Black leggings were the backbone of athleisure for more than a decade. Many wore them as pants for errands, school runs, and even dressed them up with avant-garde tops for fancier settings. They were go-to airport bottoms because they travel well and are easy to pack. Leggings also worked under skirts, tunics, and dresses for warmth, coverage, and outfit interest. Their appeal was rooted in practicality: easy to fit, comfortable, streamlined, lightweight, crease-resistant, and simple to launder. For many, leggings became a wardrobe essential.

Fashion moves on, and leggings are no longer as dominant. After years of body-con dressing with leggings and skinny jeans, the pendulum has swung toward ease and movement. Bottom silhouettes are firmly in a relaxed phase, and the shift has strong momentum. Younger consumers in particular are driving this change, favouring looser, less clingy fits.

Athleisure remains as popular as ever, but leggings are no longer the default. Joggers, sweatpants, track pants, and other roomier sporty styles in technical fabrics have taken the lead. Comfort and practicality have stayed, but the silhouette has evolved. Leggings are not dated. They are simply less current.

This shift is noticeable on the streets of Seattle. Athleisure is one of the most common styles, typically built around joggers, sweats, track pants, or other relaxed bottoms from brands like Athleta, Zella, and Lululemon. I rarely see leggings worn as part of everyday athleisure unless someone is heading to or from a workout, or going for a run in the city. It’s quite a change.

Are leggings still a go-to for athleisure where you live, or have people switched to relaxed bottom silhouettes? Do you wear leggings less often than before?