Gym Clothes Cool Enough to Wear Everywhere

Forget frumpy sweatpants and ugly sports bras. These days, it's hard to tell if women are on their way to the gym or heading out for drinks. Leggings and hoodies have been wardrobe staples for the past decade, and the recent onslaught of fancy sweatpants, high-end sneakers, and kitschy sweatshirts has pushed even more activewear onto retail shelves. Add to that the current '90s-inspired athletic vibe on the runways with designers incorporating high-tech fabrics like mesh and neoprene into their clothing collections and the line between sportswear and everyday clothes is seriously blurred.


According to trade paper Business of Fashion, the sale of women's activewear hit $11.5 billion in 2013, up 9 percent from the previous year. And it's not just beloved brand Lululemon selling stylish workout gear by the truckload. The Stella McCartney for Adidas collaboration launched in 2004, and has grown into a worldwide success story over the past decade. Forever21 launched a line of sportswear in 2010, Gap opened its Athleta stores in 2011, Theory added a line of exercise clothes in 2013, and H&M launched H&M Sport this year, with input from the Swedish Olympic team. With so many cool and comfortable athletic attire options, we may never wear real clothes again. Check out the latest offerings you can wear for both Spinning and socializing. By Joanna Douglas, Yahoo Shine Senior Fashion and Beauty Editor