Perhaps it’s a reaction to the matching-sweatsuit monopoly during the pandemic, but there’s a nostalgic and dressier movement afoot in the world of women’s athleisure.
Case in point: Byrdie Golf Social Wear, a Charlotte-based brand of sports apparel founded this year by Rachelle Williams and Hayden Shoffner as a tribute to their glamorous golfing grandmothers. “Some of our earliest memories are on the course with family, particularly with our grandmothers,” Williams says. “Whether it was getting dressed for golf or a dinner with friends, they never compromised their personal style, and we created Byrdie Golf to carry on that tradition for a new generation.”
After combing through trunks and closets and studying vintage family photographs for inspiration, the duo dreamed up their first silhouettes, including dresses and matching tops and skirts. The modern tweaks are thoughtful ones: coordinating bike shorts in lieu of uncomfortable bloomers and carefully researched fabrics that wick moisture.
This fall, the company added layering pieces to carry the looks through four seasons, including a long-sleeved top and a wide leg pant. And in the spring, the duo will debut their first collaboration with the New Orleans fashion designer Sue Sartor.
“Nothing makes us happier than seeing young women on the golf course,” Williams says. “We’re making it our mission to translate that dress code into something that is welcoming and easily accessible.”
