Where To Buy Good Leggings ^NEW^
lululemon's Quality Promise covers manufacturing defects. However, it does not cover accidental damage, natural wear and tear, fit, or preference. Full-priced leggings can be returned within a 30-day window. They must be unworn, unwashed, and have both the rip tag and hang tag intact.
where to buy good leggings
I cover fitness at Wirecutter and wear workout leggings nearly every day in anticipation of testing items like treadmills, indoor-cycling bikes, yoga mats, and GPS running watches. For nearly two years as a full-time personal trainer, my daily uniform centered on workout gear. I currently own more than 20 pairs of leggings.
To understand more about the textile side of workout leggings, I spoke (and emailed) with several textile and performance-wear experts, including Andre West, director of the Zeis Textiles Extension for Economic Development at NC State University; Preeti Arya, assistant professor of textile development and marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology; and Susan Sokolowski, PhD, a professor and director of the sports product design MS program at the University of Oregon, who also worked at Nike for 20 years.
The Wunder Trains are available in sizes 0 to 20 and in three inseam lengths: 25 inches, 28 inches, and 31 inches. (After facing criticism in the past for its lack of size diversity, the company took a step toward broader sizing in 2020, when it announced that it is increasing its size range up to a size 20.) I wore a size 8 in the 25-inch length, and the fit was appropriate for my 5-foot-10-inch frame. These leggings fit true to size, though if your measurements put you in two different size camps, you may want to size up. (According to my measurements, I was a size 8 waist and size 6 hips; a size 8 fit just right.) Though substantial enough to provide medium support (by our estimation), the fabric still feels lightweight. After several months of regular washes, the Wunder Trains have retained their shape nicely.
The basis of a pair of leggings is core-spun yarn, which Preeti Arya, assistant professor of textile development and marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology, describes as a fine filament of elastane yarn with fiber (nylon, polyester, cotton) surrounding it. (Elastane is a general term for synthetic fibers like spandex and Lycra.)
The Outdoor Voices TechSweat 7/8 Flex Leggings (no longer available) have a thinner, smooth fabric with a bit of texture, and they fit well. There is a small front pocket for a credit card or keys, and these leggings fit just below the navel. Their TechSweat fabric is made for sweat-heavy activities, and it held up fine, but this pair felt a little flimsy.
Why it's great: You may remember Girlfriend Collective as the brand who gave their leggings out for free (except for shipping) a couple of years ago. While now the brand has officially launched and brings together a couple of stand-out styles made from recycled water bottles and fishnets. They believe that representation matters and offer all of their styles in sizes XXS-6XL, three inseams (28.5-inch, 23 3/4-inch, and 19.5-inch) and a variety of colors (and matching bras to complete the look).
Why it's great: Amazon has everything, so it's not really a surprise that they have some amazing leggings. There are a ton of styles that have thousands of five-star ratings, with pictures and reviews raving about how the quality is great for the price. Plus, with Amazon Prime, you can get them delivered in no time.
Why it's great: Athleta has over one hundred styles, many of which are meant for different types of workouts. For example, the Salutation tight is great for yoga or studio classes, while the Lightning Static is better for medium and high-impact workouts. Be sure to look at the product details to ensure that the leggings are better for the type of workout you'll be using them for. Salutation tights have over 1,000 reviews. Also, they have tall and petite styles, as well as plus sizes for their most popular styles.
Why it's great: Calia is designed by the one-and-only Carrie Underwood, who is known for her killer legs and workouts (she works out at least 90 minutes a day). The leggings themselves are great. They're comfortable and stretchy while still staying in place during the most intense workout. They also offer plus-size options up to size 3X. There's a variety of styles including patterned, solid, and wide-leg options to find the one that works for you.
Why it's great: Founded by Tamara Hill-Norton in 1998, Sweaty Betty is an activewear line for women designed by women. All of their leggings have small details that make it worth the higher price tag, including a back pocket big enough to fit an iPhone 8, side pockets to keep your essentials safe, a drawstring, great if your waist is smaller than your hips and butt, and sweat-wicking fabric so you don't feel like you just stepped out of a pool after a workout.
