Tech fashion is hot, hot, hot. Women’s Wear Daily recently noted how Google and Amazon, as well as retailers and designers, are incorporating technology into their products and doing so with style. From in-the-pink wristlets (purses for your cell) to all-purpose solar-paneled backpacks, tech has bonded with fashion to such an extent that you can even experience the sensations of your sports heroes simply by donning a shirt.
More on this in a bit. In its earlier stages, tech fashion was all about athletics. Less aesthetically pleasing, the products were built to monitor vital signs or acknowledge fitness milestones. Now these gadgets have evolved to incorporate our smartphones in addition to becoming trendsetters.
Withings, a company that develops smart devices to monitor health, recently created the Activité tracker. It looks no different than a highend wristwatch, but measures steps, distance and calories, differentiating among sports and activity and rest. You can even swim with it. Even more unusual, Foxtel, a media company, recently developed the Alert Shirt, an almost eerie athletic shirt that enables wearers to feel the sensations of their favorite sports players.
Back on Planet Earth, Bloomingdale’s is offering the Jetson bike ($2,000) as part of its 100% Bloomingdale’s fall fashion and home design campaign.
In a different sector, jewelry has been given a techie spin. Keith Kaarup Jr.’s TEK Bracelet is a handcrafted leather bracelet with a built-in USB flash drive offering 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and 32GB memory options, along with customizable styles. Swarovski sells crystal USB drives in the form of pens, bracelets and necklaces, featuring an array of colors and styles. U.K.-based Kovert is among the companies that have developed jewelry connecting wearers with their smartphones. The jewelry vibrates when calls or messages are received, nixing the need to check your phone. The chic design of these products completely disguises their tech-vantage.
Wearable tech can also accompany your device in accessory form, such as 100% Bloomingdale’s graphic printed iPhone 5 cases by Mophie ($99.95). Tory Burch, Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors and Kate Spade are among the designers glamming up your cells, tablets and laptops. Michael Kors has wristlets that hold a cellphone and credit cards ($128 and $108), available as part of the 100% Bloomingdale’s campaign. Or you can also revamp your laptop with products like the Marc Jacobs case pictured here, available at places like Nordstrom Rack and your favorite Apple store. If you’re looking for a universal bag, Voltaic Systems’ solar paneled backpacks are equipped to charge all handheld electronics, regardless of outlet access. Bloomie’s is also offering solar bags by O-Range ($395 and $295).
Adding tech to your wardrobe will not only make you fashionable, but you’ll be one step ahead in the techie world.
