In the ever-changing high-fashion landscape, the definitions of ‘informal’, ‘formal’, and even ‘smart informal’ have remained largely ambiguous. Tracksuits lie somewhere on the continuum between the two extremes: ultra-formal wear and casual wear, skewed mostly towards the casual side of the spectrum. Until now that it is.

According the new trend of Athleisure, you could make tracksuits work for everyday use depending on how you style them. You could even wear a tracksuit to work and depending on how specific dress code policies are enforced, you might even turn heads for all the right reasons.

However, without making the necessary minor alternations to the regular tracksuit, things can easily go the wrong way and instead raise a few eyebrows. 

So is there a way to wear tracksuits all day, at work, at home, in the park, in the mall, without looking out of place? Turns out, there is. Here are 4 slick things you can do to make tracksuits less informal.

1. Try to go With Classic Colors

Take your cue from celebrities. They have a thing for breaking the norms and wearing whatever comes to mind to important events – but they pull these feats off using the combination of colors, usually classic colors.

So if you really want to roll in your office in a tracksuit, make sure to pick out a classic color such as navy, burgundy, black, and white. The trick is to combine high contrasting color palettes that look more sophisticated and dramatic.

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2. Use Dramatic Fashion Accessories

Accessories contribute to your overall look and express your sense of style. It is really important to choose your accessories wisely to give your tracksuit a Hollywood touch. A few examples that immediately come to mind include a smartwatch with a customizable watchface, oversized sunglasses, or a watch and  bracelets combination that complement one’s wrist.

Your accessories are able to ‘fill in’ for actual formal wear and make you look less ‘casual’ at work in a tracksuit.

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3. Choose the Right Footwear

This is arguably the most important style tip: never pair your tracksuit outfit with a random pair of street-wear sneakers, but rather choose meticulously crafted sneakers with a classy motif. Check out our guide for the best sneakers you could wear in any setting.

As a general rule, the more different the rest of your outfit looks from the ones typically seen at the gym, the better.

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4. Go for a Polished Appearance

Since you’re wearing a tracksuit to important events and at work, make sure to pay special attention to the little things such as styling your beard, shampooing your hair, sorting out your eyebrows, and tackling those dark circles. In this case, the devil really is in the details.

Wrapping Up

So are tracksuits ideal to wear at work? Absolutely! The Slick Factor ultimately depends on whether you can pull this off or not.

Wearing tracksuits could even prove to be beneficial in social interactions. Researchers at Harvard have found that those who resist the status quo come across as powerful and competent – they even have a term for this: it’s called the ‘red sneaker effect’. So don’t be afraid to rock a tracksuit in your next meeting!