Yoga pants or leggings; the names have become synonymous over the past few years. But both are very different. Not just in terms of looks but also the fit and feel. The topic of yoga pants vs. leggings is often considered as trivial. But if you genuinely want to clear up this confusion, you might want to keep on reading.
Leggings, in most cases, easily pass off as pants. However, they don’t quite match up to the level of legitimate yoga pants. The former makes your legs and backside look incredibly flattering. But it’s not designed to offer enough flexibility, durability, and coverage like yoga pants.
So the comparison of yoga pants vs. leggings is important. Only when you decide to spend money!
Should you splurge on cheaper priced leggings or high-quality yoga pants? What is more suitable for the activity or use you have in mind? About time you find out!
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What are Leggings?
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There’s no undermining the popularity of leggings. Am I right? Leggings are an excellent option for most activities. Plus, they look pretty awesome too when paired with the right pieces.
Earlier, leggings were an item of clothing to fight the colder months of the year. But that’s not the case anymore. Leggings can now be worn just about anywhere. They’re a part of normal casual outfits. You wear them when heading to the doctor, supermarket, or for a walk in the park.
Types of Leggings
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So what are the different kinds of leggings on the current market? After going through all the available options, I found 3 most common types of leggings.
Thin Leggings
You know what tights look and feel like, don’t you? Thin leggings are just a slightly thicker version of tights. At the same time, they’re thin enough for adding some warmth to the legs.
More often than not, thin leggings are see-through. This is why they’re not such an apt choice for exercise or workout sessions.
But there’s no denying that these leggings feel very smooth and comfortable against your body. No wonder they’re the go-to option for lounging or wearing under skirts and dresses.
Cotton Leggings
When you think of wearing leggings on a daily basis, the first thing that comes to mind is the material. More specifically, cotton material. Cotton leggings are also quite popular if you ask me. You can wear them anywhere. And pair them up with just about everything.
Genuine cotton fabric is somewhere between too thick and too thin. Thick enough for not being see through. And thin enough for comfort. It’s the easiest choice for the majority of women today.
Fleece Leggings
These are the warmer kind of leggings. The material is thicker to provide warmth to the legs and body. Even so, fleece leggings are considered as a regular clothing item. And not leg warmers. Thanks to the many colors and styles they come in.
Length of Leggings
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I don’t need to tell you that leggings are designed in two different lengths. The first is under the knee and the second is down to your ankle. There are many different patterns and styles in various colors. So you can pick a pair that suits your mood or personality.
The waistband, in this case, has a simple fold-over design. Or it’s just a single band. And it reaches your waist or a little above the waist.
Fit of Leggings
In this department, you only get skin-tight leggings. These offer a fit almost like actual tights. The fit of the leggings, however, is slightly on the looser side. Even so, they are tight enough to feel very close to your skin.
Best Leggings for Women: Top 5 Choices
Here are the 5 best leggings you might want to take into consideration:
Legging Name | Material | Type | scent |
|---|---|---|---|
Polyester and spandex | Ankle length | Wide, high-waist band | |
Polyester and spandex | Ankle length | Wide, high-waist band | |
Polyester and spandex with fleece lining | Ankle length | Wide, high-waist band | |
Polyester and spandex | Knee length | Narrow, high-waist band | |
Cotton and spandex | Ankle length | Narrow, high-waist band |
What are Yoga Pants?
You know everything you need to about leggings. So let’s move on to yoga pants.
They’re also very popular, no doubt. Yoga pants are a casual and more comfortable version of pants. It’s as simple as that. This means you can wear them casually.
It’s not like you have to do or know about yoga to try on yoga pants. They’re certainly quite fashionable and aren’t going out of trend anytime soon. That’s for sure.
The design of yoga pants consists of a thick waistband. The band is usually made of double fabric. But this doesn’t mean it isn’t flexible enough to avoid exerting any unwanted pressure.
The fit in the buttocks region is tight. But it gets looser from the waist down. Meaning yoga pants are slightly loose around the legs. So they give you enough freedom of movement. For your yoga poses or any other activity!
You don’t even have to worry about the fabric stretching against the skin. As is the case with leggings! But this is not necessarily a good or bad thing.
The thick waistband of yoga pants is the most appealing part. It holds pretty well during movements. No matter how flexible they are!
There’s absolutely no doubt that yoga pants are the more comfortable option. Thanks to the use of a thicker material and a more relaxed fit.
