Found: The Best Places to Shop for Cute Workout Clothes

Bookmark these ASAP. 🏃‍♀️

With the lines blurred between “real” outfits and exercise attire, this past year showed many of us that cute workout clothes are worth so much more than just a quick sweat session. We've come to rely on activewear for doing things beyond our usual exercise routines: lounging, going on coffee dates, hanging out in the park, and sometimes even working are perfectly suited for an exclusively-athleisure OOTD. 

All this extra functionality means we've come to ask a lot from our leggings and sports bras, so it's important to have a rotation of staples you feel good in. The active- and loungewear space is saturated with options right now—and while you obviously want your 'fit to be cute and stylish, you also want it to be practical and supportive. After all, no one wants to spend their hard-earned coin on gear that's too sheer or flimsy; or that'll pill, rip, or lose its shape after a single wash. That's why we did the legwork for you to bring you the tried-and-true brands you should have on your radar for quality athleisure.   

From Alo's celeb-loved leggings to Girlfriend Collective's sustainably-minded unitards and Target's budget-friendly pieces, consider this the ultimate guide to finding cute workout clothes across a range of price points and sizes. Ahead, 17 options to bookmark now.

Nordstrom

What does Nordstrom not carry these days? In all seriousness, its activewear curation is top-notch. The retailer carries everything from Nike to Girlfriend Collective to Alo—and its in-house label Zella makes some of the internet’s most beloved leggings. If you want to checkout with a big cart of quality goods, this is the place to do it.

Zella Live In High Waist Leggings

$59NordstromBuy Now

Zella Seamless Strappy Sports Bra

$29NordstromBuy Now

Sweaty Betty High Shine High Waist 7/8 Leggings

$88NordstromBuy Now

BP Drawstring Cotton Sport Shorts

$29NordstromBuy Now

Lululemon

Lululemon leggings may cost a pretty penny, but they're well worth the hype—and so is the rest of its activewear if you want to venture further into the Lulusphere. From sports bras to hoodies to roomy duffles, the Canadian brand has something for every workout need (commuting, warm-ups, and recovery included). ICYMI, Lululemon also has a permanent sale section (dubbed “We Made Too Much”) that gets restocked on a regular basis, and we highly recommend keeping tabs on it if you want to score a pair of Align leggings or a new running jacket for way, way less.  

Lululemon Align Pant 25"

$98LululemonBuy Now

Lululemon Align Tank

$58LululemonBuy Now

Lululemon Scuba Oversized 1/2 Zip Hoodie

$118LululemonBuy Now

Lululemon Wunder Under High-Rise Tight 25" Full-On Luxtreme

$98LululemonBuy Now

Everlane

Basics brand Everlane entered the activewear space last year with its no-frills Perform legging. Following its immediate success, the company expanded its athleisure collection to include comfy tanks, sports bras, and french terry sweatpants. While the colors are limited to neutrals (plus a select few seasonal tones like teal and moss), the beauty of these classic hues is that they work seamlessly with items already in your closet.

Everlane The Perform Tank

$40EverlaneBuy Now

Everlane The Track Jogger

$58EverlaneBuy Now

Everlane The Perform Cami

$40EverlaneBuy Now

Everlane The Perform Legging

$58EverlaneBuy Now

Alo

Alo is one of the first labels to introduce us to the concept of “athleisure,” and to this day, the celeb-loved brand delivers elevated essentials that can take you from a 60-minute Vinyasa flow in your living room to a low-key brunch with friends. The brand has a loyal fan base (including everyone from Insta-famous yogis to Kendall Jenner, J.Lo, and Hailee Steinfeld) and drops seasonal colors on a monthly basis—bubblegum pink and apricot are available for spring—so you can find pieces to keep your activewear rotation fresh year-round. Heads up: Alo's leggings tend to run long, so petites may want to opt for one of the cropped styles unless they want scrunched-up bottoms. 

Alo Yoga Airlift Excite Bra

$62Alo YogaBuy Now

Alo Yoga 7/8 High-Waist Airlift Legging

$114Alo YogaBuy Now

Alo Yoga Alosoft Ribbed Chic Bra Tank

$58Alo YogaBuy Now

Alo Yoga High-Waist Biker Short

$56Alo YogaBuy Now

Outdoor Voices

Whether you're getting fresh air on a solo hike or tuning into a pilates class from your living room, Outdoor Voices makes versatile athleisure (sports bras, exercise dresses, hiking shorts, and of course, leggings) from sustainable materials like recycled wool, ethically sourced merino wool, and recycled PET. It's known for cute color combinations and chic color blocking you'd be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. 

