Up until recently, my local gym was saturated with clean girl pilates sets from the likes of lululemon, Adanola and alo. But there’s a new underdog style of activewear that’s taking the baton: retro athleisure. The girls on TikTok are posting inspo pics of the “y2k yoga mum aesthetic” of early 2000s capris and mismatched adidas and Puma, referencing Gabrielle Solis from Desperate Housewives as the blueprint. And when I thought that trend only existed online, I started seeing women IRL sporting vintage adidas capris in my Saturday yoga class. The pilates matching set is low-key dying, and athleisure is doing planks and downward dogs on its deathbed.

There’s a collective yearning for all things ‘90s and early 2000s. The massive success of FX’s Love Story (following the relationship of JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy through the ‘90s) as well as a general cultural shift to analogue technology such as CDs, DVDs, iPods, etc. reveal a desire for a simpler time when we weren’t doomscrolling, we weren’t consuming the same things – we lived in the now. And that’s showing up in fashion, too. Trends like ‘90s minimalism, second-hand shopping being more popular than ever (second-hand clothes sales are predicted to hit $289b in 2026), and the constant rise of “finding your personal style” content nod to a wider rejection of “sameness” and a prioritisation of quality in what we consume and wear.  

And just like most things in the current zeitgeist – from fashion to makeup to content we consume – we’re looking for character, imperfection, relatable, messy. We’re looking for something interesting, not something perfect. And that’s reflected in a lot of different aspects of our lives, including gymwear. The girls are tired of the polished pilates sets and are looking for something a bit more interesting. “We’re gravitating towards realism and imperfection,” says designer and product consultant Emily Nabnian. “The clean girl aesthetic is very curated and controlled, and people don’t want to feel that way anymore.” Instead, we’re making “a return to the more expressive side of early-2000s workout clothing.”

Rebecca, founder of vintage activewear shop Give Me Those Numbers adds: “I created Give Me Those Numbers because I couldn’t find workout gear that expressed character. Everything felt engineered to sculpt, contour and ‘fix’ the body and never to celebrate it. I wanted pieces that made me feel the same excitement getting dressed for the gym as I do getting dressed for the day ahead.” 

There is a lack of individuality when it comes to most gym gear at the moment. “Vintage activewear has attitude, whereas a lot of modern activewear feels visually monotonous,” Emily says, nodding to the fact that back in the day athleisure was designed actively considering IRL activities rather than how it looks on socials. “People weren’t constantly being witnessed by an audience, so there was room for more experimentation and I think that can be felt in the vintage designs. They’re more free.” 

“We’ve had the clean girl aesthetic for so long and now people are bored of it and wanted something new,” Rebecca says. “Although, I personally hope that this is not just another trend but more a rejection of ‘aesthetics’ altogether. It’s about feeling like yourself and not conforming to another trend.” The vintage sportswear and athleisure world spans so many eras and different sports that there’s not one dominant aesthetic, which means you can really make it your own. 

Big brands are also starting to catch up. Nike has introduced capris into its activewear collection, adidas recently came out with a retro yoga-style pant tapping into the yoga mum aesthetic – “many labels are introducing elements associated with late-‘90s and early-2000s sportswear such as piping, stripes and primary colours.” But it’s the vintage sellers, like Give Me Those Numbers, the independent designers and the Vinted girlies that are dominating the trend. “Rummage Stretch in LA has a great selection of vintage activewear, and recently collaborated with Gumi to create cotton workout tank tops,” Rebecca says. “Alyssa Mosley is working on a new fashion girl-focused activewear brand named Nadia New York, can’t wait to see what she does. Andro1dGirl and Skinita Vintage have the most insane collection of rare vintage sports shoes. [On the higher end], Literary Sport and Johanna Parv are both doing great things.”

There’s also huge chat about materials. Most sportswear nowadays is made out of nylon and polyester – fabrics that are not only bad for the environment but might also be containing toxic chemicals. “What’s inspiring me right now is less in the design language and more in the materials,” Emily says. People are increasingly more conscious about prioritising natural fabrics like cottons, linens and wools, which is why we’re starting to gravitate more towards second-hand gym gear. 

“I grew up wearing a lot of Nike,” Emily says, “I’m drawn to the early-2000s Nike silhouettes because they do a great job of balancing ‘sporty sensuality’ without being gratuitous. I like how they emphasise performance and strength without relying on the hyper-compressive looks that have since become mainstream.” Emily references a 2005 Nike taupe skapri as her favourite piece in her collection: "it feels contemporary rather than nostalgic”. As for her holy grail – “I recently saw a pair of early 2000s Prada Sport hotpants that I keep thinking about.” 

“I love looking at designer sportswear diffusion lines like Prada Sport, Dirk Bikkembergs Sport, Dolce & Gabbana Athletic, as well as big name sub-brands from the 2000s like adidas SLVR,” Rebecca says. “I’m always looking for the Nike Studio Wrap Ballet Shoes. I love adidas by Stella McCartney – specifically the late 2000s. Also anything from Vivienne Westwood’s SS84 ‘Hypnos’ collection.” She also adds that she’s currently obsessed with ‘80s workout tapes, leotards, leg-warmers and sweatbands. 

But, how do you go about styling athleisure? Emily and Rebecca echo each other: don’t overthink it. “It looks best when it’s intuitive rather than overly styled,” Emily says. “I often reach for monochromatic looks, pairing pieces within a similar colour palette. The garments aren’t literally matching, but they feel cohesive and dynamic together.” 

“The best thing about the vintage activewear space is how versatile it is, it doesn’t conform to one aesthetic – you can mix-and-match different eras, fabrics, colours,” Rebecca notes. “Just wear what makes you feel the most like yourself and the most comfortable and confident.”