Women's Yoga Bottom Buying Guide: How to Choose the Perfect Yoga Leggings or Pants

Let’s be honest: we live in our yoga pants. This has been especially true the past two years as we spent most of our time at home. As such a beloved item in our closet, we want to make sure we are buying the perfect yoga leggings or pants for our bodies and lifestyles. Today, I am giving you all the deets on how to buy the perfect yoga bottom.

First, what kind of fabric is the most suitable for women's yoga pants?

Choosing the right fabric is key. Poor-quality materials can cause itching, sag during post-workout sessions, and become stinky after an intense yoga class or gym workout. This is why some yoga pants are sold at a very cheap price, while others cost over 100 US dollars. In addition to those pricer brands’ successful marketing, they often use high-quality fabric ingredients. While it may seem ridiculous to spend that much money on workout or lounge wear, it can make a serious difference and lasts longer.

The fabrics used most commonly for yoga pants are bamboo fiber, blended cotton and synthetic fiber. We are going to take a look at the main features of each material one by one.

BAMBOO FIBER YOGA PANTS

Bamboo fiber (also called bamboo pulp) is a natural, organic material that is processed into a lightweight, breathable fabric that is commonly called rayon. Bamboo fiber absorbs moisture and prevents the build-up of sweat and odor. This makes it a good fabric for activewear, especially yoga pants. Yoga pants made of bamboo fiber can make you feel cool and dry in the summer without making you feel cold in the winter. In addition, bamboo fabric is soft, gentle, and loose which makes it comfortable to wear even with sensitive skin. Wearing this fabric, you can do a restorative yoga practice or an intense rocket flow with ease. The main disadvantage of bamboo fiber yoga pants, however, is the lack of options. There are not many styles made of this fabric. The most common style are the loose, old-fashioned yoga pants.

COTTON YOGA PANTS

Cotton yoga pants are comfortable and soft. They are best suited for stretching or practicing restorative and moderate-paced yoga. It should be noted that the cotton material is highly absorbent. This means that if you are doing cardio in loose cotton yoga pants, there is a good chance the material will get sticky and heavy after you sweat. So if you are doing hot yoga or intense strength training at the gym, cotton yoga pants are not the best option.

SYNTHETIC YOGA PANTS

Synthetic materials include man-made fabrics such as nylon, polyester, spandex, and polyvinyl chloride. These materials are most suitable for most sports for a few reasons. For example, nylon and polyester blends are excellent at absorbing moisture. Instead of being absorbed by the fabric, sweat evaporates from the skin, helping you stay dry and avoid sweat stains. In addition, yoga pants made of nylon and polyester are more breathable, allowing your skin to breathe and regulate temperature.

Whether you choose to wear baggy yoga pants or tight leggings, it is best to choose a fabric that contains spandex. Spandex, Elastane or lycra, is another synthetic material. Yoga pants should contain spandex because it helps the pants keep their original shape. Synthetic fabrics have many advantages such as softness, durability, and fade resistance. However, one drawback of spandex material is its easy proliferation of bacteria and smell. In other words, your yoga pants are likely to start smelling sweaty after a yoga class or gym workout.

Overall, it is important to feel confident and attractive in yoga pants. But some features of yoga pants should also take precedence over style. This is especially true if you are highly active.

Explore Our Synthetic-Fibre Yoga Leggings

Okay, so we have covered the different kinds of fabrics used in yoga pants or leggings. But what about color? or durability? Or, are yoga bottoms with pockets worth the hype? I am going to talk about what other characteristics you should be looking for in order to find the perfect yoga pants or leggings for you. 

COMFORT

When you put on your yoga pants, you should feel good. The fabric should be comfortable. It should not cause itching or restrict you from making any movement. Regular sweatpants may be comfortable at home or at the gym, but they are often too loose and heavy for exercise. They may feel too stuffy and cause you to overheat during high-intensity yoga or intense gym training.

On the contrary, both women's yoga pants and men's yoga pants need to be light and streamlined. More importantly, yoga pants should not restrict you during exercise. This is especially the case in fast-paced Power or Vinyasa yoga or while doing exercises such as squats, deadlifts, etc. in the gym.

PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

Depending on the type of yoga you practice or how intense your gym routine is, you may want to pay close attention to some specific qualities of yoga pants or leggings. For example, you should be mindful of your yoga pants’ ability to stretch, absorb sweat, and repel bacteria. If your routine involves a calm and slow type of yoga, get yourself a pair of bamboo or cotton yoga pants. It'll have a nice soft feel, but at the same time, it will stay in shape and allow you to stretch and squat with peace of mind. For hot yoga enthusiasts, synthetic-based yoga pants are the most suitable. The technical synthetic fabric will absorb sweat, keep your body dry during and after exercise, regulate temperature, and even suppress sweat odor. This is especially important for gym strength training enthusiasts, who need to pay more attention to the stretchability of yoga pants material. Yoga pants containing more spandex or lycra materials allow you to do squats and deadlifts without the embarrassing fear of ripping your pants. Those who only do aerobics or running need to pay attention to the softness and lightness of yoga pants. For cardio, you want bottoms that do not obstruct your movement so that you can just focus on your workout.