Why it's great: Under Armour makes their leggings with technology to withstand temperature and sweat. The HeatGear fabric is great for running outside when it's hot to keep you from overheating. The leggings also have four-way stretch, high compression, anti-odor technology, and small pockets. Most have high compression, so they're meant to feel like a second skin and may not be comfortable to wear all day long, but the compression means they'll stay in place during your most intense workout.
Why it's great: Target really is a one-stop-shop. You can get food, household items, and amazing leggings in one order. Their in-house brands offer a selection of great styles. All in Motion is their newest brand that designed for everyone, and it even has styles specifically designed for curvy figures. The brand also incorporates sustainable material. It's moisture-wicking, has a ventilating design, four-way stretch, and pockets. Joy Lab also has leggings in fun patterns and great fabric you'll be proud to post on your Insta feed.
Why it's great: A female-led brand, Year of Ours is know for itss super cute sets, but the leggings themselves are also great. They have many brightly-colored ones with small detailing (such as a lace-up tie) you'll want to put on in the morning. The styles are designed to work just as great during a hard workout as when you're not working out.
Why it's great: Gap is Old Navy's big sister, and the leggings illustrate that. They have a bit of a higher price tag, but also a bit of higher qualities with blackout technology to give you maximum coverage for squats, sculpt revolution designed specifically for intense workouts so you don't have to keep pulling your pants up while you're doing burpees, and tall and petite sizes. Plus, they have sales all the time.
Why it's great: Nordstrom is pretty much best known for its in-house workout line Zella. The classic black leggings have more than 6,000 reviews. But they also offer a wide variety of other brand leggings at many different price points, such as Nike, Girlfriend Collective, Free People, and more. Plus, with free shipping all the time, you really can't go wrong.
Why it's great: On a mission to make "the best yoga clothing in the world", Alo yoga leggings are designed to work just as well during a yoga class (or an at-home yoga session) as they are out and about. Made to lift, sculpt, contour, and smooth, they have a four-way stretch, moisture-wicking antimicrobial technology, and flat-locked seams for extra comfort.
Why it's great: Forever 21 really doesn't mess around when it comes to their activewear. They're leggings come in unique styles at amazingly low prices. You can stock up on a few and not feel totally bad if they don't last forever and ever.
Why it's great: With performance-ready activewear, Free People has leggings look good and work even better. They're squat-proof, compressive, smoothing, and extra coverage in the waistband. Many styles are great for different types of exercise, such as running and yoga. They also offer extra-long styles, which are great for anyone who is tall and tired of legging being cropped on them.
Why it's great: Categorized by yoga, training, running, athletics, essentials, and originals, Adidas has a number of different types of leggings. They also have "every day" styles that are under $50 and are better to wear leisurely. Many are made with breathable HAPTech fabric specifically designed to be worn a lot, and some are even made from recycled material.
Why it's great: Bandier has their own line of leggings an eight-way stretch with silky compression fabric and a double layer elastic waistband. But they also sell other brands, including Girlfriend Collective, Year of Ours, Beach Riot, Koral, Nike, and more.
Why it's great: Founded to spread joy and positivity, Terez has leggings that are different, unique, and fun. Many styles metallic to help truly shine, but they're also high quality and comfortable. The leggings are made with breathable sweat-wicking fabric and compression, and will definitely get you noticed and have people complimenting your styles.
The fabric does stretch with your booty, but they passed the squat test with flying colors. I would recommend wearing either a no-show panty or a thong to avoid panty lines if you care about those, but feel free to wear any color underneath. After squatting, I took them upstairs and did a short ride on my trusty stationary bike. The leggings held up far better than I did, and the only thing that wanted to roll down was me, not my waistband.
These patterned leggings are from Wolven, a sustainable legging brand to add to the eco-friendly list. However, before I get into that, I need to share why these leggings made me make a new category just for them.
With full pockets and a happy heart, I ran through the normal tests. The leggings passed the squat test with ease, and like the other pair of Wolven leggings I reviewed, the waistband stayed in place during all sorts of movements, with no dreaded roll-down when sitting. I have zero complaints with these, except I do wish that I also ordered the Zephyr Crossover Pocket leggings too, which combine the amazing waistband that I reviewed above with the pockets on these. 041b061a72