Hooray, spring is here! Okay, I know, my cheer needs some work. I’ve been out of practice, having tucked away my cheerleader uniform a million years ago. But then again, that’s really not much of an excuse, what with the fresh, sporty, cheerleader-inspired outfits lending their high spirits to this spring’s runways.

"There are now many ways for us to pull off a

cheerleader ensemble without

looking like an over-aged high school repeater."

Perhaps wearing the cheerleader skirt is not exactly for everyone; after hitting a certain age (or size), wearing a short, pleated skirt is something we tend to veer away from – and with good reason. Besides, even if I were as svelte as I was in my younger years, I might still end up looking like a trying-too-hard cheerleader wannabe.

Having said that, thank God for designers! They have recycled the cheerleader outfit in more ways than one, effectively extending its age limit. There are now many ways for us to pull off a cheerleader ensemble without looking like an over-aged highschool repeater… just make sure you ditch the pom-poms.

Balenciaga features a hardened cheerleader for Spring 2010 look by mixing in leather and black into the well-loved short skirt and tucked-in shirt reminiscent of cheerleaders’ attires.

 Balenciaga S/S 2010

Proneza Schouler reworks the cheerleader apparel by adding noteworthy details to the classic cheerleader skirt and playing with fabric.

Of course, becoming a catwalk cheerleader doesn’t involve just the signature cheerleader skirt. Knee-high socks and jerseys both echo the jovial spirit of healthy, athletic competitiveness.

Fashion maven Alexa Chung wears knee socks and makes the look more sober by sporting a leather jacket.

Alexander Wang invests in knee socks for his Spring 2010 RTW collection, pairing them with apparel that also speak sports.

Never been a fan of cheerleader outfits? There are other ways to keep the spirit stick from falling to the ground, so to speak. Take the course of sports and try wearing a sweatshirt dress for a day of shopping. Don’t worry, today’s sweatshirt dresses won’t make you perspire with fashion anxiety; the modern variety looks less dowdy and much more chic than its original version while borrowing the latter’s comfy, relaxed vibe.

Alexander Wang experiments with the sweatshirt by giving its sleeves more volume.

Rebecca Taylor adds some shirring and gives the sweatshirt dress some curves by keeping the waist trim.