There are a LOT of great plus size fashion blogs these days! But fashion is not my thing. So if you are looking for great fashion advice, do not come to me. But if you want to be COMFY! I am here for you. I’m a function over fashion girl. I want to be able to go about my day in comfort and not be constricted by my clothes. Right now that means t-shirts, hoodies, sweats and leggings. To be honest one of the best parts of WFH is staying in comfy clothes all day long!
Since so many of us are wearing legging a lot more, I figured I should see what leggings are out there right now. I learned a few interesting things. First, there are A LOT of legging options these days! I didn’t realize and it’s awesome! This includes Plus Size leggings. But the second thing I learned is to look carefully at everyone’s sizing chart. I legitimately saw sites that had 3x as a size 18!?!! Like what?!?! I didn't include that brand, because just ...no. I tried to stick with brands that have more sizes in line with this chart and that go past 3x. There are some great companies focused on quality legging for all sizes, that use actual large humans to advertise, which is awesome. Though those tend to be a bit pricier. Third, apparently all leggings are now referred to as feeling “buttery soft” to the touch. I’ll be honest and say that my very literal brain doesn't find that description appealing. It makes the leggins sound...greasy. Probably not the image they are going for. I knew that was a descriptor that was used, but I was unaware of how that term seems to have become the buzzword for leggings. Bustle has a whole article on the term and what it means.
My research turned up some really great brands! So here are some of the best Plus Size leggings available these days.
Best Fleece Lined
Even here in LA, it's cold right now! Ok, fine, it’s “cold” for LA. But it is winter and sometimes you need some extra warmth in your leggings, especially if you want to go outside for any extended time in the snow. Torrid has multiple options for affordable Fleece Lined leggings. But buyer beware, the inner thigh may wear out sooner than it should.
Best Affordable
At under $12 it's hard to beat the price of these leggings. These leggings go up to a 5x (30/32). They have great reviews with a 96% recommend rating and multiple comments about how comfortable they are. There are only a few color options available online but in the stores, there’s often more variety. However, if you are looking for compression, these are not for you.
Best Body Positive
SuperfitHero is one of the brands that is focused on providing larger bodies access to quality athletic wear. They are very proudly Body Positive. They have models in a variety of real human sizes, and they have a Body Positive Fitness Finder on their site. They carry sizes 12-42. These are pricey, hovering just under the $90 range, but they don't charge more for the bigger sizes. Their styles are mostly solid colors which is great for the less girly among us who don't want flowers or a lot of designs all over their leggings. There is a try at home feature, which I think is amazing because we all know shopping online for plus size clothing is very hit or miss!
Best Fit
Smart Glamour has a very unique concept behind it. In their words they are an "affordable, inclusive, and customizable ethical clothing line for people of all shapes, sizes, heights, ages, identities, and styles”. Basically any piece you order can be altered for you, for a very affordable price. Their legging starts at $35, and then, if you want, you can adjust the rise ($5), the inseam ($5), a custom waist to hip ratio ($10) or even a completely custom size ($20). So for $55 you can have completely custom made leggings! And they carry sizes xxs - 15x! I’m not even getting into their ethical fabrics or their real human, untouched models! The one drawback is that as a small business with this amount of customization, you aren't getting them with Two Day Prime shipping. But honestly, it’s probably worth the wait.
Best Cotton
Just My Size/Hanes
I’ll be honest, I’m weird, I’m not into fancy polyester, moisture wicking, high performance fabrics. I like cotton: soft, comfortable, not going to make me sweat more than I already do, cotton. I find all those fancy polyblends just make me overheat, it doesn't matter how buttery soft the fabric is, if that fabric makes me hot and sweaty just wearing it, I’m going to pass. I also don’t love the whole second skin, compression style leggings. I know a lot of folks love that, if that is you, go for it, but it just makes me feel constricted. A little stretch is good for structure, so it does not have to be 100% cotton, but I rarely go less than 90%. So these are my current favorite, mostly cotton leggings. At under $20, they are great as comfy WFH leggings. Available up to 5x.
Best Ethical Brand
Girlfriend Collective is serious about doing their part to reduce the harm the fashion industry inflicts upon the planet. And fashion, especially fast fashion and all these new polyester fabrics, are very bad for the planet. GC does this by using mostly recycled materials, and only SA8000 certified factories. What’s SA8000? It’s a certification about the fair treatment of workers. For a full explanation of all the ways they are taking care of our planet, go here. But we’re here for leggings. Their leggings get lots of rave reviews for comfort and performance! They are size inclusive in their models (how I love seeing that!), and have a wide variety of colors. Sizes range from xxs- 6xl. Priced in the $70-$90 range.
Best Designs
K-Deer are performance focused leggings with a lot of style. Their Signature Stripes collection are named after inspiring women and support a cause of her choosing. Their colors are fun and vibrant, and if I wasn’t a confirmed black leggings only person, I would probably get their teal striped leggings above (Aurora), or maybe the rainbow. They all look amazing. Sizes go up to a 4x (24/26) and they cost close to $100. But their reviewers say the price is worth it. Unfortunately, they lose points because they almost exclusivly use skinny models.
What is it you look for in leggings? DId I miss your favorite brand. Let me know!
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I wish there was an imbedded link to the Just My Size/Hanes leggings. I also love cotton/spandex leggings 💜 Recently, I've discovered joggers and I find myself wearing them more than leggings. They're a little bit roomier and have a knit cuff at the leg opening. Check out Legging Army and Curvy, Comfy and Beautiful for additional options.