The Rise of Athleisure

The Rise of Athleisure

By: Asia Harden

As you walk through campus on your way to class, what is one thing that you notice? Leggings, joggers, sweatshirts, and tennis shoes. There’s the occasional dress or ripped pair of skinny jeans, but the athleisure trend dominates the college wardrobe for students at the University of Mississippi and now globally at home and over social media.

The rise of athleisure began with the birth of clothing brand Lululemon over two decades ago. Chip Wilsons started the company after attending a yoga class where his yoga instructor’s fitted dancelike attire caught his eye.

Pictures from Instagram

Now Lululemon is a top brand whose clothing has revolutionized daily fashion. Their activewear apparel can be found in the closets of many teenagers and young adults across the country and world. 

Additionally, sports have played a role in the continued success of activewear brands. Not only does the athleisure trend lend itself to yoga-ready looks but it can also be quite sporty and consistent with the latest outfits of celebrity athletes. This can most obviously be seen in the shoe industry as people of all ages continue to wear tennis shoes consistently even if they don’t plan on exercising. 

Picture from Free People

Of course, the introduction of new technology and fabrics have contributed to the appeal of athleisure. Not only is this clothing considered effortless fashion to many people but it provides comfort that is often considered to be rare in casual clothing. As society has embraced this trend, brands like Lululemon, Nike, and Adidas have carved a lane for themselves in the fashion industry through creating stylized activewear that lends itself to daily life.

Picture from Lululemon

Next time you find yourself rushing to class, or scrolling on the gram, take a glimpse. Based on the number of sweatpants I’ve seen this semester, it looks like the trend is here to stay.