What Is Athletic Wear?

Athletic wear encompasses clothing worn to work out in gyms, to participate in sports or sports training, to yoga and pilates clothing styles, to the traditional sweatsuit. The type of athletic wear chosen depends on purpose for wearing it, combined with the wearer's personal taste.

  1. Atheltic Wear with a Purpose

    • Whether working out at a gym, at home, in a structured class or in a professional athlete setting, athletic wear that serves a purpose tends to be comfortable and appropriate for the activity. Some people prefer close-fitting athletic wear, often with a moisture-wicking ability to help sweat dry fast, while others may prefer looser athletic wear for active sports like martial arts and sports drills.

    Athletic Wear for Fashion

    • Yoga pants, tracksuits and other forms of athletic wear can be designed for fashion and worn throughout the day regardless of whether the wearer participates in athletic activities or not. These can also double as loungewear.

    Athletic Wear for Feet

    • Sneakers and tennis shoes can also be considered athletic wear, some designed to serve specific purposes, such as running or cross-training sneakers. As with the athletic wear clothing, sneakers can also be worn simply for fashion purposes, and a recent trend are fitness shoes that have curved soles to provide the added benefit of extra muscle work while simply walking.