I’m only 29, so imagine my surprise when I realized that I’d witnessed a trend come into fashion, disappear into oblivion, and then reemerge under a new name years later. I’m talking about yoga pants (or as Gen Z likes to call them, flared leggings).
Yoga pants are my safe place. They’re soft, stretchy, breathable, and really easy to style (read: I don’t have to worry about what socks I’m wearing or if they’re scrunched exactly how the girlies say they should be). If you’re like me and elated to see yoga pants back en vogue, you’re probably looking for a pair or two to throw in your cart.
My fellow SELF staffers helped me test a bunch of yoga pants to find the very best—hard work but someone’s gotta do it—and we’ve narrowed down the list to a few ultra-comfy pairs that we’re now wearing on repeat to brunch, Pilates, and the grocery store. We’ll let you in on which ones we loved, but promise us you’ll hold onto them with a death grip even when teens inevitably decide they’re uncool in a few years. You in? Let’s shop.
Our top picks
- Best for Lounging: Aritzia Golden BUTTER New Cheeky Hi-Rise Flare Legging, $88
- Best for Yoga: Vuori AllTheFeels Slim Flare, $118
- Best for Walking: Old Navy High-Waisted StudioSmooth Straight Legging, $45
- Best for Tall Folks: OFFLINE By Aerie Real Me High Waisted Crossover Flare Legging, $55
- Best for Short Folks: Athleta Elation Ultra High Rise Flare Pant, $99
- Best for Travel: Topyogas Casual Bootleg Yoga Pants, $13
- Best for Workouts: SPANX Booty Boost Yoga Pant, $108
Shop the best yoga pants
Just to warn you…you’re going to want more than one pair. Read on at your wallet’s risk.
Best for Lounging: Aritzia Golden BUTTER New Cheeky Hi-Rise Flare Legging
Aritzia
Golden BUTTER New Cheeky Hi-Rise Flare 32″ Legging
Pros
- Supersoft
- No top seam
- Comes in numerical sizing
- Available in two inseam lengths
Cons
- Fabric pills around inner thigh
These were my first introduction back into the yoga pants world and they really set the bar high. The fabric feels soft, as if it’s been laced with my favorite cotton T-shirt, but it’s actually made from synthetic materials that wick away sweat to keep me comfy and dry. Because they’re pajama-level soft and don’t have a top seam that digs into my sides, I love wearing these on days I’m mostly home and lazing around my apartment. Don’t get me wrong, though—I wear these out and about around NYC plenty.
Also worth noting: Their 32-inch inseam runs a tad long if I’m wearing really flat shoes—I recently can’t stop sporting Naturalizer’s Medina sneaker—so I’d consider grabbing them in the 30-inch inseam if you’re any shorter than me (I’m 5’5″).
Sizes: 00 to 16 | Material: Nylon, elastane | Inseam: 30 and 32 inches
Best for Yoga: Vuori AllTheFeels Slim Flare
Vuori
AllTheFeels Slim Flare
Pros
- Super stretchy
- Very soft and smooth
- Available in short and long lengths
Cons
- Pricey
I’ve worn Vuori’s AllTheFeels Leggings every week since I got them over a year ago, so I was hyped to test the Slim Flare version for this story. They’re super stretchy—ideal for something like yoga or Pilates—and they stay tight to the calf until right above the ankle (other pants flare just below the knee), so they won’t impede your movements.
And if you’ve never thought about wearing flared pants to yoga before, consider this: “If you’re someone who lacks a little bit of mobility or needs help when you’re in class, you can grab the flare of the pants to pull your leg up or to pull yourself into a position,” Francine Delgado-Lugo, CPT, cofounder of FORM Fitness Brooklyn, tells SELF. “There’s a lot of merit beyond the look and fashion of flared yoga pants.”
