2014 was the year of fashionable activewear, and it looks like athleisure clothing athletic apparel for women will keep soaring on into 2015.
The market for fashionable activewear is growing at four times the pace of other clothing, and in some trendier cities, wearing fitness clothing out on the town is totally normal. It’s a welcome trend for many women. After all, who doesn’t want to be as comfortable as they are in their workout clothes all the time?
Fashionable activewear is a great way for women to look and feel great whether they’re headed to yoga class or brunch, and many of the major retailers and designers are catching up. Tony Burch and Trina Turk have both announced activewear lines, and Free People is set to introduce it’s Movement collection next year as well.
It goes hand-in-hand with the trendiness of fitness itself. More Americans are looking for healthier lifestyles and clothing that reflects that, and plenty of women purchase athletic clothing as a motivator to exercise.
Activewear has been so successful that it actually seems to have damaged denim sales. According to the NPD group, denim jean sales have dropped by 7% from July 2013 to July 2014, the same period where activewear saw a 7% sales increase to $34 billion. The last time denim saw such a significant dip was when khakis were introduced about ten years ago.
Experts are crediting innovation in the activewear market as part of the reason it’s been so successful. Women going to the gym a few years ago only had a set number of cuts, materials and styles to choose from, where today’s women can choose from sleek asymmetrical hoodies, versatile fabrics, flattering cuts and versatile styles that transition effortlessly from work to workout.
Though the activewear trend is likely to fade eventually, it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere in 2015, so stock up on your print leggings and seamless tops! They won’t be going out of style anytime soon.
