Sorry, but Nobody Is Wearing Leggings Anymore—Here’s What Cool Girls Are Buying Instead
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Leggings are over. At least, that’s what multiple videos and reports on social media are telling me, a lover of leggings who has upwards of 20 pairs in my closet (welp!). Stylists say that leggings had their peak moment in 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic (which is when we also saw a boom in athleisure DTC brands like Outdoor Voices—which shuttered all of its retail stores in early 2024). Since then, interest (aka, search) for “leggings” on Google has slowly dwindled.
The Best Legging Alternatives at a Glance
- Best Trousers: Beyond Yoga Status Trousers, $80 (was $128)
- Best Track Pants: Nike Sportswear Everything Woven Mid-Rise Open-Hem Pants, $48 (was $85)
- Best Cargo Pants: Sanctuary Rebel Crop Stretch Cotton Cargo Pants, $39 (originally $99)
- Best Wide-Leg Pants: OFFLINE By Aerie Real Me XTRA High Waisted Trouser, $49 (was $70)
- Best Drawstring Pants: Lululemon Dance Studio Mid-Rise Pants, $128
- Best Barrel-Leg Pants: Athleta Skyline High Rise Barrel Leg Pant, $94 (originally $139)
- Best Linen Pants: Quince 100% European Linen Wide Leg Pants, $42
- Best Capri Pants: Aritzia Original Contour Archetype Capri, $68
- Best Cult-Favorite Pants: Halara High Waisted Drawstring Pocket Wide Leg Casual Linen-Feel Pants, $35 (originally $40)
- Best Everyday Pants: Junk Food Unisex Utility Twill Pants, $128
As you can see from this screenshot from Google Trends, the annual winter peaks are shrinking year after year, which more or less proves the point that leggings are, in fact, going out of vogue. And clothing companies know it, too. According to Business of Fashion, “Retailers too have pulled back from the style. As of the first quarter of 2025, leggings accounted for 39% of bottoms assortments across activewear brands, according to retail intelligence firm Edited—that’s down from 47% in 2022.”
You can also see how search for “sweatpants” has actually eclipsed “leggings” on Google Trends, too:
There are probably a few different reasons why. First of all, a growing return-to-office movement means less opportunity to live in leggings. The second reason, and most likely one, is that we’re just experiencing a general style fatigue. It’s hard to keep a specific style of clothing cool forever.
The Best Legging Alternatives to Wear This Season
Instead of panicking, I’m currently shopping for legging alternatives with the help of my Gen Z editorial staff here at StyleCaster. Keep on scrolling for some certified fresh non-leggings options the cool girlies are wearing now.
Sizes available: 0-24
Lengths: Regular, Tall, Petite
Colorways: 7
Sizes available: 24-34
Colorways: 4
Sizes available: XS-XL
Inseams: 26″, 28″, 30″
Colorways: 10
Sizes available: 24-34
Lengths: Short, Regular, Long
Colorways: 1
Sizes Available: XS-XL
Colorways: 2
Sizes Available: XS-XL
Colorways: 2
Sizes Available: XXS-XXL
Lengths: Short, Tall
Colorways: 5
This lightweight fabric has two-way stretch and is awesome for movement (not so much yoga or intense workout, though). The pants are still structured enough to be worn as an everyday bottom option with a T-shirt or oversized hoodie.
Sizes available: 0-14
Colorways: 10
Lengths: Short, Tall, Regular
Sizes available: 0-14
Lengths: 29.5″, 32″, 34″
Colorways: 4
Sizes available: 2XL-XL
Colorways: 3
Sizes available: XS-XXL
Colorways: 10
Sizes available: XS-XL
Colorways: 2
Sizes available: XS-3X
Lengths: Regular, Petite, Tall
Colorways: 20
Sizes available: XXS-XL
Colorways: 7
Sizes Available: XXS-XXL
Colorways: 2
There are plenty of athleisure options besides leggings (and we didn’t even get into sports dress and skirt territory). Will you be making the switch?
