If you live in an urban area, you’ve probably noticed the transition from tank tops and jeans to fashionable leggings and workout tops. Well, in reality women are spending more and more time in athletic apparel than ever before and are inspiring a boost in sales for retailers. Here are five things to know about the trends of sports fashion.
- Activewear sales predicted to reach $83B by 2020
According to a report by Morgan Stanley, sales of sports apparel are estimated to grow to $83B by 2020. This is nuts. Part of the reason for the boost is the fact that teens are participating in sports activities now more than ever. Participation in sports has gone up from 21% in 1980 to 36% in 2010.
2. Now it is acceptable to wear sports items for a number of activities
Additionally, while people restricted the wear of leggings to the gym and the gym alone, now it is acceptable to wear leggings for almost any activity: grocery shopping, school and yes, in some places, even work.
3. Regular apparel brands recognizing the trend
In response to the growing athletic apparel trend, companies that traditionally focused on high-end fashion are now introducing sports lines to their collections. Take, for example, Tory Burch. The designer took the timeless elegance and applied it to a number of sports items such as leggings, wide workout trousers and fashionable tops.
4. A new term “Athleisure” has been added to the NYTimes Dictionary
And yes, there is nothing akin to the legitimization by the NYTimes. The Merriam-Webster dictionary is adding the following definition for the term athleisure: “casual clothing designed to be worn for both exercising and for general use.”
5. Some of the up-and-coming Athleisure brands in 2017 that do not include Lululemon
The rise of athleisure has seen a parallel rise in brands catering to the demand in sportswear. Here are some you should keep your eyes on. First, Athleta — the brand that is owned by Gap is building more and more storefronts complete with classes and in-store events. Then there is Lily Lotus, an eco-friendly brand that sells stylish designs in fashion boutiques around the world. And for the racy gals, there is the Victoria’s Secret yoga offerings in the VSX and Pink Lines.
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