Made with both moms and gym-goers in mind, our Butter Leggings offer superior flexibility and flattering body-shaping. So whether you're lifting toddlers or kettlebells, on a Target run or in a 5k, you can do it all–comfortably and stylishly. Length: If you're super tall or petite, make sure you take an extra look at the length of the pants, so you don't buy something that's too short or too long. Most popular leggings (and most of the ones on our list) are made from nylon and elastane, or polyester and elastane, for stretch and comfort. Brand-specific blends often make the finish more or less soft — for instance, people love Alo’s proprietary Airlift fabric, and lululemon’s Nulu, which they use for Align products. The fabric blend can also create a shinier finish (see: Girlfriend Collective, Saucony) or a more matte finish (see: Wolven, Athleta). Other fabrics used for leggings include polyamide, rPET, and viscose, among others.

You have legs, we have leggings. In all the colors and patterns you could want. From vibrant faux leather leggings to sleek neoprene leggings. There’s a pair to match whatever mood or moment you’re in. Women's Leggings Fabrics: Find Your Perfect Match

Leggings For All Occasions

Lululemon is one of the most popular fitness brands for workout pants. The brand's signature Align leggings are especially popular, but Lululemon has a ton of different styles and materials to choose from, including soft, lightweight styles for yoga and sleek, compressive tights to wear during high-impact exercise. Fabric variations: You may notice some of the styles use "Light" or "Full-on" in the product name, like "Full-on Luxtreme.""Light" means it's more lightweight, while "Full-on" has a tighter knit, providing more coverage and compression. Audrey is wear size small Butter Leggings in the color Forest Green and size small Comfort Tank in the color Chartreuse Amelia is wearing size small Butter Leggings in the color Sky and size small Bliss Bra in the color Latte

Lexie Sachsis the executive director of the Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Fiber Science from Cornell University and more than 15 years of experience in the textiles industry, including merchandising and product development fields. Lexie joined Good Housekeeping in 2013 and has extensively tested fitness apparel of all kinds — including workout leggings, sports bras, walking shoes and more — using specialized lab equipment and with hundreds of consumer testers.

What Makes Brushed Poly-Spandex So Great

Neoprene: Our luxe, Italian Neoprene has high stretch, incredible recovery, and is resistant to pilling, wrinkles, lint, and pet hair. Forever low-maintenance, forever flattering. Material: Most flared leggings on this list are made out of nylon and spandex (otherwise known as elastane). Nylon is responsible for durability and breathability. On the other hand, spandex is what helps make fabric feel stretchy. When buying a pair of flared leggings, our team recommends looking out for at least one of these materials in your pants. Caro is wearing size small Butter Leggings in the color Wisteria and size small Comfort Tank in the color Champagne

Faux Leather: Leggings in our faux leather fabric level up any outfit. Indisputably badass, machine-washable faux leather that looks and feels like real leather. Most Lululemon leggings are high-waisted because it's a flattering rise that stays in place when you move, and it often adds tummy control. For an even higher band, you can find a super high rise in yoga-specific styles like the Align Pant or Wunder Train Tight. Which material is best for leggings depends a fair bit on what you’re planning to use yours for. But when it comes to sweaty workouts, “the best material for leggings is generally nylon fabric with Lycra elastane to give it that nice stretch to fit each individual body type,” Nicholson says. We think this remains true even if you just plan to wear your leggings for lounging or running errands. We all love a good stretchy fabric, after all. That said, if you’re looking for that eco-factor, you might prefer to look for a recycled fabric such as rPET (made from plastic bottles).

Site Customisation

The most popular leggings, like Lululemon’s Align leggings, are typically high-rise, meaning the waistband falls over your belly button. These are the ones we prefer, because they don’t create any awkward or uncomfortable folds in your stomach, and adapt with your body as you move and as you eat. They also provide extra coverage, which makes them ideal for pairing with just a sports bra, or with a cropped athletic shirt. We have included a couple of fantastic mid-rise leggings on our list, whose waistband falls just under your belly button, like Saucony’s Solstice Tight. These are typically better paired with a slightly longer shirt, but it’s definitely a question of preference. While low-rise leggings (whose waistband falls at hip height) are easy to find, they’re not the most popular choice out there — exhibit A: None of the style experts we spoke to recommended a pair because they fall down easily, so working out in them is not typically comfortable. While buttery leggings are usually great lounge leggings to change into after a gym session or throw on for everyday wear, you can still find ones for more active wear. If you want soft leggings designed for working out, look for compressive leggings that feature more spandex in the polyester fabric blend, so they provide the performance and support you need for intervals and supersets and are sturdy enough to be squat-proof. And if you want a pair that you can still dress up for a comfortable going-out look, look for versions with thin waistbands or a higher rise. I literally live in leggings,” says Laurice Wardini, co-founder and editor-in-chief at ClothedUp — which is why we’re taking her word for it when she shares, “Girlfriend Collective has some of my favorite leggings, especially since I've gained a few COVID pounds. They're super compressive and the high-waisted leggings are the best — they hold everything in and never roll down.” If that’s not enough to sell you on these, they also come in a wonderful number of colorways, plus three lengths, and sizes XXS through 6XL. Once again, Girlfriend Collective stays true to its ethical and sustainable ethos, with leggings made from 79 percent recycled plastic bottles (you can recycle these, too, through their ReGirlfriend program). Unfortunately, though, these leggings let themselves down by wearing out faster than is ideal. These are made from partially recycled material, which is a nice nod to sustainability, though the brand could be doing more on that front. While we’re not huge fans of mid-rise pants ourselves generally — and that fit typically cuts off those with wide hips in a weird spot — anyone without hang-ups about the rise will love them.

Lululemon legging sizes range from 0 to 20. If you're in between sizes, it's better to size up: If the pants fit too snugly, they can restrict your movements. And if you're not sure what size you wear, you can schedule a free virtual consultation. When testing maternity leggings, we considered size, fabric, comfort and durability, value for money, versatility and extra features. Gone are the days of sacrificing budget and style for quality. Introducing, the Butter Legging. So named for its buttery-smoothness, this fan favorite's luxuriously soft, high compression fabric offers enhanced support and comfort. Caro is wearing size small Butter Leggings in the color Wisteria and size small Comfort Tank in the color Champagne Butter: Butter looks and feels like heaven, has limitless stretch and recovery, and you can wash it over and over without losing any of its magic. It’s our most-loved fabric for a reason.

Full-length leggings have a 28" inseam, but many options are available in 31" for those who need the extra length. If you have shorter legs or prefer an ankle-length legging, opt for the 25" inseam. Most styles are also available as crop leggings, which range from 17" to 23" in length. Even though simple in concept, leggings are the one item that needs to be as close to perfect as possible: comfortable, soft, practical, and molded to your body through any movement. And they should work just as well for the gym as running errands. We know the choice is personal, but if you don’t have a favorite yet, we found the best ones out there with the help of a few experts, extensive research, and even lots of tests.