Gym-goers are calling for ‘attention-seeking’ shorts to be banned in 2026

A gym-goer sparked fierce debate on social media after criticising bum scrunch tights as ‘attention-seeking’, with people divided over the popular workout fashion trend

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Maintaining your gym motivation can be incredibly challenging in a world packed with distractions. The chances are that if one of your New Year’s Resolutions is to get more active, you’ve treated yourself to an entirely new wardrobe for when you’re pumping iron and pounding the treadmill.

Nowadays, there are countless different workout clothing options to pick from, and pretty much anything goes as long as you feel comfortable. Nevertheless, it appears some people have an issue with a particular type of activewear. They headed to Facebook to moan about the women’s garment, urging people to don something a bit more conservative when working out.

On Facebook, one gym-goer ranted: “Can we please go back to a time where the butt scrunch tights don’t exist? Throw that trend out the door in 2026”.

For those unfamiliar, bum scrunch tights are shorts or leggings designed to make your bottom look bigger – and the results really do speak for themselves.

Numerous gym clothing brands stock these types of leggings, crafted to make your waist appear cinched and your bum look enormous. But this detractor believes that they “honestly don’t look good on anyone,” despite their massive popularity worldwide.

They went on: “They don’t make your bum look bigger or perky, they just look so stupid with a mild case of attention-seeking look at me vibe.”

The furious fitness enthusiast slammed the way that it “looks like your crack ate your pants and gives an everlasting wedgie effect”. Then, they concluded that the leggings are a “stupid invention”.

Based on the Facebook comments, opinions are sharply divided on the trendy workout wear. Whilst some embrace the fashion, others reckon it’s time to call it quits.

One person commented: “I saw a woman walking through [the supermarket] in these and another woman kept staring, giving her filthy looks, the kind that could kill you. You could see everything. I had a little chuckle. I think leggings should be illegal, to be honest.”

Another chimed in: “I know I’ll get ‘piled on’ for this, but I don’t enjoy encountering half-naked people of any gender in the supermarket.

“When you go shirtless, or wear the aforementioned scrunch bum shorts/leggings and only a crop top (that not that long ago would have been called a bra) to the shops, you actually remove my choice as to whether or not I see your body on display.

“By all means, wear whatever you want in the gym or at the beach or pool, but I personally find it disconcerting to see when I’m out shopping”.

But plenty of others are backing the trend. One man declared: “I think they look fantastic on absolutely anyone and everyone who wears them. I wish my wife would wear them. Get a life, your personal insecurities shouldn’t be pushed on others”.

Meanwhile, another Facebook user added: “You know what else we should leave behind in 2025? Judging people for what they wear”. We couldn’t agree more!