Ah, leggings: Whether you love them or hate them, it’s kinda impossible to work out on the regular without owning at least a few pairs. Which is why it’s the absolute worst when every pair seems to give you plumber’s crack (not. cool.) or gets holes in the thighs. (Chafing: ugh, right?) Luckily, there are easy fixes for all your biggest leggings issues.
THE PROBLEM:
‘My leggings get stretched out and roll down.’
THE SOLUTION:
Find high-waisted leggings
Assistant beauty editor Erin Reimel’s leggings are screwing with her concentration during yoga classes. “Instead of thinking about my pose or stretch, I’m focusing on whether or not my leggings are falling down,” she says.
To remedy the situation,”a high-waisted style is the way to go,” says Gabrielle Porcaro, senior fashion editor at Women’s Health. “It creates a clean line, stays put, and make you feel more comfortable during a workout.”
Leggings should feel snug but not cut into your torso. “You don’t want to be in pain, but you do want it to stay up properly,” adds Porcaro, who recommends avoiding cotton leggings since they’re more likely to lose their shape over time.
Erin admits that her mom gave her the leggings in her “before” photo—and she often relies on gifted bottoms instead of shopping for pairs that actually fit her well. “The new leggings feel amazing—like a second skin,” she says.
The lesson learned? “I’m definitely going to take ownership of buying my own leggings from now on.”
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THE PROBLEM:
‘Leggings are always too long on me.’
THE SOLUTION:
Buy a petite size
Dana Smith, a senior editor, is 5’1″, and the leggings she finds in her favorite activewear stores are never short enough. “I usually get them hemmed—but since they’re cut for the calf, I also have to get them tapered,” she says. “Which is two extra costs on top of the price of the leggings.”
For a cheaper fix, Porcaro recommends finding fitness brands that carry petite sizes, like GapFit and Old Navy. And depending on your height, “you can also go for a 7/8 style of legging,” which might hit your ankle just right.
After trying on a pair of petite leggings from Old Navy, Dana was “surprised that they fit on the right part of the ankle, and are also tight in the right places.” While she normally opts for brands like Bandier or Lululemon, she says “I’m going to be more open-minded, and go to stores that I know carry petite sizes.”
Dana adds that she now realizes: “You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get something that fits.”
THE PROBLEM:
‘I can’t find leggings that last.’
THE SOLUTION:
Avoid cotton and go for performance fabric like spandex
“All of the leggings I’ve ever owned have ripped,” says Elissa Sanci, an editorial assistant. Whenever she does HIIT, running, or bootcamp workouts, her thighs rub together, and the friction causes tears in the seam. “It’s horrible,” she says. “It looks bad, and it also ends up causing chafing on my thighs, and that really hurts.”
The fix: “Skip the cotton leggings, and opt for a higher-end, performance fabric that won’t pill or wear out, like spandex or nylon,” says Porcaro.
Porcaro notes that if you want your activewear to last, you need to properly take care of it as well: Hang your leggings to dry; don’t throw them in the dryer.
After trying a new pair of spandex-nylon leggings, Elissa was hooked: “When I’m moving around, I don’t feel worried they’ll rip, but they still feel cool on the body, lightweight, and breathable.”
She now says she’s going to be more deliberate about the leggings she buys, rather than just go for the cheapest pair. “It’s worth spending a little more and feeling better.”
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