Sizes: XXS to XXL | Material: Recycled polyamide, elastane | Inseam: 29, 31, and 33 inches
Best for Walking: Old Navy High-Waisted StudioSmooth Straight Legging
Old Navy
High-Waisted StudioSmooth Straight Legging
Pros
- Includes hidden pocket
- Budget-friendly and frequently on sale
- Available in tall and petite sizes
Cons
- Some Old Navy reviewers say they run small
One SELF tester is making bold statements after trying out these affordable pants: “They feel like a Lululemon dupe!” she says. “They’re very high quality but for an Old Navy price.”
She loves their smooth fabric and says they have the perfect amount of support around her stomach (not too compressive but not flimsy either). “They were comfortable for my daily three-mile walk, as well as for lounging around the house or working from home,” she says. “I love the versatility!”
PS: These have a straight leg silhouette, so if you’re not 100% sold on flared pants, this is a good place to start.
Sizes: XS to 4X | Material: Nylon, elastane | Inseam: 28, 30, and 33 inches
Best for Tall Folks: OFFLINE By Aerie Real Me High Waisted Crossover Flare Legging
Aerie
Real Me High Waisted Crossover Flare Legging
Pros
- Crossover waistband is stylish
- Frequently on sale
- Comes in a bunch of colors
Cons
- Some Aerie reviewers say the waistband falls down
Tall gals, listen up. “All of the other yoga pants I’ve tried have been an inch or two too short for me, but these drape across my shoe, which is a super-exciting yoga pants experience for me,” our six-foot-tall tester says of the regular inseam length.
She also adds that these are an “absolute dream” to wear for lounging or casual strolls, thanks to their ultrasoft fabric. “They’re SOOOO buttery smooth and very comfortable,” she says. But after sporting these to her volleyball practice, she recommends going with something more compressive for high-impact activities, since the waistband can roll down. Don’t worry, we have a rec for sportier occasions coming soon.
Sizes: | Material: Nylon, elastane | Inseam: 30, 32, and 34 inches
Best for Short Folks: Athleta Elation Ultra High Rise Flare Pant
Athleta
Elation Ultra High Rise Flare Pants
Pros
- Very easy to move in
- Available in petite and tall sizes
Cons
- On the pricier side
One SELF editor who is five foot one (if she’s rounding up) was weary of getting in on the flared leggings trend out of fear that they’d just pool around her ankles. But this pair seriously won her over. “I LOVE that Athleta offers petite sizing—the length on these are great,” she says. “They are more flattering than I thought they’d be and they feel super comfy on. I wore them all day on a fitness shoot where I demoed moves for six hours straight and they were A+.”
Her advice for anyone else on the shorter side: “Definitely try a petite size.” And wear them for a hot minute to let them stretch out. “When I first put these on, I was afraid they were too small, but they feel great—so make sure to keep them on for a while to get the full picture if you’re on the fence with sizing.”
Sizes: XXS to 3X | Material: Nylon, elastane | Inseam: 29.5, 31.5, and 34.5 inches
Best for Travel: Topyogas Casual Bootleg Yoga Pants
Topyogas
Casual Bootleg Yoga Pants
Pros
- Comfortable waistband
- Very stretchy
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- Run a little long
I frequently travel by train and bus from New York to New Hampshire, and these are almost always the pants I’m reaching for on those eight-hour days. Their seamless crossover band moves with my stomach when I’m sitting, and their sleek fabric doesn’t catch on the seats, cling to crumbs, or make me hot. Basically, I arrive at my destination looking more put-together than I usually feel.
Sizes: XXS to XXL | Material: Nylon, elastane | Inseam: 29.5 to 32.5, depending on size
Best for Workouts: Spanx Booty Boost Yoga Pant
Spanx
Booty Boost Yoga Pant
Pros
- Doesn’t lose compression throughout the day
- Stays up through intense workouts
- Comes in petite and tall sizes
Cons
- Expensive
- Some Spanx reviewers say they run small
If you’re looking for yoga pants you can break a sweat in, we recommend checking this 2023 SELF Activewear Award–winning pair out. Their sleek fabric runs tighter to support you through more intense movements.
