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The 9 best workout clothing brands for women in 2025
Size range: 0-22
It may seem obvious, but in our experience, Nike has the best balance of price, performance, and variety in its workout gear. A pair of Nike leggings can go for upwards of $70, but you can find plenty of $40-$60 options, and they're semi-frequently available at a discount. Nike items also have a good price-per-wear breakdown, thanks to an expert handle on performance engineering and technical materials across categories.
There's something for athletes of pretty much every sport: running, golf, soccer, training, tennis, basketball, softball, skateboarding, swimming, and lacrosse — and all different types of gear, from women's running shoes to swimwear.
It's also expanded its activewear to have more inclusive sizes (from XS to 3X) and styles (for example, high-performance hijabs). That being said, its sizing can be hard to nail down (especially for sports bras, which notoriously run small). – Mara Leighton, freelance writer
What to buy:
Size range: XXS - XL
Quality budget workout gear is incredibly hard to find. While we love the price point, size range, and accessibility of brands like Old Navy Active, performance fabrics will make your workouts far more comfortable, especially if you're just getting into working out.
CRZ Yoga is one of our favorite budget brands because they use really high quality fabrics that breathe well, wick moisture, and have a nice on-body feel ranging from butter-soft to strongly compressive. What's more, the majority of their gear runs $28-38.
While their leggings lack the features you'd find with a higher-end brand (no roll-proof waistbands or cinchable drawstring cords), they're made with a material that prevents heat and moisture from building up inside, which is rare to find at this price point.
CRZ Yoga's Butterluxe Yoga Leggings went viral for being an affordable alternative to Lululemon's Align leggings. While we wouldn't go that far, they are very, very soft and comfortable and way nicer than most leggings at the same price point. On the other end of the spectrum, the Hugged Feeling Compression Leggings feel supportive, look flattering, and are totally squat-proof.
What to buy:
Size range: 0-20
Lululemon is not my go-to brand for workout clothes — that is, I'm not a total Lulu stan — but I do like that it has performance-wear for almost any type of workout, and it definitely does the best job at making apparel that flatters a variety of body shapes (albeit, up to a limited size).
The cornerstone of Lululemon is its high-quality performance fabrics. Lululemon has nine proprietary fabrics which range from buttery, barely-there softness to compressive and cool-to-the-touch, all of which are top-tier at moisture control.
These pieces are really comfortable whether you're running, doing yoga, playing tennis, lifting weights, kickboxing, or just running errands. They come in designs made for everyone, whether you like fitted, flared, cropped, or relaxed fits. Moreover, Lululemon workout clothes move with the body — the leggings don't roll down, and the jackets don't constrict your movement.
The downside to Lululemon is that it's expensive (though you can find good deals in their We Made Too Much section), and sizes only go up to XXL or 20. But in our opinion, the comfort, material quality, and highly-flattering cuts justify the price.
Learn about one of our favorite styles in our Lululemon Speed Up Shorts review.
What to buy:
Size range: XXS - XXXL
Janji is a small brand with a huge die-hard following in the running community. Its gear is designed by runners, for runners.
Any serious runner will appreciate the small, thoughtful features on Janji's activewear. There's the beloved, everyday 3" Multi Shorts with a multi-pocket system on the waistband, a water-resistant, cinchable Wind Shell that somehow weighs less than 105 grams, and Trail Tights with multiple massive stash pockets so you don't have to carry a hydration pack.
In fact, pretty much everything has storage pockets and is crafted out of gravity-defying lightweight fabric. Each piece is A+ at wicking moisture, and stays in place with every bouncy step.
Other reasons we love Janji: They're a mission-driven small business trying to expand clean water access around the world. They also collaborate with independent artists on seasonal prints. Importantly, Janji uses recycled fabrics to craft items that are intended to last, produces limited-run collections in order to minimize waste, and streamlines its packaging system.
What to buy:
Size range: XXS-XXL
Many workout brands present as high-end, but don't actually have the quality to back up their price tags. In our experience, the gear from British activewear brand Sweaty Betty both looks and feels expensive, so it's definitely worth splurging on.
We'd call Sweaty Betty a worthy rival to Lululemon — except in our experience, Sweaty Betty's pieces hold up better over time. I own multiple Sweaty Betty items that I've worn and washed 1-2 times a week for a good 4 years. None show any signs of pilling, compromised seams, or loose threads.
