From gym bunnies to Hollywood stars, it seems that everyone is swapping their skinny jeans and cargo’s for leggings and tracksuits. Prices and style come in a massive range so here’s our guide to the perfect pair of leggings:
- Make sure your leggings aren’t see-through. This is the most important rule of all! It’s always a bit cringe-worthy when you squat and realise that your knickers are on show. Best way to check is to stand in front of a mirror, bend over and look over your shoulder. If you can see your underwear – fail! Inevitably the cheaper the leggings the more likely they are to be see-through. Don’t spend a fortune but make sure they are thick and well crafted.
- Go Black. Coloured prints look totally awesome on models but for us mere mortals they can be unflattering. Unless you have super-model pins, stick to plain, dark colours! The same goes for shiny pairs too. They look amazing on the hanger (and trendy teenagers!) and that’s were it ends.
- Read reviews. These days social media tests everything for you so if there are customer reviews, find them and read them. You’d be amazed at how much detail people go into. The same goes for customer service – give them a call, explain what you need the leggings for and they will be able to guide you.
- Work out what you are planning on using them for and buy accordingly. Following on from above you might need a totally different pair if you are going for a run (perhaps something breathable with a pocket) then for our ace classes. If fashion is the objective then you’ll be looking for something completely different.
- Try on a million pairs – they are practically the most annoying item to get in and out of but it’s really the best way to find the perfect fit for you. You might get a bit hot and sweaty doing this, but it’s the only way!
- Lengths – you can find long, short, cropped, 7/8th etc. this comes down to personal preference and your body proportions. Cropped usually keep you cooler, longer is often more flattering. Revert to point 5 and try on.
Whilst everyone seems to be in on the action, not all active wear is created equal. Brands that have stood the test of time and impressed us at ace lifestyle are Lululemon & Sweaty Betty if you are prepared to invest a little bit more money. But otherwise, H&M and GAP have a great range and aren’t too pricey! Worth popping into TK Max as well to see what offers they have on quality brands.
Our favs:
To save you a bit of time we have researched the best pair of leggings and would highly recommend Lululemon Wunder Unders. We live in ours and own about 4/5 pairs of plain black ones which we wear on rotation. They keep their stretch throughout the day and hold you in nicely too! Give them a try. Worth the price tag – absolutely!
We also love Sweaty Betty’s dynamic leggings that promise to be 100% opaque.
