An oversized coffee cup, rolled-up yoga mat and sunglasses big enough to swallow the majority of your face might sound like the latest edition of the typical Pilates uniform. However, spend enough time in a workout class or on social media with those born in the 21st century, and you’ll soon come to realise that the biggest athleisure movement isn’t about matching sets, trending leggings, covetable emotional support water bottles or even a chic pair of ankle weights.
Instead, the latest trend is to emulate Madonna’s gym outfits during her Confessions on a Dance Floor era, when she would run across London in three-stripe tracksuits and three-quarter length Ed Hardy shirts. Indeed, 2000s activewear is trending again in 2026.
What Is the 2000s Activewear Trend?
For those who don’t remember living through the noughties, the increase of strappy tank tops, slouchy low-rise flares, square-toe flip-flops and skin-tight spandex rendered in high-octane colours that are suddenly taking over your gym classes and social media feeds might seem like a novel trend on the rise. Yet, for those on the front lines when these styles were initially popular, you’ll realise just how rose-tinted the glasses that Gen Z must be wearing to revive Y2K sportswear.
After all, this was a time before taking HIIT classes in dark rooms illuminated by fluorescent lights, cycling the French countryside from the comfort of your living room on your at-home Peloton or even knowing who Tracey Anderson was, let alone committing to her method. But on an aesthetic level, there’s something quite cool about the way people would dress to exercise during this decade.
Whilst still focusing on performance, there was less pressure placed on how you were styled and more attention directed towards how much gain you were making. As fashion writer Liana Satenstein so aptly pointed out on her Substack, this was a period where a simple grey t-shirt was regarded as an essential way to show off how much sweat you were producing, and by direct correlation, how fit you actually were. So, why is 2026 the right moment for 2000s activewear to be staging a comeback? More so, why are the noughties being mined for inspiration, especially when you consider the iconic aerobic gear worn by Jane Fonda in the ‘80s or off-duty bike shorts and baggy slogan sweater combination sported by Princess Diana in the ‘90s?
Why is 2000s Activewear Trending in 2026?
Mainly, it comes down to two factors—the influence of those who wore it then and those who are wearing it now. Helming this comeback are tastemakers like Isabella O’Day, the Los Angeles-based founder of archival-workoutwear brand Rummage Stretch, and Natalia Potts, the New York-based owner of vintage boutique Funny Pretty Nice.
With endorsements like these, it’s no longer considered unfashionable to wear old Lululemon capri leggings or a Nike tennis dress worn by Maria Sharapova during a US Open tournament. Nostalgia is certainly part of this renaissance, but there’s also an element of this trend that’s about disrupting the norm and encouraging a more personal approach to dressing for your Reformer class. Nothing truly does this better than the 2000s, especially when you consider just how vast the range of Y2K sportswear trends were prominent back then.
From Victoria Beckham’s chintzy collection of England’s national football team merchandise to Serena Williams’ sequin-adored, pleated denim Nike mini skirt and Paris Hilton’s robust array of velour tracksuits, this trend proves that there are far more options available than just a simple matching polyester set. Today, there are already so many celebrities who are following suit and ditching the slick-back bun for something slightly lurid. Better still, leading sportswear brands like Adanola are also banking on this trend with pieces that fuse this aesthetic with modern innovation and performance-enhancing fabrics. Of course, there are also plenty of pre-loved pieces from brands like Adidas, Puma and Bebe Sport on the secondhand market to shop too, just once you know what you’re looking for.
So, whether you’re marathon planning, looking to elevate your hot girl walks or just want to inject a sense of lightness into your Barre ensembles, the biggest 2000s activewear trends of 2026 are sure to deliver a high-intensity finish. All you need now is to grab your wired headphones, blast the likes of Charli XCX, Addison Rae or Zara Larson and remember that movement is a privilege, so you better do it in style.
The 5 Biggest 2000s Activewear Trends Making a Comeback in 2026
1. Spaghetti Strap Tanks
Style Notes: Before there were sports bras worn as shirts, the early 2000s had singlets and camisoles with bands as thin as a piece of linguine. Yes, the humble spaghetti strap tank top is a beacon of Y2K sportswear. With a minimalistic design that carried over from the ‘90s, the ‘00s iterations feel slightly more risqué as they were styled to show off your undergarments that peak out from beneath. Think of it as sitting at the intersection of Le Marais and Malibu style as a piece that’s effortless, unfussy, but still slightly seductive.
Shop the Trend:
Team with heather-grey sweatpants—especially if the hem is rolled down—to achieve the full Y2K effect.
Why choose one tank when you can wear them all at once?
This muted latte colour is such a fixture in the 2000s activewear aesthetic.
2. Vintage Sportswear Logos
Style Notes: A signature of 2000s activewear, blown-up and over-zealous vintage sportswear logos were all the rage. From Nike’s trademark swoosh blasters across your chest to Adidas’s famed three-stripe motif that runs down the side of your leg, when it comes to embracing the trend in 2026, always know that the bigger, the better.
Shop the Trend:
Thought the Puma Speedcat Sneakerinas were a new invention? Think again. A fixture of the early 2000s, turn to resale sites for archival sneakers that will assuredly set you apart.
Start your archival athleisure collection with the basics, like this slate sports bra.
When it comes to designer activewear from the 2000s, you simply can't overlook Prada's sporty diffusion line, Linea Rossa.
3. Baggy Three-Quarter-Length Pants
Style Notes: Whilst the idea of wearing a pair of cropped cargo pants that sit just below your knee might send shivers down your spine, you only have to look at how prominent this shape was at the time to understand why it’s been given another go in the spotlight. Plus, given the fact that capri leggings are as common as a white t-shirt, why not expand your three-quarter length pant collection with a style as beloved, albeit divisive, as this?
Shop the Trend:
This burgundy shade can be paired with so many other trending colours from the noughties, including powder blue and pastel pink.
Even if you're hesitant to wear these to the gym, I can promise you'll get so much wear out of them come summer.
This is the exact pair Lila Moss was wearing, which is great for those who might not be ready to commit fully to the trend, as they come with an adjustable hemline.
4. Flared Leggings
Style Notes: To flare or not to flare, that is the question. However, if you were asking anyone who adheres to the biggest 2000s activewear trends, then you’ll know their answer will always be the former. With a casual, floor-grazing elegance and slouchy appeal, flare leggings are a silhouette that’s equally comfortable and chic, especially when paired with flip-flops and baseball caps.
Shop the Trend:
If the phrase "rancho relaxo" was an item of clothing, it would be this pair of trousers.
Such an affordable way to try your hand at the trend.
There's nothing more naughtily noughties than this Balenciaga collection.
5. Multi-Layered Tops
Style Notes: Before the 2010s ushered in a wave of stark minimalism with designs from Phoebe Philo, the Olsen Twins and Toteme, it was quite in style to dress in excess. Now, the 2000s activewear aesthetic is straddling both aesthetics, with austerity and maximalism emerging through the multi-layered top trend. Piling up pieces upon pieces, the result might have you looking like you raided your wardrobe, but ensure you piece it together through a considered lens for a take that’s more refined.
Shop the Trend:
This piece comes Hailey Bieber-approved.
The more shirts, the better.
Take the guesswork out of layering with this double duty vest top.
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