I came to the stark realization the other day that I own more workout leggings than any other pants in my closet. I’ve been collecting them, almost without purge for yeeeaaarsss. And with that realization, came the other very clear epiphany that I wear the same ones over and over–bypassing sometimes entire brands, for my tried and true favorites. The ones that hold me in and don’t fall down or roll at the waist,  and make me feel invincible.
Every morning I roll out of bed around 5:15 to work up a sweat for an hour or so and don clothes that basically only I see, but workout leggings hold a sort of power, don’t they? They can either empower you or leave you yanking them up before every burpee, or cause you to skip an exercise all together. Is this just me? Or do you, too, own workout pants that cause you to pause mid-sweat sesh, to adjust?
The other day, I couldn’t take it anymore. I went through my drawer and donated all the ones I haven’t reached for or don’t fit me correctly, and took some mental notes of what I LOVE and what I passed on. I’d love to hear what YOUR favorite workout leggings are! (I’m always on the hunt!)
Here are my notes of which ones I love…and the ones that don’t work for me. I’m putting these in order of favorite to least favorite.
1. Old Navy. When I was telling my sisters that I love Old Navy active leggings, they were shocked they were at the top of my list. But I love them! They come in tall (and regular and petite) and the high rise stays put through squats and jumping jacks and the longest of runs. Also, you can’t beat the price. Don’t tell Old Navy, but I’d happily pay double for any of these that I particularly love (and own):
• High-Waisted Elevate Powersoft Color-Blocked 7/8-Length Legging (seen in the photo above) $27
• Extra High-Waisted Powersoft Light Compression Hidden-Pocket Legging $25
• High-Waisted Elevate CozeCore Color-Blocked Legging $29
• High-Waisted Elevate Built-in Sculpt (incredible!) $35
2. Fabletics. I had a Fabletics membership a few years ago when I was getting back into working out and it really helped me build up my workout wardrobe. I want to say it is about $59 per month and that goes straight toward your purchase. You also get a large percentage off with your VIP membership. If you can swing it, it’s REALLY fun and helps you get excited for working out in new clothes. Eventually I got pregnant again and cancelled my membership. (It was easy, whew!). But recently, I started it up again because I realized I REACH FOR THE FABLETICS PANTS non-stop! They really hold you in and lift you up and stay put. I love the designs and they come in a huge range of sizes. My favorites are:
• High-Waisted Sculptknit Reflective Legging $54
• High-Waisted Seamless Swift Legging $44
• High-Waisted Motion365 Paneled Legging $59 (my fav of the bunch!)
3. Alo Yoga High-Waist Airlift Legging. Shoot. I love these. They are in my third spot because I only have one pair because they are $118! Ouch. But, I also get why they are that much. They feel in.cred.ible. I ran 2 miles farther the first time I wore these. They’re incredibly breathable, moisture-wicking and really move with you if that makes sense. I feel supported and empowered in these, honest. (Also, they have the prettiest colors.) I have zero cons to these besides the price. I tell all my friends about them.
4. Lululemon leggings. I have 3 pairs of lulus and they are this far down the list because for the price, I really wanted them to be my favorite EVER and well…they are here on the list. They are fine, good even, but I think for me, the issues come down to sizing. I feel like I’m always adjusting them or it’s not as high waisted as I like. The Align is comfortable, but not exactly supportive and uplifting, you know? I find I wear them more for every day tasks/outfits rather than working out. And it seems like every one of their pants I wear a different size. I’d rather purchase more Alo pants in the future, tbh. I know some people swear by these so I’d love to hear others experiences, too! I have:
Fast and Free Tight 31″Â $128
Speed Up Tight 28″ (on clearance for $69, down from $108)
Align Pant 28″ $98
5.CRZ YOGA Women’s Naked Feeling High Waist Tight are marketed as Lulu dupes, for only $24. They have a lot of different designs and colors and the fabric itself is very soft. But for some reason these DO NOT STAY up on me. I’ve sized down, I’ve sized up. I’ve gotten longer. I just realized this brand is sadly not for me. It has over 16,000 nearly 5 star reviews, so I am not saying they aren’t good or even worth a try. I’m just saying that they don’t work for my body and they are the #1 legging that I consistently passed on and never wore.Â
I know I’m just scratching the surface of the athletic pant world here! Do you have a favorite I didn’t bring up?! Or maybe a thought on one I did? Would love to hear in the comments!
For the price, comfort and fit I don’t think there is a better pair of leggings then the Danskin Supplex Ankle length legging. Because I am a guy I don’t know whether my opinion is worth anything but I do have a pair of Lululemon tights that I don’t think much of.
Late to the game here, but which leggings would you say are the most “squat proof?” Currently looking for some new ones, and the biggest issue for me is finding something that isn’t see-through during intense workouts!
All of these I’ve listed are squat proof!
Aligns really are for athleisure/comfort or yoga, not for running etc. And there is nothing for comfortable on the market in my opinion!
There is another lulu legging that feels kinda like swimsuit material. It’s not the fast and frees — maybe the speed tight? It has a regular hem, not the infinity edge. Anyway, they are plenty high-waisted and DO NOT MOVE. They’re the perfect workout pant.
p.s. I’ve tried just about every brand, from low to high end. Most have their pros and cons. If you just will not spend the money on high end, then I recommend ColorfulKoala on Amazon. The 7/8 with pockets. They’re about $24 and very good. But you may have to tug on them once in a while
I missed this post initially (crazy week) but I wanted to chime in the leggings talk.
I LOVE my Zyia leggings! Specially the Light n Tights. There are so many options with and without pockets. Quality is comparable to Lulu and Athleta. All the pieces are super versatile!
I swear by xersion from JcPenny. I shop there for almost nothing but these leggings are AMAZING. They have some awesome pairs with cute mesh side panels and pockets. They are durable so they last forever and they suck you in. They also have plus sizes. I size down because I like them tight but worth a try and they have so many styles that you can always get some for $12-15 dollars on sale!