In case you haven’t noticed, I try a lot of activewear around here. First, there’s the intial keep-or-return decision, where many things don’t make the cut for whatever reason. After that, as the weeks and months wear on, some clear favorites start to emerge. These are the styles I find myself wanting to wear the most often.
Although I’m sure there will be more great things as summer wears on, these are my favorite buys so far that I think you’ll love, too.
Koral mystic capris
These mystic capris are a multi-tasking wardrobe workhorse. The heather grey is the perfect option for when I want something cute but don’t want to think too hard about coordinating the rest of my outfit. They’re chic but oh-so-simple. Besides that, the fabric feels like a dream. Although they obviously are great for working out, I’m always reaching for these on weekends when I’m puttering around the house or running errands. Also, I noticed the price on these has been lowered by $10. Instead of $95, they’re now $85! In my opinion, they’re worth the money.
Lululemon run: stuff your bra
This sports bra is a perennial favorite of lulu fans for good reason. It’s comfortable, supportive, and cute. And the pockets are legitimately useful! I bought the new neon pink color and will be on the lookout for any other new colors.
Full review (last year’s version) →
L’urv leggings
I love the look and feel of these atomic kitten leggings. The fabric feels amazing, but is lightweight and cool. They fit like a glove and come with flattering details like a high waist and angled seams. I love the look of the monochrome animal print, but they’ve got several other new designs that I think are pretty neat, too.
These come with the caveat that this pattern (and possibly others) do white out when stretched. Be wary of that when buying, or just stay away if that’s a big issue for you.
This pic: Kylie Pond Photo
Alala everyday hoodie
I have been wearing this hoodie constantly. Whether I’m trying to stay warm at work, heading out for a workout, or just lounging, it’s a fantastic option. Soft, comfy, cute, neutral…it checks all my boxes.
This pic: Kylie Pond Photo
Werkshop under the sea leggings
Werkshop focuses almost exclusively on printed crops and leggings, but they’re very, very good at it. I love almost every design from the latest Under the Sea collection. So far, I’ve bought sharks and tentacles, but I’ve been thinking of picking up a pair of the angler print, too. In short: if you haven’t tried Werkshop yet, you need to.
Full review (sharks and tentacles) →
Carbon38 atom tank
The atom tank is so easy to wear. It’s a go-with-everything muscle tank that’s loose and breezy for those days when you’re not feeling a tight tank but want to stay cool. Plus, at $42, it won’t break your budget.
This pic: Kylie Pond Photo
Lululemon speed shorts
These are never not my favorite. I’ve tried some other brands and styles of shorts but have yet to find any other shorts that fit, feel, and look as good as speeds. They are short enough to be cute (especially for us petite folk) but long enough to provide good coverage for things like CrossFit and lifting, too.
K-Deer stripes
I’m a big fan of stripes, and K-Deer’s colorful, bold rendition is hard to pass up. Since getting my first pair earlier this year, I got hooked. They’ve been releasing and re-releasing a lot of stripes lately, so it’s the perfect time to snatch some up. For summer, the capri length is ideal, though the fabric is light enough that even the leggings aren’t too stifling in warm weather. Besides my workouts, I love to wear these under dresses. They always get compliments!
I recommend these with the caveat that they don’t seem to work for everyone. I love mine, and I think they’re worth a shot, but I fully acknowledge they’re not at the top of everyone’s list.
This pic: Kylie Pond Photo
What’s on your must-have list this season?
P.S. Don’t like to pay full price? Read my tips and tricks for getting the best deals.
Nice picks! I’ve got a few of those on my wish list.
I LOVE my Sweaty Betty crops I got around the end of March. The Navasana Reversible 3/4 Yoga Leggings in the Sunset in Rio print. I wear them at least once a week.
Yes! I really liked the colors but the XS just didn’t fit as well as the XXS, and they didn’t make XXS. :( I’m glad they worked for you!! :)
Thanks for the great recommendations. I found the Koral crops on backcountry.com for 20% off!! (They have lots of other Koral items 20% off.)
Woohoo!!! :) I hope you love them.
I’ve been wearing my werkshops constantly too – I am ashamed to say that I have collected FOUR under the sea (angler, tentacles & full length jellyfish and purple scales) and I really love all of them. Ever since I bought my new flipbelt so that I don’t need any pockets, they are my absolute fave for running too. I wear them for literally everything.
Also – I know this came up at some point: I recently emailed werkshop to ask about potentially sizing up for more casual use. Erica (the lovely short-haired brunette in many of the werkshop pics) sent me a super helpful note back saying that she is an XS for working out but often wears up to a M for photoshoots, so she thought going from my regular M to L would be fine for more a more comfy fit (I’m a sz lulu 6). I may just try it in the sharks pattern :-/
Oh! and I also asked about the differences between the full length and crops – in addition to the gusset, she told me the rise is an inch lower on the full length. So FYI for anyone who doesn’t like the higher rise – the full length might be better for you :)
That’s a great tip about the rise! Thanks !
hey Carrie, thanks for (yet more) input on werkshop!