Outdoor Voices Pickup 1/4 Zip Sweatshirt

$88Outdoor VoicesBuy Now

Outdoor Voices Core 7/8 Legging

$88Outdoor VoicesBuy Now

Outdoor Voices Rectrek 3" Short

$78Outdoor VoicesBuy Now

Outdoor Voices Athena Crop Top

$48Outdoor VoicesBuy Now

Net-a-Porter

Net-a-Porter's activewear section is filled with designer pieces you’re bound to find in celebs’ wardrobes. Think Koral and P.E Nation leggings, camis from Splits59, and so much more. Pro tip: Filter by activity to find clothes for doing yoga, running, lounging, swimming, and skiing. 

Koral Lustrous Stretch Leggings

$80Net-a-PorterBuy Now

P.E Nation Sweeper Color-Block Recycled Stretch Leggings

$110Net-a-PorterBuy Now

Varley Hanley MĂŠlange Cotton-Blend Jersey Track Pants

$120Net-a-PorterBuy Now

Splits59 Loren Stretch Camisole

$48Net-a-PorterBuy Now

Bandier

From Nike to APL to Adidas x Stella McCartney, New York City-based Bandier carries an impressive range of activewear brands that you're probably already eyeing up on Instagram. In addition to that, the athleisure boutique also sells activewear under three in-house labels—Le Ore, WSLY, and All Access. (Psst…we’re big fans of Bandier's matching kits for scoring a full look for less.)

All Access The Starter Kit #2

$145BandierBuy Now

All Access The Nice Middrift Kit

$130BandierBuy Now

Bandier x Solid & Striped The Zip Up Kit

$195BandierBuy Now

WSLY The Sage Tie Dye Sweats Kit

$295BandierBuy Now

Madewell

The beloved denim brand surprised us last year when it brought activewear into its rotation. The collection in question goes by the name MWL—short for “Make Weekends Longer”—and includes buttery soft leggings, sweatshirts, and more. To be fair, these pieces may not be the most high-performing, moisture-wicking designs, but they're perfect for sunny bike rides and long walks before and after work. 

MWL Form High-Rise 7/8 Leggings

$65MadewellBuy Now

MWL Form High-Rise Biker Shorts

$55MadewellBuy Now

MWL Airyterry Hoodie Sweatshirt

$75MadewellBuy Now

MWL Airyterry Stitched-Pocket Sweatshorts

$39.50MadewellBuy Now

Target

Target is a great place to stock up on essentials for lounging and moderate workouts. From colorful sports bras to printed bike shorts, the retailer delivers quality options that you don't have to think twice about adding to cart.

All in Motion Medium Support Ribbed Seamless Bra

$20TargetBuy Now

All in Motion Contour Flex High-Waisted Ribbed 7/8 Leggings

$35TargetBuy Now

All in Motion Low Support Seamless Bra

$16TargetBuy Now

All in Motion Contour Power Waist High-Waisted Shorts

$16TargetBuy Now

Shopbop

In response to the massive demand for stylish workout gear, multibrand e-tailer Shopbop created an entire section dedicated to athleisure last year. If you have yet to check it out, it’s full of popular names in the active- and loungewear space, including Beach Riot, Live the Process, and Tory Sport.  

Beach Riot Tessa Top

$98ShopbopBuy Now

Live the Process Ballet Top

$118ShopbopBuy Now

Le Ore Verona Catsuit

$98ShopbopBuy Now

Tory Sport Track Flare Pants

$258ShopbopBuy Now

Girlfriend Collective

Using recycled plastic bottles, fishing nets, and other waste, Girlfriend Collective designs affordable, size-inclusive athleisure in an Instagram-friendly palette of neutrals like peach, cream, and sage. Its high-rise leggings and halter sports bras are bestsellers, but if you happen to already own one of those items, consider picking up one of its newer silhouettes for spring. (We're seriously eyeing the bike-short unitard right now.)

Girlfriend Collective Brick Compressive High-Rise Legging

$68Girlfriend CollectiveBuy Now

Girlfriend Collective Ivory Topanga Bra

$38Girlfriend CollectiveBuy Now

Girlfriend Collective Moon Bike Unitard

$78Girlfriend CollectiveBuy Now

Girlfriend Collective Vapor Classic Sweat Short

$52Girlfriend CollectiveBuy Now

Nike

Nike has long been a mainstay for activewear that’s fashionable, functional, size-inclusive—and cutting edge in terms of fit and fabric technology. Peep some of our must-haves from the legacy brand below, starting with those split-hem leggings that have a mini kick flare.

