By Vanessa Shipley
Edited by Anoosha Barua
If the champagne and glamour of New Year’s Eve is a Saturday night, then New Year’s day is full of lots of Sunday Scaries.
For many people, January first marks a fresh start and a chance to promise themselves unrealistic New Year's resolutions. After a December full of rich holiday cookies and eggnog, there is no surprise that fitness is a popular genre for New Year’s resolutions. While these fitness goals may be daunting, we can rest assured that the fashion industry is here to support us.
Athleisure is fashion buzzword for the upcoming year, and maybe even the decade. In fact, recently Merriam Webster officially entered “Athleisure” into the dictionary. The word is defined as casual, comfortable clothing designed to be suitable both for exercise and everyday wear. As social media continually urges us towards healthier lifestyles, the fashion industry has been quick to follow. Brands such as LuluLemon, Athleta, Nike, and Adidas have enabled us to wear activewear that is socially acceptable to wear outside of the gym.
"The global shift toward more active lifestyles continues to accelerate, and demand for athletic products are high. As a company, we have a sharper focus on these areas that will drive the greatest growth."
Whether or not this has effectively encouraged working out, or just been an excuse to lounge around in yoga pants is debatable, but what is clear is that these trends are here to stay.
“Consumer desire for a multifunctional wardrobe (is) set to drive the athleisure market,” said Forbes Magazine, and “the global athleisure market will rise 9% this year.” Morgan Stanley predicts that the increased popularity of sports clothing will lead to an increase of $65 billion by 2021. In fact, this trend is expanding far past traditional athletic brands. Skin-care and makeup have taken up a corner of the market, where Millenials will pay extra money to sweat through their mascara. Lines such as ‘Clinique Fit’, Sephora ‘Gym Bag’, and Birch Box’s ‘Arrow’ Line are examples of this rising trend. Tarte’s partnership with Instagram 'influencers’ (influencers who promote fitness, travel, and a healthy lifestyle) has helped promote their line ‘Hustle and Glow’. Not only are these brands sold at makeup vendors, but they can be found at yoga and pilates studios as well.
Whether athleisure clothing aligns with your New Year's resolutions or is just an excuse to get comfy, we are excited for a year of new activewear trends.
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