Activate your wardrobe

Growing up in Wales, my family would always remark on my fidgety nature...

“you’ve got ant in your pants good girl!”...

...yet another pearl of wisdom from my hilarious grandmother! 

Manifested in my childhood by my propensity to want to be involved in everything, my general restlessness is something that has stayed with me into adulthood. The prevailing result has been my tendency to assemble hobbies across a variety of disciplines.

I’ve touched on my fascination with craft and of course my love of fashion, but I am equally obsessed with exercise and in particular, out-door running. The autonomy of the pursuit really appeals to me, as it’s something I can indulge in entirely independently. I don’t need a gym, a running track or any kind of complicated apparatus, I can ‘just do it’...as the famous slogan goes...

The sense of freedom you get from running is great, but if I’m honest reconciling ‘Fran the runner’ and ‘Fran the fashonista’ has been a problem for me. While the fitness benefits are great, there are better activities for aesthetic improvement. For a start, runners often have black and/or missing toenails, which look terrible in a pair of Louboutin peep toes no matter how much Chanel nail polish you apply!

Until recently, these two facets of my character have co-existed quite independently with me relinquishing any notion of style every time I laced up my trainers...but, times are changing...


Communications agency, Canoe represent a number of brands, and many of whom have an out door/activity led background. Viewing the amazing range of products their clients had to offer at their recent press day, I was struck by how far fashion has come in the world of sports and outdoor clothing...

Once upon a time, being dressed head to toe in sports wear probably meant that you looked like a) a competitor from the Kryption factor, b) you’re on your way to work at Soccer Sport, or c) like Vicky Pollard…probably not an image many would aspire to???

Today however, sports and activity brands are becoming much more focused on developing their lifestyle proposition, resulting in a greater focus more generally on style across all products. Brands like Van’s continue to lead the way and their exciting collaborations with the likes of Kenzo (last season) and Liberty’s of London this year signpost the growing importance for their ranges to look as good as they perform. The variety in the collection also points growing importance of fashion. For many fashion conscious individuals, what we wear is a form of self-expression and above anything we want to feel unique.

Equally exciting was the fruits of the Puma and McQueen. Their wedged trainers are demonstrably more sports luxe than sports performance, although I have seen alcohol fuelled women run incredibly quickly in much more inappropriate footwear. I can just imagine them being worn by some achingly good-looking celebrity with simple black leggings and an oversized hoodie, with a casually slung retro puma sports bag over one shoulder. Maybe one to wear to rather than at the gym?

The great news is that this focus on fashion is also making its way into technical sports wear! Just look at the range of colours and shapes available in Nike’s barefoot running shoe, the Nike Free. Less mainstream brands too, like SealSkinz (who produce incredible performance water and wind proof hats gloves and socks for outdoor pursuits) now have a range of hats in neon, and have recently added a collection in a cute aran knit. This brand, favourite of mountain climbers and ultra marathon runners, are producing headwear that would not be out of place at London Fashion Week!

The amazing colour palette continues through adventure brand Columbia, with a range of bights and neon’s added to their collection for next season. While you could argue these super bright hues have a functional more than fashion purpose, these new garments have very little in common with the high-vis sports wear of old! The added safety benefit seems to be a happy coincidence in response to our current fashion trends!

I’m already contemplating my new running wardrobe. Having something fun and functional to wear on in our challenging climate really makes a difference. Fashion has well and truly founds its active feet with our friends at Canoe!