The Best Athleisure Brands for Women

It's impossible to scroll Instagram these days without coming across at least one athleisure 'fit. Once the undisputed uniform of the off-duty model or Los Angeles it-girl, the dressed-up sportswear vibe has really found its feet over the past couple of years. Consisting mostly of a mix of sportswear paired with typically non-sporty clothes (read: athletic and leisurewear, combined), athleisure is the perfect blend for heading to brunch post-workout, or setting off on your Saturday morning smoothie run.

Less sloppy than a full loungewear look, athleisure often involves mixing baggier silhouettes with slimmer fitting styles for a more flattering, put-together finish. Whether that's dressing up a matching sports bra and leggings with a trench coat or blazer for a luxury athleisure look, or adding an elevated top to a pair of baggier sweatpants, athleisure is actually one of the easiest trends to wear - so no wonder you're seeing a lot of it!

During the pandemic, many of us spent a lot of time in loungewear and comfy working-from-home 'fits, as well as activewear for home workouts. This means that the trend's increase in popularity is not exactly surprising - it's just an elevated take on what we've been wearing for the past two years. This time also saw a lot of new brands move into the space, with brands such as Sporty & Rich, Adanola and TALA all making waves and encouraging their customers to live a more well-rounded lifestyle outside of just their clothing.

The athleisure trend pairs perfectly with wider trends of the moment that come centred in beauty, health and wellness. Clean beauty, healthy eating and "That Girl" aesthetics all feed into the athleisure's wider sphere. That being said, these movements have come under fire for their lack of inclusivity and diversity, and lack of sustainable principles, leaving the athleisure world to respond to this. Thankfully, brands like Girlfriend Collective are pioneering the way in making their brand more inclusive, and the brand also joins the likes of TALA and PANGAIA

So, not only is it possible to look good whilst grocery shopping these days, but you could also be doing good at the same time. All it takes is a little research into the brands and styles that feed into your personal tastes, and luckily for you, we're here to help with that.

Ready to take a deep dive into the best athleisure brands? Then get into something comfy, sit back and read on.

Get you an athleisure brand that can do both! Fitness influencer and businesswoman, Grace Beverley's brand TALA has been seriously disrupting the activewear market for quite some time now, so if you're not on the TALA train, your time is now. Blending sportswear and athleisurewear perfectly, most of TALA's signature styles are packed full with high-performance features that'll take you from the gym to the coffee run, and - bonus points - it's sustainable! Grace set up the brand when she was fed up of the environmental damage caused by fast fashion brands, and TALA products are made with recycled materials.

From the cult fave SkinLuxe sports bras and leggings to comfy yoga pants and crewnecks, TALA's offering is equal parts practical and comfortable. Swap out leggings for joggers for the ultimate loungewear vibes, or dress up their stretchy flared leggings to take your athleisure-wear from day to night.

Honestly, you won't find a fit as flattering as TALA's anywhere else, especially not for the price. Grace's aim was to make sustainable activewear as affordable as possible, and TALA really does rival the giants on everything from price point, to fit, to performance and quality.

If you're looking for athleisurewear that is more suited to lounging than lifting, Adanola is a great bet. The Manchester-based brand focus on minimalist wardrobe staples, in pretty earth-toned colour palettes of greys, beiges, blues and browns, and the prices are super reasonable too.

Adanola do the sportswear aesthetic very well, but if you usually want something a bit more supportive from your gymwear you may find their products more suitable for low-intensity activities such as yoga or pilates. That being said, their leggings and sports bras are incredibly flattering, and are great for everyday wear. The brand have also expanded their product range to include tank tops, oversized t-shirts, hoodies and joggers, which come in colours to perfectly mix and match with their other ranges.

You've definitely seen it all over Instagram but the colour palette is to die for. If you love your neutrals, you're bound to find a shade for you. Outside of the core collection, Adanola often release drops of limited colourways to contrast and compliment their usual offering, but everything still manages to work together. They also have a great range of accessories to compliment your fit.

Now, if you haven't heard of Girlfriend Collective, let us put you on to them - you won't look back! Hailing from Seattle, the US-based brand are huge advocates for sustainable activewear and athleisure styles, so use recycled materials to make great quality basic pieces that you can wear again and again, which you can read all about on their website. Even better, their pieces are supportive and moisture-wicking, so you can actually wear them to work out in too.

Not only that, but they're also great at promoting body positivity, because athleisure should definitely be for everyone!

Their huge range of styles! Girlfriend Collective have put so much effort into creating a really inclusive offering that caters to their customers. Not only can you pick up a sports bra and workout tights, but also a huge range of silhouettes, from exercise dresses to skirts and jumpsuits, which make for some super-versatile athleisurewear styles.

Inspired by 80s and 90s sportswear styles, Sporty & Rich take athleisure vibes to a whole new level. Not only are they the go-to brand for comfy yet stylish tees and tracksuits, but their wellness-related messaging really feeds into the athleisure lifestyle too. Aside from the comfy clothing, the vintage-inspired graphics are really what make Sporty & Rich. Style a S&R sweater with leggings, cycle shorts or vintage jeans for the perfect off-duty model vibe.

