by Cristina |
Last Updated: June 8, 2021 I’m a mom, so it goes without saying that I own way more leggings than I should. But, hey it’s my daily uniform. When in doubt throw on a good pair of leggings, t-shirt and nikes. This is what started my search for the perfect legging.
Besides it being a uniform. I do happen to work out a lot. A few years ago I had a health scare, and working out went from being that annoying thing I know I “should do” to very highly recommended by my doctor (see article HERE). For the last 3 years I have probably been working out anywhere between 3-5 times a week depending on what is going on with my schedule.
This combined experience has led me down a steep deep rabbit hole of activewear research. I have been through almost every single brand of exercise clothes that exists. It is safe to say that over the course of my mom career I have tried almost every single brand at one point or another, in search of the elusive “perfect legging”.
What is the perfect legging? So glad you asked. To me the perfect legging is a few things.
First, its high waist and pulls in the FUPA. Nobody wants to be bending over to pick up toys, or working out, and see their fupa flapping around. I love my FUPA. It is proof that I brought three crazy beautiful children into the world, but it does not exactly inspire me as I’m trying to pick up the house or exercise. In fact it’s distracting. I don’t want to see that shit. Nobody wants to see it. I want something that will suck it in when I bend down, which as we know is ALL the time. Low rise leggings are a no for me.
Second, I don’t like when the material is too thick or too thin. When the material is too thick I feel suffocated and trapped. It doesn’t allow me to move easily and makes me extra hot. When you live in Miami this is an absolute consideration. But the legging has to have some give, so we need a lighter fabric. But it can’t be so thin that it does not pull in the FUPA please see # 1. You see, complicated!
Third, and this is of the utmost importance, it does a good job of hiding the sweat around the lady bits. I hate this. You just finish a crazy workout, or it’s a hot summer day in Miami (being real here) and there’s an outline of sweat down there. People are staring. Is it sweat? Did she pee herself? They’re wondering. I’m wondering. How could one truly know? So while it may seem boring, I tend to lean towards the black or dark color legging. Black leggings do more than just cover the sweat/pee, it becomes easier to mix and match. It has made getting dressed so much easier for me.
While on this hunt for the perfect legging, I did a poll on Instagram (a while ago) and got a ton of responses! I’ve tried most of them and here is a list of my 5 favorite leggings/brands:
All Access Center Stage Leggings: This is far and away my favorite legging. It hits all three criteria and the best part is now they come with a pocket. My favorite part about these leggings is that it washes and has kept so well. I still have the first pair I bought three years ago and they look brand new. The price point ($98) is high, but they last and look good. They are exclusively available on Bandier, which also has a ton of sales throughout the year so you can probably snag them for a better price.
Lululemon Fast and Free: There is a little debate here because a lot of women I’ve spoken to really prefer the Align Legging. However, I think it just depends on what workout you’re doing. Align is better if you are looking do pilates, yoga, or just hang out. I like the Fast and Free for running and HIIT workouts, and I think it gives you a little more support in the FUPA area. The price point here is $128, and if I’m being honest I don’t think they hold up the way the All Access leggings do, but I still like them.
Lilybod: I really love this brand. They make a good legging. The fit is tight but has good give, if that makes any sense. Unlike Lululemon or Alo, this brand makes pretty much the same legging just with different lengths. The designs all vary slightly, but you definitely can’t go wrong whatever you decide. They are typically priced anywhere from $72-$98 and most of their new styles have pockets, whis debatably should be requirement #4 in finding a good legging.
Splits 59: Another great brand! They always have fun sets and good prints. Obviously, I usually buy the black ones- but I have bought other colors here because the fabric is really nice and it dries real quick. I love these leggings, they would be my favorite except there is no pocket. However they feel great and also give a nice little lift to the booty that we all need. These basic leggins are the Airweight High Waist 7/8 and are $98
Alo 7/8 High Waist Airlift Legging: I didn’t love these at first. They were a little thick and I felt stiff when I started to use them to run, but after a few uses they have become one of my favorites! The high waist sucks it in, not too tight so running is easy, and it does a pretty good job on making that booty tight (which I mean- is ALWAYS welcome). Alo leggings are anywhere between $80-$120. I find the “shinier” ones to not have the same give.
Where do I like to shop? Bandier and Carbon 38 because they have the best sales.
Here are all the replies I received in the Instagram Poll in search of the perfect legging:
- Old Navy
- Ultracor
- Spanx
- Lululemon
- Athelta
- Koral
- The Upside
- Stella McCartney for Adidas
- PE Nation
- Zella
- Fabletics
- Ensembl.com
- Lilybod
- Electric Yoga
- Spanx “high waisted leggings sent to us by God”
- Ola
- Onze
- Terez
Sidenote: I have a couple Ultracor leggings that I rarely use. While they look super cool, I think they are way too tight. No matter how many times I run in them, it squeezes way too tight around my waist and has barely any give. Plus there’s a weird panty thing inside that I just have NO idea what to do with. So if you’re asking me, definitely not worth the expensive price tag. IMO.