Fashionable sweatshirts

While sweatshirts have traditionally been characterised as comfort-wear to be worn at home or to the gym – there has been an upset in the fashion world this season. Sweatshirts are now being seen as fashion ready for a night out on the town. Do you have one? The key to this change is the cut and the embellishments. Jason Wu, who was thrown into the fashion spotlight after designing the first inaugural ball dress for United States first lady Michelle Obama, designed an exquisite sweatshirt. The crew neck long sleeve piece has a baseball style look, with the crew neck and long sleeves all in black. However the front and back of the sweatshirt are a gold crocodile pattern, giving it delicious texture. The rag & bone brand, founded by Nathan Bogle and Marcus Wainwright, also followed the baseball tee look. The brand incorporated black sleeves and crew neck, but the body of the sweatshirt features grey quilted fabric. This piece however is slightly more modern, as it features a half pull zipper down the back, and detailing on the cuff of the sleeves for a more embellished look. Italian designer Roberto Cavalli, known for vibrant, often animalistic prints, created a very modern, feminine sweatshirt. The all white piece features an oriental inspired floral cut out detailing. The tailored fit accentuates the delicateness of the piece. American designer Alexander Wang, who first was known for his knits and has now become the lead designer at esteemed fashion house Balenciaga, went with a more traditional approach. He incorporated the famous Nordic “fair isle” pattern onto his grey sweatshirt. The sweatshirt also follows more classic styling, as it is not fitted and has no geometrical cuts. The fashion scene is scooping up this trend. American actress Jessica Alba, wife to Cash Warren, wore a Phillip Lim sweatshirt at a recent Target event. She paired with cropped blue trousers, pointed red shoes, and a black satchel. The ever-stylish Rihanna wore an Acne brand grey asymmetrical sweatshirt for a recent dinner out. Although the sweatshirt wasn’t tailored, her chunky bright pink necklace added the necessary feminine flair. She paired with light washed skinny jeans, and metallic cap toe sling back pumps. The key to wearing this trend has to do with the style of the sweatshirt. Do not wear a sweatshirt that has a hoodie: only crew neck. Also, the sweatshirt should be more tailored, however a trapeze look like Rihanna is possible with the right accessories. Always make sure to pair with heels - pointed looks best. Whatever you do, do not pair with sweatpants, yoga pants or leggings. The look is much too casual and looks inappropriate for a night out. That’s the fashion scoop for this week. Got a thought? Trend? Style you hate? Send it my way. Rachel Breaux is an American living in Rwanda