That inch difference in rise between the crops & full length is good to know!
Thank you
Have been futzing about trying to decide between crops or full length and going with a size M or up to size L. (am on a budget so…..)
For what it’s worth, I emailed them last week (?) asking about lengths and was told that since their fabric is four way stretch, there is a lot of give, once on and thus varies. However, the crops comes in at about 23″ and the full length at just under 30″ (they were made to be able to pull over one’s heels)
I’m intrigued that someone goes from an XS to a M for the photoshoots. Gonna do a double take now.
AA: Very cool round up :)
Oh, thanks for the additional input on the full length! I knew about the gusset but not the rest! And yes, I too wear Werkshop for everything. Lounging, crossfit, yoga, hiking, even under dresses to work. :P
Yeah! I was waiting for this blog post. I know how much active wear you have so when something makes a “must have” list I pay attention. I still revert back to your top 9 from 2015. I hope to see this kind of post more often Fall/Winter too?
Yes, I’m planning to do these once every season or so! :)
Some of my favorites are also on your list! We wear the same size so I like to read your reviews and then try things. Some other favorites are Varley Pico capri in Snow Lion (LOVE!!! fabric is almost as yummy as Atomic Kitten), HPE blue python leggings, Vimmia jab capri, Alala twist back tank w/hoodie, Upside Power pant capri, Koral Dynamic Duo, Emily Hsu Mermaid capris, Sweaty Betty Asteya LS, and Lulu white tracker shorts. I got the Alala seamless bra in black last week, and it’s so much better than my others that it’s hard to NOT put it in my gym bag :)
Those emily hsu mermaid capris are gorgeous! How is the compression, opacity and fit on these? thanks!
I love the compression of her leggings, and that’s one of the main things I look for. There’s no see-through issues in the mermaids (or other prints I’ve tried). I wear capri length in her pants because on me they’re more like 7/8 length (I’m 5’5″). The full length leggings are really long, like K Deer. The waistbands are very high, so if you don’t like that, these aren’t for you. Great customer service as well!
i’ve been wondering about the alala seamless bra, support-wise. i’m not huge on top but when i do workouts that entail jumping, i’m definitely a lot happier to be wearing a lululemon energy bra or alala zip-back bra than, say, a lulu free bra. i’m a little hesitant about the seamless on that front….
Thanks so much for sharing your list. :) I’ve been tempted to try Alala’s seamless bra, but have been a bit iffy whether the S will work for me. Glad to hear positive things about Varley’s snow lion print. It’s so pretty, but I’d heard some less-than-stellar reviews from others that had me a bit scared off.
I’m curious if you’ve ever owned or tried Teeki hot pants and if so, how you felt about them?
they run big and they’re pretty sheer in many scenarios. also i don’t find that they breathe particularly well, despite their thinness. i prefer to wear them as normal leggings (the less compressive fit around the waist makes them very comfortable for loungier purposes), since i love their designs and they are made from recycled pet bottles. i don’t think they’re the best for most sports, though they do work for less sweaty yoga sessions. and they have to be hand-washed, which is a pain. this synopsis sounds more negative than positive, but i actually do really like mine. it’s just good to know what to expect.
ah, thank you for the info!! I ordered some last night anyway (before seeing your comment lol) so I guess I’ll find out for myself. I felt a pair in the barre studio and they felt great and loved the Phoenix rising pattern but they didn’t have any style in my size to actually try so it peaked my curiosity. If anything, I’ll have some expensive new pajamas haha
I have over 15 pairs; they are great for spring/summer/fall here in Southern California because of the heat. I wear them almost everyday casually, for yoga, hiking, climbing and pilates. They are perfect for climbing because they are resistant to snags and rips. I haven’t run in them; I prefer more compressive tights when running. Teekis have no elastic, and are made of recycled water bottles, so they are super super soft and easy to take care. Unlike the user below, I do not hand wash any of my clothes. I just throw them in the wash with my other workout clothes and with cold water. I hang dry all my workout clothes.
You will definitely need to wear some invisible panties under them. I do not have any sheer problems with my leggings (just wear nude leggings for the lighter colored leggings). For sizing, I have them in size M and wear size 6 in ALALA and lululemon leggings. You can size down if you are in between 4/6.
They are too cold for winter, so in the winter, I switch to some more substantial leggings like the lulu textures.
wow that’s funny how different our experiences were. maybe i was just traumatized because i wore them to spin right after i got them and felt like i sweat in through and around them (and i’m not usually a big sweater). but after that i avoided sweatier workouts in them, and the lack of compressive fit made me not really wanna get too wild anyway. i’m surprised about the washing though. i feel like mine pilled a lot the few times i washed them in the machine. hmm well i love them anyway so there’s that:)
haha I could see how a spin session in teekis could be a little traumatizing!! :) i wonder, what do you wash your teekis with in the wash? I climb and have had no piling at all (which is super rare compared to any of my other leggings)
let’s say – not pilling exactly. like a whitish film emerged, which is most apparent in sunlight and made the print lose some vibrancy. it’s a little hard to describe, because it’s an unusual fabric. anyway i use an all natural laundry detergent and put them on cold delicate.
hello. i’ve been on the hunt for nude leggings to wear under my white leggings that are too sheer. are there a pair you recommend? i love white leggings but i have never been able to find a pair that are not sheer and i’ve tried every nude underthing from thong to boy short to seamless brief and i have a pair of nikki blikki nude leggings but they are bulky and the seams show.
hello! I use underarmour panties in nude. they are one size fits all, so it may or may not work for you. if you are on the smaller side, then they might not work! I wear s/m in panties so they work just fine for me.
i hope that helps!
hi linhie. i’ve tried the underarmour panties in nude as well and unfortunately they roll around on me. i wear a s/m in most panties as well but i don’t have super flat mid section. any other suggestions?
