We know that fitness apparel and athleisure are “the thing” right now right? Our FB and IG feeds are filled with fitness and health and frankly, yoga pants are a lot more comfy than jeans! Yes, our society has absolutely gotten more casual, and I’m hopeful that fitness wear being trendy and more acceptable translates into real-life fitness for most of us. Since I LIVE in activewear – taking classes, teaching classes, working out at home – I’ve tried a ton of different brands and definitely have my favorites! It may or may not be true that the “fitness” section of my closet is significantly bigger than the “normal clothes” section of my closet. I’ll never tell… ?
Here are some of my favorite workout leggings that I’m loving right now after putting them all to the {sweaty} test…
Lulemon
Yep, it’s a cult favorite for a reason.Yep, they’re expensive for a reason. The leggings hold up over the test of time. Lululemon High-Rise leggings are the bomb.com — tight with the perfect amount of stretch. Frankly, I wore lulu FORever…until everybody else did too. As much as I LOVE their leggings, I dislike wearing the same stuff everyone else is wearing. So I stayed away for awhile and have recently found myself loving their new stuff.
So I’m back…until everyone else is too ? It’s GOOD to branch out and explore new brands…but Lululemon will always be one of my faves for their durability, their flattering cut, and their high rise options. Also, as a fitness instructor, one of my non-negotiables is leggings that STAY THE HECK UP while I’m teaching. Lululemon leggings stay UP – if you get the high rise. And remember, if you don’t love high rise like I do, the wider waistband allows the option to roll them down!
Lorna Jane
I stumbled on this Australian brand a couple of years ago and fell in love with their leggings. High waistband, a little thicker than other leggings, fun mesh inserts…this brand rocks my world!! I have a gazillion pairs of Lorna Jane leggings and they too wash and wear beautifully. While the leggings are amazing, the company will tell you they are known for their bras. So, if you’re looking for new sports bras, this could be a new source for you.
What makes me love this company even more? Check out the company mission statement from the founder, Lorna Jane Clarkson:
“At Lorna Jane, we design High-Performance Women’s Fashion designed for an Active life. Fusing together Fashion and Functionality, our Activewear Collection is designed to move with you, no matter what you are doing. Lorna Jane Sports Bras provide Maximum Support with Comfort and Breathability. Lorna Jane Tights are designed in different Styles and Fabric, which is why a pair of Tights is Sold every 60 seconds. Our LJ ExcelTM Fabric has been developed for Twenty-Eight years, it has more Active Properties than any other Fabric and is our Exclusive High-Performance Fabric. We don’t just sell Activewear, we sell an Active way of Life.”- Lorna Jane, Founder of Activewear & Creator of Active Living
[blue_slash_heading]3. Alo[/blue_slash_heading]
This is a more recent discovery for me. Although I have owned their ridiculously amazing Moto leggings FORever, I just started digging into the rest of their brand in 2017. So many fabulous options! These leggings are a little softer than other brands. The waistband is high but they are meant for more yoga and pilates-type classes and as a lifestyle brand, so be prepared for less of a “hold you in” feel with this brand. I love Alo leggings for taking Pure Barre, SolidCore and SLT classes, doing yoga and Pilates at home, and wearing in everyday life. I would not wear most of their leggings to teach in or do HIIT workouts in because I like a tighter hold/feel and I do NOT want to pull up my leggings during an intense workout.
As you can see from part of their mission statement, they are meant to go from studio to street, which is super cool and functional.
“We make the most technologically advanced yoga clothing in the world. Because clothing is the fuel for our movement to inspire more people to do more yoga. Inspiring mindful movement is at the core of why we do what we do at Alo—it’s our calling. This is the real meaning of studio-to-street: Taking the consciousness from practice on the mat, and putting it into the practice of life.”
So bottom line…there are as many leggings options out there as there are workouts and personal preferences. Be willing to invest in leggings that will hold up and make you FEEL like a million bucks. Guaranteed when you FEEL good in your fitness wear, your workout will be even better!
FYI – I have never received any products from companies to review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own from personal use. I receive NO compensation for my thoughts and opinions in this article.