Nike Yoga Dri-FIT Swoosh

$38NikeBuy Now

Nike Dri-FIT Get Fit Tie-Dye 7/8 Training Pants

$65NikeBuy Now

Nike Yoga Ribbed 7/8 Pants

$70NikeBuy Now

Nike One Mid-Rise 7" Bike Shorts

$40NikeBuy Now

Adidas

Adidas is another perennial favorite in the athleisure and street style aisle. Whether you're in the market for a new sports bra, a pair of running shoes, or a fresh sweatsuit, you're guaranteed to find styles that read laid-back cool (but are ready for a HIIT workout at any moment). The brand is also an advocate of sustainability practices and partnered with Parley in 2015 to help spearhead its eco-friendly initiatives. (Adidas plans to use 100% recycled polyester in its products by 2024, according to its website.)

Adidas R.Y.V. Bra Top

$30AdidasBuy Now

Adidas R.Y.V. Track Pants

$90AdidasBuy Now

Adidas Adicolor Sliced Trefoil Track Top

$80AdidasBuy Now

Adidas Designed 2 Move Aeroready Dance 7/8 Tights

$45AdidasBuy Now

Old Navy

With its accessible price point and inclusive sizing, Old Navy sells sports clothing you don’t have to be precious about wearing 24/7. Start building your cart with this limoncello tank top and camo-print legging—it's the perfect outfit for a morning coffee date followed by a sweat sesh in the afternoon. 

Old Navy Light Support Powersoft Longline Sports Bra

$30Old NavyBuy Now

Old Navy Extra High-Waisted Powersoft Light Compression Hidden-Pocket Leggings

$35Old NavyBuy Now

Old Navy High-Support Powersoft Zip-Front Sports Bra

$35Old NavyBuy Now

Old Navy UltraLite Racerback Rib-Knit Performance Tank

$12Old NavyBuy Now

Amazon

Digging through the ‘Zon for chic activewear can feel like an installment in Mission Impossible, but if you know where to look (and we do!), you can definitely find some hidden gems. Case in point: This top-rated tank from Beyond Yoga that may just be comfier than your go-to wireless bra, and some very pretty scalloped leggings giving Lululemon's Wunder Unders a run for its money.

Beyond Yoga Spacedye Studio Cropped Tank

$60AmazonBuy Now

Lioness Academy Sweatpants

$55AmazonBuy Now

Core 10 Studiotech Yoga Bralette

$14AmazonBuy Now

Core 10 Studiotech High Waist 'Eyelet' Yoga Legging

$14AmazonBuy Now

Carbon38

Carbo38 is another multi-brand retailer you need on your radar. The online boutique bills itself as a place for “active fashion,” so you can expect to find pieces that combine the functionality of high-performance fabrics with on-trend designs and cuts. Brand selection-wise, Carbon38 carries a mix of fashion, wellness, and athleisure labels, including Bala (its weighted bangles are a Glamour-editor fave), Nike, Isabel Marant, Cotton Citizen, and Superga—which FYI, is the same sneaker brand Kate Middleton loves. Make sure to also check out Carbon38's own in-house line of activewear.

Carbon38 Ruffled Tank

$98Carbon38Buy Now

Eleven By Venus Williams Dream Shortie

$69Carbon38Buy Now

Carbon38 Seamed Longline Bra

$78Carbon38Buy Now

The Range Mass Rib Elastic Band Stirrup Pant

$175Carbon38Buy Now

Free People

Free People is a top choice for spring dresses and comfy WFH attire, so it only makes sense that we look to the boho paradise for similar feel-good gym gear. Unsurprisingly, the brand boasts a stacked section of mood-boosting options in pretty tie-dyes and poppy fluorescent colors that are just *begging* to be snapped up.

Free People Happiness Runs Neon Bundle

$60Free PeopleBuy Now

Free People High-Rise 7/8 Length Good Karma Leggings

$78Free PeopleBuy Now

Free People Ruffle Me Up Bra

$58Free PeopleBuy Now

Free People Good Karma Running Short

$48Free PeopleBuy Now

This story originally appeared on: Glamour - Author:Talia Abbas