I’m late to the party here, but I haven’t personally tried Teeki yet! I haven’t found a pattern I *need* yet.
Did you see that the K Deer Jamie stripe is back!
Yup I ordered a pair the day they came back!! They arrive tomorrow. :) <3
Loving this spring/summer list! I have to say that I bought the SB reversible urdhva leggings in the palm print after reading your review and that’s pretty much all I wear every weekend. Still struggling to find good stockists of Alala in the UK as I’m now dying to try them out! Reading through all your reviews and where to buy things I have at least learnt that Revolve ship internationally for free above $100 which is so much better than Alala’s $55 shipping rate. Hoping to try out some styles soon. Keep up the amazing work on the active wear reviews, they are uber helpful even though I’m not your size!
try fashercise, matches fashion, and the sports edit
thanks! already knew of sports edit but the others are new to me!
Yes, the palm urdhvas were so close to making this list! I really like them.
werkshop leggings- check. speed shorts- check. k-deer leggings- check. i’m eyeing the everyday hoodie, but can’t seem to bring myself to pay that much for it. would you say it is better than a scuba hoodie?
I went for the every day hoodie and I’d say jump. It’s almost not comparable to a scuba though. It’s a thin almost slinky knit. Like your favorite oldest comfiest pj pants but looks like a BA hoodie. I’m in love and have been wearing it constantly. The money is hard to spend but with AA’s Alala discount or I had to use one of the bbg girls 15% off codes on bandier since they didn’t have my size, it helps a little.
I agree with Leis’ comment below. It’s much thinner than both the scuba 2 and scuba 3. It’s also a lot stretchier. I definitely prefer it to the scuba, but I have issues with both the scuba 2 and 3. Specifically, the 2’s sleeves are too bulky and long, I can’t keep them out of my way when I’m working in my lab (the furthest I can pull them back is the crease of my wrist, whereas I can pull the everyday hoodie back to my elbow). And I just don’t like how the scuba 3 looks on me. So, I’m a little biased there since scubas aren’t a love of mine. As Leis pointed out, it helps a lot to use a coupon code. :) I would definitely buy another color, for what it’s worth.
Thanks to both of you I just ordered it and got it for $120. I chose the XS size, hope it fits! Since it’s thinner and slinkier as Leis says I’m hoping it replaces my worn out Splendid Hoodie I bought years and years ago. It’s totally the comfiest hoodie but looks like a rat nest now. LOL.
AA I have been curious to k ow if you kept you white Alala crops. I’m really wanting a pair and felt on the fence about lulu and their new white inspire tights. I think I’m leaning toward Alalas but curious on your final verdict?
I’m actually writing the review right now. :) The fabric on the Alala crops feels great. I like that the pattern is more of a true white vs lulu’s version. The inspires likely will have considerably better compression–Alala’s are lacking in that area. Also, I haven’t heard anything about opacity for lulu’s, but for Alala’s, you’ll definitely need skin-colored underthings. They’re totally fine that way, but you can’t get away with anything colored. I decided to keep mine because I’m totally nuts about white right now. :P
AA- Speed Shorts are a staple for me, and of course many of Lulu luxtreme pants are awesome. Koral, Vie Active, and Vimmia make up many items in my wardrobe as well. However, if you are searching for a goldmine of activewear clothing that is unique, good quality/fabrics, and functional, check out some of the Aussie brands and websites. Almost all Aussie websites offer discount for first time orders, our dollar is worth 1.35 for their dollar (so great exchange), and shipping is $30 (AUS) but with a discount code it usually makes up for it. They usually ship DHL- and I get the package in about 3-4 days. Some of my favorite brands include: Jaggad, Pilot Activewear, P.E Nation, The Upside, We Are Handsome, Running Bare. Although a few US sites carry some of these brands, I can still often get a better selection for less $$$ and quicker shipping. I’ve never had to pay duty as the company handles it. If you get a chance, you should google some of them or revisit them through an Aussie website. It’s nice to have great workout clothes that you don’t see other people wearing.
Thanks for the tip!! I’ve looked at Australian retailers since I’ve noticed the Aussie-based brands tend to be cheaper that way, but I’ve always shied away from the international shipping. It’s great to hear first-hand from someone who’s had success with ordering directly from down under. Returns are still a bit scary, but I will definitely be revisiting those options nonetheless!! Thanks again. :)