Sweaty Betty's materials are amazing at controlling moisture, and their gym and running leggings have the perfect amount of compression to feel supportive and stay in place. The bum-sculpting Power Workout Leggings and sweat-wicking Athlete Crop Seamless Gym Tank are my go-tos when I'm headed into the gym for a big lifting day and want to feel cinched, supported, and cool (literally) for the workout ahead.
In addition to activewear for basic training, pilates, and running routines, Sweaty Betty has stylish swimwear and a sleek ski line, including base layers and outerwear. I am personally obsessed with their lifestyle collection, which elevates everyday loungewear in a markedly British style. You'll find tailored features such as the pleats on these soft-and-stretchy trousers, or contoured piping on a basic zip-up.
What to buy:
Size range: XXS - XXL
Founded on the basis of elevated, performance loungewear, Vuori makes some of the most comfortable workout clothing — which is why it's our favorite source for practicing yoga or pilates.
Vuori's fabrics are all incredibly soft and cozy, but also highly breathable and moisture-wicking. They offer a range of silhouettes and cuts, from leggings to drawstring joggers to wide-leg comfy pants (as well as a sleek travel line). Above all, its workout apparel is non-constricting and designed to move with your body.
They also make matching sets, which, in our opinion, is a staple for a cute pilates outfit. Though Vuori pieces are considerably expensive, we found they hold up wash after wash, and don't pill over time.
Read more in our full Vuori travel loungewear review.
What to buy:
Size range: XXS-5XL; Petite, Regular, and Plus
You can usually get away with wearing any old pair of leggings on fair-weather outdoor adventures. But true outdoor performance clothing will keep you warm when the wind kicks up and wick moisture while you move fast through the mountains.
I've tested a lot of small brands that make really great women's outdoor apparel, but REI Co-op is a great one-stop shop where you can find pretty much any kind of gear for hiking, backpacking, and camping. From Merino base layers to lightweight, waterproof trail running jackets to insulated winter hiking pants, REI Co-op is host to a variety of well-priced options. They also make a range of traditional workout clothes, including a Lululemon Align Legging dupe we love.
What to buy:
Size range: L-7XL
Even though the average woman in the US is a size 16 or 18 (XL-2X), it is incredibly difficult to find many options for great workout gear above a size 12, let alone, say, a size 24, which is when the fashion industry ventures into "plus-size" or "extended sizing." However, there are a few plus-size athletic apparel brands that excel at what they do.
One of the newer darlings on the block is SuperFit Hero, a brand of high-quality, sweat-wicking activewear designed specifically for people sizes L through 7X. It doesn't have a huge selection, but the brand makes one awesome sports bra, one legging, one Capri, and one bike short, each in a variety of colorways (and the option to go monochrome, which we love).
Each piece of activewear is designed using ultra-soft, sweat-wicking, quick-dry fabric with slight compression, strategic gusseting for mobility, and flat-lock seams to minimize chafing. The sports bra supports medium-high impact activities.
When we talked with a group of plus-size outdoor adventurers about what gear they can't live without, multiple women said they're obsessed with how comfortable and supportive SuperFit Hero is.
What to buy:
Size range: XXS-XXXL
The cult-brand Girlfriend Collective is one of our favorite women's workout brands, and they just so happen to be sustainable. Let's start with the fact that the brand designs its activewear to fit a huge range of body types, and its pocket leggings and sports bras are beloved by everyone from a size small to a size XXXL for their comfort and cuteness.
Then, the brand uses recycled materials for everything, most often post-consumer water bottles that have been turned into soft, recycled yarn, but also sometimes the factory-floor scraps of that fabric.
Most of all, we love Girlfriend Collective because of its minimalist approach to its designs, offering all the basics, but designed near-perfect and in a range of coordinated colors. Its classic leggings are the perfect pair: high-waisted, slightly compressive, squat-proof, and made with super soft fabric crafted from 25 recycled post-consumer plastic bottles (79% recycled polyester).
Its low-impact sports bras are made from the same recycled polyester (from 11 bottles), while they probably won't support you through box jumps and jump rope, they are cut with a wide rib band so you can wear the set sans shirt to rock that uber-cute monochrome kit look during yoga, hikes, weight-lifting days, or just running out for coffee.
The brand also makes bike shorts, fun (and functional) unitards, and a bunch of loungewear like joggers and fleeces, all of which are made from mostly or entirely recycled materials. The activewear runs on the pricier side (although still cheaper than a lot of its competitors) but you're paying for higher quality and better sustainability practices.
Read more in our full Girlfriend Collective sustainable leggings review.
What to buy:
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