oversized, it hugs your body like it’s been through therapy and is finally secure in itself.

          

Combo it with low-rise pants to give a peek of hip and turn your everyday look into something louder. Own your shape. Let it speak for itself.

        

MIU MIU SS25, Vivetta SS25 ⓒvogue.com

Chopova Lowena SS25

        

Then there’s the bodysuit’s partner in crime: micro shorts. Skimming the top of the thigh, they’re playful, unexpected, and weirdly empowering. Balance them out with a loose shirt or a structured blazer for a legs-for-days silhouette, or lean into pastel, lace, and thigh-high socks for a delicate, ballerina-esque energy. Done right, micro shorts deliver full-scale impact in the tiniest of packages.

            

Gimaguas SS25

         

And if you need validation, remember what Miuccia Prada once said when sending tiny shorts down the runway: If I were younger, I’d walk around in just my underwear. If that’s not a sign, I don’t know what is. Winner: Micro Shorts.