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Whether you’re working out or working from home, yoga pants are probably somewhere in your day-to-day wardrobe rotation. In theory, these should be the most comfortable pants you own. But wading through all the styles and brands to find a pair that fits well, stays put when you move, and actually looks nice is no easy task. Although the term “yoga pants” might mean different things to different people, here I’ve defined it to be pants made of a thick enough material to cover your butt (even when you’re in Downward Dog) and stretchy and sweat-wicking enough to get you through your class, a run around the park, or a day at your desk comfortably — regardless of silhouette. The pants on this list have been praised by fitness instructors, yogis, and other experts we’ve talked to. Whether they’re durable tights approved by personal trainers, super-stretchy maternity leggings, or even a yoga skirt that can be worn from “studio to street,” you can find recommendations for every style and price below.
What we’re looking for
Size range
Because the whole point of wearing yoga pants is to be as comfortable as possible, my focus was on finding those offered in the widest range of sizes. I’ve noted available sizes for each pair below.
Rise and compression
Yoga pants vary in how high they sit on the waist as well as how thick and compressive their fabric is. These design features will affect both form and function. Compressive, high-rise leggings will create a streamlined silhouette and won’t fall down when you run or do a Downward Dog. Sky Ting Yoga co-founder Krissy Jones, who has “been living in yoga pants for the past 12 years,” compares the supportiveness of compressive yoga pants to an ankle brace: “It just gives you a little extra firmness and actually supports your muscles to activate and work tighter towards the bone, which is a good thing.” All good yoga pants will cinch your legs and waist somewhat, but if you’re a runner or wearing them for more intensive workouts, you’ll probably want to invest in a more compressive pair than you would use on the mat. As for the rise, Jones notes that if you’re doing yoga, “you want to be able to breathe through your diaphragm,” which means super-high waists are out, because they can restrict belly movement.
Pockets
I looked for yoga pants designed for those of us who don’t wish to exercise without our phones. While Jones says that pockets can get in the way when you’re on the mat — “Anything with extra seams, zippers, or buttons is distracting, because you’re rolling around on the floor a lot” — pants with pockets may be preferable for runners, gym goers, or anyone who likes to wear yoga pants as regular pants. On this list, you’ll find pants that can stash your AirPods and phone, pants with a smaller waistband pocket for your apartment key, and several completely pocket-free options.
Best overall yoga pants
Size range: 0 to 20 | Rise and compression: High-rise, mid-compression | Pockets: None
Lululemon’s workout gear has been recommended to us by many, many fitness experts, and Wunder Train tights are the brand’s longtime best-selling pair — and a favorite among yoga instructors. “Lululemon has nailed the yoga pant,” says Jones. “They’ve really refined it over the past 20 years, and it has gotten better and better.” Kate Posch, who teaches at Sky Ting, praises the high-waisted fit in particular: “I live for high-rise and for not having to keep pulling up my pants while practicing or teaching.” They’re also a favorite of Erin Brockovich, who was very particular about what she likes and does not: “If I’m doing yoga, and I’m down on my knees and lifting my butt up, I don’t want to wear leggings that you can see through. At the same time, I’m like Goldilocks: I don’t like the superthin ones, but some are too thick. The Lululemon material is just right. It isn’t so heavy, but I have assurance that you can’t see my butt in them.” Ashley Rosenberg, a modelFIT instructor, calls the style “the forever classic” that’s “just unbeatable.” Katherine Gundling, a coach and programmer at ICE CrossFit NYC and Oculus CrossFit, agrees that they stand out among a sea of imitators: “They will last you years and stay in great condition.”
I tried out a pair of these myself, mostly for running, and found them to be just as luxurious in look and feel as all of these experts imply. While expensive, they’re versatile and durable and can definitely handle all kinds of workouts. “Lululemon’s pants are great if you do lots of different styles of yoga,” says Jones. “And for running as well, they have a little bit of compression, which you need, but not so much that you’re suffocating.”
Best yoga pants with pockets
Size range: 0 to 20 | Rise and compression: High-rise, mid-compression | Pockets: Two side pockets
And here are those same pants but with pockets. As a die-hard, large-screen-loving iPhone Max user, I can confirm that big phones will wedge easily into these pockets and stay there — whether you’re lounging around rewatching Girls or jogging the Prospect Park loop. Stashability aside, these pants have exactly the same look and feel to the pair above.
