The 12 Very Best Yoga Pants for Women

Size range: 0 to 20 | Rise and compression: High-rise, high-compression | Pockets: None

I’ve been testing out a pair of Lululemon’s Wunder Train tights for more than a year now, and they look and feel as good as new even after all that time spent in my local laundromat’s industrial-strength dryer. That quality of construction is partly why Lululemon’s workout gear has been recommended to us by many, many fitness experts. Wunder Train tights are the brand’s longtime best-selling pair — and a favorite among yoga instructors. “Lululemon has nailed the yoga pant,” says Jones. “They’ve really refined it over the past 20 years, and it has gotten better and better.” Kate Posch, who teaches at Sky Ting, praises the high-waisted fit in particular: “I live for high-rise and for not having to keep pulling up my pants while practicing or teaching.”

They’re also a favorite of Erin Brockovich, who was very particular about what she likes and does not: “If I’m doing yoga, and I’m down on my knees and lifting my butt up, I don’t want to wear leggings that you can see through. At the same time, I’m like Goldilocks: I don’t like the superthin ones, but some are too thick. The Lululemon material is just right. It isn’t so heavy, but I have assurance that you can’t see my butt in them.” Ashley Rosenberg, a modelFIT instructor, calls the style “the forever classic” that’s “just unbeatable.” Katherine Gundling, a coach and programmer at ICE CrossFit NYC and Oculus CrossFit, says that they stand out among a sea of imitators: “They will last you years and stay in great condition.” To really make sure your expensive leggings last, follow the brand’s washing instructions, says Acha: “When subjected to higher water and drying temperatures, the spandex fibers within the fabric are more likely to lose their elasticity.”

Size range: 0 to 20 | Rise and compression: High-rise, high-compression | Pockets: Two side pockets

And here are those same Lululemon Wunder Train pants, but with pockets. As a die-hard, large-screen-loving iPhone Max user, I can confirm that big phones will wedge easily into these pockets and stay there — whether you’re lounging around rewatching Girls or jogging the Prospect Park loop. Stashability aside, these pants have exactly the same look and feel to the pair above.

Size range: XXS to 6XL | Rise and compression: High-rise, mid-compression | Pockets: None

I’ve been testing out a pair of these tights too, and I find them to be truly comfortable. Though they’re a little less compressive than the Lululemon pair above, I’ve had no issue with them falling down when running. Made from recycled plastic bottles, they’re fabricated from soft and smooth material that feels surprisingly luxe. Jones is a fan, saying that these are by far “the most sustainable” yoga pants that are “still concerned with fit and look.” Health-care entrepreneur Hil Moss, a breast-cancer survivor who has undergone a mastectomy and rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, says that Girlfriend Collective’s leggings made the process just a bit easier: “They are insanely comfortable. I have multiple pairs in different colors — that’s how much I love them.”

Size range: XXS to 3X | Rise and compression: High-rise, low-compression | Pockets: Two side pockets

When we asked experts about the best plus-size workout clothes, three women pointed to Athleta’s Salutation Capri Leggings, which go up to a size 3XL, as the best yoga pants. Jessica Rahil, a yoga instructor and body-positivity advocate, says they’re hands down the best leggings she’s ever worn. “The material and waistband hug the body perfectly,” she explains, adding that the material is entirely opaque without feeling overly restrictive or thick. Fitness influencer Chasi Jernigan likes them, saying that “the stretch fabric allows you to move unrestricted.” And model Tatiana Lewis says she especially likes the high-rise waist, which offers full, comfortable coverage.

Size range: XS to 4X | Rise and compression: High-rise, low-compression | Pockets: None

For a pair of plus-size yoga pants at a third of the price of the Athletas above, both Lewis and Strategist writer Tembe Denton-Hurst prefer Old Navy’s high-waisted pair. Denton-Hurst says she lives in hers ever since becoming a gym rat. “ I don’t have to worry about them falling down,” she says. “These come up very high and stay up. I don’t have to constantly readjust during a workout and can walk, jog, and lift with ease.” As for the fit, she describes it as flatteringly compressive “but not restrictive.”

Size range: 0 to 20 | Rise and compression: Super-high rise, low-compression | Pockets: One waistband pocket for keys or cards

For pregnant people, experts again recommend Lululemon’s yoga pants, specifically the brand’s not-too-tight, waistband-free Align style. Tori Thain Gioia, a co-founder of the prenatal- and postnatal-vitamin company Perelel, wears the super-high-rise version of these pants, telling us they “grow with you throughout your entire pregnancy and postpartum.” Pilates instructor Anna Anderson owns multiple pairs and has worn them throughout her three pregnancies and beyond. “During pregnancy, I liked the feeling of wearing tight things with support but didn’t want them to be constricting,” she says. “These were the right balance.” Tenia Skinner, a certified personal trainer and member of Mater Mea, a community for Black moms, agrees, saying that the Align pants “feel like a second skin” and were “so comfortable all 40 weeks.” (Find more maternity-workout-gear recommendations we’ve written about here.)

Size range: XS to XL | Rise and compression: Mid-rise, mid-compression | Pockets: None

It’s rare that a pair of yoga pants can even be described as pretty, but these ones from Live the Process are “shockingly beautiful,” as Jones puts it. “If anyone wants to splurge on the nicest yoga pants out there, their shapes and colors are amazing. So is the quality of the material.” She notes that a V-shaped waist is “probably the most flattering style” for yoga pants to wear with a cropped top.

Size range: XXS to 4XL | Rise and compression: Super-high rise, mid-compression | Pockets: No pockets

When I asked Taylor Borenstein and Millie Blumka, the co-founders of foldable-yoga-mat brand Stakt, which pants they themselves wear, both recommended this pair from Beyond Yoga. “The material is extremely soft and formfitting,” they tell me. The pants are compressive yet stretchy: “They offer support without feeling too heavy and thick.” This means that they “feel great to wear in all seasons.” I agree: Beyond Yoga’s Spacedye fabric has a unique matte cotton-y texture that I really like, while still being very stretchy and moisture-wicking. These pants are designed to sit at the wearer’s natural waist, which means they should fully cover your belly button — it’s a universally flattering look, and a 25-inch inseam means most people should be able to avoid any annoying ankle scrunching.

Size range: XXS to XXL | Rise and compression: Mid-rise, low-compression | Pockets: Two side pockets

For those who want something looser than legging-style and bootcut yoga pants, yoga sweatpants are a good alternative. At the start of the pandemic in 2020, Strategist contributor Anna Carey bought these yoga sweatpants for at-home yoga. They’re not baggy, but they have a loose fit around the hips and legs, with a long cuffed ankle. “They make me feel pulled together, in a way other loungewear doesn’t,” Carey says. The material is heavier than leggings but thinner than a typical sweatpant. “They are, needless to say, extremely comfortable,” Carey says.