Pilates is, undoubtedly, taking the health world by storm of late. But if you’ve traditionally preferred more high-impact workouts like HIIT and running, you might not be wearing the right Pilates kit for your newfound obsession. Enter: the best Pilates leggings.
More and more brands are expanding their offering to include Pilates classes (including Reformer and Tower variations). Moreyoga, for example, is upping its Pilates offering and even hosting training as a part of its expansion. So there are plenty of options to choose from to feed your Pilates cravings, but wearing the correct kit is crucial.
So that’s why we’ve rounded up the best Pilates leggings for you to shop, tried and tested. Meet your MC UK testing team: I’m Valeza, Marie Claire UK’s Junior Shopping Editor. I adore Pilates in every form and reviewing workout clothing is a huge part of my job. The same goes for MC’s Senior Health Editor Ally Head and Sofia Piza, who are both fit kit-testing pros. So we’re pretty well-placed to trial the best Pilates leggings for you.
I’ve also enlisted the help of the experts – personal trainer and strength training-fan Chloe Gray, Phoebe Georgiou, founder of Soul Body retreats and Sabrina Kelly, Pilates Educator and Creator of MorePilates at MoreYoga – for their top Pilates legging picks.
We’ve also rounded up the best at-home Refomer machines and Pilates bars to elevate your home workouts for less. Oh, and if you’re after more low impact-friendly workout clothing, don’t forget to check out our buying guides for the best Pilates socks, Pilates tops and Pilates unitards. You are very welcome.
What did we look for when testing the best Pilates leggings?
If you’re after an expert-approved method of finding the best Pilates leggings, Kelly has a comprehensive checklist she always consults when choosing the ones to invest in:
- Material: A material that doesn’t stick to the mat or the body – an elastane/lycra mix works well
- Lightweight: Something that is feather-light so that it doesn’t get in the way of movements
- Breathable: Something cooling for the sweaty abdominal work is crucial
- Stretch: An extra stretchy material for all the Pilates leg kicks
- Quality: Something that washes well – I want to be able to put them in a 30 degree wash without them fading, pilling or bobbling
Naturally, we kept these all in mind when testing the best Pilates leggings ourselves, along with a few of our own criteria:
- Support: Did they hold us in and stay up while we’re bending and stretching?
- Softness: Did they feel like butter? Unlike running leggings which require a compressive, streamlined material for the best performance, Pilates leggings are where the brushed cotton and ribbed materials can really shine through.
- Price: Would we get our cost per wear?
Shop the 9 best Pilates leggings: as chosen by MC UK editors
1. Best Pilates leggings all round
(Image credit: Adanola)
Versatile, affordable, super soft, supportive – we really can’t fault these Adanola leggings for Pilates. Head loves these best selling leggings, which are super supportive without being uncomfortable. She also finds they sweat wick well and are deliciously soft to the touch – do keep in mind, though that these can get a bit bobbly over time.
2. Most supportive Pilates leggings
(Image credit: Sweaty Betty)
Georgiou finds these leggings supportive without compromising on a butter-soft feel. They don’t fall down while you flow, she notes, and feel incredibly flattering. Best paired with the matching bra.
3. Most versatile Pilates leggings
(Image credit: lululemon)
Kelly and Gray are both huge fans of the lululemon Align leggings for wearing during Pilates. These versatile leggings are great for high impact and low impact workouts – plus everything in-between (we’re looking at you, brunch). This is thanks to their famously soft and supportive (but not compressive) material. They might be on the pricey side, but they’ll last you ages.
4. The softest Pilates leggings
(Image credit: Free People)
Gray enjoys wearing the FP Movement Never Better leggings during her Pilates workouts. The slightly cropped length fits her petite frame well (but also works well for longer legs), and they’re just about the softest pair of leggings she’s ever worn. According to Gray, wearing these leggings feels like wearing nothing at all, which comes in handy when contorting your body into various Pilates poses.
5. Best Pilates leggings with pockets
(Image credit: Vuori)
Like pretty much all of the leggings in this list, these ones from Vuori are incredibly soft and comfortable. Their real selling points for me, though, are the deep side pockets. I don’t know why leggings for low-impact workouts tend to miss out the all-important pockets that running leggings are almost never without. This small detail makes these leggings perfect not just for stretching and pulsing, but for running errands before and after your workout, too.
6. Best affordable Pilates leggings
(Image credit: H&M)
I adore ribbed leggings for Pilates and yoga, and I’ve worn these H&M leggings for years. They hold me in comfortably, are super stretchy and have a high, wide waistband which doesn’t roll down. They’re impressive quality for the price, anyways snapping back to their original shape (no baggy knees here), but can pile and rip if not looked after properly. At just over £20 though, I can’t really fault them.
7. Best wrap waist Pilates leggings
(Image credit: BAM)
After a sustainable pair of Pilates leggings? Team MC are forever wowed by BAM for their sustainable credentials, incredible quality and affordable prices. These wrap waist leggings do not budge, are so flattering on the body and feel super comfy thanks to their soft, stretchy and supportive material that’s made using bamboo viscose and organic cotton. Though they’re lightweight and breathable, they still manage to be opaque enough to pass the squat test. You have been warned: the lighter colours will show sweat marks, but this isn’t as much of an issue when doing low-intensity workouts like Pilates.
8. Best luxury Pilates leggings
(Image credit: Alo Yoga)
Piza’s all-time favourite leggings are these ones from Alo Yoga. They might be the priciest leggings on this list, but the quality is beyond any other. The 7/8 length makes them another great petite option, and work for sweaty gym sessions as well as lighter workouts like Pilates and yoga. As the name suggests, these are very soft and comfortable, too.
9. Best flared Pilates leggings
(Image credit: Amada)
If you’re after a flared pair of leggings for your Pilates workout, I’d highly recommend these ones from Amada. They come in a chic chocolate brown colour and are one of the only leggings in this roundup that come in more of a shiny, stretchy material, so if you’re not a fan of brushed cotton, these are a great option. They are a bit pricey, but look effortlessly stylish – especially when paired with an oversized gym hoodie after your workout.
Which styles of leggings are the best for Pilates?
After speaking to Sabrina Kelly, Pilates Educator and Creator of MorePilates at MoreYoga, it’s clear that Pilates leggings require a more ‘grippy’ style to best support your workout. She tells me, “personally I love anything with a higher waist – Pilates has so many rolling exercises and the last thing you want is the distraction of your waistband moving around!” So whether you snap up one of our top Pilates leggings recommendations above or shop around for yourself, know this: support, grip and comfort are all key.