Best sustainable yoga pants
Size range: XXS to 6XL | Rise and compression: High-rise, mid-compression | Pockets: None
We’ve written before that these Girlfriend Collective tights are one of the athleisure brand’s best products — especially for their environmental credentials (fabric made using 25 recycled plastic bottles) and size inclusivity. Jones is a fan, saying that these are by far “the most sustainable” yoga pants that are “still concerned with fit and look.” Health-care entrepreneur Hil Moss, a breast-cancer survivor who has undergone a mastectomy and rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, says that Girlfriend Collective’s leggings made the process just a bit easier: “They are insanely comfortable. I have multiple pairs in different colors — that’s how much I love them.” Testing out a pair for myself, I was surprised by how luxe a performance fabric made out of recycled plastic could feel. These are high-quality yoga pants that are just a tad less compressive than the Lululemon pair above, yet I’ve had no issue with them falling down when running.
Best (less expensive) yoga pants
Size range: XS to 3XL | Rise and compression: High-rise, mid-compression | Pockets: Two side pockets
These yoga pants are the Strategist’s most-sold yoga pants in the past three years — with over 6,200 pairs sold — and are some of the best bang for your buck. They cost a third of the price of the Lululemon pair above, and they’re incredibly well reviewed on Amazon, with over 20,000 five-star ratings. Our colleagues over at the Cut named them the Amazon-holy-grail yoga pants back in 2019 because of how well reviewed they are, noting that they’re great for lower-impact activities. Here at the Strategist, we’ve often recommended them in our gift guides because they’re affordable, well fitting, and available in 65 colors and patterns.
Best plus-size yoga pants
Size range: XXS to 3X | Rise and compression: High-rise, low-compression | Pockets: Two side pockets
When we asked experts about the best plus-size workout clothes, three women pointed to Athleta’s Salutation Capri Leggings, which go up to a size 3XL, as the best yoga pants. Jessica Rahil, a yoga instructor and body-positivity advocate, says they’re hands down the best leggings she’s ever worn. “The material and waistband hug the body perfectly,” she explains, adding that the material is entirely opaque without feeling overly restrictive or thick. Fitness influencer Chasi Jernigan likes them, saying that “the stretch fabric allows you to move unrestricted.” And model Tatiana Lewis says she especially likes the high-rise waist, which offers full, comfortable coverage.
Best (less expensive) plus-size yoga pants
Size range: XS to 4X | Rise and compression: High-rise, low-compression | Pockets: None
For a pair of plus-size yoga pants at a third of the price of the Athletas above, both Lewis and Strategist writer Tembe Denton-Hurst prefer Old Navy’s high-waisted pair. Denton-Hurst says she lives in hers ever since becoming a gym rat. “ I don’t have to worry about them falling down,” she says. “These come up very high and stay up. I don’t have to constantly readjust during a workout and can walk, jog, and lift with ease.” As for the fit, she describes it as flatteringly compressive “but not restrictive.”
Best maternity yoga pants
Size range: 0 to 20 | Rise and compression: Super-high rise, low-compression | Pockets: One waistband pocket for keys or cards
For pregnant people, experts again recommend Lululemon’s yoga pants, specifically the brand’s not-too-tight, waistband-free Align style. Tori Thain Gioia, a co-founder of the prenatal- and postnatal-vitamin company Perelel, wears the super-high-rise version of these pants, telling us they “grow with you throughout your entire pregnancy and postpartum.” Pilates instructor Anna Anderson owns multiple pairs and has worn them throughout her three pregnancies and beyond. “During pregnancy, I liked the feeling of wearing tight things with support but didn’t want them to be constricting,” she says. “These were the right balance.” Tenia Skinner, a certified personal trainer and member of Mater Mea, a community for Black moms, agrees, saying that the Align pants “feel like a second skin” and were “so comfortable all 40 weeks.” (Find more maternity-workout-gear recommendations we’ve written about here.)
Best stylish yoga pants
Size range: XS to XL | Rise and compression: Mid-rise, mid-compression | Pockets: None
It’s rare that a pair of yoga pants can even be described as pretty, but these ones from Live the Process are “shockingly beautiful,” as Jones puts it. “If anyone wants to splurge on the nicest yoga pants out there, their shapes and colors are amazing. So is the quality of the material.” She notes that a V-shaped waist is “probably the most flattering style” for yoga pants to wear with a cropped top.
Best periodproof yoga pants
Size range: XXS to 3XL | Rise and compression: Low-rise, low-compression | Pockets: None
One of our favorite Black-owned workout brands, Ruby Love makes leakproof activewear that includes this useful pair of menstrual leggings. With a 100-percent-cotton absorbent liner, these surprisingly lightweight pants can be worn without a pad or tampon or just for additional peace of mind alongside your preferred period product. The company also makes leakproof underwear, bodysuits, and swimwear.
Best high-waisted yoga pants
Size range: XXS to 4XL | Rise and compression: Super-high rise, mid-compression | Pockets: No pockets
When I asked Taylor Borenstein and Millie Blumka, the co-founders of foldable-yoga-mat brand Stakt, which pants they themselves wear, both recommended this pair from Beyond Yoga. “The material is extremely soft and formfitting,” they tell me. The pants are compressive yet stretchy: “They offer support without feeling too heavy and thick.” This means that they “feel great to wear in all seasons.” They’re designed to sit at the wearer’s natural waist, which means they should fully cover your belly button — it’s a universally flattering look, and a 25-inch inseam means most people should be able to avoid any annoying ankle scrunching.
