I got a text from one of my friends the other day asking “are tennis skirts back in? I’ve seen a lot of girls wearing them to class.”
In the past ten years, athleisure has grown exponentially. Leggings are no longer just for working out and red-carpet style now includes sneakers. Yet, until recently athleisure has not include skirts. It has strictly been shorts or leggings. So, what changed?
In short: Outdoor Voices began to push boundaries.
Under the mantra of “doing things for fun,” Outdoor Voiceshas moved towards fun workout clothes that move with you. The idea was to create a culture where working out was about fun and creating a real community of “Recreationalists.”
Part of their fame stems from innovative options such as a tennis skirt. It is the easy athleisure option for the woman who needs to go from the gym to the grocery store and still look cute.
Most recently, Outdoor Voices released an exercise dress.
Of course, on the path to the stars, Outdoor Voices has had more than a few copy cats. Unsurprisingly, Lululemon is adapting to their customer base which is calling for a change in their workout gear.
Athleta and eventually Target followed the trend of tennis skirts. As the tennis skirt made its way from small brand to large market, the price also began to decrease. An item that retails for above $50 at Outdoor Voices can be found for $20 at Target.
You get a sense of where cerulean comes from watching the workout skirt make its way down the retail market.
The continuing interest in athleisure and women wanting to have free movement – without the worry of flashing the person behind us in Yoga – is only part of the story though.
The long version is that Millennials and Gen Z want options. They want to have a choice on everything, especially their own outfits.
The “Me Generation” is embracing being able to be themselves. They want rebel against the cultural norms that have defined what is acceptable. Instead, they opt for what they decide is best for them.
Don’t just take it from me, though. In 2016, Forbesdeclared that unconventional marketing is what really brings Millennials in. On September 18, 2019 the Asian Review released an article titled “Purpose over profit” outlining Generation Z’s effect on business. The younger generations are no longer okay with talk, they want their companies to take a stance.
For instance: Patagonia donating proceeds from Black Friday sales to grassroots movements. Or Glossier being a direct to customer brand.
Or Outdoor Voices proclaiming that they put the planet above all else. With a mission statement for “people, planet, and product,” it’s hard to argue their cult status among 18-20 somethings.
Outdoor Voices defined a style independent from other athleisure brands by creating a skort that only tennis pros knew about. Then, they capitalized off of using a positive mission to promote business and protect the planet (credit where it’s due). Everyone else was simply cheaper.
Now, tennis skirts and workout dresses offer the perfect option for the on-the-go woman who works out at 8 a.m. before attending six hours of class and three meetings after dinner. It’s not fashion, but it gets them close enough because it is atypical gym clothes.