With the year winding down, that means it’s time for one of my favorite posts of the year: the best workout clothes (and accessories!) of 2016! I had a lot of fun putting together my 2015 activewear hall of fame post, so I’m continuing the tradition this year.
Some important factors I considered are overall design fit, quality, and price. But probably the most important thing when choosing the items on this list is what I wear the most. This is the true test for me, since sometimes I like an item initially, but then fall out of love and never take it out of my closet. All the styles on this list have stood the test of time.
Without further ado, here are my absolute favorites this year, in no particular order.
Koral mystic capris
These are some of the softest, most luscious leggings my legs have ever had the privilege of wearing. The fabric is thick and opaque, but incredibly cushy and flexible. The length hits at a perfectly flattering length on me and the fit is perfect on me. The simple but chic look make these a wardrobe workhorse for all 4 seasons. And at $85, these are a lot cheaper than a lot of comparable high-end leggings out there. Worth every penny.
Alala city puffer jacket
I loved this jacket so much I bought both colors. It’s pretty rare that I buy multiple colors for anything other than the most basic pieces (especially at this price!), so this is a sure sign this jacket is something special. I reach for this jacket almost every single day before I head out for work, errands, or the gym. It’s warm, stylish, and incredibly practical. The city puffer is now my go-to winter jacket for just about everything. Between black and silver, I have a slight bias toward the silver, since the color is more unusual. But, I wear the black just as often, so you really can’t go wrong!
P.S. Use code AA15 for 15% off at Alala.
Nike metcon 2 in black/bronze
I bought 3 pairs of metcons this year, but these came out on top. They’re incredibly sleek, and the metallic details bring that touch of luxe. Metcons are a fantastic shoe for those who need a firm platform for lifting, but still want adequate support for other cross-training movements. They have just the right amount of support without being too squishy nor too hard, and they’re easy on the eyes to boot. These are the shoes I reach for almost every time I head out to the gym.
Besides the metallic details, I love the bronze/rose gold design for its the sleek black upper and the creamy white contrast. Although I love all 3 of my metallic metcons, I like these a little better than my custom black and gold metcons since these have more metallic details on them (which wasn’t an option when I customized mine). I also like them a tad better than my white and silver pair because these are a little more practical since they aren’t white.
Sweaty Betty lava print power leggings
The power leggings were Sweaty Betty’s hot legging of the season, and for good reason. The 7/8 length is flattering for just about any height, and I love the bright colors of the lava print. The fabric is thick and soft; it feels great against the skin. These leggings are ideal for just about any workout you like. Although I received these as a gift from Sweaty Betty, I would’ve had no problem paying full price.
Lava print is no longer available, but you can find black power leggings here →
Werkshop tentacle crops
I don’t think I’ve ever been out in these without getting comments. Werkshop consistently delivers incredibly high quality fabric and a great fit. The tentacle design is unique, playful, and just a little bit edgy without going totally into crazy prints land (although I’ve been known to venture into crazy prints land, ahem). The neutral color scheme also means they’re versatile enough to wear with anything. If you’re uncertain about loud, bold prints, the neutral palette and comparatively simple design make these a nice compromise.
Persu Collection Jessica bag
This well-designed duffel has quickly established itself as my go-to gym bag. It’s full of thoughtful features like a washable zip liner, two shoe bags, and an expandable water bottle pocket. This is easily one of the most functional gym bags on the market, and the design looks great, too. In the ~6 months I’ve been using it, it hasn’t shown any signs of wear, so I have high hopes about its longevity, too.
Do Lyfe black and white leggings
These leggings make the list for being one of the best values of the year. Even though they’re only $54, these hold their own against tights that are twice the price. The fabric is opaque and comfortable, and the design is flattering as well as functional. Although I was gifted this pair of leggings, I still think they’re well worth full price.
Lululemon dottie tribe speed shorts
Speed shorts were the first lululemon item I fell in love with, and every year I add a few pairs to my stash. The dottie tribes were a standout this year. The fit on me was perfect, and the black and white pattern strikes just the right balance of feminine and sleek. I wore them on repeat all summer. This pattern was one of the more underrated speed shorts of the year as far as I’m concerned.
