What It’s Really Like Wearing Gym Clothes To Work

Clothes that both look good and feel good have always been important, and our closets have recently welcomed the ultimate mix of the two: athleisure. The portmanteau combines the comfort of loungewear with the practicality and performance of workout gear. It also happens to be one of the biggest trends to hit the streets. Athleisure exemplifies everything we loved about Alexander Wang x H&M. Stars from Rihanna to Cara Delevingne are rocking the look. Brands like adidas' StellaSport and Loft's sister Lou & Grey are getting in on it. All of that said, we're still not about to toss on a sports bra, sweatpants, and Nikes before heading into the office. Instead, we asked three women to do just that for us.

You may not currently own a boardroom-appropriate hoodie, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't. Women are already showing their appreciation for athletic wear everywhere from date night to brunch. Athleisure outfits earn praise during Fashion Week, and we’ve lost count of how many times we’ve swapped in rubber soles instead of heels before heading out on the town. Making this comfort-first trend work at the office is the final frontier.

In our efforts to put the trend to the test, we asked a few style die-hards to swap their uniforms for something less rigid. These ladies already have strong style POVs — not to mention demanding gigs where showing up in a pair of high-tops might not elicit praise. As you can imagine, there was some resistance when it came time to switching gears. But, despite reports that denim — an “endangered species” according to some — sales dropped last year while active wear saw a surge, these personal stories might just make a strong case for keeping your kicks inside the gym. Click on to see if the hybrid is worth the hype.