Leggings could easily be described as a classic wardrobe staple at this point. But like most fashion items, the stretchy pants you wear for workouts or to lounge in your off-duty life still follow the ebbs and flows of the trend cycle. While your basic black leggings will never actually be out of style, there are actually a variety of fresh cuts trickling into the ever-changing fashion market to give them a run for their money in 2020. But don’t worry, many of the new updates are in the details and don’t sacrifice the actual functionality of leggings.
To give us a deep dive into the coolest new legging silhouettes that matter, we went straight to the experts of some of the top active brands including Carbon38, Good American, Outdoor Voices, Alo, FP Movement, and Liverpool Los Angeles. Keep scrolling to check out the biggest legging trends of 2020—and breathe new life into your performance wardrobe.
Coated Leggings
There will be an evolution in fashion-forward coatings for 2020. This will come from foils, pearlized techniques, reflective finishes, and much more. At Carbon38, we believe these novelty bottoms will be revolutionizing the industry.
Colorful Leggings
The leggings market has become oversaturated, and as a result, a lot of bells and whistles have been added to leggings in order to stand out. I think people will want clean, simple, and great fabrics in expressive colorways. A legging that supports their personal expression, opposed to imposing a brand voice on the wearer.
Front-Detailed Leggings
In 2020, the legging trend will continue in two big ways. In activewear, it will be all about trim and seaming details, while in ready-to-wear, leggings will evolve into more fashion-forward silhouettes. Right now at Good American, our customer is gravitating toward front detailing, such as zip and waist ties, which double as functional and stylish.
Utilitarian Leggings
For S/S 20, Alo is setting the trend with a utilitarian vibe, feel, and function. You’ll see leggings made for moving throughout the day with ease that involve pocketing, zips, and cool storage details. This allows one to get through the day with the ability to adapt to her ever-changing environment. Not only is this a super functional aspect to design, but it encompasses a trend in fashion that will last throughout 2020 and beyond.
Animal-Printed Leggings
Animal prints are not going away. With the addition of new techniques like ombré and pattern blocking, animal prints are evolving into more elevated designs. Similar to the trends we are seeing on the runway, we will continue to see animal prints across active silhouettes in a variety of snakes, leopards, cheetahs, and cowhides.
Textured Leggings
Leggings have become a big category for us. Black is always a must-have, but we’ve expanded the line to showcase texture with moto details, for example.
Neon Leggings
For 2020, neon colors—especially in solid neon yellow—are a style we’re excited about for the new year.