The 5 Golden Rules of Athleisure: Is It Really Acceptable to Wear Yoga Pants All Day Long?

Blame the designer athleisure boom or the annual glut of New Year’s resolutions to hit the gym on the regular, but this month you can expect to see even more women than usual wearing workout gear. Be it on the school run, in the line for morning coffee, over a business lunch, or even drinks, performancewear as everydaywear for women of all ages is becoming de rigueur. “It seems that it is now totally acceptable to wear your outfit all day, every day,” says studio owner Simone De La Rue. “Even if you haven’t worked out.”

“I think wearing your athleticwear all day is more than acceptable,” says SoulCyclecofounder Julie Rice, whose devotees are notorious for showing up to class decked out head to toe in the studio’s branded leggings, sports bras, tanks, and bandanas. “It’s a trend. People of all ages are wearing their workoutwear all day now, whether it’s leggings with a longer coat and a scarf, or someone younger wearing a cropped T-shirt with a denim jacket and some high-heeled boots. People shop for their athleticwear thinking, How can I wear this from the studio to the street?”

But what may pass for sporty chic on a Victoria’s Secret model sipping a post-workout shake at Equinox might not have quite the same charm on a professional who squeezed in a Spin class before a meeting . . . with little time for an outfit change. “You do not see people in Paris walking around in their gym clothes—it’s not seen as appropriate,” points out Live The Process designer Robyn Berkley, who also works as a brand consultant for lines such as The Elder Statesman and Sophia Webster. In a color palette of nudes, taupes, heather grays, dark blues, and charcoals, and muted patterns, the label’s signature pieces include a high-waisted pant and corset bra that are designed to be seamlessly integrated into your wardrobe. “I didn’t want people to look at me knowing I was in my gym clothes,” says Berkley.