5 Reasons Activewear Has Grown In The UK

These days there is an intersection between fashion and fitness. What is it about activewear that's made it so popular? Figure-hugging leggings and sweat wicking tops have dominated our shopping carts, both in the high street and online. But why? We give 5 reasons activewear has grown in the UK

1. Community

Social media has made fitness a community. You may follow and discuss training with hundreds of people you’ve never actually met, but you connect over a shared passion. There are lots of ways to connect through fitness, whether it's via social media, a fitness app, or following a live workout. We’re constantly comparing our stats to others, battling for the best time, best burn or best results.

With this added pressure of sharing all our achievements and posting photos to social media, there comes the burden of looking good at all times too, no matter how sweaty you are! That is where stylish gym clothes come in. Wearing the latest trends in activewear and sportswear can be what gets you noticed on Instagram, and feeling good in your cute gym clothes and stylish outfits can help to keep you motivated.

2.There’s fame in fitness

Fitness professionals on social media are becoming celebrities in their own right, from CrossFit athletes to fitness models. Being famous on Instagram is no longer like being rich in a game of Monopoly, it’s truly lucrative and there’s real money to be made. This is why everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon and share in a slice of the action. The base of success on social media is looking good, and this means being seen in the latest fashion gym wear. Anyone who’s anyone on Instagram will be promoting the latest activewear range, or even creating their own, and it’s becoming a huge industry.

3. Athleisure

The transition of athletic apparel into leisure and everyday wear has exploded the activewear market. From the gym to the office and from the office to happy hour, millennials’ more relaxed approach to fashion has transformed fitness clothing into a trend we can adopt and wear for almost anything. This has led to trendier, more stylish designs and with the catwalk and celebrities following trend, it appears athleisure is here to stay.

Athleisure has made activewear social. Whereas before the excuse not to workout would simply be “I’m going for drinks after work”, it’s now the norm to meet your friends for a fitness class or a workout and a coffee instead.

4. Technology

It’s not just activewear that’s become huge in the last year, we’ve started concentrating on an overall picture of health and wellbeing. 1 in 5 people own a fitness tracker and 1 in 10 wear them every single day. Forget wearing a Rolex, it’s all about smart watches now with in-built heart rate monitors and step counters. We’re constantly tracking our every move and it is trendy to book into fitness classes with your friends. Fitness has become the fashionable thing to do, and so owning a wardrobe bursting with desirable activewear is a must to complete the package.

5. Health is wealth

Being healthy is desirable. Just like how in Tudor times being overweight was a sign of wealth, now wearing your luxury women’s activewear while sipping a £10 green smoothie in the bar of a boutique gym is a sign that you’re doing well for yourself. Activewear is a status symbol. Owning the latest pair of trainers and seamless Merino wool training top shows that you care about your health and wellbeing and are willing to take the time to work at it.