Mar 11, 20206 min read

How Athleisure Literally Rebranded American Fashion

Updated: Apr 7, 2020

Skinny jeans who? We don't know her.

A billion dollar market on athleisure clothing has stolen every single college student's, modern worker's, and average American's hearts and wallets.

And they're not anywhere close to stopping.

According to a study by market research firm NPD Group released by Forbes magazine, the U.S. sales of sports leisure footwear increased by 7% in the last 12 months since August 2018. Athleisure is predicted to be the leading fashion product in the next few years. Athleisure is the combination of the words Athletic + Leisure in regards to casual clothing that most people wear around to the gym, work, school, and any other activity you honestly can think of.

But where did this idea of sportswear and gym clothes as acceptable and idolized outfits become a thing? When did manufacturers start creating elite, high quality forms and leggings like LuluLemon and Fabletics?

Today we're going to talk about the birth, rise, and future of athleisure and why it has become so popular in such a short amount of time.

***Scroll down to the end of the article to see some of the DWF team's favorite athleisure pieces and brands!

THE BIRTH

From the early 1800s to the modern era, the way a person is dressed has always represented a certain level of status and prestige. Prior to the 20th century, men and women of the elite were distinctly separated from the working class and the poor solely because of their appearance and clothing.

The upper class had more leisure time and had servants to do their work so they wouldn't ever get their clothes dirty. A common trend among the rich was to layer themselves with the finest cloth and linen almost no one, except for them, at the time could afford. It often took a team of individuals to get a woman dressed back in the day as long, modest dresses were all that was acceptable for a rich woman. They used these mechanisms to display their wealth and gain respect from those of lower status. This started to change towards the end of the 19th century and into the 20th when working hours started to decline and the majority of the middle class could engage in free time and leisurely activities as well. Women started to ditch the corset and the heavy attire for shorter skirts and pants to run around and play tennis in.

The world was changing. Gyms became integrative and there were more opportunities for men and women to engage in physical activity without restrictive clothing and without the implication of a woman not wearing a dress as anything sexual. The goal was simple: to be comfortable, cool, unrestricted, and stylish. The idea of women wearing shorts was a hit and long gone were the days of hoop skirts, corsets, and petticoats. But denim shorts with tight seams still had their limitations. Optimum mobility was still unachievable when seams would rip or squeeze the leg and hip areas in uncomfortable ways. And up until this time, most clothing was still being made out of plants and animals. Cotton and linen were from flowers while silk from worms and sheep's wool the only industry up and producing this popular, revolutionary demand. That was until the innovative, spectacular invention of the one thing that changed every industry forever: synthetic fibers. Because of this new scientific technology, clothes could be mass produced in factories, could be stretched to new lengths, and weren't as heavy as a goat or sheep's wool. Synthetic stockings and tights sold out in minutes and women would come running to see the new products that would change their fashion game.

And then.

There was Spandex.

In 1959, two DuPont chemists created essentially the MOTHER of leggings by blending together natural fibers with synthetic to make it more lightweight, elastic, and figure hugging to ensure the maximum satisfying workout. Spandex changed the game for sports. LITERALLY. CHANGED. EVERYTHING. It became the foundation of swimsuits for swimmers, yoga pants and body suits, and our most favorite of all: leggings.

THE RISE AND THE PRSENT

It is really safe to say that we are the active, productive, and workaholic society we are today because of leggings and the push for comfortable on-the-go clothing. And that is okay!

Today, athleisure is one of the leading clothing companies to date, with sales growing and new brands popping up on the scene with a slight twist on their products every day.

One key factor that makes athleisure so popular is how you can multitask, workout, get everything off your to do list without having to change once. New materials used in producing these activewear ensure maximum odor reduction, stretchability, sweat-wicking and protection from the dirty environment you can find yourself in while accomplishing your day to day activities. This has made athleisure the best for not only sports and athletic people, but for a general healthy lifestyle overall. Nowadays, you don't even have to work out to buy leggings, sports bras, or gym attire; the main market is for people that just want to be comfortable.

Comfort has reached a new level in today's society. So much that comfy clothes and streetwear isn't what distinguishes a rich person from a poor person anymore. Famous, elite brands like Nike, Adidas, Supreme, Gucci, and many more have made athletic clothing lines that consist of sweatpants, tracksuits, and sneakers that are available celebrities, but also the the general public. It is not uncommon for a rapper to walk around wearing name brand hoodies or sweatshirts to famous award shows or to see billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg at conferences in T-Shirts. Because of societies new idolization of athletes as celebrities, streetwear has become the new trend of what sets apart the rich and the poor, though it isn't a big margin.

Influencers and celebrities have also started to collaborate with companies for endorsement and to create a larger known market audiences for specific brands. Kanye West paired with Adidas to make Yeezys and Beyonce and Rihanna contributed by making their own clothing lines. Celebrities have started to look like, well regular people as brands work hard to recreate the image of success and productivity that everyone so craves in this society.

THE FUTURE

Clothing has always been used as a means to express oneself. In the recent years, it has been used as a battleground to defy against many social norms and principles that have been set up in society throughout the years. Many supporters of athleisure have claimed it has been a way for women to rebel against the idea that they must dress femininely and modestly. The tight, form fitting purpose of athletic wear is to defy against that ancient ideology, symbolizing that women should not be sexualized of wha they have on and should be respected as the hardworking individuals they are. Streetwear has also been used to defy against what is considered "poor-man's clothes" as brands continue to create designer hoodies and T-Shirts, an item typically worn by the common public. This retaliates against the idea of social class and using clothing to separate oneself from another.

The growth of this industry is also far from decline. The global athleisure sector has increased by 42% in the last seven years and is to be valued at $270 billion in 2020. That is a 30% growth that what is was in 2019.

The reason for this? Comfort and convenience. Most things in modern society has been modified to fit a fast paced, productive lifestyle that many American citizens engage in. By having a product that provides maximum mobility while still looking polished, professional, casual, down-to-earth, productive, and is odor free, the American dream has once again become a reality. It is really safe to say that Athleisure is here to stay and won't be going away.

DWF FAVORITES

We asked some of our very own members about their opinions on athleisure and what their favorite brands and pieces were. Leggings was definitely a favorite among the group.

"WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LEGGING/ATHLEISURE BRAND?"

"Aeire! I love the dainty classic look." "Lulu lemon, but it's soooo expensive!!"

- Annamaire Simoldoni, CO-Blogging Manager - Emily Schutz, Writing Team