How French Women Do Activewear Differently

You’ll often see French women strolling the streets in silk neckerchiefs, polished flats, and tailored trenches, but how often is it that you spot them in a pair of leggings and sneakers post-workout? Since it’s rare that we analyze Parisian activewear style, we decided to reach out to three French fashion bloggers to get their opinions on the matter (and learn a thing or two!). From what they would never wear with their leggings to their favorite way to dress up a post-gym look, we’re offering up exclusive advice that you won’t want to miss. Plus, we included a curated shopping list of pieces to add to your activewear wardrobe too. Keep scrolling to see how French women tackle activewear and to shop the pieces they would wear.

What are your tips for dressing up a post-gym look?

TYPHAINE AUGUSTO: It really depends on what sport I’m going to be doing. Obviously you wouldn’t wear the same thing to Bikram yoga as you would to a boxing class. Usually I just add a cool bomber and change up my sport sneakers for a more stylish pair to keep the vibe but stay chill.

Are there specific activewear trends that you are loving right now?

TA: I’m really into old-school sport brands like Fila and Ellesse, even to wear in daily life. I have this vintage black Fila sweater that I used to wear to play sports, and now I actually wear it to go out dancing in some clubs! It works every time, and I don’t know why, but I always dance like a maniac when I wear it!

Shop Typhaine's activewear style:

Do you have any go-to activewear pieces?

KENZA SADOUN-EL GLAOUI: Of course! I wear loose T-shirts, hoodies, leggings, backpacks, and sneakers—even in town. Luckily I don’t sweat that much, so often after the gym I stay in my leggings and sneakers. I only change my shirt and my sweater for a more sophisticated pullover like a turtleneck. And in general, I only wear black leggings.

What is something you would never wear with your workout leggings?

KSG: I definitely would never wear heels with my leggings. In Paris, wearing leggings during the day is absolutely not chic, so if I do it, I’d rather already have on a sporty outfit—one with sneakers.

Is activewear really even something that French women wear on a regular basis? Or is it strictly a gym-only look?

KSG: If you compare the cities of Paris and Los Angeles, for example, this type of clothing doesn’t have much success here. If you see a woman in sweatpants and a sweatshirt in Paris, it shows that she either didn’t want to make any effort or, on the contrary, that she has a very distinctive style and she owns it. Here in France, we tend to only wear a few activewear pieces at a time—not a sporty total look.

Shop Kenza's activewear style:

Shop Tokyobanhbao's activewear style:

Do you frequently incorporate activewear into your everyday look?

TOKYOBANHBAO: Even if at the moment I’m not working out a ton, I love using certain pieces of activewear to create a more preppy everyday look. For example, I will wear sneakers with track pants and a blazer!

This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.