When it comes to millennials and Gen Zers, they never skip a beat when it comes to fashion. Their nature as always on the go generation creates a high demand for fashion-forward activewear garments that lets them get their priorities straight while still maintaining “drip”. I’ll take running errands while sipping mimosas all while being in my sweatpants and hoodies any day of the week. It is simply not an option to give up on style, so athleisure is here to give us both fashion and function every day in the trendiest wearable way.
Activewear is a trend of clothes designed for athletic uses but worn for purposes such as work, schools, or events. But athleisure itself refers to athletic apparel that can be worn in non-athletic settings. The most common pieces of athleisure come in forms like leggings, tights, sweatpants, yoga pants, shorts, sports bras, hoodies, sneakers, and many more. It symbolizes a new take on sportswear to an instantly enhanced everyday outfit you can throw on in under 5 minutes. The rise of this trend is mainly contributed by the rapid growth of startup companies and workplaces, slowly diminishing strict and formal dress codes. They can provide comfortability through outfits that are more lightweight and breathable while giving the solutions to provide a hub for urban and sports trends to freely influence 
their shapes.
Many iconic athleisure movements come from the 90s. The notorious Juicy Couture tracksuits in many daring colors give more of a blend on-trend silhouette while still providing that extra fit and comfort. If you crave walking around in Paris Hilton style, it’s your official time to shine. Sueded fleece fabrications will give you performance wear that feels like cashmere. Try a cross-functionating loungewear look by pairing it with some sneakers or heels. Neo-materials such as holographic foil, reflective colors, and pearlized iridescent finishes also look stunning as a statement piece. The key here is to layer futuristic outerwear over extenuating body-conforming pieces. If layering isn’t your style, then breathable cropped silhouettes could be your Indonesian 36 degrees weather best friend. The use of retro color palettes also comes to play when mentioning old school gym classes in the West. You will see more neon yellows and bright purples making a comeback over the years.
Athleisure accessibility in breaking through mass markets like never before means this industry is saturated yet growing. Fast fashion brands such as H&M and Uniqlo are riding the wave by releasing sportswear lines at an affordable price tag. This mass adoption within the industry is slowly trickling down into pop-culture, further demonstrating the influence of athleisure in the mainstream media. Other brands are also focusing on creating different cuts that are acceptable in the workplace in hopes of carrying other generations to join this activewear bandwagon. While some brands targets to embrace the inclusivity of real women’s bodies by securing client’s hearts through pieces in various sizing and colors to match all skin tones.
Although the athleisure trend is. It has found its way into many of our wardrobes and influences the way we look at fashion trends. Athleisure blurs the lines between the clothes you would wear to the gym and those you would wear to lunch by converting performance wear into regular wear. With many adopting this look, it proves that people are starting to have more options to stay relaxed while still looking put together. Its simplicity and practicality hope to continue to appeal outside the realm of sports, but for general daytime and travel.
Author: Meisya Risty | Student of International Undergraduate Program-2020
