Leggings are god’s gift to woman. I wear them at home, at school, at work and I am 24/7 wearing leggings to the gym because shorts riding up my a** just isn’t a cute look. With as much as I workout and the amount of brands I’ve tried, I’ve got a pretty good grip on the bottoms that work for me. Sooo I’m gonna keep this straight up, real, to the point and let you know the real deal when it comes to fit, price, fabric and resilience of leggings from some of the most popular athletic brands.
Lululemon
Oh Lulu, I had to start with her. Why? Because quality over quantity always wins for me.
Fit
Lulu has a range of leggings that will overwhelm you, but the same goes for each pair: they fit amazing. They have hundreds of materials that go from buttery smooth to cotton to spandex. I like when my leggings are tight and not loose in the ankle or knee; and Lulu is top notch at ensuring that their clothes fit like a glove. No rubbing, no camel toe and everything is made to fit tall or short people. However, if you’re like me and are the size of a toddler, then just know that one of the best perks of Lulu is FREE ALTERATIONS FOR LIFE. So hem away!
Last thing, for the girls who deal with chafing and those little balls forming between your legs, don’t you worry; Lulu will exchange your pair for freeeee because no one deserves to deal with that.
Working Out
I have found that most of my Lulu leggings have a slight tendency to slip down while working out (but I also like my leggings to literally be up my ass, so that might just be me lol). They are 100% squat proof so when you bend over, they will not be see through; however, they are 100% NOT sweat proof. Even in my black leggings, the material they chose is great for your skin, but horrible for resisting sweat.
Size Range
This is my only complaint. While the sizes do go fairly high, they only go up to a size 12 in most styles. I would love to see a broader size range so that everyone can enjoy them!
Price: $$$$$
Average legging price: $88
If you are a coach of any kind, just know that you can receive 25% off as part of the “Sweat Collective” for wearing their leggings as a coach (just sayin).
Is it worth it?
Hell. Yes. (My favorites: “the align”, “wunder under”)
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Joylab
Joylab is a Target brand going for fashionable and functional looks. Just one more reason to love Target.
Fit
The fit of these leggings is sooo much better than you would expect from Target (I don’t know why I doubted Target, its Target). Their fabrics are primarily spandex and so, they are a little less breathable. BUT, the fabric isn’t too thick or thin so you don’t feel trapped. I had a minor problem with the leggings being loose in my ankle, which is more so a personal thing that usually doesn’t bother most. The length isn’t bad at all either, it hits the ankle nearly perfect on my height (MIK’S HEIGHT) as well as someone much taller at 5’6”. Slight rubbing from the material, no camel toe, and I would say slight pinching in the waist from the seam at the top.
Working Out
These legging sit very nicely on the body, however, they do kind of rub me while working out. It’s just the feeling of having that spandex material on. These are 75% squat proof, meaning they don’t show my thong, but they get shiny when I bend over from the material stretching more than it wants to. They are also 100% sweat proof.
Size Range
Broad. Target goes by XS-XL sizing rather than waist size, but JoyLab also offers a plus size section which makes them 10x more amazing.
Price: $$
Average legging price: $35
Is it Worth it?
Absolutely! Not every material is the exact same and I think this brand is affordable, functional and a must have in your closet.
(My favorites: “high rise scalloped” legging)
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Gymshark
Gymshark is an Australian based brand sold online. They’re fairly new in the industry, but, honey, they know what’s up.
Fit
There are three different Gymshark legging lines: “Fit”, “Seamless” and “Flex”. First and foremost, I must say that all of Gymshark’s leggings will give you a camel toe. Not like a camel staring at you, but it will 100% give the bikini outline just from standing there.
The “Fit” line is pretty basic leggings with gnarley branding on the waistband that has “GYMSHARK” written all the way around it and the length is great. However, one thing that I love about the waistbands is that they have a thin elastic piece on the middle, inside of the waistband, to keep the leggings from falling down. Pretty clever, right?
I have one word for the “Seamless” line: compression. These leggings hold your body in like nobody’s business. I must say they’re a struggle to get into, but they are soooo nice once you’re in them. They feel molded to your body and like nothing is going to move or fall out. “Seamless” also has the perfect length.
