Investing in fashion stocks will perennially be a risky venture. Due to the fickle nature of the industry, accurately predicting the direction of its market continuously proves to be very difficult. A trendy fashion statement today was likely unthinkable just a few years ago, and probably will become obsolete not too far in the future. 

Because fashion trends run through this seemingly perpetual in-and-out cycle and depend on human taste as much as they do the economy’s standing, it is essential to maintain high levels of vigilance when investing in the fashion market and understand the current moment’s styles with a relatively short leash at the ready.

For the same reasons, however, there is always value somewhere to be found in the fashion sector of the stock market. Of the publicly traded department store brands and clothing retailers, you can capitalize on the fashion crazes of the moment and turn huge profits if you can accurately identify what styles are on the rise.

2017 is no different than other years, with certain areas of the fashion world trending up, while other segments are quickly plunging. 

Over the past year, major department stores have watched their stocks continually diminish in value, save for the annual spike of holiday shopping which remained reasonably lucrative. 

Prominent department stores, such as Macy’s (M) and Nordstrom (JWN), have seen their stocks plummet 12.5% and 9.8% respectively over the past year. Macy’s and J.C. Penny (JCP) have been aggressively shutting down stores to cut their losses. The S&P 500 Department Store Index has dropped a colossal 35% since the December of 2016, conveying the poor state these stocks are in. While a natural drop is expected after the holiday season, many analysts are concerned if department stores can recover.

Other analysts, however, believe now is the time to buy low and invest in these faltering companies. According to this perspective, investors’ current view on department stores is almost too pessimistic, therefore creating value from facing their easiest first quarter comparisons since the recession almost a decade ago. 

In most other areas of the fashion sector, a sure-bet stock remains hard to find. Many retailers are having a difficult time transitioning their business strategies into well-executed e-commerce plans, which seem almost imperative given the diminished in-store traffic nowadays and the continuing trend of consumers shopping online. 

According to a recent study from Pew Research, a remarkable 79% of Americans now shop on the internet. A gigantic leap from the mere 22% of online consumers in 2000, people are simply ditching brick-and-mortar stores for the various benefits that shopping online brings about. 

Though women’s clothing chain Bebe (BEBE) has lost about $200 million over the past four years, it may have a newfound life with a bold strategy in this regard. The brand recently announced it was closing all its stores nationwide and will be exclusively selling merchandise on the internet going forward, an effort inspired by the exponential growth the online marketplace experiences every year. 

Whether or not Bebe, or any company shutting down stores to a lesser degree, will increase profitability from abandoning physical stores is yet to be seen, especially considering the majority of sales do in fact still take place in person.

But while fickleness seems to be permeating every nook and cranny of the current fashion market, there appears to be one exception. Perhaps the hottest, most consistent trend in the fashion world is still active-wear or “athleisure” as many have dubbed it. 

Gym clothing being worn causally is by no means a new trend, but it remains a growing one. With a recently estimated market size of $44 billion in the U.S. alone, the obsession over workout apparel seems to be far from waning. More importantly, Morgan Stanley projects that the industry will be worth a whopping $83 billion in 2020. The industry grew almost 7% last year, making it the third consecutive year that sportswear has been on the rise.

Among the major players in the athleisure market worth investigating are Nike (NKE), Under Armor (UA), Adidas (ADDYY), and Lululemon (LULU). These stocks still look to be some of the best investments in clothing for the foreseeable future. 

Brands not even known for active-wear, like American Eagle Outfitters (AEO), Gap (GPS), and even Beyoncé, have established product lines in the fitness department to appeal to the craze. Other celebrities, too, have endorsed similar health-oriented products, and have lent to the industry’s recent sustained success.

There are a variety of reasons why this type of sporty clothing has remained so lucrative in recent history. 

For one, athleisure represents the current trend that consumers are turning to “basics” when shopping for clothing. Fashion Designer and CEO of cbobaby.com, Sharon Rosenger, whose brand produces large size onesies and bodysuits for special needs children, sees this growing trend amongst customers shopping for all kinds of clothing.

“Across the industry, people are increasingly choosing more basic clothing products that provide excellent function and comfort, rather than showy styles that are often cumbersome to wear,” she says. “This helps explain why you see people wearing athleisure for everyday activities like errands and get-togethers, in addition to its primary athletic utility.”

Drifting away from outfits based on flashy accessories and excessive embellishments, consumers are showing that they value functionality and quality in a dress more than flamboyance and glamor. 

Another major indicator of active-wear’s sustained success in the market is how it accurately reflects the shifting values that people are starting to care more about. Clothes associated with exercise and health draw positive perceptions of leading an active lifestyle that people want others to have of them. 

Finally, this type of clothing tends to be on the more expensive end, with a pair of leggings regularly selling for over $100. In turn, the wealthier faction of society, especially older millennials, have displayed willingness to spend big money on this brand of clothing, even at a time when other kinds of fashion have seen decreased sales. The association of high social status and modern sportswear is undeniable and is a legitimate contributor to its rising value.

At a time when uncertainty has cast a shadow on the investing prospects of the fashion industry, companies producing athleisure items have been a consistent mainstay for turning profits. Searching for the right brands in the industry may take time, but there is currently no better segment to look in when it comes to fashion investments.

***Nathan Feifel contributed to this article