Although dottie tribe has sold out, current colors of speed shorts are here →
K-Deer Jamie stripe leggings
I got my first pair of K-Deer stripes early this year and fell in love. My collection quickly blew up to about 5 pairs of stripes! The Jamies win the prize for this year’s favorite pair. I wear lots of blues, purples, pinks, and teals, so this color scheme was love at first sight. Putting on this pair never fails to perk up my mood, not to mention bring out some comments, too.
Alala liquid captain tights
Alala’s liquid leggings are ridiculously sleek and so flattering, too. The captain design has a way of visually lengthening my not-so-long legs, which I always appreciate. Although the shine fabric doesn’t have as much stretch as normal fabrics, it still feels flexible, breathable, and comfortable. The black were a gift from Alala, but I liked them so much that I couldn’t resist buying a pair in burgundy, too.
Great picks!
My favorites are Lululemon speed shorts including dottie tribe and midnight tulle multi, Lululemon CRBs (just bought a few more at $29 each), Lululemon CRB2 in reflective splatter, Lululemon define jacket in jet set blue, Lululemon pace rival crops, Alala tech fleece jacket (bought on sale this year), Alala shadow dolman hoodie in charcoal, Alala chill tights in pique (bought on sale this year), Athleta cozy karma dress, Athleta cozy karma hoodie.
I guess I managed to find some gems despite an overall disappointing year for Lululemon. I am also super impressed with the heavenly soft cozy karma line by Athleta.
How is the sizing on the alala tech fleece jacket? I heard it runs small..
I am size xs in Alala but got s in the tech fleece jacket.
The great thing about lulu is that they make so much that you’re pretty much bound to find SOMEthing you like. :) I’m thinking of going to the store and trying the cadence crusher tights this weekend. Also, I’m kind of bummed I missed the boat with Athleta’s cozy karma line. It got such stellar reviews! Oh well. :( Anyway, thanks for sharing your picks. :)
I would say that my favorites for the year include lululemon pace rivals and my aloyoga moto leggings. I am wearing the black moto ones as I’m typing this and it is just so comfortable. I usually wear it casually and not for workouts although I have worn it for core yoga class. I have to say the material softens with wear as my black ones are super soft and stretchy compared to the cobalt blue moto leggings that I found on sale during Black Friday sales. The cobalt blue is lovely and I am debating if I should get the sienna ones which are on sale now.
I love my moto leggings too! I agree they’re so soft and comfortable. The only bad thing is they’re a dog hair magnet, lol!
Ah that time of year! I remember that the Koral crops made it in your list for spring/summer this year as well.
I got introduced to a fair few brands on this blog this year and have now become some of my favs.
1. Lulu’s inspire tights. Perfect length for petite legs:-) ended up buying 3 pairs through the year all in marked down prices woohoo!
2. Alala captain crops and tights. Love the style of both! If I had to choose I would go for my basic black Captain tights only because I snagged them on EBay for £10 ($13?)brand new with tags on! Score!!!
3. I love my Kdeer Jamie stripes as well, though I have them in the crops
4. Sweaty Betty isolate printed capris. Perfectly peachy and floral for the start of spring/summer. These capris seriously made me feel happy!!
5. Not really active wear or new this year but I love the Alala Weekender dress I got during the summer sales. Absolutely perfect!
Yes, I looooove inspire tights too! Such the perfect length and the seaming is so flattering! Also wow, what a score on the ebay captain tights! Well done. :)
I love the Alala City Puffer on you and had been lusting after one ever since I read your review. I was able to snag one for $100 off on the Saks website but unfortunately it is too big. I love all of the details on it, how cozy it is, and that it is not too technical-looking for a puffer jacket — I’m hoping to find an xs on sale in the next few months. I’m in a pretty warm southern state so not in desperate need of a super warm puffer jacket right now, but I think it will be perfect for cold camping nights, the few months that it does get cold here, or when I travel to colder states. Thank you so much for sharing your review on it.:)
Aww bummer that it was too big! The jacket is stocked quite a few places, so I bet if you keep your eye out, you’ll be able to find a good deal. Hopefully one will come up before the cold weather is gone completely!