The “Flex” line are the famous booty contoured leggings. Now, these make your butt look amazing, yes, but they are SOOOOOO long. I don’t just mean for short ole’ me either, I mean that my friend who is around 5’7” had almost a foot of extra material. The length of these honestly made me dislike them, but otherwise these are the stretchiest and most comfortable leggings you could own. The amount of stretch that these leggings has is unbelievable, a small could probably fit a large with the way that these stretch.
Working Out
“Fit” line: 100% NOT squat proof, 100% sweat proof, will not slide down.
“Seamless”: 100% squat proof, 100% sweat proof for the dark colors (I LOVE working out in these) Gray and red are 0% sweat proof. These will not slide down.
“Flex”: 100% squat proof and sweat proof, these will not slide down.
Size Range
“Flex” leggings are an all around amazing fit for anyone, the other two styles go from XS-L and do not have very much space to wiggle.
Price: $$$
Average legging price: $45-55
Is it Worth it?
From what I’ve experienced wearing these, It’s definitely worth getting a pair and seeing how you like them. Not only because they fit well, but also because they have a 10% student discount, hollaaa.
(My favorites: “Seamless energy”, “High waisted seamless”)
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Forever 21
Forever has a huge athletic section that seems to go completely unnoticed by most.
Fit
Forever 21 leggings, hmmm where do I begin. They have hundreds of different styles hiding next to each other that you wouldn’t even see because just there’s so much stuff. First thing is, I hate most Forever 21 leggings. The only reason being that they are loose in my knees and ankles and that doesn’t roll with me. However, their seamless leggings are tight as hell and amazing. They do give a slight camel toe outline in the bikini line, but that’s minor. Their fabrics for the seamless leggings are pretty soft and again, they just mold to your skin.Â
Working Out
These leggings do slide down a little bit and I find myself having to hike them back up, but they are 100% squat proof and sweat proof.
Size Range
HUGE, they have sizes for pretty much everyone with their plus size department as well.
Price: $
Average legging price: literally 20 bucks
Is it Worth it?
For sure, but try them on first!
(My favorites: “active ribbed” legging, “seamless” legging)
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Fabletics
I am not excited to talk about this brand.
Fit
The fit of these leggings is decent. They are snug and tight in all the right places when it comes to staying snug on the body. The only thing is the cropped version cuts into your calves a little and the waist seam cuts into the stomach as well. The biggest and most frustrating thing about this brand, that I wanted to love so much, is the quality is sh*t. The seams were falling off after a day of wearing them, the material is not really comfortable on the skin, any mesh is irritating and I’m so sad about it. Kate Hudson gave me hope, man, but it just didn’t do it for me. They don’t give a camel toe, but that’s about it.
Working Out
God damnit, I hated them. They slide down, they are 100% NOT sweat proof and I could feel them wearing down and stretching as I continued going through my workout. I will give them this though: they’re 100% squat proof.
Size Range
Size range is large but not enough to cater to every woman wanting to try them out.
Price: $$$
Average Legging Price: $50
Is it Worth it?
No :(
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Nike
Nike is a funny brand. They excel in quality across the world, but there’s a reason I stopped wearing them.
Fit
The fit of Nike is great. They cater to tall, short, curvy, thin: everyone. Their leggings are tight and feel really good when you first get them because they conform to your body and feel good. However, the materials they have wear down horribly. I’m someone who takes great care with my leggings, washing on delicate and not drying. But even still, Nike leggings rub into crap. Their materials are usually a spandex-cotton blend or straight up cotton. After more than a couple months, without fail, both materials become see through and the color fades. Your black becomes light black, which I HATE. The fit has stayed consistent for sure, but the see through butt and quick desire for your leggings to hold onto all lint, was too much for me.
Working Out
They are great for working out and keep their shape. They don’t fall down and they stay in place really nicely. 100% sweat proof, and 100% squat proof–at least for the first couple months, then not so much.
Size Range
XS-XL. Nike does a pretty great job of catering to a wide range of body types.
Price: $$$
Average Legging Price: $50
Is it Worth it?
It may be worth it, but don’t come complaining to me when your a** starts making an appearance at the gym.
(My favorites: Nike “Power legendary” legging)
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You can thank me later.