Beginning in the mid 2010s, athletic wear has stood out not only for its intended purpose, but as its own unique fashion. Athleisure, originally meant to be worn when exercising and changed out of after finishing a workout, has evolved into casual, everyday wear. 

Pieces like yoga pants and tracksuits rose in popularity during the early 2000s, leading to athleisure becoming its own category in following years. The 2010s is when modern idea of the genre truly takes off, with fashion combining leisure wear with numerous other trends. Athleisure pieces such as leggings, biker shorts, and compression jackets have been consistently defining the growth of the trend. Even today, athletic wear remains as popular as ever, with brands like Nike, Lululemon, and Skims shaping the modern trend. 

Likely one of the most popular, yet controversial, brands in the athletic wear industry, Lululemon has consistently remained in the spotlight after opening their doors in 1998. Despite facing numerous accusations of overpriced products, racism and fatphobia, false advertising, and use of child and underpaid labor, the company grossed a 2023 annual income of over 9.5 billion dollars according to statistics released by the company. Lululemon’s company image, which utilizes unique marketing strategies and is marketed toward “cool girls” according to founder Dennis Wilson, is likely the source of its popularity.

As themes of health and minimalism continue to become increasingly popular, as seen with the recent “clean girl” and “granola girl” trends, many find athleisure wear convenient for a number of reasons. It’s simple, comfortable and can be worn during various tasks. 

According to junior Caty Jewell, the comfort and versatility of athletic wear is a major part of its appeal. “Wearing comfortable clothes to school helps me learn better. I do cheer as well, so I find it much easier to just wear athletic clothes to school instead of changing into a different outfit before practice.”

In terms of Lululemon, Jewell shows a nuanced opinion. “Some of their pieces are worth the money, others aren’t. One of my favorite things they sell are the ‘Shorty Shorts”, which I have multiple pairs of and wear a lot, but some of the things they sell really aren’t worth buying.”

Despite the controversy of Lululemon as a brand and criticism of athletic wear itself, it’s clear that the trend will not be going away any time soon.