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The best yoga pants to add to your gym kit and WFH wardrobe
Every day is a leggings day
Our leggings have been through a lot over the past couple of years, with the gym kit staple getting more wear than ever before.
If you’re looking to introduce another pair into your rotation, ultra-comfy yoga pants would make a wise buy. Whether you’re a keen yogi or want to unwind and binge Bridgerton (new season incoming!), it's important to get a pair that fits well.
Need some inspo? Take a look at our top picks:
- Best yoga leggings: Lululemon Align High-Rise Pant 25”
- Best budget yoga leggings: Decathlon Seamless 7/8 Yoga Leggings
- Best eco-friendly yoga leggings: Girlfriend Collective High Waisted Pocket Legging
- Softest yoga leggings: CRZ Yoga Women’s Naked Feeling High Waist Tight Yoga Pants
- Best seamless yoga leggings: BAM Balance Bamboo Leggings
- Best sculpting yoga leggings: Sweaty Betty Super Sculpt High-Waisted Yoga Leggings
- Best yoga leggings with a pocket: Nike Yoga Women’s High-Waisted 7/8 Leggings
- Best every day yoga leggings: Adidas Elevate Yoga Flow 7/8 Tights
- Best luxe yoga leggings: LNDR Chisel Light 7/8 Legging
What’s so different about yoga pants?
When it comes to your yoga kit, from yoga mats to sports bras, it’s all about comfort and flex. You need leggings that don’t dig in anywhere, have smooth seams and are stretchy enough to get into tricky poses.
Soft fabric makes moving through your warrior poses more enjoyable, but it needs to be thick (so you don't flash the person behind you in class with every downward dog) and flexible (so your pigeon pose isn’t derailed by stiff leggings).
Note, they don’t tend to boast the same sweat-wicking credentials as leggings designed for high-impact workouts. So if you’re committed to raising your heart rate, you may want to consider a different style.
How we test
A panel of over 100 people put a range of yoga leggings from leading brands through their paces, assessing their design, fit, comfort and performance. We also carried out wash tests to see how well they cleaned up and whether they shrank in the washing machine.
Here’s our tried and tested edit of the best leggings for yoga.
In news that will surprise no one, our testers raved about these Lululemon yoga pants, with their seamless design and super-soft fabric earning them the top spot on our list.
They have a high quality feel and are comfortable to wear during sun-salutation through to savasana, with one tester even describing them as the 'comfiest leggings they’d ever worn'.
Perhaps pick a darker pair if you’re a hot yoga devotee, as sweat showed up more on the lighter colourways, but if you’re ready to invest, these should be your go-to pants.
Key specs
Sizes: 0 to 20 (US sizes)
Fabric: 81% nylon, 19% Lycra® elastane
Pocket: Waistband
Style: High waist
Shelling out on a pair of Lulus isn’t for everyone. If you’re after quality leggings at a lower price, this seamless design from Decathlon will suit you well.
You’ll get your money’s worth too, as our testers found the snug fit was comfortable enough for more than just their time on the mat; they wore them for everything from lifting to walking and said they were breathable and secure. They bunched a little at the front, but the waistband was supportive.
Key specs
Sizes: XS to XL
Fabric: 74% Polyester, 22% Polyamide and 4% Elastane
Pocket: No
Style: High waist and 7/8 length
Girlfriend Collective High Waisted Pocket Legging
For peace of mind beyond the studio, these leggings from sustainable and ethical activewear brand Girlfriend Collective use roughly 25 recycled water bottles to make each pair.
The fabric wasn’t the stretchiest, but the leggings didn’t gape or bunch for our testers, who found they had a great range of movement, too. The fit comes up small, so consider sizing up, but with two well-placed thigh pockets, they’re also a great pair for wearing out and about.
Key specs
Sizes: XXS to 6XL
Fabric: 79% RPET and 21% spandex
Pocket: Two side pockets
Style: High waist
High-end softness at an Amazon price? Um, yes please! These leggings are designed to affordably rival leading brands and their buttery fabric was a hit with testers, feeling luxe against their skin.
They had a great flex to them too, so testers could move easily through their practice. One tester even found they were cooling throughout a hot yoga sesh.
They are on the long side, so may not work if you’ve got shorter legs, and the waistband didn’t stay in place for everyone, but for under £30, they’re a steal.
Key specs
Sizes: 6 to 18
Fabric: 71% Polyamide and 29% Elastane
Pocket: Waistband
Style: High waist
With no pesky seams to dig in and burst your zen, these leggings are a comfortable choice. The sustainable bamboo fabric (84% bamboo viscose and 12% recycled polyamide) is super soft and testers found it flexible and breathable.
There were no see-through patches either but the high-waisted design was a bit too high for shorter testers and we missed pockets when running errands.
Key specs
Sizes: S to L
Fabric: 84% bamboo viscose,12% recycled polyamide, 4% elastane
Pocket: No
Style: High waist
A peachy pair of pants, this offering from Sweaty Betty hugged testers’ bodies in all the right places and scored highly with petite and plus size testers alike.
The thick fabric stretched well and is ideal now that we’re heading into winter. The waistband received mixed reviews – it became tight after a while for some and fell down a tad for others. That said, most said they'd recommend them.
Key specs
Sizes: XXS to XXL
Fabric: 74% Polyester and 26% Elastane
Pocket: Side pocket
Style: High waist, available in 7/8 and full length
Nike Yoga Women’s High-Waisted 7/8 Leggings
Slip into these leggings with minimal shimmying thanks to their stretchy fabric that impressed testers during low-impact workouts. They're opaque too, so no one will get an eyeful of your underwear.
However, fit reviews varied with the leggings moving around, gaping at the knees or bunching at the ankles for some. Testers found the waistband a bit low too, but it does contain a discrete in-built pocket so you can tuck your essentials safely away on the go – ideal!
Key specs
Sizes: XS to XXL
Fabric: At least 75% recycled polyester fibres
Pocket: Waistband
Style: High waist
Leggings are basically all we wear these days, and if you’re keen to freshen up your WFH uniform, this classic black pair is a true wardrobe staple.
Their flexible fabric fitted dreamily – no gaping, gathering or bunching – and true to size. They were squat-proof too. However, keep these for low-impact or lounging; testers found they weren’t the most comfortable when workouts got sweaty.
Key specs
Sizes: 2XS to 2XL
Fabric: 64% recycled polyester and 36% elastane interlock
Pocket: No
Style: High waist and 7/8 length
Christmas is coming, and if you’re looking for an extra-special pressie for the yogi in your life (or you want to treat yourself!) you can’t go far wrong with these high-end yoga pants.
The seamless design looks sleek and supported our testers well with its stretchy fabric and high waistband. They have good eco creds too – the independent brand uses recycled polyamide. Just check the sizing before you part with your cash though – testers found they were on the small side.
Key specs
Sizes: XS - S to L - XL
Fabric: 83% recycled polyamide, 17% elastane
Pocket: No
Style: High waist and 7/8 length
Hannah is our homes editor, specialising in reviewing the latest kitchen appliances, cleaning products, mattresses and bedding, and crafting equipment. Hannah has written about hundreds of products, from air fryers to smoothie makers to pillows, and is committed to finding the most reliable and best value for money buys.
Hannah is also interested in sustainability in the home and has completed a course with the University of the Arts London in sustainable textiles, so she can help cut through the noise on what’s green and what’s not. Hannah has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously worked as a freelance lifestyle and women’s sports journalist, working for Stylist, Sky Sports and more.
Hannah has also previously worked in a florist and can normally be found caring for her house plants or sewing something new for her home or wardrobe.
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