So if you don't like reading and watching a video seems more up your alley you can skip this blog post and go check out the lengthy IGTV video I did over at my instagram page Healthandselina. If you prefer a read stay right here.
First of all, I wear my leggings ALL DAY LONG. From freezing 6am outdoor sessions, all the way through my own workouts and straight into dance class at night time. They are squatted, high kicked and jogged in. They are stretched in and sweated on and really run through their paces. I don't hand wash them or even put them in a laundry bag (which i should probably start doing)
So you know I'm going to have the nitty-gritty on what brands stand the durability test.
Secondly all my leggings are high waisted, congratulations to you if you don't feel like you need that extra support, but knowing that my leggings are not going to fall down mid squat is extremely important to me. The fact that they also do wonders for making the tummy appear slimmer is just an added bonus.
I have worn Aim'n, GymShark, Dharma bums, Two Tags, Echt, Nike, Aldi, Cotton On and Kmart (Everlast).
Let's start at the bottom... Nike! Both of my pairs of Nike leggings that I have had ended up being the most uncomfortable and the fastest to wear out. You pay big money because of the name and it's just not worth it! That being said they disappointed me about 10 years ago and I haven’t tried them again since so they may have picked up their game in that time.
Then we have Cotton On. I have had a LOT of Cotton on leggings and only 1 pair have stood the test of time, they are comfortable and stay up well due to the extra elastic in the waistband, however I have had about 3 or 4 other pairs that fall down as they dont have this extra waistband , or they go see through, or the stitching rubs and is uncomfortable or they are mid rise not high rise. 1/4 is a bad success rate and I wouldn't recommend it.
After Cotton On comes Kmart, I do love kmart, such good value but as comfortable as my everlast leggings were they lost the elasticity and became baggy (not a good look) and they became see through quite quickly too.
Then we have Two Tags, an Aussie brand These were pretty cheap for home grown only forty dollars, and i like the side pocket for your phone, however they just don't stay up. They are thick and warm, good round the house leggings but definitely not squat proof. The waistband isn't reinforced with anything, it's just the same material as the rest of the legging so it fits my legs and then is loose around my tummy. They might be fine for you if your tummy isn't the smallest area of your body.
A bit of a surprise this next one was, Echt, unfortunately i just recently purchased two pairs of echt leggings as they were suggested by a few people, however both pairs i got (which are different styles and colours) are see through!!! not what you want from BRAND NEW LEGGINGS. and seriously if the material cant stretch over my butt whilst i squat and NOT be see through then how the hell can they be marketed as workout leggings! I was really disappointed. They are however comfy and stay up well
GymShark. These leggings are SO COMFORTABLE, super supportive waist, they definitely won't fall down, I purchased one pair many years ago that is still going strong no rips or tears in the material or the seams. I liked it so much that when I needed new leggings late in 2019 I purchased 2 more pairs on a sale. However i do not know whether it's because they are a different style or whether the manufacturing quality has decreased but these leggings were nowhere near as good, one pair ripping the seam in the crotch within A WEEK and the other purple pair (pictured above) got runs along the little holes you can see the same as a pair of stockings would also within the first few weeks and then the crotch seam broke on those too. Now I know of people that wear gym sharks and LOVE them and never have any issues, so maybe they just aren't made to stretch and split in a dance class but i still personally wouldn't buy gym shark again.
With great surprise to me the 3rd top pair of leggings are from ALDI! Is there anything Aldi cannot do? After putting a post on my instagram asking for people's legging suggestions i was surprised to hear a resounding number of people say ALDI! so i went and got myself a $15 dollar pair of leggings from aldi and i tell you what they're amazing, thick and warm which is great for winter, they are flattering and super high waisted with that extra draw band so you know they won't fall down, they also have a deep side pocket for your phone. Now i have only had them a few months but they are definitely not see through and from what i'm told they last AMAZING, one person telling me they had had theirs for 4 years no problems. Now that's good value from a $15 dollar pair of leggings!
Almost at the top, number 2 best pair of leggings is from Dharma bums, to be honest they may not be quite as comfortable as gym shark or echt but they are NOT see through! They have an amazing 4 way stretch as they are built for yoga so that is GREAT for me moving in every direction all day long and as an added bonus they are made from recycled water bottles and the eco warrior in me just absolutely loves that! There are also lots of super cute patterns. They are a bit expensive but you can get 2 pairs for $150 and always sign up for that first time buyer discount code, it's totally worth it!
Here we are, my number 1 absolute favourite leggings brand is AIM'N, a swedish sportswear brand that over time has never failed to deliver when it comes to quality. They have super fun patterns which is a great way to brighten up the gym! (they also have plain as well if that's more your style) i LOVE the silky feel of aimn leggings they slide on like a 2nd skin and are super flattering, high waisted so they never fall down (they aren't gusseted like echt or gym shark so it isn't that super tight sucked in feeling but it's comfortable I like it)
I have purchased many different styles from Aim’n for years and years. I literally wear them until the material starts to wear out and this has taken about 5-8 years on most pairs! Considering how much I wear them that's pretty damn amazing! Aimn is always having sails so the leggings range from 40 to 120 dollars but regardless of the price it's great value and quality and I will buy aimn time and time again. My only complaint and for those of you that only wear your leggings to the gym or yoga studio this will be a GOOD thing, BUT due to their 2nd skin nature I have found that outdoors in winter they can be a bit cold, so if you are planning a walk or just standing around you might need something warmer.
That's it. I hope my exploration of leggings brands far and wide has helped you make a decision for yourself. Please don't hesitate to ask me any questions about anything I may have missed in my descriptions here.
Happy Moving!!!
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