Courtesy of AthletaWe interviewed Alicia Keys because we think you'll like her picks. Alicia is a paid spokesperson for Athleta. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may get a commission if you purchase something through our links. Items are sold by the retailer, not E!. Prices are accurate as of publish time.
Many people view January as a time to set intentions for the rest of the year, but sometimes this emphasis can add stress. For anyone who has hit a plateau with their goals or wants extra motivation, Alicia Keys says, "There's a lot of pressure and I think just reminding ourselves that we are perfect as we are and that we can go at our own pace, taking our own time with all the things, is important. It takes practice to continue to find who you are, what you like, what your inner voice says. Just take your time."
She teamed up with Athleta for a collection that will help you start 2024 with a balanced mindset, whether you are working out or relaxing. The singer says, "I think all of the pieces are great for everyday wear. It is about ease and this ability to have the space to think— the space to be you. You don't have to feel like you're overdoing it."
In an exclusive E! interview, Alicia discusses her 2024 intentions, body positivity, and her Athleta collection.
E!: How does this collection circle back to the idea of setting intentions for a new year?
AK: I think there's a joy of being able to use fashion as your personal expression, as your personal canvas. You're able to just really say what you want to say about your mood, your emotion, your feeling, and you should really honor that. This collection is going to give you a lot of options and a lot of ways to honor the different feelings that you have and express them in a way that you don't have to overthink, but you know you can trust.
Athleta x Alicia Keys Transcend Bra
"We paid a lot of attention to how this is going to feel for she, that beautiful you. It's simple, yet here are these straps in the back that create a beautiful design. The sports bra is simple, but also unique and special. And on top of that, you're going to get the support that you need and you're gonna feel secure like you want. Whatever you might be doing, you don't want to be worried about your boobs."
This bra is available in black, ivory, dark cherrywood.
Athleta x Alicia Keys Transcend Tight
"The leggings look great on the body. The high waist is going to always even everything out and make you feel good, which I love. Then, there's a small beautiful detail on each legging that almost is like the illusion of the very, very beautiful line that goes right by almost like the panty line almost. It kind of has a little bit of edge to it because it creates a beautiful line in that area of your body. It also disappears in this way that you don't pay extra attention to it when you see it up close. Very good detail."
The leggings come in black and dark cherrywood in regular, petite, and tall lengths.
Athleta x Alicia Keys Retroplush Sweatshirt
"The sweatshirt is so good and the way that the neckline lays is so nice. What's also beautiful about it are the sleeves. They zip all the way up to the elbow. So one of the things that I love to do is unzip and then put my hand through the zipper instead of through the normal sleeve, creating a slight wing effect. With the sweat pant, you unzip it all the way to like the knee and it kind of gives it this more you know this shapeliness, so when you put them both together, although it is a sweat suit, it looks like something that you haven't had before, it really has a style."
The sweatshirt comes in dark cherry wood and pyrite.
Athleta x Alicia Keys Retroplush Pant
"You know when you wanna just feel comfortable, Athleta creates these fabrics that have me like 'Oh, man.' That's one of the things that connected me with them from the beginning even before we did any collaborations together. I knew I was gonna feel good, it's gonna be soft. No one wants to wear fabric that's itchy and scratchy. It has to feel good. So we've given ourselves the permission to feel good."
These sweatpants come in dark cherry wood and pyrite.
Athleta x Alicia Keys Transcend Bodysuit
"It's all about body positivity and finding yourself in the sizes. The sizing diversity is really important, really important. You can really find what you need for your body style and that's been consciously created that way. When we were designing this one piece, we were thinking about the way the bust will fit for all sizes of busts. We wanted to make something that's gonna hold you in and support you so you feel good."
"If you're not a jumpsuit person, but you want to be, there are great ways to style it with pieces from the collection. So much of the collection is made to pair together. For me, when I want to feel covered in all the right places and feel good, I tie a sweater or sweatshirt around the waist to just break up the look a bit. If another layer makes you feel more comfortable, that's the way to go. I would love the jumpsuit with the cream or taupe sweater. You can even undo the wraps a little bit and let them fall, which is a fun way to do it and keep a bit of illusion. It flows a bit more."
The jumpsuit comes in dark cherrywood and black in regular, petite, and tall lengths.
Athleta x Alicia Keys Sweater
"There's this beautiful taupe sweater that has a beautiful line that almost looks like a half moon at the front. It wraps around and it has a mock neck with long sleeves. I really like it so much because I think it's quite versatile. It could go with the sweatpants from the collection. It would go with a skirt or your favorite jeans. I really like the sweater a lot. I think it looks really good and very fluid."
This sweater also comes in cream.
Athleta x Alicia Keys Sweater Dress
"I love a sweater dress so much. It is so versatile. You can wear it at night and at the end of the night, just around the house. You can put it over a turtleneck if you wanted to put something under it. Wear with some high boots and keep it winter. You can totally stretch and relax in this. You could put leggings underneath it. It's so good. It's so flattering. You can have this piece forever."
This dress comes in pyrite and black in regular, petite, and tall lengths.
E!: What advice do you have for anyone who needs some extra motivation to reach their 2024 goals?
AK: A lot of the time, there is pressure to have all these big ideas. You feel like you're supposed to make all these big goals and commitments to yourself and you can feel a little intimidated. My main thing is to identify one thing. You may want to get to know yourself better or there may be something that you don't want to do anymore. It's so much easier to be committed to just one thing. It can even be something as simple as making sure I'm giving myself some extra time in the week, so I don't feel so stressed out.
The idea of creating these smaller goals or creating shifts make it feel much more doable because you're not feeling like you have to change the entire landscape of your life. You just get to do one small thing that will lead to other things for yourself.
If you're still shopping at Athleta, you'll love the brand's collaboration with Simone Biles.