Yoga Apparel

When did it become fashionable?
 
A couple of years ago I was in Santa Monica, CA. I packed my suitcase with what I thought was appropriate attire. Jeans, shorts, dresses. And one set of yoga clothes. I quickly discovered that the only thing I needed to bring with me was that one set of yoga clothes. No one in the LA area wore jeans. An occasional dress here and there. But everyone wore their yoga attire, day and night. To cafes, to the beach, and yes, to the yoga studio. In fact there were so many yoga studios and gyms that it wasn’t any wonder that they may have never changed into anything other than … their yoga clothes!
 
So today I decided to give it a try here in Rochester, NY. I wore my yoga outfit to Wegmans. Not a single person turned their head. At least none that I could see. I went from aisle to aisle, occasionally noticing some one else dressed in their work-out gear. Nothing. I was incognito. It was almost as if I was in LA.
 
What does this mean? Is yoga attire acceptable, trendy, fashionable? All over the US? What about the rest of the world?  Here’s what I found.
 
Let’s start with who makes them. Athleta, Lulumon, and Prana are some of the leading brands. But Jockey, Calvin Klein & Nike offer a plentiful selection, as well. Yoga has become so popular that just about every brand is stitching up their own line.
 
This fashion trend is called Athleisure.  And it’s not all bad. For instance, we’re not walking around in baggy sweats picking up sticky treats from fast food chains. In fact, Women’s Health says that “people who wear gym gear - like yoga pants - to places where one would normally not wear that kind of ensemble are seen as having a higher status since they ignore typical social norms.”  (http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/stereotypes-about-women-who-wear-yoga-pants)
 
A higher status? Now this is intriguing. I’m laying out all my yoga clothes for each day of the week. I’ll keep you posted!

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