// Workout Tights and Then Some
To say I know about yoga pants, workout tights, fitness leggings…whatever you want to call them… would be an understatement. Having worked out for as long as I have, coupled with my time in yoga, and my career being in the industry as a whole, there is no shortage of me wearing athletic wear for work and play.
For me, the pants I wear have just as much to do with fit, function, and comfort as they do visual appeal. Over the years, I’ve gone through different phases with work out and yoga clothes. Sometimes I took the bright pants approach, other times (most times) I’m all about neutrals and black/white/grey. Even having a collection of white yoga pants is not the norm. However, I know many of you wonder what leggings. Price points. Texture. Durable. High waisted or not. Are they see through? Can I sweat in them? Are leggings real pants?
So here are some of what I wear the most, and why I do/don't like them. Please comment any other brands you might be interested in, as I probably have worn them and just did not list them here!
I’m a Medium in every brand listed unless noted, and I’m 5’ 8”
Super flattering, different material than I think most think of when they think workout pants. snug without being constricting; high waist but no high waist band. No butt seam…which can be positive in the front, but took a little getting used to in the back. Still a current fav.
Very much high waist, and they suck everything in around your waist. Were my favorite leggings until the seams started popping in the groin area. Matte color was also a plus. Some of these tights also peeled on the legs and got fuzzies, along with fading. However, they were my favorite go to leggings for so very long.
Proskins Tights **pictured above**
Material is super soft, and they have numerous qualities. Think helps with circulation, cellulite, and come in micro-biotic fabrics. Like the over qualified smart person but in tights. They feature a compression that is snug but not so restrictive you can’t move or have to jump into them. I like feeling held in, and these did the job while looks smooth and classy.
Super great prices in tights are are high waisted, snug, and long enough. I prefer the solid colors but the patterns were great too (though cut slightly smaller IMO.) For under $50 these are a major winner.
OV is dope for a number of reasons, and you really can’t go wrong, however, in tights there is a material I prefer over the others. I love all of them, but the warm up legging is def my fav. It’s soft and stretchy and more breathable than some of the others. It also has a drawstring waist band that is clutch. ** Use code Claire20 **
For a long time, I had no idea what UA women was doing, yet having been able to wear more than a few pairs of their tights over the last year… I’ve become a real fan. There is a black pair I wear for lifting now, with a high waist, that are my favorite. The material is nice, the quality is there, they just lack long ones sometimes (CB no like crop pants, ever) and the patterns aren’t my jam…BUT if you like patterns, these can be really good choices.
Dope legging that are modern and scream NYC to me. Watching this brand grow has been great, and the sports bras are some of the ones I wear the most (like I’ve worn them out wear.) This is because they are not super tight, not super constrictive and don’t have annoying seams or tags. This seems minimal but sometimes all I want is a simple cute sports bra that I can breathe in (even when my breasts might be swollen due to hormones) in simple black or white. So that’s not a pants review, but I do like the pants as well.
Due to the price point and some hold over beliefs about their sizing, I was against Lululemon for so long. Yet, I finally have some of their pants, and I’m in awe of how well made they are. Like I walk around thinking, these…are…nice…and they are. Material and fit is actually great, and they are all high waisted now so you can really never have to adjust them during yoga. I also lift in them in the pair I do have, fancy that. They have many cuts, so you should go look for yourself, it’s far too much for me to investigate solo.
A favorite yoga pant for so long, until I wore them out and the seams in the crotch gave way. They were soft, cozy, flattering, and held up for many years and washes.
There are so many brands I have worn and can speak on, yet not all make my consistent rotation list. Below I’ll list some more and why I do, don’t wear them often and what they work best for.
Social media’s fav yoga legging, I do like how long these are, and how they have gotten to be more high waisted over the years. They still grab too much in the lady bits, but for photo shoots, I always wear the alo white leggings. The material is too thick for regular practice for me, but in white and for a shoot where you do not want seek through legs, they have been ideal. I do understand this is not what most are using them for so for me, it’s a no go on the regular. I would never work out in them, never yoga in them. I also draw issue with the lack of diversity in their adverts and hope to see that changes.
I have not worn these! Total disclaimer, but I have dear friends who I trust to review them for me, and they love them. They seem to be flattering, and people wear them because they make ya’ bum look good on the internet. But I have heard their sizing is really inconsistent…and I’m not a fan of an advert they did that seemed to support street harassment. You might also want to look into the duties and shipping fees when considering price if you are not in the UK.
Maybe these have gotten better over the years, but I recall getting gifted a pair of $450 leggings. I was thinking they must have gold in them, maybe they did my taxes, and made my relationship better… but no. The lack of seams was cool… but they are wildly unflattering. They flattened my already not so big bum and yeah… just not a fan. Sad because the price point is so very high.
Monday Swim Work Out Wear
Despite their massive social media presence, and dope swimsuits (yes, I own one and really love the quality of it,) the workout wear did not live up. It was cool until I wore it a few times, the sides peeled and the waist band started folding over in an odd way.