Great choices Suzanne! I second your choice of the Koral crops! I bought a lot of Koral this year and while a lot of its pricey it’s not hard to find them on sale :). Some of my favorite purchases this year (in no particular order):
Koral mystic capris (I have the olive green and love them for the same reason you do!)
Koral gradient leggings (opaque, moderately compressive, textured but sleek, and fairly thick but wicks sweat really well)
Kora frame leggings (the black liquid ones–extremely flattering, functional for workouts but also for going out)
Lululemon define jacket in naval blue (I have a thing for navy outerwear)
Lululemon align crops and pants (I’m late to the party here but I bought one pair of each this year and love them for lighter workouts and errands)
Alana flyweight tee (I tried it on on a whim at Bandier and knew I wasn’t leaving without it)
Werkshop panda leggings (I always get comments and compliments when I wear them, and I’m so glad they started making full length leggings!)
Outdoor Voices catch me if you can hoodie and running woman sweats (super soft comfy material and a must have for me on long plane rides)
I always enjoy reading your blog–have a happy new year!!
I just got the charcoal flyweight tee and OMG, I’m kind of obsessed with it. The material is soooo soft! I got it too late to make it in time for this list, though. I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for more Koral this season and next. Like you said, it can be pricey, but when they get it right their stuff is fantastic!
The flyweight tee’s so flattering and great to layer. I just wish Alala’s metal tags were more durable since it fell off after 1(!) wear. I’ve had similar experiences with my other Alaska items too–does that happen with anyone else?
Wow, it fell off even with the new thread-free attachment? That sucks, I was hoping the updated logo would fix that. :( I’ve had a few fall off my old items where the logo was sewn on, but no issues with the new version just yet. Knock on wood…
Love your faves girl, now I can add a few of them to my wish list.
My faves this year were: sweaty Betty a Power tights (I have the black with shiny black logo), Lululemon Enhearten tank and Align tights, Teeki hot pants and Emily Hsu gold leggings.
I want to try Werkshop soooo bad. Should I size up? I usually wear a medium or size 6-8 (depending on brand).
i wear a 4/6 in lulu leggings and can wear both the small and medium in werkshop leggings.
I wear Werkshop in XS, and I’m between XXS and XS. You would probably be ok with a medium, especially if you like good compression, but expect some wiggling the first couple times you wear them! A large would also probably work just fine, just kinda depends on what you’re looking for.
And thanks for sharing your picks!! :)
I love WU crop high rise heathered black and own 3 pairs. Speed Shorts 2 way stretch. Jet black swiftly in LS, SS and SL and hoarded those. 2016 black one piece swim wear which I bought 3. Black and Navy blue All The Right Places Crop and I live in these for running.
Heathered anything is always so good! I love my jet black swiftly, too. <3 So glad they have a true black now, not just the greyish black they used to have!
i agree. love kdeer, werkshop, and lululemon speeds!
Yessss, the best!!!! :)
For me Athleta’s Luxe Stronger hoodie, Werkshop Vintage crops (Crane full length are a close second), First Mile Jacket come to mind. Also good old Speed Shorts and Swiftly Racerback tanks will always make this list for me. Here’s to an awesome 2017! Cheers!
Happy New Year!
Ugh, I’m kind of regretting missing the boat on the luxe stronger hoodie. :( :( Hopefully they do a similar one next year! Or I’ll just watch ebay, haha. Also, I think I’m going to get the Werkshop vintage crops too! Your pics make them look so great, and I have a $20 GC to Werkshop burning a hole in my pocket! I just can’t decide between vintage and juliet……
I shockingly didn’t buy any new gear in 2016 because I binge purchased in 2015. This year, I threw away my Alala cobalt captain crops because the seam split on the side of the waist. Although I probably could have gotten it fixed, I found it annoying and I had them for a couple years already anyway. What I wear the most of are my Lorna Jane mesh cap sleeve shirt–perfect for all activities– and my Michi tights and stardust crops—amazing fit and opacity. LLL Snug sprinter jacket from 2 falls ago is an amazing cold weather and travel staple. Wear it almost every day. Happy New Year, AA and blog community! Wishing you all a healthy and active 2017!
