For such a long time, the general theory when it came to exercise clothes was ‘practicality over prettiness’… ‘function over design’… but luckily those days are over! More and more designers and fashion labels are embracing the fitness lifestyle and creating pretty yoga clothes. Finally, after a bleak period of workout fashion when you could not find any stylish yoga clothes, the options are unending.

One of the huge factors that caused this boom was the funky yoga pants movement. They became popular and fashionable outside of the yoga class. One popular style is made from bright and vibrant patterns. Some others took on a more gimmicky look such as funky yoga pants designed to look like pepperoni pizza or pants made from a fabric of cats playing with balls of yarn. Whichever style you prefer, there is now an impressive variety of fun yoga pants to pick from. 

As the pants became more popular, the demand for more stylish yoga clothes skyrocketed. There were finally designers that were looking to create clothing that you could wear to and from yoga class that was not ugly and embarrassing to be seen in public wearing. 

This lead to an entire sub-industry that was created in the fashion world called athleisure. It took a long time, but finally, people caught on to the fact that there was a huge hole in the fashion industry for people that actually wanted pretty yet affordable yoga clothes. The boom of the athleisure industry has been the most exciting time for athletes that also like to look good. 

While this is an exciting time for yoga enthusiasts, it is also very important to remember that just because yoga pants are becoming more mainstream and can be worn in a lot more situations, it does not mean that they have to be worn in every situation. Considering how many options there are, it can be too easy to fall into the trap of over-wearing them. 

Many people have started using athleisure clothes in their everyday wardrobe. Many pieces are great as bases for an outfit with something worn over it or with it to make it look more exciting.

Simple yoga leggings can be transformed when they are combined with fancier tops. A semi-sheer top over a fashionable sports bra can take the look from something too casual to something very hip and modern. 

One other thing to be cautious about is to keep an eye out for clothes that are made with more of a fashion focus. Some of these clothes can start to lose their practicality and veer more towards the casual wear department. While there is nothing wrong with having a few of these to wear around the house, they will not offer the support that is expected during a yoga class. The last thing you need is an unsightly rip down the middle because they weren’t made to be stretched. 


The future of athleisure looks very bright and continues to grow. While there are many new trends out there, here are a few to keep an eye on:

  • Mesh cutouts

  • Shredded overlay

  • Bright and Vibrant patterns

  • Bold geometric cutouts