Why am I increasingly unable to do without Athleisure? This is not a "fashion trend", but rather a way for me to re-understand my body.
It was a particularly messy summer in New York when I first realized that I was starting to take workout clothes seriously.
That day, I rushed straight to my Pilates class after work, wearing a cheap pair of sports leggings. Just ten minutes into the warm-up, the waistband started to slip down, and the fabric felt as suffocating as a plastic bag. By the end of the class, I felt like I had just escaped from a sauna. I remember standing in front of the subway's glass, looking at my sweat-soaked clothes, and suddenly having a very strong thought:
"Why do you spend so much time working out every day but never seriously consider whether you are actually comfortable in what you wear?"
Later, I came to realize that truly excellent athleisure is not merely "clothing suitable for sports"; it can even transform one's perception of exercise, the pace of life, and physical condition.
It was also from that time that I began to seriously study workout clothes and gradually built up my own sportswear wardrobe. Over the past few years, I have tried many brands, different styles and different fabrics, and gradually understood why more and more American girls regard athleisure as a way of life rather than just a passing trend.
Why has athleisure suddenly become the "daily uniform" of American girls?
I think many people misunderstand athleisure.
The outside world always thinks of it as merely "activewear", but the truth is, it meets a very practical need of modern girls:
We want to be comfortable, but not sloppy;
We want to be efficient, but also maintain our dignity;
We want to take care of our health, yet we are unwilling to sacrifice our personal style.
Especially in recent years, more and more people have started to work remotely, go jogging in the morning, do strength training, practice yoga, go hiking, and even work remotely while traveling. There has emerged a huge gap in life between traditional clothes and genuine workout clothes, and athleisure has precisely filled it.
A typical day for me now might go like this:
I go to a coffee shop to work in the morning;
I go to the gym at noon;
I buy groceries in the afternoon;
I have dinner with friends in the evening.
In the past, I had to change into three sets of clothes, but now a high-quality athleisure outfit can basically handle it all.
This is also why I later paid special attention to collections like duskyonder's athleisure collection, which have a more "authentic everyday feel". It's not about creating an overly polished image of a fitness girl, but rather truly considering the activities and states of women in their real lives.
What exactly is lacking in truly good workout clothes?
Many people only look at the color and pictures when they buy sportswear for the first time.
But later I found out that what actually determines the experience is three details that are most easily overlooked.
1.The fabric determines whether you will want to keep exercising.
This is where I've fallen into the most traps.
The biggest problem with cheap sportswear is not that it's unattractive, but that "it makes people feel irritable after wearing it for a long time."
For example:
- Not breathable
- Gets sticky after sweating
- Gets loose after a few washes
- They become see-through during squats
- The fabric chafes against the skin
I used to think I didn't like running, but later I realized that I just hated the feeling of the sweat sticking to my body.
Really good workout clothes will make you forget about the clothes themselves when you are exercising.
Now when I choose leggings, I pay special attention to:
- Four-way stretch
- moisture-wicking
- squat-proof
- High-waisted support
- Flat seams (reducing friction)
Especially when girls do strength training, whether the clothes are stable really affects the training state.
I am increasingly valuing the design of "not overexposing".
This view might not be expressed by many people, but I know that many girls would share the same feeling.
Nowadays, many sports brands tend to make women's sportswear particularly "sexy".
Ultra-short top;
Extremely high slit;
Exaggerated hip line;
Fit so tight it's hard to breathe.
But in real life, most girls go to the gym just to focus on exercising.
Later on, I found that the workout clothes I wore repeatedly over a long period of time were often not the most revealing ones, but those that made me feel secure.
For example:
- You won't always need to arrange your clothes.
- You don't have to worry about flashing when bending over.
- Your chest is stably supported when running.
- The fabric won't make you overly self-conscious about your body.
This sense of "comfort" is actually more important than the so-called slimming effect.
That's also why I increasingly prefer the low-key, clean and simple-lined athleisure style.
One of the most underestimated aspects of athleisure: it can truly affect your mood.
I used to not believe the saying that "clothes affect one's state."
It wasn't until I was in a particularly low mood for a while that I didn't want to go out for several consecutive weeks and also stopped exercising.
One morning later, I casually put on a comfortable set of sportswear and went for a walk. Strangely, as the body began to move freely, one would gradually regain their energy.
After that, I began to understand why many psychological counselors would advise people to keep regular exercise and fixed dressing habits.
Because good workout clothes sometimes act as a kind of psychological hint:
I'm ready to start taking care of myself.
This is not inspirational nonsense.
It's true.
Especially for girls, when clothes do not cause anxiety, it is easier for them to develop a long-term exercise habit.
My current principle for buying workout clothes is completely different from before.
Before, when I bought sportswear:
"As long as it looks good."
Now my logic has become:
"Will I wear it for three consecutive years?"
Because truly durable athleisure actually saves you money.
Now I will give priority to:
Fabric lifespan
Whether it deforms, pills or loses elasticity after many washes.
Scene compatibility
Can it be used simultaneously for:
- gym
- walking
- travel
- airport outfit
- grocery run
- coffee shop work sessions
The actual wearing experience
Is there any sense of oppression?
Does it affect breathing?
Will it make me constantly want to adjust my clothes?
Whether the color scheme is long-lasting and pleasing to the eye
I'm buying fewer and fewer colors that have a particularly "internet celebrity" feel.
On the contrary, colors like black, espresso, stone, olive and navy are more likely to be worn for a long time.
Why are more and more people now starting to stay away from "fast fashion sportswear"?
This is a trend that I have particularly noticed recently.
In the past, many people would go crazy buying super cheap sportswear sets, but now more and more people are starting to pay attention to:
- Fabric source
- Wearing life
- Whether it is overconsumption
- Whether it is truly practical
The problem with many cheap workout clothes is:
It was cheap when bought,
but lost its supportiveness after three months.
In the end, they kept on making repeat purchases instead.
Many girls around me now prefer to buy less but choose carefully.
Especially for those who exercise frequently, they will increasingly understand:
When it comes to things that are truly close to the body, quality is really important.
My favorite athleisure state is actually not "elegant".
But it is natural.
Sometimes it's grabbing coffee after a morning run; sometimes it's going to the farmer's market on a Sunday in an oversized hoodie; sometimes it's just sitting in the park doing nothing after training.
I find that many American girls nowadays like athleisure not because they want to look like fitness influencers all the time.
Rather, it is because this way of dressing allows the body to truly engage in life.
Comfortable;
Free;
Relaxed;
No need to be deliberate.
In recent years, I have been less and less obsessed with the so-called "perfect figure".
Instead, I pay more attention to:
- Did you move your body today?
- Did you have a good meal?
- Did you get enough sleep?
- Did you make yourself feel a little better?
And good workout clothes are actually a very quiet part of this process.
Finally, I would like to say to girls who are just starting to work out
Don't feel pressured by the "perfect girls" on social media.
Those who truly engage in long-term exercise actually know that:
Persistence is far more important than perfection.
You don't need to have the most expensive equipment from the very beginning;
nor do you have to force yourself to be in top form every day.
But a truly comfortable and well-suited athleisure outfit can indeed make the whole process much easier.
It won't do your training for you,
but it will make you more willing to start.
And many life changes often occur from the moment one is willing to start.