Since they first entered popular culture in the eighties, leggings have become the hero of everywear. The gym, the track, the kitchen, and dressed up to go on date night. It’s been a shape-enhancing adventure across decades.
But alas, Gen Z is changing all of that. Sweatpants, cargo pants, and wide-leg trousers are gaining ground, once held by leggings. Silhouettes are changing to reduced body-conscious styling. And the numbers tell a story.
According to a report from the retail analytics platform Edited, leggings accounted for 46.9 per cent of all athleisure bottoms in 2022. By 2025, that figure had dropped to 38.7 per cent.
Unlike Gen Z, designers are not ready to write off leggings completely. Instead, Johannesburg-based designer Heidi du Toit of Heidi Couture and Hollywood Costumes said the leggings problem is not about functionality but about fatigue, and that there are ways to give them renewed relevance beyond pure utility.
“Deliberate cutouts in cute, feminine shapes that are strategically placed on hips, thighs or the back of the leg change the dynamic of the garment,” she said.
Give leggings character
“Leggings became boring because everyone copied the same formula,” Du Toit said. “Black, tight, high-waisted and designed to disappear. Fashion does not survive on invisibility.”
The small cutouts she introduced are graphic cutouts, such as hearts or stars, that expose small areas of skin without compromising stretch or movement. The designs are intentionally playful rather than aggressive, she said. It starts with the Gen Z mindset.
“People still want comfort. That has not changed,” she said. “What has changed is that they do not want to feel swallowed by basics. A cutout gives the leggings character again. It gives it a reason to exist outside of exercise.”
Cutout Gallery
Gen Z is increasingly resistant to clothing that feels overly tight or performance-driven. Industry analysts have noted that looser workout gear allows people to focus on movement rather than how their bodies are being perceived.
That change has benefitted sweatpants and wide-leg styles, but it has left leggings struggling to justify their place beyond performance.
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Du Toit said cutouts and a bit of spice offer a middle ground. “You are not asking someone to squeeze into something extreme,” she said. “You are giving them control. They choose where the skin shows. That changes how confident the garment feels.”
Choose where the skin shows
It’s also about personal expression, which fits into the Gen Z narrative, an influencer said. Cutouts that take a leap beyond the usual straight line and hip snips create intrigue, they said. Hearty and starry leggings create mystery, show off underwear, reveal a bit of skin, or hint at going commando.
The Edited report also noted that straight-up and down legging styles are on a downward trajectory, but that newer versions, such as stirrup leggings, capri lengths and richer neutral colours are potentially saviours of the garment.
“Anything that gives character, wins,” said Du Toit.
Denim Cutout Gallery
Du Toit also tested the mini cutouts on denim.
“Once you understand placement, it works across different kinds of garments,” she said. “Denim shorts, fitted jeans, and even tailored trousers can carry cutouts beautifully. It softens the look and makes it feel intentional rather than gimmicky.”
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