The End of an Era: Leggings' Stranglehold on the Fashion World is Finally Beginning to Fade

In a shift driven by Gen Z, the ubiquitous leggings, a staple in gym bags for over a quarter century, are slowly losing their grip on the fashion world. Youth trend analyst Casey Lewis declared "Leggings are obsolete" in her influential Substack newsletter, After School, while The Wall Street Journal called the tight garment "passé." According to U.S. retail analyst Edited, legging purchases dropped to 39% of athletic bottoms in the first quarter of 2025, down from 47% in 2022.

Key Takeaways:

• The decline of leggings is largely a generational shift, with Gen Z driving the trend towards looser silhouettes, citing comfort and a desire for more personal expression.
• Alongside the pendulum swing toward loose-fit denim, Gen Z is pairing wider, baggier workout bottoms with tiny tops, reminiscent of a '90s contemporary-dance studio look.
• Brands like Literary Sport and Permission are embracing this shift with roomy silhouettes, lightweight materials, and inclusive sizing, catering to the "cool-girl vibe" of a more relaxed, casual approach to activewear.
• The influence of social media influencers, personal stylists, and fitness enthusiasts has contributed to the normalization of looser workout clothes, with consumers seeking to match their gym style with their everyday look.
• Tight-on-tight feels like old news, as consumers increasingly opt for more comfortable and versatile options, like wide-leg trackpants, parachute pants, and vintage bloomer-style running shorts.
• The traditional legging still reigns supreme for many practical reasons, but the hottest trend in leggings now is a flared-leg silhouette, with a Y2K-esque low rise, while wide-leg trackpants are gaining traction.
• As for what to wear on top, a fitted T-shirt takes the place of the inverted triangle shape, with the option for vintage details or print adding a personalized touch to the gym look.
• The legging origin story begins with the invention of Spandex in 1958, with the exercise-wear revolution exploding in the '80s, followed by Lululemon's iconic performance leggings in 1998.

Statistics:

• Legging purchases dropped to 39% of athletic bottoms in the first quarter of 2025, down from 47% in 2022 (Edited).
• Searches for leggings have plunged since their peak in December of 2020 (Business of Fashion).
• In 2025, 24% of women aged 18-24 prefer "Sporty-Jeans" to leggings, while 55% prefer leggings, according to a survey by Edited.

Sources:

• Casey Lewis, After School newsletter.
• The Wall Street Journal.
• Edited, U.S. retail analyst.
• Business of Fashion.
• Literary Sport, design director Jackie McKeown.
• Permission, co-founder Laura Santino.
• Tracy Richardson, personal stylist.
• CAPTION(S): Photo Illustration: Elena Viltovskaia.