Wow, well done on going a whole year with just what you have. :) Bummed to hear your Alala crops bit the dust, though. :( I’m thinking of getting another pair of Michi crops, but the pair I have run a tad big (and I can’t size down), so I’m still on the fence…
Happy New Year to you too!!!! :)
Great post! Thank you for a wonderful year of reviews! Loved the addition of your beautiful wedding and honeymoon!! I share a few of my favorites this year with you like the persu Jessica bag & the sweaty Betty lava print power leggings. Another favorite have been the werkshop leggings in crane and jellyfish. For shirts it is the assortment of heathered colorful swiftlys. Also would like to include the gorgeous merino sweaters sit in lotus & sweat & savasana. Not activewear but my Alexander mcqueen zip around wallet in nocturnal- I’m a child of the 80’s. Lastly but not least cashmere scarves by Johnstons of Elgin , leather hestra gloves & navy stretch down jacket by mountain hardware- super warm and comfortable for Minnesota winters!
Thanks Ang!!! :) I really like the sit in lotus sweater, but wool sweaters and I don’t usually get along. :'( Cashmere scarves though–ahhhh sounds so amazing!
I love my werkshop crops (polygon collection), Alala sweatpants, Dottie tribe speeds, Michi stardust crops and shadow legging, Bali breeze and gator green crbs, and rsyb bras. Thank you for all of your amazing reviews!! They are so very helpful :)
Bali breeze is one of my FAVORITE colors EVER! That one made my list too when I bought one last year. :) I’d really like another pair of Michi bottoms, but I wish they made size XXS. :( Oh well, I guess there’s no shortage of other cute stuff, hehe.
I want to second everything on your list, especially the Alala puffer jacket which is just perfect in every way. I bought probably too much from Sweaty Betty this year thanks to an instructor discount and their sales, but everything has been amazing, especially the rhythm merino pants, incline compression tights, and Revive training hoodie. I’m in love with pretty much everything Varley makes, and have also picked up a few good leggings by The Upside, which have a unique glossy opaque fabric that makes everything feel sleek and smooth. Looking forward to receiving my first Werkshop pair this week!
I just bought my first pair of Varley leggings this week! They should arrive any day…I hope I love them!! And I hope you love your Werkshops, they’re always a favorite around here. :)
highly recommend the michi barre leggings
agree on werkshop and k-deer, though i much prefer the full-length versions of both
as for tops, my most-used are almost all alala – especially the fractal tee and, more recently, the charge 1/4 zip you reviewed. the tech fleece jacket and neutron hoodie come up pretty relentlessly, too. if anyone is on the fence about those, they’re worth a shot.
How have you been finding Michi’s sizing lately? The pair I got a year or two ago ran a tad big, so it wasn’t a great fit on me, but I did love them besides that.
I actually haven’t tried the full length from Werkshop yet. I don’t know why, but I always like the look of the crops better!
I’m usually an XS/S — XS in Varley, 4 in Lulu, S in Werkshop, XS in Alo, S in K-deer — and the XS in the Michi barre leggings fits perfectly, if slightly snug and slightly short (I’m much taller than you). So I suppose there’s a chance the XS could fit you in these, as we have similar measurements.
Speaking of Varley — that’s another one I recommend highly I just got the Palms tight in Maris snake and think the feel of the fabric is just fantastic, as is the fit. My sister is a consistent XS, and she adores Varley, so I’m sure there’s a size for you.
I had one pair of Varley palms tights from late 2015 and the fit was not great and fabric wasn’t compressive. It reminded me of the poly printed luxtreme people liked to hate but less compressive. But they seemed to have started using new fabric in the early fall and now it’s a matte, thicker and softer fabric. I got two pairs since then and like them a lot! I’ll be buying more if I find a print I love!
