In this edition of “Style File,” we’ll be looking at Athleisure, which, as its name suggests, is a mix of athletic gear and loungewear that became a popular style here in the last decade.

What draws many to this style of clothing are the overall comfort and practicality factors. Once considered a faux pas in terms of appropriate fashion, today, wearing gym/workout/comfy clothes in public is not only normal but can also make a fashion statement. However, some may argue that athleisure is something more than a fashion trend, and instead, a lifestyle. In these times of working from home, the emphasis of self-care, fitness, and the popularity of Netflix and streaming as a hobby, athleisure is the style that supports and allows one to express their personal aesthetic with and through these activities.

Let’s take a moment to breakdown athleisure into its basic components.

It’s really a two-pronged style that arose from two opposite activities — working out and lazing about. Beyond fashion trends and lifestyle, athleisure is fundamentally sweats, leggings, t-shirts, hoodies, shorts, and sneakers with all the variations that those garments may have. This means no matter your activity level (or lack thereof), you can find athleisure that suits your life and style.

In years past, this type of clothing was relegated to the gym and/or the couch. I remember the days when I’d only wear sweatpants if I were sick or watching Lifetime movies and eating ice cream on a Saturday afternoon. Now, sweatpants have become joggers, and I’m wearing them with booties, a flannel, and denim jacket for an afternoon of errands. Athleisure has slowly, but surely, moved out of the gym and off of the couch onto the street and, in many ways, the workplace. With fitness and the general acceptance of casual dressing, it’s a more practical approach to deciding on what to wear. In pre-COVID times, schedules were so jammed packed you may not have had time to change between activities or get dressed up at all.

With the demand for athleisure apparel up, many luxury brands have been built on this style, while athletic wear brands have improved their products’ quality and variety. It’s not uncommon to see hiking pants retail for $80+ and, if I’m paying that much for pants, you better believe I’ll wear them off the trail as well as on. Leggings worn for morning yoga can also be worn on a grocery run. Tracksuits are seen on the field and in the classroom, blurring the lines between activewear and daily wear.

Having recognized the multi-purpose nature of athleisure wear, many companies are now producing garments that are not only functional for a workout, but also everyday wear, hence pockets, structure, and more dynamic colors and patterns. I saw a man walking his dog in dark teal sweats with neon stripes down the sides and a coordinated windbreaker, now tell me that’s not a fashion statement!

Athleisure elements have also made their way into more traditional day clothes and evening wear: Think side-striped trousers, neoprene trench coats, sneaker-style high heels, and leather leggings being a few examples of athleisure’s influence. I just hope no one is doing yoga in leather leggings.

The tricky part of pulling off athleisure style is looking intentional, not sloppy. Your plain old gray sweats at work are a hard sell unless you’re working from home. I recommend staying clear of anything too baggy when sporting an athleisure look outside of the house. You can get away with an oversized garment on top if you balance it out with something more fitted on the bottom, and vice versa. For women, that could be an off the shoulder sweatshirt paired with leggings and sneakers; for men, drawstring pants and a slim-fit Henley shirt. Or, if you just want a flair of athleisure in your look, swap out your standard footwear for a statement sneaker.

The essence of athleisure is based on practicality and function, so steer clear of pieces that don’t serve your needs, even if they appear trendy. Brands that do athleisure particularly well are Athleta and Old Navy, both subsidiaries of GAP. For high-tech outdoorsy athleisure, check out Columbia Sportswear. For clothes that look like workout wear, but feel like loungewear, while also offering support like shapewear, try Girlfriend Collective and Outdoor Voices. I really like the “kits” of matching tops and bottoms from Outdoor Voices in particular, and the standard black leggings on offer at Girlfriend Collective. Lastly, for purely comfortable and affordable loungewear, head on over to Uniqlo, which has both a lounge and innerwear categories for sensible layering options for the coming winter.

Speaking of winter, what makes athleisure so versatile is that it can be worn and help you through all four seasons. Cozy knitwear and waterproof puffer coats for the winter. High-performance sneakers for the spring, sweat-wicking t-shirts for the summer. And here for fall, thermal leggings, and fleece zip-ups. Keeping all of that in mind, if you really look at your wardrobe, you probably have already boarded the athleisure train and left the station!