Gym wear is no longer solely reserved for the gym. It’s now a huge trend to wear what was once typically described as “activewear” outside of the gym, and, even to social events. The trend of athleisure is huge, and it is everywhere. Brands and high-end retailers have caught on to the athleisure trend and have started making clothes that feel almost too stylish to wear to the gym.

What Actually IS Athleisure?

You’ve heard the term mentioned in the gym and have seen it all over Instagram, but what does it actually mean? Basically, the term athleisure means wearing casual clothing, such as yoga pants, hoodies and sweat shorts, that are purposely designed to be worn for both working out and for doing basically anything else as well. Essentially, it means it is socially acceptable for you to wear gym leggings and trainers if you’re heading out for brunch, to a work meeting or the supermarket.

There’s a certain art to achieving the athleisure style outside of the gym, so if you’re looking for ways that you can add this (very comfortable) trend into your everyday wardrobe, here are some tips on how to wear athleisure wear outside of the gym.

Choose A Neutral Color Pallette

Black and neutral tones are the key to pulling off this trend effortlessly. The tip to wearing athleisure as your regular day-to-day clothing is all about comfort and minimalism. If you really want to add a pop of color to your outfit, pretty much all athleisure goes well with colored sneakers.

Mix-Up The Materials

Leave the full lycra get-up for your morning spin class. Pulling off the athleisure trend means that you need to mix your more traditional gym wear with other, non-gym appropriate materials. For example, wearing mesh and lycra gym leggings with a denim jacket or a mens twin set with a mesh vest.

Add Layers

Just wearing a gym top with leggings doesn’t really cut it. Opt for layering items to add a more varying style to your look. Choosing an unusual jacket or tying a sweater around your waist gives you a better opportunity to style your athleisure look.

Add Accessories Cautiously

Accessories are key to upping your athleisure style but pick them carefully. Certain key pieces will take your look onto the next level. Accessorize with certain, trend-driven pieces, such as small sunglasses or Louis Vuitton trainers to completely transform your casual leggings and t-shirt combination.

Choose Quality Pieces

Athleisure doesn’t mean wearing the same pair of sneakers you’ve had since college, or your oldest gym t-shirt with stains and holes. In order to really pull off this trend, it’s a lot easier to find new, fresh pieces that are in perfect condition and that fit you how they’re meant to. You can still enjoy the comfort and ease that workout clothes offer, but just make sure that they’re still intact and fit how they are meant to.

Look Online For Style Inspiration

A lot of shopping apps now have dedicated sections for athleisure style. Online retailers, such as Boohoo, even have Lookbooks that you can browse through for inspiration. ASOS have recently introduced a new interactive feature to their app so that you can search for similar items on their site that you might have seen on another site or in-store. These developments within the fashion industry are increasing the way that we consume fashion and, in particular, new trends such as athleisure.

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