During the past few years, fashion has changed. While there are still days where we dress up in formal wear, we mostly just want to laze around in more comfortable clothes. In fact, many of us are pivoting towards athleisure simply because it’s easy to wear, the material is breathable, and it looks effortlessly chic. And if there’s anywhere that’s good for such clothes, it would be New Balance.
New Balance’s latest Uni-ssentials collection offers modern basics that are comfortable yet fashionable. As you can probably already guess from the name of the collection, Uni-ssentials is made by taking the overlapping measurements of traditional men’s and women’s sizing. This gives rise to a gender-neutral collection that anyone can be comfortable in.
I tried out a few pieces from the collection, and here are my honest thoughts about it!
Uni-ssentials
Uni-ssentials Cotton Tee
The Uni-ssentials Cotton Tee (S$49) comes in a total of four colours, Pink Haze, Rich Earth, Sea Salt Heather, and Varsity Gold, and I ended up choosing Pink Haze because the colour was way too sweet to pass up!
The T-shirt is certainly a basic that you need to have in your wardrobe. It is made from an ultra-comfortable cotton jersey material with BCI cotton that is lightweight and soft to the touch. I can honestly wear this everywhere. It’s so comfortable that I would even wear it to sleep! The material is also quite breathable, so you won’t have to worry about sweating loads under Singapore’s harsh weather.
I love that the T-shirt fits oversized on me, so it gives off a very relaxed look. I can certainly see this being paired with lots of different kinds of bottoms: leggings, legging shorts, denim shorts, denim jeans, and more. The versatility of this shirt is endless!
Uni-ssentials Cotton Legging Short
I paired the T-shirt with the Uni-ssentials Cotton Legging Short (S$49) in Black. This pair of shorts is also made from the same material as the shirt, so you can probably already imagine how comfortable I was feeling despite the heat.
This outfit would look great if you’re just going to head to somewhere for a quick and casual lunch, or if you’re heading to a friend’s place to chill.
Uni-ssentials Bucket Hat
The Uni-ssentials Bucket Hat comes in two colours, but I ultimately chose the Black one over the Pink Haze one simply because I felt that the black would offer more versatility. It was also much easier to match with the rest of the outfits I had in my wardrobe.
This is a simple hat with the New Balance branding sprawled in small letters on the front, giving it a very minimalistic look.
I can definitely see myself bringing this along with me when I know I’m going to be outdoors. It works as both a fashion piece and a practical accessory to shield you from the sun!
Uni-ssentials French Terry Short
Here’s another outfit that I tried, this time pairing the Uni-ssentials Cotton Tee with the Uni-ssentials French Terry Short (S$59) in Sea Salt Heather. This pair of shorts is honestly everything you could ever ask for in a pair of sweat shorts. The material is thick, but it isn’t the kind that makes you sweat more.
I’ve been reaching out to it far more than any other pair of shorts that I own, simply because of the comfort that it offers. You really would have to purchase it yourself in order to know what I mean!
Uni-ssentials Socks
The socks I got were in a lilac colour and even though I was a little disappointed that they weren’t in the same shade as my Uni-ssentials Cotton Tee, I realised that the colour exuded the same vibes of chicness.
It was also thick, which provided an added cushion around my feet. I feel like this would be great for those who are afraid of friction burns or blisters occurring when playing sports!
XC-72
On my feet are the XC-72 (S$189), a unisex pair of sneakers that is easy to walk in. It draws inspiration from 1970s concept cars and it features three distinctive traction outsole patterns for that sleek look.
But here’s the best part about this pair of sneakers: as part of New Balance’s green leaf standard, the hairy suede upper is made of 50% or more recycled content, leather that supports sustainable and ethical manufacturing, as well as preferred manmade cellulose, while the vamp is made with TENCEL Lyocell fibre textiles derived from renewable wood sources.
So when you purchase this pair of sneakers, you will not only be stylish, but also be showing your support for sustainability! Talk about a win-win situation, right?
Sportswear
Pace Bra 3.0
Other than the Uni-ssentials collection, I also tried on the Pace Bra 3.0, a medium-impact sports bra that has a supportive bottom band elastic. I tried doing some exercises in this and I’m glad that there was enough support for them.
Relentless Crossover High Rise 7/8 Tights
I paired the Pace Bra 3.0 with the Relentless Crossover High Rise 7/8 Tights (S$79) and I love that both have matching bands with the New Balance logo written across them. This pair of tights makes use of New Balance’s DRYx premium, fast-drying technology to wick moisture away from your body, keeping you sweat-free as you continue with your workout.
The tights fit snugly, and perhaps the most important thing of all is that this pair passed the squat test! You won’t have to worry about constantly pulling up your tights after every squat or after running some distance, which is certainly a plus point.
This pair of tights will also go well with the Uni-ssentials Cotton Tee if you’re a bit too self conscious about just wearing a sports bra out in public.
With this set on, you’ll be ready to conquer any workout available. You can even wear this outfit out to the mall or for an errand run.
Overall thoughts
If the candid wide smile on my face isn’t indicative of how satisfied I am with New Balance’s latest collection, I don’t know what is!
My favourite item of all is probably the Uni-ssentials Cotton Tee because of how easy it is to pair with anything. It works well as a workout tee for when I go to the gym, a casual tee for lunch with my loved ones, as well as a lounge tee because it’s soft and comfortable to laze around in. Plus, the oversized fit really adds to the comfort.
I definitely love the fact that New Balance put a lot of thought into this collection and made it gender-neutral so that everyone can enjoy chic basics. Whether you’re looking to get matching clothes with your partner, or whether you’re looking for comfortable athleisure to laze around in, New Balance has certainly got you covered.
You can shop the new collection on the New Balance website.
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