Best (less expensive) high-waisted yoga pants
Size range: XS to 3XL | Rise and compression: Super-high rise, low-compression | Pockets: Waistband pocket for keys or cards
Baleaf’s high-waisted yoga pants are our second most-sold pair since 2019, with nearly 5,000 pairs sold. They come in three inseam lengths — 20 inches, 25 inches, and 28 inches — and multiple colors. Reviewers note that the high waist keeps them in place without pressing, pinching, or squeezing your stomach. And as with most less expensive options on this list, they cost about a third of the price of the pricier option.
Best capris
Size range: XS to 3XL | Rise and compression: High-rise, mid-compression | Pockets: Two side pockets, waistband pocket
IUGA’s yoga pants appeared twice on our most-sold yoga pants list: The full-length IUGA high-waisted yoga pants were our third most-sold pair since 2019, with over 4,300 purchased, and these IUGA capris were our eighth most-sold pair, with 2,400 pairs purchased. Reviewers note that the pants stay in place during all types of workouts, and they especially appreciate the pockets — two big side pockets that can hold your phone and wallet and a small waistband pocket for your keys.
Best bootleg yoga pants
Size range: S to 3XL | Rise and compression: Mid-rise, low-compression | Pockets: None
For those who prefer a bootleg cut, Spalding’s yoga pants are a reader favorite: They were our fourth most-sold pair since 2019, with over 4,000 pairs purchased. Reviewers note that this pair is especially flattering, hugging hips and thighs without clinging to the wrong places. For many reviewers, this is their everyday pair for wearing about the house.
Best yoga skirt
Size range: XXS to L | Rise and compression: High rise, low-compression | Pockets: Two side pockets
For warmer months, this breezy skirt from Alo Yoga — with hidden compression shorts that even have side pockets for your phone and AirPods case — is a favorite of Euphoria actress Chloe Cherry. Paired with the brand’s matching bra, she wears hers for “everything” from Pilates and yoga to hiking and running. She notes that the idea of the brand is “studio to street,” meaning you can wear this skirt to work out in, then go meet friends for drinks afterward. “It’s not an ugly workout outfit; it’s something you can live life in,” she explains.
Best yoga sweatpants
Size range: XXS to XXL | Rise and compression: Mid-rise, low-compression | Pockets: Two side pockets
For those who want something looser than legging-style and bootcut yoga pants, yoga sweatpants are a good alternative. At the start of the pandemic in 2020, Strategist UK contributor Anna Carey bought these yoga sweatpants for at-home yoga. She’s yet to wear them while doing yoga, she says, but they’ve become her go-to for at-home lounging and working. They’re not baggy, but they have a loose fit around the hips and legs, with a long cuffed ankle. “They make me feel pulled together, in a way other loungewear doesn’t,” Carey says. The material is heavier than leggings but thinner than a typical sweatpant. “They are, needless to say, extremely comfortable,” Carey says.
Best (less expensive) yoga sweatpants
Size range: XS to 3XL | Rise and compression: Mid-rise, low-compression | Pockets: Two side pockets
For a third of the price of the Sweaty Betty sweatpants above, Baleaf’s yoga sweatpants are a crowd-pleasing pick. They have about 12,500 five-star reviews on Amazon (and they’re from the same brand that makes our second most-sold yoga pant). Reviewers note that they’re extremely versatile: You can wear them for yoga, but they’re just as great for lifting at the gym, lounging around at home, or running errands.
Some more women’s loungewear we’ve written about
Our experts
• Anna Anderson, Pilates instructor
•Taylor Borenstein and Millie Blumka, co-founders of Stakt
• Erin Brockovich, environmental activist
• Anna Carey, Strategist UK contributor
• Chloe Cherry, actress
• Tembe Denton-Hurst, Strategist writer
• Tori Thain Gioia, co-founder of Perelel
• Katherine Gundling, coach and programmer at ICE CrossFit NYC and Oculus CrossFit
• Hannah Jean Hildreth, instructor at 305 Fitness
• Chasi Jernigan, fitness influencer
• Krissy Jones, co-founder, Sky Ting Yoga
• Tatiana Lewis, Curve model
• Jennifer Milliner-Waddell, Strategist associate editor
• Katch Posch, yoga instructor at Sky Ting Yoga
• Jessica Rahil, yoga instructor and body-positivity advocate
• Tiffani Robbins, total body conditioning instructor at FitHouse
• Ashley Rosenberg, modelFIT instructor
• Tenia Skinner, personal trainer
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