Baggy Gymwear Wins, Gen Z Ditches Tight Fits for Comfort and Movement

Tight Is Tired. Gen Z Just Wants to Breathe.

Once upon a time, walking into the gym meant wearing the tightest, most sculpted fit your budget could buy. Think high-compression leggings, cropped sports bras, and that snatched waist, sculpted booty vibe all over your feed.

But in 2025, the vibe has seriously changed. Gen Z isn’t showing up in second-skin sets anymore. Instead, it’s all about baggy joggers, oversized sweatshirts, roomy tanks, and movement-first pieces that say “I came to vibe, not compete.”

This isn’t a fashion fluke. It’s a full-on generational shift in how we view fitness, bodies, and what it means to move.

The Rise of Baggy Gymwear, Explained

According to Vogue Business, activewear brands are seeing a noticeable decline in demand for hyper-fitted styles. Instead, their Gen Z customers are going for relaxed silhouettes, drawstring waists, and oversized layers that double as lounge and streetwear.

This isn’t just a comfort thing. It’s cultural. Gen Z grew up watching the wellness industry blur the lines between work, life, and movement. To them, fitness isn’t just about gains or aesthetics. It’s about feeling good, mentally and physically.

And nothing kills a good vibe faster than compression so tight you can’t breathe between squats.

Function Over Flex

Let’s be honest, tight gym fits were never really about function. They were about the look. The matching set. The waist-cinching illusion. The look how disciplined I am energy.

But Gen Z doesn’t flex like that. They’re more into low-pressure fitness. That might look like yoga in your backyard, a hot girl walk with a podcast, or just stretching while watching anime.

What they wear while doing it? Clothes that let them do it.

Baggy fits mean you’re not worried about how you look mid-lunge. You’re not adjusting your leggings between deadlifts. You’re just doing the thing.

TikTok Made Me Ditch My Compression Leggings

If you're on fitness TikTok, you’ve seen it. The rise of hot girl slouchwear. Oversized vintage tees, parachute pants at pilates, hoodies tied around the waist for that off-duty aesthetic.

Influencers are showcasing gym looks that feel like something you'd also wear to Trader Joe’s. The captions?

“Working out in baggy sweats hits different.”
“No camel toe. No body dysmorphia. Just vibes.”

It’s not just stylish. It’s safe.

For a lot of Gen Z, fitness fashion has become a form of armor against hyper-visibility. In a culture where bodies are constantly critiqued, baggy gymwear offers freedom from the gaze.

Fashion Is Catching On

Activewear brands are listening.

Nike and Adidas have dropped full collections featuring oversized zip-ups, wide-leg sweats, and unisex styles. Gymshark, once known for their figure-hugging leggings, now pushes slouchy cargo joggers and boxy hoodies in their campaigns.

Even Lululemon, the OG of tight and toned, is expanding its relaxed-fit offerings with cloud-soft pullovers and drapey pants that feel more spa day than soul cycle.

And the messaging? Less “performance is everything,” more “move in what makes you feel good.”

This Is Bigger Than Gym Fits

This trend taps into something deeper.

Gen Z is rejecting rigid expectations in fitness, fashion, and life. They're over pressure, over perfection, and over looking like you're always on.

Baggy gymwear says, “I’m not performing.” It says, “I’m working out because I love my body, not because I need to change it.”

It’s self-expression over self-surveillance. Comfort over competition.

My First Baggy Gym Fit Changed Everything

I’ll never forget the day I stopped squeezing into my old compression set and threw on some oversized track pants with a cropped hoodie for a quick spin class.

Did I sweat the same? Yep. Did I feel ten times more comfortable, confident, and free? Absolutely.

It was like my body could finally relax, and that made moving feel good again. No mirrors needed. No poses. Just me, my playlist, and the pedals.

Since then, I haven’t looked back.

So What's Next?

This shift isn’t about abandoning style. Gen Z still loves a fit check. But they’re prioritizing how it feels over how it looks.

Expect more dual-purpose pieces. More hybrid styles. And way fewer outfits that require shapewear underneath.

Because the truth is, when you dress for comfort, your movement becomes more honest. More joyful. More you.

Stay connected with the latest drops and movement-driven trends shaping Gen Z wellness at Woke Waves Magazine where fashion meets freedom.

#GenZStyle #BaggyGymwear #FitnessFashion2025 #OversizedActivewear #WokeWavesLifestyle

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