I used to be a black-leggings-only kind of girl. Colorful leggings, pretty prints, mesh—you wouldn’t catch me working out in those. I preferred my basics, thank you very much. But with so many chic options available now, I decided it was time to reach outside my comfort zone. Here, I take on six polarizing workout leggings trends IRL. See how I fare in each, below.
Leggings Trends
I've always wanted to be the kind of girl who wears white leggings, so I jump right in with this pair from Alo. I assume they're going to be horribly unflattering (light colors tend to show every bump and dimple), but they have enough heft that I feel covered. I normally do CrossFit, but these would get far too dirty there. I decide to take them for a spin at yoga, which feels very much like something a woman who wears white leggings would do. I feel a little self-conscious but get tons of compliments. I'm calling it a success.
Next up: super-bright leggings. I don't normally gravitate toward color in my everyday wardrobe, let alone my workout wardrobe, so I feel hesitant as I walk out the door in these. They're comfy and supportive, however. Bright leggings call for a badass workout, so I head to boxing. While they do show a bit of sweat, they also make my butt look good so I'm fine with it.
I've seen Sweaty Betty all over Instagram, so naturally the brand's graphic leggings are a must-try. The fabric is sturdy, compressive and not see-through, so I decide to take these bad boys to CrossFit. I feel mildly uncomfortable in pants so bright and bold, but those fears are put to rest when the compliments start rolling in. These make me look a lot cooler than I actually am.
I don't immediately feel self-conscious when I pull on this pair, so that's a plus. Simply put, these leggings are cool. The high waistband is right up my alley, and they manage to be both sturdy and lightweight. These garner tons of compliments.
Ah, the sister to white leggings. I'll be the first to admit these aren't the most flattering on me. I'm a huge fan of the brand's—wait for it—black leggings, but these just don't quite do it for me. The color is gorgeous in person, but I don't feel confident in them.
There's something about the mesh on these that makes me feel sexy—even though I'm about to go sweat my face off. I feel a tad self-conscious (theme of the story!), because I'm worried about wearing something too sexy. But then I get over it because I look good. My friends at CrossFit dub these my sexy pants, and hey, I'll take it.
