Referring to the track suit as casual weekend wear. Remember them? Like many things, they’re coming back.
Paris Hilton & Kim Kardashian. Photo: Courtesy of SKIMS for Vogue Magazine (October 2020)
After all, they’ve had a successful track record (pun intended) in the past. They were a wardrobe staple for so long that we took them for granted. Then they seemingly disappeared, until the need for covid coziness combined with fashion brought this classic option back.
I loved the ubiquitous lazy comfy fit. Not talking sloppy; more like the “Juicy Couture” loosely fitted style that was so popular in the 90’s. There were of course many knock-offs, but the Juicy label looked the best. You could consider them the Lululemon of the track suit world.
When Juicy Couture took over the trend landscape in the late 1990s, original founders Gela-Nash Taylor and Pamela Skaist-Levy knew from the get-go they were poking fun at high fashion. But many women and tons of celebrities wore them as an essential, comparable to the skinny jean or leggings.
Britney Spears (in)famously had a custom set made for all her bridesmaids ahead of her marriage to Kevin Federline. Unfortunately for her, the tracksuit outlasted their marriage.
You could say that Velour Tracksuits are also making a comeback! I’m happy about that because I just bought a pair of flared track pants (with added front seams) from a company in Los Angeles called Garbe Luxe. They come in velour or soft bamboo cotton fleece which I first saw in Palm Springs and really wanted, but they were sold out. I was lucky to get a pair recently sent to me. I must admit I wasn’t sure about wearing velour at first but I guess what goes around comes around. And they make my butt look good.
https://garbeluxe.com/collections/pants/products/giselle-track-pantPhoto: Courtesy of SKIMS for Vogue Magazine – link below
Garbe Luxe – Casual flared track pants with added front seams make the Giselle Track Pant extra special.
I am somewhat obsessed with vintage designer fashion.
As someone once said it can be easily overlooked that what is now called vintage was once brand new. Of course that’s true but what I appreciate is the workmanship, attention to detail and luxurious fabrics the designers of that era used, which is almost impossible to find in the fast fashion market of today. And many talented designers have ended up making their designs more accessible (or selling out) to appeal to the masses. Although the prices are reasonable, the quality is not the same.
Photo by Richard Avedon. Pierre Cardin’s coat of rose brocade.
This happened to famous high fashion designer Pierre Cardin. The Italian-born French designer was best known for his geometric avant-garde designs. In the 1960s his use of stark tunics, goggles and helmets launched the Space Age look. Cardin expanded into the automobile market in the early ’70s and designed haute couture muscle car interiors. He now owns a chain of Maxim hotels and restaurants. He’s 96 years old.
Irridescent silk evening gowns by Pierre Cardin, 1959
Mia Farrow in a Pierre Cardin beaded and sequined mini, May 1967.
Fashion returns to Modernism Week with the new Modernism Fashion Show – “Spanning the Decades.” Attendees will step back in time as they “Span the Decades” through fashion. They will be transported through the eyes of Coco Chanel, Emilio Pucci, Christian Dior, and Pierre Cardin as Mitchells Palm Springs collaborates with M Vintage to display “Haute Couture” at its best. Guests will be escorted to the Grand Warsaw Ballroom at Temple Isaiah to enjoy a glass of bubbly and nibblies and view the amazing fashion retrospective. February 18, 2 PM; $45
EMILIO PUCCI
Emilio Pucci was an Airforce 1 pilot under World War 2, who surprisingly started out making skiwear for a college team. Then he was approached by Harpers Bazaar in the late 40’s, to design for a European skiwear story. When raging reviews from the U.S. and tons of offers to manufacture still didn’t sway him – he set up his own house. Key pieces were swimwear, silk scarves, silk dresses and shirts – with amazing colorful prints. He later created the Braniff Airlines uniform (the bubble helmet). Vintage Pucci in prisine condition is very sought after and expensive.
Pierre Cardin
See what I mean? We don’t dress like this anymore. Not that I ever did only in my mind and while it’s somewhat of a relief it’s also kind of sad we don’t have the capacity to try so hard. Because fashion is meant to be fun. But you can see that these designers were fabulously multi-faceted. They tell their stories through their designs.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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