It’s Z fitness fashion faux pas of the day.
After reigning as choice activewear for more than 20-something years, 20-somethings online have officially declared workout leggings “dead.”
RIP to the grip.
Rather than breaking a sweat in the skintight togs, gym rat Gen Zers now prefer loose-fitting, baggy sweatpants or shorts while exercising, according to a recent report by Edited, a retail analysis group.
But the youngsters’ sudden aversion to leggings — a millennial fashion fav — is less about style, and more about their self-image issues.
“I’m so embarrassed and insecure about wearing leggings,” confessed a body-conscious belle in a trending clip. “I hate how they fit me, how they’re so tight on me and you can see, like, the structure of my legs.”
Those groans were echoed by a sea of Gen Zs who agreed, commenting, “Leggings are so uncomfortable,” “I f- -king hate leggings,” and “It’s body dysmorphia.”
And their beef with the bottoms isn’t just idle internet chatter — it’s evident in sales and web searches, too.
Researchers for Edited found that consumer interest in leggings has plummeted from 46.9% to 38.7% since 2022. Due to the drop in demand, top athletic brands such as Nike and adidas have “scaled back leggings investment” this year. (Lululemon fans can breathe easy as the Canadian imprint is still investing in the snug head-turners, per the findings).
Athleisure lovers, namely fashionistas under age 27, are instead reaching for billowing, “boxy” garb, according to Pinterest data featured in the study.
Investigators noted that, “58% of searches are from the 18 to 24 year-old demographic with popular pins showing oversized sweatpants and boxy T-shirts.”
The experts attribute the rising fondness for lightweight, looser-fitting pants to Gen Z’s preference for comfort over compression, as well as the influence of baggy clothes icons Billie Eilish and Zendaya.
But team Z’s loathing of leggings is nothing new.
The whiney whippersnappers have attempted to “cancel” the Y2K-wardrobe staple for years, deeming them “cringe” and “cheugy” in viral vids.
They’ve tried exalting yoga pants or “flared leggings” to the original look’s former glory. But, thus far, no bottoms have truly unseated the tried-and-true legging.
But now, some Gen Zs are hoping workout shorts will finally give the clinging gear a run for their money.
“As a gym girlie, one thing about me is, I’m a shorts girlie until the end of time,” vowed Danica, a TikTok fit-influencer. “B—ch, I promise you, once you put on a good pair of shorts, you are never going to touch your leggings again.”
Em, a dietician and trainer, separately voiced similar sentiments, saying, “I feel so cute, sexy, hot, confident when I wear shorts to the gym.”
“But leggings, I hate.”
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