We’re also fans of the legging version of this pant, which has all the same fabric and seams—just no ankle flare. One SELF Activewear Awards tester called them “perfection” after wearing them to CrossFit circuits and dance cardio classes: “They did not move. The leggings are high-waisted and cover my entire tummy as a plus-size woman. Where have these leggings been all my life?”
Sizes: XS to 3X | Material: Nylon, elastane | Inseam: 30, 32, and 35 inches
What to consider before buying yoga pants
We don’t think you can go wrong with any of the pairs of yoga pants above, but here are some things to consider to find your holy grail pair:
All of the yoga pants we’ve come across are made of synthetic materials—usually nylon or polyester mixed with elastane. Synthetics can get a bad rap because they’re not as environmentally friendly as natural fabrics, but they’re really great at one thing: Sweat-wicking. They pull moisture away from the skin, allowing it to evaporate so you don’t feel damp and gross. Plus, they give the pants the stretch that you know and love them for.
While you’re shopping, it’s good to take a look at the materials, but know that they don’t tell the full story. If you’ve worn any leggings before, you know that some have a more athletic, glossy texture while others are softer and feel brushed. The difference is in the yarn and weave construction, Preeti Arya, an assistant professor in the textile and marketing department at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), tells SELF. Yoga pants typically have a knit construction rather than a woven one, which is how they get that softness and stretch, and depending on the yarn used, they can feel sleeker or softer.
Here’s the tricky part: Brands don’t usually get into the nitty gritty design details—they’re more likely to just list the materials, which doesn’t give you a sense of how they’ll feel in person. But that’s where our testing comes in!
Yoga pants with more compression are better for high-impact activities like running or HIIT classes because they’ll give your body more support and stay up at your waist. Pants with less compression and more stretch are great for lower impact things like yoga or Pilates, Candace Harding, PT, DPT, a physical therapist and a registered yoga teacher in Arlington, Virginia, tells SELF.
Unfortunately, most brands don’t use any scientific measurement, like millimeters of mercury (mmHG)—a more precise rating that you’ll see for compression socks—to define how much compression their yoga pants have. Instead, they typically describe or rate how compressive they are or list which activities they’re best for. It’s worth glancing at the product description to make sure they align with what you want.
A lot of the yoga pants we tested come in alpha sizing (small, medium, large, and so on), which might work fine for you because they’re made of stretchy materials. But if you have trouble finding pants that fit really well through your hips and thighs, look for a brand that offers numerical sizing for a more precise fit.
Some brands also offer a few different inseam lengths to keep you from wearing pants that drag on the ground or ones that look awkwardly cropped. To get your inseam length, measure from your crotch to the bottom of your ankle (or where you want the pants to hit), and pick the ones that match closest to that measurement.
Keep in mind that yoga pants can have different rises, so they might sit right on your hips, hit at your belly button, or land on your waist. If you’re at all worried about your pants falling down, high-waisted silhouettes are going to be your bestie, Dr. Harding says. “If they do start to slip at all, you have so much more room for error, versus if they’re mid-rise or low-rise, you’re fully dependent on the fabric to stay up if you’re already starting out lower.”
How we tested yoga pants
We’ve collectively tested dozens of yoga pants and leggings over the years—we even crowned some gems via our SELF Activewear Awards—so we like to think we know a thing or two about finding comfy athleisure.
But to make sure we have all the best and most recent styles of yoga pants, we started testing several more pairs about a month ago. Our testers wore them for lounging at home, taking their dogs out, running errands, traveling, playing volleyball, and for a slew of other activities. Only the pairs we’d emphatically recommend to friends made it to this list.
Related:
- After Testing Dozens of Pairs, We’ve Found the Very Best Leggings for Exercise
- We’ve Tried Hundreds of Black Leggings Over the Years—These Are the Top 10
- 14 Best Sweatpants for Women Who Love to Lounge
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