DURABILITY

No pair of yoga pants will last you a lifetime. One day, you will have to say goodbye to your favorite pair of pants and have to get a new pair. But if you find yourself having to buy a new pair of yoga pants every few months, the product’s lack of durability might be the culprit. Some fibers are more durable than others. For example, nylon is considered one of the most durable and long-lasting synthetic fibers. It is also easy to take care of. Just throw it in the washing machine to wash and dry. Bamboo fibers, on the other hand, tend to pill faster than other materials and quickly lose their attractive appearance. They also tend to require more careful care such as hand washing. So if you live a very active lifestyle and wear yoga pants every day, you should look for a bottom made of synthetic fibers.

A few extra designs can also extend the life of tight yoga pants. For example, a crotch (Gusseted crotch design) is a small piece of fabric sewn into the crotch area that helps distribute pressure evenly around the crotch seam. This design minimizes the chance of seam breaking, and it can be a great way to increase the durability of yoga pants.

FIT AND STYLE

Whether you choose tight or loose yoga pants, it is important to make sure your yoga pants are the right length and fit. They should not be too tight or too loose. Tight yoga pants may feel more comfortable for active yoga classes when you have to change positions quickly and need your yoga clothes to move with you. Leggings with compression, in particular, are great options for both women and men as they support joints, improve blood circulation, and may even help muscles recover after a workout. Loose yoga pants, on the other hand, are comfortable and ideal for restorative or other slow styles of yoga. Loose-fitting yoga pants are also more versatile. You can go to the store or cafe after your yoga routine without feeling too naked in tight yoga pants.

DESIGN

When it comes to yoga pants, especially if you live a highly active lifestyle, less is more. Let me explain.

Many yoga pants now come with a range of extra features. Some of these features include key pockets, zippers, buttons, and more. While these might be useful when you're wearing yoga pants for a jog or to the nearby coffee shop after a workout, I believe the pockets are not of much use if you are wearing yoga pants just to work out in your yoga studio.

Some decorations can be bulky and tend to pile up during practice. For example, zippers and drawstrings can cause discomfort in some poses.

The extra layer of fabric around the waist may help with abdominal control and compression, but can get in the way in poses where you fold forward (such as in Western stretches). But, on the other hand, the mesh design of some leggings not only looks stylish, but also increases the breathability of the yoga pants. These are good design options.

COLORS AND PATTERNS

Classic black yoga pants may seem drab, but there is a reason the color is so popular in activewear — black does not show sweat. Plus, black is the most versatile color. However if you are tired of black, yoga pants are available in a variety of colors and patterns. Be prepared, though, because many colored fabrics change hue when wet and may develop darker spots on your crotch and leg area.

On the other hand, there is absolutely no need to be ashamed of sweat. Even if you go to the gym to do squats, deadlifts, or do cardio to get stronger and fitter, sweat is your body's natural (and truly magical) superpower to regulate body temperature.

CONCLUSION

So, that was a lot of information. If you need a quick summary of all these useful details, you have scrolled down to the right place. While yoga pants are often marketed as versatile and suited for all activities, this is not the case. Not all yoga pants are created equally, and some are better for certain things than others. It all depends on what you want your yoga pants to do for you!

If you are looking for yoga pants to lounge in or do gentle, restorative exercise, consider a pair made of bamboo fiber. If you live a very active lifestyle, a pair of yoga pants made of synthetic fiber is the best option for you. Synthetic fibers are sweat resistant and breathable. And always look for a product that contains spandex, elastane or lycra. These materials will help your leggings keep their shape so that you can move freely all day long.

When you are looking for the perfect yoga pants, durability, comfort, and fit should be your top priorities. Nylon, a synthetic fiber, is one of the most durable fabrics around. It’s easy to wash and should last a long time. Some bottoms offer extra features, such as zippers, pockets, and buttons. While they are definitely cute, some of these features can be obstructive while working out or flat out uncomfortable. So if you plan to work out in your yoga pants, you might need to make the right choices depending on your needs.

Lastly, do not let a cool design or pretty color fool you into buying a pair of leggings or yoga pants. A lot of us will buy something we think is cute even if it does not fit well. When it comes to something we wear so often, we want to make sure it fits like a glove. Believe me: the perfect yoga pants or leggings for you are out there, and they are definitely worth finding. Browsing through our options at zioccie.com is a good place to start.

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