The other day I was in a coffee shop.  I noticed a young lady and thought she was on her way to work.  It wasn’t until I gave her a second look that I noticed that she was wearing workout clothing.  What?  How could she look so nice wearing athletic gear?  My observations of her outfit and the principles she followed might help those of us who travel.   Take these points into consideration when it is time to select your travel/workout clothes.

Wear dark neutrals and keep it monochromatic.  This woman was wearing black workout pants with a black jacket.  She had a dark grey tank top under the jacket.  The combination of black and grey gave the outfit a very elegant look.  I don’t think she could have accomplished the same thing if she had been wearing bright colors.  Take away – buy workout gear in matching dark neutrals.

Cut and fit are everything.  The woman’s workout pants, while body skimming, were not tight.  They also had a boot cut which made them look like street pants.  The same could be said for the jacket and tank top.  The jacket had set-in sleeves, not raglan sleeves.  All of the pieces were cut like street clothes.  Everything fit her perfectly and no lumps or bulges showed.  Take away – even though the clothes are athletic, stay away from athletic cuts and sizing.

Grooming is important.  The woman had full makeup on.  She also had put her hair up in a loose chignon, giving her an elegant look.  If her hair was worn down or was windblown it would have destroyed the whole look.  Take away – if your clothes are casual, dress up everything else.

Wear jewelry and accessories.  The woman was wearing a few key pieces of jewelry.  She had on chandelier earrings and a small bangle bracelet.  The chandelier earrings were more apparent because she had put her hair up.  She also was wearing a dark oblong scarf tied in a hacking knot.  Her socks had a subtle and elegant (not silly) pattern on them, making them look dressy.  Take away – a little bit of “bling” can add some kick to the outfit.

Shoes make a difference.  The woman was wearing loafer style moccasins.  The moccasins were made out of smooth and polished leather instead of the standard (and more casual) suede.  The look would have been undercut if she had worn more casual shoes, such as running shoes. Take away – if possible, go for athletic/walking shoes with a formal look.

Every part made a difference.  I truly believe that the look would not have worked if she had only followed a few of the principles instead of all of them.  Each item was chosen with care, and worked with every other item.  This is where having a capsule wardrobe is so very important.  Everything went well with everything else, creating a complete and whole look.