As Athleisure becomes more well-known as both a word but more importantly as a fashion trend, I am continually on the lookout for pieces that fall into that category to add to my wardrobe. My focus is usually on items that fit seamlessly into my active lifestyle while maximizing comfort, fit and functionality. One of my favorite parts of this trend gaining crazy momentum is that it is no longer frowned upon to pair tennis shoes with denim or wear your favorite leggings to the grocery store. Long gone are the days of frumpy and unflattering sweats. Now we welcome curve-hugging silhouettes, fun prints and luxe fabrics that can just as easily be worn to workout class as they can be to your work place. Versatility is everything! {Insert praise hands emoji here, HA!!!} I mean buying incredibly versatile clothing kind of saves you money in the long run, so you’re actually doing yourself AND your wallet a favor. *You’re welcome, Kyle, for saving us money!* In Monday’s post I shared a bit about Crane & Lion and my love for their collection. Founder John Udelson had a vision to provide women with apparel that like them could tackle anything. With two ‘sections’ of clothing on their website, fitness & lifestyle, you could initially assume there is a divide in what you can/should be wearing those categories for but from firsthand experience, I can attest to the fact you can wear any of those items anywhere. Wear the crossback bra tank with a denim jacket for a causal weekend or the original tights under an over-sized sweater dress to the office. Being able to interchange Crane & Lion’s pieces so easily is just another positive attribute of their line.

A dress may not seem like the most practical clothing item for me to wear right now considering it is February in Nebraska, but the minute I saw the Active Dress on Crane & Lion’s website–ON SALE!–I knew I needed it. Immediately I imagined playing tennis or golf in it. Does it matter if I’ve never really played golf or tennis? Absolutely not. It was the feeling I got when I saw the dress and the feeling is what really matters! 😉 {I’m now searching out tennis spots in town because of this dress–maybe I’ll discover a new hobby!?} Anyway…I did have one issue with the dress and that was that it came equipped with a built-in bra; something I tend to steer clear of. Where built-in bras are concerned, I usually find too much padding or an odd-shaped chest area that ends up looking weird on my tiny chest. Not the case here – YAY! The back detailing is cute but also practical {perfect to wear with your typical sports bra for girls who may need more support} and I’m dying over the stretchy material.

Since 14* wasn’t the most ideal temp for a short, sleeveless dress, I figured this gorgeous zinfandel-colored long sleeve top could make it appear a bit more practical. The ruching down the back is a great addition style-wise but I also found it super practical when I worked out in the top. Because of the ruching, the top stayed in place during kettlebell swings and cleans and I wasn’t constantly pulling it down to cover my stomach like I end up doing with a lot of my shirts. I also love the thumbholes since I have a really hard time running outside in gloves and the added length kept my hands warm. I’m not sure I would wear this on much more than a 3 mile run–unless I was wearing it alone–because I did seem to get warm quicker than usual so I’m thinking it may be due to the soft material. Overall I know these two pieces will have ample life for me and I am so ready for temperatures that allow me to throw a simple wrap sweater over my new ‘tennis’ dress in the office!

Shop the Look:

Dress / Long Sleeve / Shoes / Beanie