Women want not only a gym look, but also an all-day look. (Image courtesy Alo)

The professional woman, the laid back lady, the female gym rat. In any order embodied, these superlatives are not mutually exclusive, nor do they even come close to covering the possibilities within just one person’s multifaceted personality. They do, however, happen to hint at a few categories available in women’s wear today, and insiders from each realm let Printwear in on the latest styles and sales opportunities therein. 

Corporate

Today’s working gal spends a good portion of her time in the office, and accordingly, in office attire, which is trending toward more formal, dressier styles, according to Gina Barreca, Vantage Apparel. “Some of the differentiating style factors are fitted silhouettes,” she says. Popular in this industry, today’s form-figured styles often enable wearers to tuck or go un-tucked while still looking neat. “Especially when somebody might be getting a shirt that they weren’t able to try on, having that option to wear it different ways is important.” 

Barreca also notes increased attention in the higher-end no-iron wovens, as well as a retreat from some different specs: “We’re not seeing as many three-quarter sleeves, although it’s still something that does add a feminine touch. But a lot of the styles are just the long, full sleeve with that trend toward a more formal, classic look.” 

Performance pieces follow suit, with the classically-styled polo silhouette considered acceptable corporate/casual dress in many offices. “We are seeing that the body length is going back toward a longer style, easier to tuck in,” Barreca offers, adding that the conventional button placket, as opposed to zip or open versions, completes this look. “That key polo style for women for 2010 is a more traditional, preppy-looking silhouette.” Worn out and over the hips, these traditional trimmings lend a sleek appearance being seen at retail. 

While quintessential black will always be the new black, this year’s styles are also splashed in jewel tones. “Rather than pastel and light, they’re brighter with deeper hues,” reports Barreca. “It might be more like a royal blue instead of a baby blue, a kelly green instead of a pale celery green, a bright pink instead of a pale pink. I think that’s an important color trend: Everything is really brightening up.”

Pink is always a classic in women’s wear, going bolder and brighter for 2010. (Images courtesy Vantage Apparel)

Casual

Candice Rivera of American Apparel is also seeing women’s wear in a color palette of gems. “I think women are more into jewel tones with a regal effect,” she says. “I think women tend to pay attention to color trends, flipping through Vogue to see what colors are going to be hot and picking up those colors.” 

On the weekends, a woman wants to be her comfortable, relaxed self, and a T-shirt helps her transform. But as much as women’s wear has fought for feminine-featured fits, bigger styles have resurfaced in a big way. “I see a lot of oversized being the trend, oversized tanks and long Ts,” Rivera remarks, also observing gender lines being blurred a bit. To that end, unisex is on the scene and successful with both women and men rocking deep-V Ts, as one example. 

“Unisex styles have reached a whole new level of popularity with both the women’s and men’s market,” agrees Alo’s Crystal Raymond. “Women love the boyfriend look of a little bit of a baggier and longer T that can be dressed up or down. The unisex T allows for a casual, effortless look that women can throw over skinny jeans and leggings. It’s a vintage look, making its way back with a modern twist.” 

While unisex does denote one, androgynous style for both genders—seemingly a paradox next to the popularity of womanly wearables—today’s take is slightly modified, managing to satisfy men’s and women’s-specific tastes. “Our unisex styles are so fitted because we do pay attention to how our styles look on a male and a female,” reports Rivera, explaining that tweaks, such as adjustments to an arm that doesn’t look right on a girl model, are made during production. “We offer smaller sizing for women so they can also have a tighter fit if they like,” adds Rivera. “A lot of people ask ‘why do you offer double-extra smalls?’ It’s because it’s actually sized for a man, but you want to size down for women.”

Unisex is on the scene, and successful, albeit slightly modified, managing to satisfy men’s and women’s specific tastes. (Images courtesy American Apparel)

Cardio

When they can make the time, gym-bound divas distinguish themselves in soft-handed materials such as bamboo and modal, vibrant colors and body-flattering detailing, according to Raymond. “Women want the clothes that fit them well and flatter the figure. Slim styling is all in the details, whether it’s carefully-placed color blocks on pants or the strategic front-seaming on tops that slim the upper body,” she comments. “The mix of this body-conscious styling with luxurious fabrics creates active wear that is not only functional but fashionable as well.”

Raymond predicts a shift for the wholesale channel in performance athletic wear, moving toward a combination of more trend-friendly active and lifestyle apparel. “Women’s active wear is becoming more fashionable, and women are looking not only for a gym look, but a day look as well.” Pieces that perform at the gym while able to transition the wearer through the rest of her day fashionably and comfortably are a win/win. 

When selling performance wear to women, it is therefore important to emphasize the fashion and functionality of an item. “Women want to feel beautiful, even when they’re working out,” remarks Raymond. “Decorators and distributors should cite current retail trends and emphasize the body-conscious and slimming details of clothing. Women want to look great at the gym and any added help is a great selling point.” 

Speaking specifically to those points of sale, Raymond urges discussion on and displaying of the details. “Let women see color-matching combinations and feel the fabrics. Sometimes just one touch of a fabric like bamboo can turn the sale—I have seen it time and time again.”

(Image courtesy Alo)

Selling on sass

Vantage Apparel’s Barreca brings up a few more style specs important to get across, the first being fit, and exactly what manufacturers have done to assure a better one for women. “It’s important for that distributor or decorator to be dispelling those myths that there isn’t fitting promotional apparel for women and explaining how silhouettes have either been tapered or sleeves have been shortened, and just how the overall body length fits.” 

Also essential is communicating comfort and care, with elements like Lycra and spandex providing stretch and range of movement, and no-iron, machine wash and dryable properties making life easier. “I think you probably have a very educated buyer, at this point, when talking about apparel. They’re going to be comparing it to what they shop for at retail,” explains Barreca.

When considering sales and marketing efforts geared towards women, American Apparel’s Rivera adds that the ladies are more aware of fabric and want options. “They definitely care more about quality and again, color trends,” Rivera remarks. “Women know what styles are hot that season or going to be hot next season, and I think they pay more attention to quality and fit of the garment—how it actually looks on their body, what accentuates their best features and how it washes.” 

A garment’s cut is also on women’s radar, particularly along the neckline, she goes on. “They don’t really want a crew neck that’s going to be kind of binding around their neck; they want something that’s going to show off a little bit of their neck.” Because a woman will inspect the garment and its tag for fabric content and beyond, so should that garment’s seller before bringing it to the table, staying one step ahead. “They’re not looking for just basics anymore,” Rivera adds. “Just make sure you have a lot to offer, many options, lots of colors and just listen to needs and pay attention to trends.” 

Options, Barreca echoes, are essential. “If you’re dealing with a woman’s purchase specifically or even as a complement, you need to be ready to offer some different choices or ideas to satisfy a range of tastes.” This means coming in with a couple different polo and woven styles, perhaps a pullover piece such as a sweater, higher-end T-shirt type knit or a crew neck, “So that they see there are ways of choosing and not having to go with the same style for every body type and taste.” And why should she? With so many apparel options out there, confidence will be her number one accessory, wherever she finds herself.