Lastly—and most importantly—you should feel great in your leggings. “When you’re low on motivation to work out, having clothes you feel good about might just give you that extra boost to get it done,” Alison Staples, RRCA-certified run coach and physical therapist assistant, previously told SELF.
The leggings considered for the 2023 SELF Activewear Awards had to meet our submission guidelines, which you can read more about here. After brands submitted almost 500 items, a group of 45 testers (consisting of SELF staffers, fitness professionals, and exercise enthusiasts) got to work testing. Testers had two months to wear an item several times and in a number of ways, judging its performance against the standards set in SELF’s Activewear Buying Guide (a summary of which you can read above!). The leggings that came out on top are listed below.
During our selection process, we were met once again with the disheartening reality that plus-size activewear options are not nearly as numerous as they should be, nor are they offered in the same quality as many straight sized lines. For that reason, we decided to include items that went up to a size 2X on the winners list, while instituting a new extended sizing badge system so you can easily tell at a glance which products are made for you (or not, as the case may be). For items that do only go up to 2X, we’ve mentioned comparable options from brands we trust that weren’t part of the testing process but are available in additional sizes. We hope that these awards, the badge system, and SELF as a whole will continue to push the industry forward when it comes to size inclusivity and fat acceptance.
You can read more about our behind-the-scenes process here. And don’t forget to check out the rest of the 2023 SELF Activewear Award winners here!
Josefina Santos. Wardrobe styling by Marion Kelly. Prop Styling by Danielle Selig at 11th House. Hair by Chika Nishiyama. Makeup by Ingeborg.
The Best Compression Legging: prAna Transform Legging
“In athletics, the idea behind compression wear is to improve blood flow or oxygen delivery to muscles,” James Borchers, MD, director of the division of sports medicine at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, previously told SELF. Though studies about the benefits of compression clothing are minimal, experts say that compression wear appears to have some recovery benefits—and regardless, the tighter fit can just feel really nice. Our testers praised these sweat-wicking Prana Transform compression leggings in particular for their “beautiful fit,” hidden key pocket, and UPF 50+ fabric. “I love the level of compression these leggings offer,” said one judge. “They feel snug and secure without being overly tight or restrictive (and don’t make me sweat).”
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