Fitness Obsessives Kept Telling Me About Abercrombie’s YPB. So I Tried It Out.
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It seems like practically every mall brand has spawned an activewear line these days, from Aerie’sOfflinetoGapFitand long-standingFree People Movement. But Abercrombie & Fitch’s in-house workout line, YPB — which stands for “Your Personal Best” — is the one I kept hearing about from my fitness-fanatic friends and spotting on other women in my Pilates classes. The matching bra-and-leggings sets appeared to be very soft and solid (plus more affordable) dupes for Lululemon’s and Alo’s. As someone who loves long-distance running and high-intensity, low-impact strength training — and has an entire dresser dedicated to my workout sets and gear — it seemed like YPB could be a worthy contender for my lineup. I set out to sweat in YPB’s sports bras, running shorts, and ultrasoft leggings to find out what pieces are actually worth it.
Some styles are trendy and actually very functional
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Double-layer detailing is pretty on-trend right now thanks to influencer-hyped brands likeSet ActiveandForm, so I knew I wanted to try this scoopneck tank and matching bike shorts. Surprisingly, the double layer isn’t just for looks. It actually provided some extra compression in my chest area — ideal for jumping and inversion movements — and I still found it plenty breathable. At under $50, the bike shorts are a solid option. They have a five-inch length, which means they hit in the middle of my thigh for a not-too-short, not-too-long fit on my five-foot-five frame.
If you like a structured feel, go for the SculptLUX fabric …
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The SculptLUX fabric has a smooth yet compressive feel, which I preferred over StudioFLEX, the brand’s second-skin fabric. The high-waisted leggings feel sturdy and stay in place during a heated-mat Pilates class. Despite the heat, they barely showed any sweat marks. I wore them to Solidcore a few times, too, where they felt snug but still allowed me to do platform lunges and Bulgarian split squats. SculptLUX’s “held-in” feeling is ideal for HIIT or circuit training rather than low-impact exercise.
… But for a lightweight, buttery-soft feel, choose StudioFLEX
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While I did wear this set a few times at my local independent Pilates studio, which has a Megaformer, I mostly found myself pulling on these leggings to wear around the house while working from home. The fabric is incredibly soft and stretchy but didn’t feel as secure during high-volume reps of leg or glute exercises when I was lying on the reformer carriage. I’m around five-foot-five, and I think I could have sized down from my regular small to an extra small in my StudioFLEX leggings, which might have helped with the sliding waistband. If you tend to prefer thinner, skinlike activewear, StudioFLEX might be your best bet.
The running shorts are surprisingly good …
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I didn’t have great hopes for the YPB running shorts because I’m very particular about what I wear for multiple miles — but I was impressed. These running shorts have a thin spandex-y liner and a lightweight shell. Though the liner lacks silicone grips along the leg hems, I never noticed it riding up during my runs. The high-rise waistband has a functional drawcord, and the liner features drop-in side pockets for a card case or a small energy gel.
… And so are the exercise dresses
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Of all the items I tested, this exercise dress was probably my most-worn piece because of its versatility. From dressing it up with a cardigan draped over my shoulder for happy hour at a Mexican restaurant to casual walks around my neighborhood with my two dogs, this pull-on dress was comfortable for multiple occasions thanks to its extremely soft StudioFLEX fabric. It has bathroom-friendly built-in shorts — a.k.a. you can pull down the inner liner to pee without getting completely naked in the stall — and adjustable straps. I also love that the front twist detailing hides any bloating after one too many margaritas.
Final takeaways
Overall, I get the hype about YPB. I am team SculptLUX fabric for working out and StudioFLEX for all-day wear. After multiple machine washes of all my pieces, I recommend washing items inside out and air-drying them to minimize snags and help them last longer. My biggest annoyance during this experiment was that the leggings arrived with the brand’s cardboard waistband tags (almost like the ones that are put on jeans), which was a recipe for ugly pulls. I struggled to remove them with scissors and felt like they were pretty unnecessary for activewear.
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The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
