The Age of Activewear: Understanding Women’s Casualized Athletic Apparel Habits Through Associations with Psychosocial and Body Image Factors

Abstract

Activewear has become a common component of women’s everyday clothing, yet emerging evidence suggests that exposure to activewear imagery may adversely affect body image. This study aimed to describe women’s activewear engagement across contexts and to investigate how different markers of engagement correspond with positive outcomes such as fitness behavior, body appreciation, and self-esteem, as well as negative outcomes including media pressure, idealized appearance aspirations, and self-objectification. We collected survey data from student (N = 455) and community (N = 374) samples to assess activewear-related behaviors, including online browsing, social media following, purchasing, and wearing, as well as measures of fitness behaviors, body appreciation, self-esteem, idealized body aspirations, appearance comparisons, perceived media pressure, and self-objectification. Across samples, 40–87% of women engaged with activewear in some form, and 30% reported feeling self-conscious at least half the time they wore it; notably, activewear was worn for exercise less than 50% of the time. Activewear engagement showed positive correlations with fitness behaviors but also with idealized body aspirations, appearance comparisons, media pressure, and self-objectification, while showing no associations with body appreciation or self-esteem. These findings highlight the growing cultural prominence of activewear and suggest that engagement with this clothing trend is linked to both adaptive and risk-related psychological factors, underscoring the need for further research into its broader psychological implications.