For nearly two decades, leggings reigned supreme as the ultimate workout staple. Beloved by millennials and embraced as both athleisure and everyday wear, the snug stretchy pants became synonymous with fitness chic. But now, a generational shift is underway — and it may mark the end of the legging era.

Gen Z, the trend-savvy, hyper-online generation that dominates TikTok, is declaring leggings officially out. In their place? Baggy sweatpants and oversized shorts.

“It’s not about style,” said one young gym-goer in a viral clip. “I’m so embarrassed and insecure about wearing leggings. I hate how they’re tight on me, and you can see, like, the structure of my legs.”

That raw confession struck a nerve. Thousands of comments echoed the sentiment, with users chiming in: “Leggings are so uncomfortable,” “I f- -king hate leggings,” and the most damning critique of all — “It’s body dysmorphia.”

The backlash isn’t just talk. According to retail analysis group Edited, consumer interest in leggings has fallen from 46.9% to 38.7% since 2022. In response, giants like Nike and Adidas have scaled back their investment in leggings this year. Lululemon, the brand most associated with the legging boom, is holding strong — but even they can’t ignore the cultural tides.

Instead, oversized activewear is dominating search trends. Pinterest reports that 58% of searches in the 18-to-24 demographic are for “boxy” styles, from baggy sweatpants to oversized T-shirts. Stars like Billie Eilish and Zendaya, who have championed loose silhouettes for years, are hailed as the icons of this movement.

“Comfort over compression,” researchers noted in their report, capturing the mindset driving Gen Z’s rejection of the once-essential wardrobe piece.

For many, it’s not simply a matter of fashion, but a deeper reflection of how the generation grapples with self-image. The clingy, body-hugging nature of leggings has become a flashpoint for insecurities in a digital age obsessed with comparison.

Still, the war against leggings isn’t entirely new. Gen Zers have long labeled them “cringe” and “cheugy,” attempting to resurrect yoga pants — or their rebranded cousin, the “flared legging” — as a cooler alternative. None, however, have dethroned the legging’s dominance.

But shorts might be the challenger that finally sticks.

“As a gym girlie, one thing about me is, I’m a shorts girlie until the end of time,” declared TikTok fitness influencer Danica. “B—ch, I promise you, once you put on a good pair of shorts, you are never going to touch your leggings again.”

Other young women agree. “I feel so cute, sexy, hot, confident when I wear shorts to the gym,” said Em, a dietician and trainer. “But leggings, I hate.”

Whether this is a permanent end or just another cyclical trend remains to be seen. Fashion history is littered with “dead” items that made roaring comebacks — from mom jeans to Crocs. Millennials may cling to their leggings the way Gen X never gave up on denim.

For now, though, the message from Gen Z is loud and clear: the tighter the fit, the bigger the ick.