19% of Brits would wear gym gear to work

The trend of Brits wearing gym gear in everyday life has reached new heights, with many even opting to don active wear to the office, according to new research.

A survey of 1,017 UK adults carried out by personal training course provider beabetteryou.com revealed 65% of Brits will wear the clothes they would usually exercise in, even when they are not working out. Of those who do this, 72% say they put on active wear to go shopping, and one in two say they go for out for food in their gym gear. 19% say they would even wear active fashion to go to work, while 7% would go as far as to wear it on a date.

Escalating the athleisure trend has seen collection launches of active wear from French Connection and Jordan Dunn for Missguided just in the past fortnight, and has even inspired a video that has gone viral on social media, mocking those who wear their gym clothes in social situations.

When quizzed on the reasons for choosing active wear outside of the gym, 55% of respondents said it was comfort that made them opt for figure-hugging leggings over jeans or otherwise, while 42% said they find wearing gym gear more flattering on their body.

The trend is also being fuelled by celebrities such as Charlotte Crosby, Ellie Goulding and Kardashian and Jenner sisters among others, who are often photographed wearing their gym kit running errands. One in three say they have been inspired to wear their workout gear outside of the gym after seeing a celebrity do the same.

Simon Bubb, managing director of beabetteryou.com said: “It’s fascinating to see just how many Britons are embracing gym fashion in everyday life. In many situations, it can be a comfortable and breathable option, but Brits need to judge the appropriateness of the situation before opting to wear their gym gear – in many cases, active wear it is not appropriate to wear in the office.

“It’s also interesting to see how many believe they look better in gym wear than they do in their normal clothes, suggesting Britons are embracing their bodies as they opt for more figure-hugging fashion.”

Liverpool is the capital of gym bunny fashion, where 71% of locals say they wear their workout clothes day to day, closely followed by Birmingham, where 69% say they do the same.

Be a Better You is the UK’s number one personal trainer course provider and offers REPs accredited personal trainer courses and fitness instructor courses around the country, as well as online at beabetteryou.com.