Be a Good Sport in the Topshop x Adidas Originals Collection
When I think of tracksuits, one of a handful of images might pop into my head: Missy Elliot (whose tracksuit-wearing period lasted entirely too long and who, sadly, chose to accessorize her sporty gear with a Blow Pop in her mouth); Russian mobsters in Brighton Beach (or rather, movie versions of said tough guys); ’80s-era b-boys in the Bronx; Betty White in Hot in Cleveland; and, occasionally, actual track stars. Needless to say, I don’t necessarily think of them as being the gateway to fashion glory. And yet as the line between athletic gear and ready-to-wear becomes increasingly fluid — think of the recent varsity jacket trend, the upscale sweatshirt trend, or even the wedge sneaker trend —I’ve started to realize that, with some strategic accessorizing and some clever mixing and matching, you can pull off virtually anything. Maybe even a tracksuit.
The new Topshop x Adidas Originals collection aims to further muddle the line between sports gear and street-ready fashion via clever prints and textured fabrics applied to classic athletic staples. Many of the bespoke prints have a decidedly urban feel, reminiscent of gritty alleys and walls covered in graffiti. The Topshop x Adidas Originals Tracksuit Top ($100 at US.Topshop.com), for instance, takes the classic Firebird zip front jacket silhouette and reinvents it via a strong graphic print that references London’s cityscape. The print incorporates strong black lines that move hectically above the fabric, as if scribbled therein, while drips of yellow and red paint add a dynamic, painterly quality, and red hearts with wings are superimposed over the collage-like backdrop. The top is available in white with a kelly green collar, cuffs, hemline, zipper, and stripe accents or, alternatively, in black with white accents. For even more of an edgy feel, the print appears in between the three vertical stripes running down the sleeves so that, even from a profile view, the track jacket will stand out in a crowd. The Topshop x Adidas Originals Track Pant ($75 at US.Topshop.com), available in green or black, again feature three stripes along the sides in the very same print seen on the track top. Would I personally wear the two pieces together? Not likely. But I can definitely envision wearing each in a novel way, pairing the garment with more feminine pieces for a flirty effect.
Sneaker lovers will appreciate the new limited-edition sneakers introduced as part of the collaboration. Two of the styles have already sold out (including an amazing pair of high-tops), but the Topshop x Adidas Originals Super Tech Sneakers ($130 at US.Topshop.com) remain — albeit in very limited quantities. These cheerful sneakers feature cream-colored uppers with a heart print that appears throughout the capsule collection, involving deliberately misshapen, haphazard-looking outlines of heart shapes, scribbled in red, each with eyes and a pout as well as a pair of wings. To give the sneakers a sweet, ladylike charm, the three signature Adidas stripes appear in a baby blue shade, with laces in a matching hue. A perky coral lining and unexpected green stripes — one below the three baby blue stripes, three thin lines leading up to the heel counter, and a decorative line above the black trim on the heel — add a vibrant energy. The black suede trim along the front and back of the shoe, meanwhile, give it strength and presence. But, most importantly, these shoes incorporate all of the colors chosen for the apparel pieces in the collection.
The sunny coral orange shade seen in the sneakers’ lining appears throughout the collection — particularly in the Topshop x Adidas Originals Football Tee ($45 at US.Topshop.com) and the Topshop x Adidas Originals Orange Runner Shorts ($50 at US.Topshop.com). Modeled after a football jersey, the tee features a slight V-shaped neckline in white with black piping and three white stripes that run from the neckline, down the shoulders, to the sleeves. The coral tee, meanwhile, features an all-over red print that, from afar, appears to be leopard or cheetah spots but, when examined closely, is constituted by winged hearts. The Topshop x Adidas Originals Orange Runner Shorts ($50 at US.Topshop.com), meanwhile, features white side stripes and a wide waistband boasting a street art-flavored print. The football top and runner shorts are also available in a baby blue shade, as shown below.
Like any sport-inspired collection, the Topshop x Adidas Originals collection contains a number of sweatshirts. The Topshop x Adidas Originals Printed Hoodie ($100 at US.Topshop.com), pictured fourth above, features an adjustable drawstring hood, a zippered front, and an all-over, collage-like print incorporating photographic renditions of London buildings and monuments, as well as cats, illustrations of red hearts, and splashes of fluorescent yellow — all juxtaposed in this mind-bending, distorted, surreal manner.
The Topshop x Adidas Originals Print Sweatshirt ($80 at US.Topshop.com), meanwhile, incorporates a similar print along the front panel but features solid black sleeves and the fit is boxier and looser.
More casual pieces include the Topshop x Adidas Originals Printed Vest ($40 at US.Topshop.com), an A-line shaped tank in kelly green with the Adidas logo along the front in an abstract print and the top third of the top also outlined in this very print, creating a color-blocked effect. The Topshop x Adidas Originals Trefoil Hoodie ($85 at US.Topshop.com) takes a classic pullover hoodie with a drawstring hood and a pouch-like front pocket and adds a fashion-forward detail: a logo in a printed trefoil material. The same is true of the Topshop x Adidas Originals Trefoil Vest ($35 at US.Topshop.com), shown last above, which also features the Adidas logo in a printed trefoil material.
You can always choose to wear these to the gym, or during a morning or evening run, infusing some excitement into your athletic routine. But the true magic happens when you start mixing and matching pieces: pairing a printed hoodie with a black leather pencil skirt or a pleated skirt; wearing the football tee with slim-fitting jeans and a tailored blazer; and so forth.
Why not add some sporty spice to your wardrobe?
