The Evolution of Athleisure: From Yoga Pants to Bloke-Core and Beyond

Stemming from the popularity of yoga pants in the 2000s, athleisure is a style that has evolved rapidly over the last ten years. It’s a mix of athletic wear and street style and has evolved in many forms.

During the early 2010s, yoga pants still held the top position in the athleisure rankings. They were worn with sneakers, sports bras, off-the-shoulder t-shirts, or layered vest tops. The lingering UGG sensation of the 2000s meant they were the go-to shoe.



During the mid-2010s, the maximalism of the noughties made way for minimalism. The Kardashians and a slew of models pushed forward the cycling shorts trend. Worn with sports bras or oversized t-shirts and sneakers, celebrities were photographed with slicked-back hair on their morning green juice run.



Then the world shut down and as if to mirror the act of us shielding from the outside world, oversized pieces came into play. People got bored of neutral colors and sleek, tight-fitting silhouettes and amidst the whirlwind of aesthetic ‘cores’ flew around on TikTok, a new form of athleisure was born – bloke core.



Football jerseys and baggy shorts have remained popular over the last few years. As we circle back through the trend cycle, noughties-style tracksuits have returned. Sneakers are acceptable to be worn with anything and everything and thanks to Zendaya and the ‘Challengers’ movie, tennis skirts and dresses have had a rapid incline in popularity. 



Due to the fast pace at which fashion changes during this age, athleisure is constantly adapting. It is now an umbrella term for many different aesthetics: clean girl, bloke-core, ballet-core, y2k, and tennis-core. 

It’s anyone’s guess for what comes next for sportswear in fashion.