Tracksmith’s Cotswolds Collection (Spring/Summer ’23) is Looking Nice!

With the calendar, and weather, finally shifting into “real” Spring and Summer, we are pleased to highlight Tracksmith’s new SS23 items in their Cotswalds Collection. Here’s some more info on the name:

The Cotswolds is a central-southwest region of England, featuring hills that roll in seeming perpetuity, stretching out from the meadows of the upper Thames, Evesham, and the Severn Valley. Less than two hours outside the bustle of London, it boasts a plethora of gardens, greenspaces, and rural farmland; its beauty and rarity accentuated by the abundance of Jurassic limestone. Throughout the Cotswolds, the narrow dirt roads are peppered sparsely with hobby farms, stone-masoned villages, and stately homes. Charming is an understatement.

See our other posts on Tracksmith!

The colorway of the new Cotswolds Collection really looks like the description above. It is full of muted tans and browns – understated and charming if you will. It’s easy to feel like these new items are meant for miles on cobblestoned streets.

Horizon Tee:

The Horizon Tee has a new colorway this season, but is not new to Tracksmith. To me, it is an option that sits somewhere between running short and casual wear. It’s made for the former, but honestly it looks good enough to be worn in any setting. The horizontal stripes are unique and each of the 7 colorways (if you do want to venture out of the Cotswolds) provide an underrated style.

Add in a fabric that is light and moisture-wicking – not to mention soft – and you have yourself a quality running top (and/or casual option) great for this Spring. We’d probably recommend sizing up for a more relaxed long sleeve top fit.

Women’s Lane Five Crop Top

I don’t generally run outdoors in crops all that much, but this top style has found me going to it more and more. As the temperatures go up, both outside and in my stuffy garage, having a lightweight and cool option is an absolute necessity. This crop top has all my required features – specifically stretch/support and comfort – combined in a muted package. If there was ever an option that was just straightforward – an everyday Crop Top if you will – this may be it.

It fits nicely against the skin and I have yet to experience any bunching, riding, or chafing at the seams so far. Running outside in the summer, or doing training in my garage, can feel like I am working out in a sauna at times. Thus there is little getting away from sweat-drenching exercises for workouts over about 40 minutes.

I do believe this crop does a really solid job at not just weighing my torso down from continual sweat and I probably have this construction technology to thank. It’s not like I was completely dry (not that I ever expected to be), but it felt better than most crops I own.

Women’s Trackhouse Midweight Sweatshirt

If there was ever a piece of clothing that is a staple in the PNW – it may just be a hoodie. These come in all sorts of fits and functionality – from a heavy cotton option that is made for relaxing in to thin options that keep you protected from the sun. Tracksmith’s Midweight Sweatshirt takes the hoodie and adds their own spin on it – creating a multifunctional piece that is designed to last.

Instead of being an overly baggy option that loses its shape and fit after a few washes, Tracksmith delivers this version in a cotton / French Terry blend that keeps things a little lighter. The sides, cuffs, and hem of the top are ribbed to assist in keeping this fitting this right year-after-year and wash-after-wash. NOTE: Air dry this OR tumble dry it to shrink it down. We did find that our sample did seem to fit a little short on the torso, so you may want to consider a size up for additional length coverage.

Usually, we don’t really recommend hoodies for running. That’s not to say that it couldn’t be done – they are usually just more suited as an option to warm-up in before those early morning races, and cool-down in after putting in the miles. However, THIS hoodie is about as close as you can get. It is definitely more functional and holds up to a few miles pretty well.