Months-long stay-at-home orders led consumers to fill up their downtime with new hobbies like tie-dyeing, DIY denim and joining in on viral TikTok dances.
New data from global fashion search platform Lyst, however, reveals how three outdoor activities are beginning to influence online apparel searches. As the weather warms up, consumers are looking to escape outside—or at least dress the part.
Fashion cycle
Part of the ’90s wave of trends that filtered into fashion last year, bike shorts—or cycling shorts—continue to maintain a place in women’s closets. “There have been more than 8,000 searches for biker shorts over the past two weeks, making them the most wanted shorts after denim and Bermuda,” Lyst stated.
The trend, however, is evolving. While 2019 brought to the fore basic solid styles that could be dressed up with an oversized blazer, or down with a big tee, Lyst’s data shows that consumers are currently looking for bike shorts with more technical elements.
Globally, Lyst reported that the most-searched styles include: cycling shorts with pockets, high-waisted biker shorts and ribbed cycling shorts.
Tennis, anyone?
Wimbledon may be cancelled for the first time since World War II, but consumers can’t shake the impulse for the tournament’s classic prep look.
Searches for tennis-inspired outfits have risen since the beginning of June, according to Lyst. Though tennis skirts also became trendy the ’90s—thanks in part to the plaid ensembles worn by the cast in the 1995 film “Clueless”—the current iteration that shoppers are searching for is all sport.
From the start of June, demand for white pleated tennis skirts is up 33 percent, with Nike’s Court Victory tennis skirt being the most-viewed style. But that’s not to say the style may not evolve into a ’90s groove for back-to-school season.
Interest for tennis court shoes remain strong, increasing an additional 21 percent during the week of June 6, Lyst reported. Searches for visors have also increased by 32 percent since May. Most viewed brands include Dior, Gucci, Prada and Nike.
Garden party
When history looks back at pop culture anomalies of 2020, gardening will likely make the cut. Shelter-in-place orders and food-scarcity scares spurred viral how-to videos on how to grow scallions in a jar. Meanwhile, as most retailers were pained by the pandemic, garden centers saw an uptick in sales.
And now consumers’ green thumb is being represented in the fashion they wear. Shoppers in the U.S. and the U.K. are turning to gardening-inspired outfits during the week of June 6, Lyst reported.
Data shows that consumers are mainly looking for loose-fit linen overalls as well as short denim overalls. Interest in dungaree dresses is also growing, Lyst noted. Searches for straw hats increased 27 percent week-on-week, while demand for bucket hats has increased 16 percent week-on-week.
Interest in these down-home and natural fashion items likely has staying power. The search results are in line with the growing popularity of Cottagecore, the Gen Z subculture that favors an aesthetic based around an idealized life on a farm, including overalls, worn-in denim, gingham and mending techniques.