The vintage vibes! Before Sporty & Rich was a clothing brand, it was a wellness blog and moodboard. Founder Emily Oberg was massively inspired by Princess Diana's off-duty style, and references to vintage and retro brands can still be seen on the brand's Instagram today. It makes for a brand that is really clear on their aesthetic, and there is no doubt that they inspired some of the brands on this list, too!

No doubt you'll have seen their tracksuits all over the internet, PANGAIA are a celebrity go-to brand for athleisure looks. Everyone from Kendall Jenner to Harry Styles has been spotted in the brands 365 Signature Hoodie, but the brand actually has way more styles to offer than just hoodies and joggers. PANGAIA have also introduced an activewear range to their site, as well as recycled cashmere styles for when you're feeling extra bougie at your post-gym brunch. Their colour range is also huge, so whatever your style, you'll definitely find something to suit you!

The brand champion sustainability, using environmentally friendly dyes and organic cottons in their signature styles, and treating a lot of their activewear with peppermint oil to keep it fresher between washes. Outside of their activewear and casual styles, they also continue to innovate in the outerwear and footwear spheres too, utilising their own technology, FLWRDWN and grape leather.

Trust us when we say this brand is about to be everywhere. Born from the Instagram moodboard to brand trajectory, The Museum of Peace and Quiet makes high-quality basic pieces that celebrate wellness, nature and holistic living. Founded by Ashley and Christion Lennon on a trip through the American desert, the brand encourages slow and conscious living, really putting the 'leisure' in athleisure. That doesn't mean that they don't promote an active lifestyle though, aside from sweatshirts, t-shirts and joggers, the brand also produces water bottles and yoga mats, and has an app for calming sounds. They also branched out into denim during 2021, and have a collab with California-based sneaker brand Vans arriving later this year.

The holistic vision! The brand encourages their customers to lead a more considered lifestyle, which is something we can all do after coming out the other side of a pandemic.

Now, you're obviously aware of Nike as an activewear brand, but their soft and comfy Nike Sportswear styles are some of our fave athleisure pieces ever. Not only are their oversized tees and sweaters perfect to throw on over your gymwear, but they're also great for lounging in too. Versatility at its best.

Whether you're a fan of vintage-inspired sportswear styles and varsity prints or prefer the more minimal Swoosh series, Nike's sportswear offering has something for everyone.

The heritage. Now, we don't really need to tell you about Nike's history do we? The Swoosh Brand is quite possibly the biggest in the game, so trust us when we tell you they know a thing about athleisure wear, and sportswear, and streetwear too.

Another one of the big sportswear brands, adidas' Originals pieces are the OG athleisure staples. Made from comfy cotton and sporting relaxed fits, they are the perfect pieces to wear everyday or chuck on over your high-performance athletic wear. Choose from oversized sweaters and leggings, or tank tops and trackpants, or if you're looking for something really special, take a look at Beyoncé's Ivy Park range or Pharrell Williams' blanks.

The choice. Aside from the Originals range, adidas also has their Ivy Park range and Pharrell Williams x adidas Humanrace collab to choose from, which opens up a huge variety of styles, patterns and colours.

Lululemon are a brand that have really earned their cult status. Not only do Lululemon's workout clothes scream off-duty model, but they're also immensely practical. Lulu's Align leggings really do it all - they're flattering, supportive, and also sweat-wicking, so they'll take you anywhere from a spin class to the shops. Dress them down with a comfy sweat and running shoes, or channel daytime chic with a vintage print tee and an oversized blazer - a look Hailey Bieber would be proud of.

As far as quality goes, Lulu are a hard brand to beat. Sure, the price point is a little higher, but it's definitely worth paying a little bit more for high-quality athleisurewear, especially if you will be working out in it too.

Athleisurewear is super-easy to style, and a simple outfit usually consists of mixing sportswear and non-sportswear pieces for a more elevated take on activewear. That could be a pair of leggings with a tank top, blazer or trench coat and running shoes, or some wider leg tracksuit bottoms with a cropped vest or tee and some chunkier skate or dad style shoes. There are endless ways to mix and match your athleisure items, the key is to have fun experimenting with it!

Because of its roots in sportswear, athleisurewear is designed to be extremely comfortable. Of course it depends what you wear it with, but the style is meant to carry you through your entire day, so we definitely recommend keeping it as comfortable as possible.

In short, yes. The global athleisure market is estimated to be worth over $280 billion by 2026, and with more and more athleisure clothing brands popping up every day, and established brands like TALA set to receive millions in funding, it's likely that the athleisure trend is only really getting started. Couple this with a general movement to more conscious living choices and a better awareness of health and wellness, and it's unlikely that athleisure will be going anywhere soon.

But even if this wasn't the case, overall the style is pretty simple. Gym clothes can always be worn layered with whatever is trending at the time for a similar off-duty vibe, so have fun with it, and wear what works for you!

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