Watch your backs, suits. Leggings are coming for you.
Women’s clothing, like men’s, has been getting more casual since the start of the 20th century. But the trend has been particularly pronounced in the last decade or so, as office dress codes quickly loosen up and stretch fabrics proliferate.
According to data from research firm Euromonitor, in 2007, American women were spending about $2.1 billion more on suits than they did on leggings. By 2017, that gap was just $158.1 million—even though suits are far more expensive. Plenty of those leggings, of course, are now even being worn to the office.