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Exercise Dresses Are Going Viral on TikTok. What Is an Exercise Dress, You Ask?

Allow us to explain.

Photo courtesy of Outdoor Voices.

You may have seen “cottagecore” fashion and ankle jeans take over the Internet these past few months. Now, there’s a new TikTok fashion trend that millennials and Gen Z-ers have been donning: the Exercise Dress.

A few years ago, activewear brand Outdoor Voices rocked the athleisure world with the debut of the Exercise Dress—yes, that is its proper name—which, like it sounds, is basically a sporty dress that you can work out in. It resembles a tennis dress made out of a breathable lightweight fabric, and has built-in shorts with two pockets. (Who doesn’t love pockets?) People say it has a way of flattering all kinds of body types.

https://www.tiktok.com/@hay.eliza/video/6950361830929730821?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESMgowOvwEtsOlGEfLO%2Bb9J2sv5L36utNvLQ5x%2F6Av7eS50qRoZCBJwZRuyf6PfdWr4WzEGgA%3D&checksum=6a307b3502fcfb01b1fd97e91388b8d02426464ab9ac18bad7c46084fd09eb24&language=en&preview_pb=0&sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAOXAkybP6oForQzYIid9d7NKJeFmyOipVMYKHPdSrU36LNZi6yOsWsgUxqmPvWfx2&share_app_id=1233&share_item_id=6950361830929730821&share_link_id=BDB364D4-635F-4C0D-A518-F08D72FF95A8&source=h5_m&timestamp=1626727225&tt_from=copy&u_code=d3737f4b08gel4&user_id=6625024324292722694&utm_campaign=client_share&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=copy&_r=1&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1

Unfortunately, it is still tough to get. The Exercise Dress is nearly sold out in all colors and sizes on their website. “The dress has been sold out for a while,” says Carson Everett, a “recspert” with the local Outdoor Voices in Georgetown. “We added a new color and it was sold out [in the store] in three days.”

Everett has nonetheless managed to snag seven of the $100-Exercise Dresses, even though she has only recently joined the bandwagon. She heard about the brand from a friend before she started working at Outdoor Voices, then she continued to add to her collection.

But back to the garment. It has been very big on TikTok, but since it’s so impossible to get, TikTok has recently become obsessed with a dress from Halara, another activewear brand. The Halara In My Feels Everyday Dress is half the price and is practically the same as the one from Outdoor Voices. People really like to show it off.

https://www.tiktok.com/@sydneynlint/video/6946995345867967750?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESMgowaiHHL58y%2BC87jAQdx%2B3Eid%2FAButVxQyVFyPq3XUtIGbPGHADBNyTiX7D8riQuVkGGgA%3D&checksum=7880aea6d83a31466fb58969881cd32e5071b81c4e309cccae000aca557f54bf&language=en&preview_pb=0&sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAOXAkybP6oForQzYIid9d7NKJeFmyOipVMYKHPdSrU36LNZi6yOsWsgUxqmPvWfx2&share_app_id=1233&share_item_id=6946995345867967750&share_link_id=377802B6-6F38-443A-87F1-B90902DA1BEC&source=h5_m&timestamp=1626726969&tt_from=more&u_code=d3737f4b08gel4&user_id=6625024324292722694&utm_campaign=client_share&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=more&_r=1&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1

Like the Exercise Dress, the In My Feels Dress has pockets and built-in shorts. She’ll show you:

@ashlynbritt94

Use code: “ Ashlyn “ for 20% off! #halaraeveryday #halarainmyfeels @halara_official #halaraeverdaydress

♬ Butter – 방탄소년단 (BTS)

DC folks just love the Exercise Dress trend:

https://twitter.com/ChelseaCirruzzo/status/1416434490650546178

Damare Baker
Research Editor

Before becoming Research Editor, Damare Baker was an Editorial Fellow and Assistant Editor for Washingtonian. She has previously written for Voice of America and The Hill. She is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she studied international relations, Korean, and journalism.