Best Yoga Pants: Top 5 Choices
Keeping all these factors in mind, here’s a list of the 5 best yoga pants:
Yoga Pant Name | Material | Fit | Waistband |
|---|---|---|---|
Cotton and spandex | Tight around the buttocks and thighs with flared legs | Wide waistband | |
Polyester and spandex | Skin-tight | Wide waistband | |
Cotton and spandex | Tight around the buttock with flared legs | Fold-over waistband | |
Cotton and spandex | Tight around the buttocks and thighs with flared legs | Wide waistband | |
Polyester and spandex | Tight around the buttocks and thighs with flared legs | Wide waistband |
Yoga pants vs. leggings
 IUGA High Waist Yoga Pants with Pockets |  SATINA High Waisted Leggings |
|---|
You might think that yoga pants and leggings are one and the same thing. Both are active and casual wear built using stretchy fabric. It’s true that they have a lot in common. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t notable differences too. So it’s time to understand the actual yoga pants vs. leggings comparison.
First is the comparison table below. And further down is the explanation in a more detailed and specific manner.
Yoga Pants | Leggings | |
|---|---|---|
Fabric | Compressive and thick | Comfortable and thin |
Fit | Skin-tight, tight, or loose | Skin-tight |
Waistband | Wide and high-waist (sometimes even fold-over) | Mostly narrow and low-waist |
Length | Full-length | Ankle-length or knee-length |
Shape | Usually flared from the bottom | Body-hugging |
Gusset | Crotch gusset to allow fabric flexibility | None |
Stitching | Flat seams (less likely to tear) | Overlock seams (more likely to tear) |
Transparency | Opaque | Transparent |
Purpose | For workout and casual wear | For casual wear only |
1. Fabric
Traditionally speaking, regular leggings were designed using non-stretch, thin material. Cause they were created to wear under dresses and long shirts. Or to provide warmth to your legs.
But that’s all in the past now. Today, leggings have become more versatile than they used to be. And here’s the proof of that. It’s the SATINA High Waisted Leggings. So you can flaunt them as pants.
The number of fabric options has also increased. This includes materials like polyester and cotton. Apart from fleece options like the CakCton Womens Fleece Lined Leggings of course.
On the other hand, yoga pants have a comparatively thicker and more opaque construction. They are designed with materials like spandex, lycra, and cotton. This is what gives them the ability to stretch with your every movement. Isn’t that the most useful when practicing yoga or doing any other form of exercise? Even high-impact sessions as a matter of fact!
Another thing that differentiates the two is the stitching.
Meaning normal, hidden ones. These are relatively more susceptible to ripping when doing a difficult yoga posture. But the standalone chances are not so high if you ask me.
2. Cut
It goes without saying that leggings offer a body-hugging fit. Right from your waist all the way down to your ankles! What’s confusing is that there are many tight-fitting yoga pants as well. Such as the IUGA High Waist Yoga Pants with Pockets.
However, don’t forget that by origin, yoga pants have a flared bottom and looser fit. And the proof of that is the Spalding Women’s Bootleg Yoga Pant.
Also, do take into account that yoga pants are equipped with a wider, higher waistband. Some even come with a fold-over waistband. Like the HDE Women’s Color Block Fold Over Waist Yoga Pants.
Regular leggings are not outfitted with such a waistband. So it’s safe for me to declare that yoga pants prevent spillage better. But there are high-waist leggings out there that perform the same function. One good example is the 90 Degree by Reflex High Waist Power Flex Leggings.
3. Performance
Here’s the highlight of the yoga pants vs. leggings debate.
Leggings for yoga aren’t the most comfortable in my opinion. The waistband tends to keep slipping during practice. You might dislike the absence of optimal flexibility too. Particularly when doing postures such as Dancer or Warrior. Also, the combination of regular leggings and sweat is very damp.
On the other hand, yoga pants are specifically created to move as you move. They are armed with four-way stretch and quick-drying properties. Along with a more comfortable and lightweight design! If you want me to name one, then it’s the HISKYWIN Inner Pocket Yoga Pants. Without a question!
Needless to say, yoga pants offer tons of breathing space as you twist and bend. Unlike leggings that are more likely to hinder your movements.
4. Uses
Yoga pants vs. leggings in terms of uses is an important point of discussion.
Leggings you wear for daily use. And they look good with most types of cuts, colors, and patterns.
Contrarily, yoga pants most women put on for a workout, running errands, or lounging. But, in their defense, yoga pants are now becoming more stylish. So you can flaunt this activewear more often than is intended to.
In the end, Downward Facing Dog or supermarket visit; what matters most is the comfort level. So feel free to wear the Spalding Women’s Bootleg Yoga Pant. Or the SATINA High Waisted Leggings.
5 Ways to Wear Leggings As Pants
Yoga pants vs. leggings – Final Note
I would like to end by stating a simple fact. Yoga pants and leggings are without a doubt used interchangeably. But how to differentiate between yoga pants vs. leggings is what I wanted to explain. So I hope I have done that in this article.
Sometimes yoga pants and leggings might look the same. But the latter is not always suitable for choice for yoga or any other form of exercise.
So tell me, do you prefer wearing yoga pants for your workout sessions? And what about leggings, are they good enough for just your casual outings? Let me know.
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