If you haven’t noticed…I love spandex.. hence the name of my blog. I literally could write 3 blogs on leggings and which are my favorites. When looking for leggings that can withstand your sweat sesh, I like to break it down by quality since what you pay for is typically what you get.  Yup, I just said spend the money…and here is why. For the life of me I could never understand why any person would ever spend $88 on a pair of pants they were going to sweat in. Then in the spring of 2013 I was on a work trip in Chicago when on a whim I walked into a Lululemon. This lovely little twenty something with her perfect body, more perfect hair and beautiful smile hypnotized me with her talk about the feel of Luon (which I had no idea what that was) until I agreed to try on a pair. But in my mind I thought NO WAY I was going to buy these ridiculously expensive leggings no matter how good they felt. I walked out of that dressing room feeling like I just lost 5 pounds and got a butt-lift.  I had never put on a pair of workout leggings that not only felt like I was wearing nothing, but also made my ass look better. And there went the $88 quicker than I could say Luon. 5 years later, I still own these leggings. I still wear them. I still sweat, squat, run, wash and repeat and they have not one rip, tear, or pull.  They don’t smell like a sweatshop and they still make my ass look good. What is my point?? Think about what you are doing when you put on a pair of workout leggings. Most likely sweating, running, jumping, bending, squatting, getting into awkward yoga positions you may never get out of..you know what I mean. Then think about how many times you wash them or wear them the rest of the day like I often do.  In order for a pair of pants to sustain this amount of torture, they have to be high quality or you will spend more money over time buying inexpensive leggings over and over like I used to do.

Here are some of my favorite brands and why I think they are worth the money.

1 Lululemon

My first love…Luon. 86% nylon 14% lycra. Not all the pants are Luon but I tend to like this fabric. It is so soft and provides just enough compression it feels like a second skin. They lay flat against your tummy, no slipping or digging in to your waistline.  My current favorite are the Hi Rise Wunder Under Crop. As I said above, they last years when taken care of properly. Visit these and more at Lululemon.

2 Athleta

Like Lulu, they have many different kinds of leggings and fabrics to choose from. Here I like the Contender capri as they have a breathable fabric and 3 pockets to stash things if you head out after your workout. They also have 3 layers at the waist to prevent any muffin top here!  The ones pictured below are no longer available, but there are many other cute options to choose from! They claim to be unstinkable and I can say that I put that to the test..and its true.   3 Alo These are my favorite leggings for yoga, barre and pilates. Soft and smooth with wicking fabric but allows you to move freely during positions. They are smooth and easy to wear. My pick is the High Waist Coast Capri with mesh detail. Also check out the Moto leggings with faux leather #killer. Available from Nordstrom.   4 Fabletics My current obsession. Why? Because as a VIP you receive your first outfit for $25. From then on as a VIP you accrue points, get amazing sales and can skip the month if you do not want anything.  I was skeptical at first, but the leggings are very high quality for the price. Again you will find different fabrics, my go-to is the Salar Powerhold Legging/Crop. Moisture wicking, 4-way stretch, simply just feels good on your body. Hold up very well to multiple washings. High waist, lower waist, prints, solids, you can find it all here. But I would size down as they tend to run big.   5 Embellish Active The new kid on the block.  I just purchased these a few weeks ago after finding this artist on IG. Emma Bell is an abstract artist who has turned her painting into wearable art!! Yes, they are beautiful to look at, but these leggings shocked me in their quality and functionality.  The fabric is soft and easy to get on. The compression is just enough to hold everything nicely in place while working out. There is no digging at the waist or ankle. I will keep you posted on how they hold up in the laundry. Bottom Line..go for quality and you will not be disappointed.  Make sure they feel good when you put them on and they make you feel like kicking some ass! How do I afford all of these awesome leggings? With the extra income from coaching, but also from the 25% discount I get off Athleta and Lululemon just by helping people (see my Network Marketing post).

Want to see more of my favorites? Check me out on IG!