THE JOURNAL
Gucci AW16. Photograph courtesy of Gucci
How to wear the season’s casual zip-up jackets by Gucci, Burberry, Y-3 and more.
It began life on the backs of athletes, went on to be popularised by the likes of Run DMC, and has been reappraised this year by designers such as Mr Christopher Kane and Mr Alessandro Michele at Gucci, making it a trend that can’t be ignored. In short, we need to talk about the tracksuit top. And figure out how to wear the damn thing. Here, the MR PORTER staff share their dos and don’ts on the casual zip-up that won’t pipe down.
Mr Dan Rookwood, US editor
Neil Barrett AW16. Photograph courtesy of WHITE Srl
DO: Wear as a spring outer layer Hang on! The staple wardrobe item of my 1980s Liverpool youth is back? This is either the best news ever or the worst – it’s that divisive. A trackie top (I can hear the Scouse accent returning) is a great lightweight piece for spring that can be easily unzipped and/or dispensed of when it’s hot.
DON’T: Go cheap This trend is all about elevated sportswear – which isn’t really sportswear at all since you’re unlikely to do any exercise in it. With the exception of retro/vintage styles, keep logos to a minimum and materials to a premium. Shell suit? No!
Mr Jeremy Langmead, brand & content director
Gucci AW16. Photograph courtesy of Gucci
DO: Mix it up The idea is to have it peering out from beneath a jacket or coat, teamed with a pair of jeans, or even featuring exotic embroidery. It may sound odd, but it can actually work.
DON’T: Forget your age Will I be wearing one? No, I’m too old. Instead of looking like an off-duty Olympian en route to Rio, I would probably look more like a wannabe Sporty Spice waiting for the reunion tour to be announced.
Mr Chris Elvidge, senior features writer
Burberry Prorsum AW16. Photograph courtesy of Burberry
DO: Zip it up Of all the designer brands to have incorporated tracksuits into their most recent runway collections, it was Burberry Prorsum that did it best, zipping them all the way up to the chin and inadvertently – or perhaps intentionally – channelling that photo of a peroxide-blond Mr Robbie Williams smoking a cigarette in a field with Mr Noel Gallagher in 1995. That’s what I took from it, anyway.
DON’T: Go full tracksuit You might think you look like grime’s new sensation, but everyone else thinks you look like Chas Tenenbaum. Or a member of Team USA, Calgary 1988. Or Paulie from The Sopranos. Or Hugo Chávez. Or John Gotti Jr, boss of the notorious Gambino crime family.