Many readers will have seen the very amusing video that has been circulating on the web recently, poking fun at women going about most of life’s activities in their “activewear “, including lying on the couch recovering from a hangover, having coffee with friends and smoking cigarettes.

• It’s official – Australians are obsessed with activewear
• What on earth is a gilet? Fashion terms explained

Activewear worn by anyone outside of the gym seems to set a lot of teeth on edge, but I am one person who doesn’t have a problem with it.

At least it’s a bonafide look – three-quarter leggings, a crop top or t-shirt, a zip-front jacket and trainers. Cool. That all makes sense. Pop on a visor too if you feel so inclined.

I don’t care if you are actually exercising or not. Maybe the intent to exercise some day in the future is there, so good for you. Maybe you’ve already knocked off your Hatha yoga session at 5.45am and want to continue to enjoy the feeling of being able to reach for something on the bottom shelf in the supermarket without saying “ouch”.

I’d much prefer to see gym pants and a cross-back lycra singlet than anything from the new Balmain collection from H&M coming towards me. I think it’s far more scary to see 17-year-olds dressing like Jackie Collins (I wonder if the range comes with a dark brown lipliner?).

Nothing can be worse than Balmain for H&M.

I can understand the allure of enjoying “pretending to be active” wear. Comfort is so 2015.

When I left my corporate role and became a full-time, at-home journalist, I was able to seriously evaluate my daytime wardrobe.

Although we middle-aged women know that elasticized pants are the quickest highway to hell, gee they feel great.

The Birkenstock quickly replaces the high heel. The constricting jacket swiftly becomes a cardigan. It’s heaven.

But there are, of course, sartorial steps up from trackies or leggings. There are really beautiful pants around for both men and women that fit into the category of designer trackies – looser, edgier styles that you can wear with a jacket or trenchcoat and schmick trainers.

The French call the look Le Jogging. The French are the best at casual, if only because they make everything in cashmere.

Activewear appears to be getting more techy and more modern each season if that’s even possible, and I can’t bear all those awful digital print floral leggings that are around currently.

Let’s get physical.

Let’s go retro. I’d like to see us all re-visit the aerobics-crazed Jane Fonda period, Olivia Newton John in ‘Let’s Get Physical’. Shiny lycra leotards (often with a g-string) over leggings, with a THIN belt. Yes. Sweatbands on the forehead. High tops. Does it get any better? I’d be thrilled if I saw a bunch of yummy mummies at the café dressed like that.

As for men, let’s just forget all of the new fangled luridly colored gym wear and take a cue from Sylvester Stallone in Rocky. Grey marle sweatpants. Grey marle sweatshirt. Sweaty towel. I truly don’t think there is a hotter look on the planet for men than a grey marle sweatshirt, without logos, without tricks.

This is activewear for REAL men.

Again, it has low-bubbling, non-specific intent, like Detective Javier Pena in Narcos. It says, “I might be exercising later today or maybe I’ve already been for a run. I may or may not have rippling muscles underneath this unprepossessing sweatshirt, and I will definitely be able to change a tire, set up Netflix and throw a ball later with our youngest child which we may, or may not have one day, if I can just stop my womanising”.

So let’s hear it for activewear. As with all things in fashion it’s not about reality. It’s about possibilities. After coffee.