Things worth wearing… retro sportswear

Exploding from the starting blocks in the 2010s, retro sportswear was defined by a rise in wearing sporty pieces beyond the playing field. Fast forward to 2026 and the trend is fully embedded. The spring/summer 2026 runways saw new takes: Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez’s Loewe debut collection featured custom hooded quarter-zipped jackets layered over one another; Prada, long-associated with elevated performance clothing, showcased several retro-inspired designs, including a technical jacket embroidered with a Prada crest that riffs on a certain polo pony logo. Designers such as Martine Rose and Wales Bonner are winning the race, however, when it comes to elevated sportswear, trampolining their designs into the high-fashion stratosphere.

For true endorsement of the theme, look no further than the Instagram street-style pictures from the recent fashion weeks. Editors, buyers and influencers alike were repping variations, such as Adidas Original trackies with oversized shirts and Mary Jane flats, zip-up tops layered under tailoring and football shirts tucked into a denim maxi skirt. Celebrities have also embraced the vintage sports look, giving it a feminine edge: Hailey Bieber styled a cropped technical zip-up with royal blue track pants; supermodel Paloma Elsesser paired her Simone Rocha balloon-sleeved bomber with a sequin midi skirt and strappy Mary Janes; Alexa Chung wore silky, lace-trimmed shorts with a funnel-neck windbreaker and Miu Miu kitten heels.

If the look doesn’t raise your endorphin levels, try adding little touches instead. Swap your ballet pumps for a classic Adidas Samba and style with a minimalist white tee and a lace-edged silk skirt. For the thrifty, there are treasures to be found. Vintage clothing retailer Beyond Retro has a large range of sportswear, and online store Stocked Vintage has pieces sourced from all over the world.

Clockwise (from top left): Loewe SS26; Paloma Elsesser in Simone Rocha; model wears side-stripe black track pants, £195, Me+Em; shell jacket, £168, Palace; Street style at Paris fashion week; Santiago woven track top, £80, Adidas; and Alexa Chung in Adidas

Images: Alessandro Lucioni; Getty; Backgrid