That explains it! I had held off on Varley forever, because I had heard the material (and zippers on the palm tight) felt cheap. But then I was visiting my family for Christmas, and two sisters were raving about Varley, saying it was one of their favorites, in terms of fabric. I was surprised by the shift, but also pleasantly surprised by my first pair. It is now all clear!
Oh, awesome! Thanks for the info. I had a hunch they had changed their material. The older reviews of them were pretty mixed, but in the last few months I had noticed the reviews shifted to very solidly positive, so I gathered there had been a change.
That said, the pairs I ordered (I bought two to hedge my bets and see which I preferred) are both white so I’m definitely pushing my luck! They should arrive any day now…
Hmm, might be worth trying Michi once more. I really did love the material, I just wish the pair I had fit a bit smaller! I’ll have to keep an eye on their new spring releases.
Both pairs of Varley leggings I own are white background prints and I haven’t had sheerness issues with size XS. It’s maybe slightly slightly see through but since it’s printed it’s hard to really tell. Michi XS isn’t all that compressive on me but definitely not baggy or visibly loose either. Since I think you’re a bit smaller than me it could be worth a try but buy from a site that has free returns so you don’t run the risk!
The Varleys arrived today! They definitely aren’t fully opaque, but should be ok with nude underwear. They look and feel great though!! I bought two with the intention of keeping no more than one, so the jury is still out on which I keep, if either… Maybe next time I shouldn’t get white. D:
Oh and PS thanks for the Michi tip. :)
whoa i gotta admit – i never really was tempted by sweaty betty. not sure why. maybe didn’t feel quite funky enough. (yeah funky is a word i use unironically.) but between your recommendations, aa, and all of the comments… i guess i have to give it a shot!
Yes I think they’re worth a try. :) Their prices vary a lot, so some of their full price stuff can get *very* pricey, but their sales are always fabulous. Also, I love that they have reviews on the site, I always read them!
Thanks for all your work this year! Looking back, I’m wondering how your James Jeans have held up? I would like to order a new pair of jeans (or something similar) and would love to know about your experience. Thanks again!
Yup, still wearing them. :) I only have 3 pairs of non-workout pants, and my James Jeans are two of them (the third pair are dress pants). They do stretch out a bit after a full day of wearing, or after a few wears between washes (I usually wear my denim 3-5 times before washing). But if you give them a day for the spandex to recover and don’t wear them two days in a row, or if you wash them, they spring back to their original shape. Haven’t had any other issues with them and both pairs get worn about 2x a week!
I think I’m going to splurge on a Persu bag this year, but can’t decide between the Jessica and Tom. I think the Jessica is adorable but like the neutral, floppy, Manhattan look of the Tom. I’m leaning towards the Jessica solely because the drink pockets are on the outside, and I like that the bungee cord is on top. Soon I’ll be toting around a lifting belt, change of shoes, chalk, change of clothes, etc and I’m finding it hard to pick a bag!
Yes, I’ve been interested in getting the Tom bag too! I can’t compare the two directly, but if you get one, let me know what you think. :)
I was so intrigued by the koral mystic capris after your raving review, I snatched a pair on Amazon with a gift card I had. I honestly didn’t think there could be much special about a charcoal grey pair of leggings. OMG. They are like butter! So lush! And the length is a perfect 7/8 on me (I’m 5’2″). I loved them so much I bought a full length blue/black heathered pair on the koral website with a gift city promo ($40 out the door). They are a perfect full length right on me with no ankle gap Or ankle bunch. I highly recommend! Have you tried the lustrous leggings by koral? They’re so hot but not sure about the functionality. Thank you for all your awesome reviews!!
Gilt city*
Hehe, I totally felt the same way about a plain pair of heathered leggings. But as you discovered, they’re pretty amazing! :) I’m glad I didn’t lead you astray. As for the lustrous leggings, no, I haven’t tried those, but I’ve heard from multiple people that they really like them. Thanks for the tip about Gilt City btw, I might have to snag that too!