Gym Clothes For Women Have Become Fashionable

NEW YORK (AP) — So long, dingy sweatpants.

Workout clothes for women, once relegated to the back of the closet, are moving to the front of the fashion scene.

Yoga pants are the new jeans, neon sports bras are the "it" accessory and athletic socks are hipper than heels.

It's partly a push by Americans toward a more active lifestyle. It's also an extension of the nation's fascination with fashion. These days jogging suits are as likely to be seen on a runway as a treadmill.

Spending on workout clothes jumped 7 percent to $31.6 billion during the 12 month period that ended in August compared with the year-ago period.

These aren't cheap cotton T-shirts and spandex jumpsuits. Top designers like Calvin Klein and retailers like Macy's have rolled out fitness clothing lines.

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