Like many of us in the city of Toronto, I often spend the first few minutes after waking up doom-scrolling through my social feeds. Yes, I know it is a bad habit. But as a notable modern-day philosopher once sang, “My bad habits lead to you.”
In fact, that’s how I find many of you — along with countless other experts, influencers, designers, and local boutiques. So, it should come as no surprise that on this very morning, my feed was inundated with the latest viral trends. The celebrity-driven accounts were all posting about Jennifer Lawrence rocking sweatpants, declaring it a massive comeback for the fashion staple. Meanwhile, the queer community was busy posting selfies celebrating the return of grey sweatpants season.
It left me wondering: when did sweats ever go out of style? I have been seeing them on everyone for decades — from Gen X rocking them with heels in the 2000s, to Gen Z wearing head-to-toe matching monochromatic sets with their friends. I saw that exact look just yesterday afternoon on Bloor Street.
Before we even start, I am going to let you in on a fashion industry secret: trends are largely manufactured by the industry just to sell more clothes. Personally, I say wear what you like and build a wardrobe of core items you can always rely on.
That brings me to a second secret: many of the biggest brands in the world do not actually manufacture anything themselves. They mostly outsource it. Yes, even those luxury “designer” brands that claim to make things in-house often outsource some, if not all, of the clothes you see in their flagship stores.
Cue the eye-roll. Yes, I can hear that eye-roll through the screen, dear reader! But stay with me here, because I have a point.
Secret number three: brands like J. Crew use a vertically integrated knitting mill based right here in the GTA (Brampton, to be exact) to produce a huge portion of their premium fleece. Did you know that exact same mill, Roopa Knitting Mills, also produces its very own line of high-quality blanks under the brand House of Blanks?
Christian Dare recommends the Classic Sweats from House of Blanks.
House of Blanks
So my question to you is: why throw away money and pay inflated prices for a good pair of “designer” trackpants when you can get the exact same quality straight from the source?
The pair I am wearing at this very moment is from House of Blanks. I love them; they wear beautifully and wash well. In fact, I have a few pieces from the brand. For a timeless silhouette, I opt for a pair of their Classic Sweats; the elastic leg opening works with a variety of fits and pairs perfectly with different kicks. Meanwhile, their Recycled Sweats offer a cleaner look with a straight-leg opening. It’s also the exact style recently seen on Jennifer Lawrence, if you care about that sort of thing.
Speaking of celebrities, let’s move on to Harry Styles and his love of athletic wear. Thanks to the bold look he sports in his latest music video (styled by Marc Jacobs), a new generation of fashion lovers has embraced pairing a blazer, shirt, and tie with very short track shorts. Trust me, you can pull this off too — the ladies have been doing it for years.
For that ‘very short track shorts’ trend, check out MTN Head.
MTN Head
If you want to try the look, I suggest heading over to MTN HEAD apparel at 163 Roncesvalles Ave. for a beautiful, made-in-Canada pair. Personally, I recommend picking up two styles: a pair of their Cabin Shorts for casual, cosy weekends at the cottage, and a much shorter, 70s-inspired track short to channel that perfect Harry Styles esthetic.
Last but not least, if you truly want to embrace the lazy, sexy, cool vibe of leisure wear, you need a chic, oversized sweatshirt to pair with your shorts this summer. It’s the ultimate uniform for cooler Canadian nights. Think classic Princess Diana out for a run.
As any stylist will tell you, Diana made casual looks effortlessly chic. Every year, when the weather hits that perfect sweet spot, we all say that it is officially Princess Diana Season. Come late spring or early fall, it is all about wearing short shorts — biker shorts, to be exact — with an oversized crewneck sweatshirt. Trust me, and Diana: those “fashion experts” on social media who say you can’t wear a baggy, loose top with a skinny bottom are wrong.
The viral confetti sweatshirt from local brand OkayOk.
OkayOK
For a great oversized crewneck, I highly recommend local brand OkayOk, located at 40 Sousa Mendes St. Founded by designer Adrienne Butikofer, the brand makes the vast majority of its products right inside their Toronto studio, while a few specialty items (like their socks) are made nearby by local Canadian manufacturers. You have probably seen their viral confetti sweatshirt making the rounds on social media and television. It is an absolute must-have for every closet.
In conclusion, I really only have one thing left to say: no matter which trend or fit you plan on sporting this summer, make sure you get your sweats on with a great Canadian brand.