Friday, January 18, 2019

The BEST Leggings & Other Active Wear Favorites




This time of year our style tends to lean cozy and casual. Post holidays we try to avoid jeans or any sort of pants with a button, and not having a typical day time job, necessary business attire is a thing of the past. Our schedules are hectic, and when temps are cold we just want to be comfortable and warm.

But while we love us some yoga pants, we realize we still have the occasional situation in which we are required to be more put together than our favorite pair of joggers, that oh so soft t-shirt from Spring Break 2001, and the oversized sweatshirt from college we just can't give up.

We also tend to try to sneak in workouts throughout our day if we don't get a full gym session on the schedule. We eventually want to be able to counteract all that holiday-ing we did and hopefully get the chance to button our pants by summer time.

So like most things in life, it's all about balance.

We've found a few ways to help us be HIIT ready, comfortable, warm, AND looking stylish when necessary. It was a tough task, but we were so here for the challenge.

THE BEST LEGGINGS

First and foremost, let's chat about the best leggings ever! We've worn our fair share of leggings, but the pair we are about to share are the ones that have met all the requirements to give them top billing.



Jen found stumbled upon these leggings randomly. She was reading a women's magazine in her dentists office where they compared a list of leggings. These leggings got top billing. Above Lululemon, Athleta, and a few other big brands. Curious - because they are crazy inexpensive! - she ordered a pair.

They totally live up to the hype.

Now we both own several pairs, and we can't stop singing their praises because they are just. that. good! We've shared them on social media tons of you agree!

Why we love them...
  • They are buttery soft.
  • They aren't see through. Even squatting the most squattiest of squats, all your ladies parts are covered. Front and back. You're welcome. 
  • They are high waisted and stay put. 
  • They have pockets everywhere! There are two huge pockets on both legs large enough for a smart phone. There's even a waistband pocket. 
  • They come in a ton of fun colors. 

If in-between sizes we recommend sizing down.  Carrie Beth doesn't like hers too tight so started with a medium. They fit, but slip down a bit. After washing and drying (which you really shouldn't do with leggings) the medium fits.  Ordered a second pair in navy, size small and they fit perfect!


So do your self a favor, order a pair (or five) and join in the legging party that we've all been having.

| leggings in color "pink" | Tee | Shoes |

ACTIVE WEAR FAVORITES

Because Amazon didn't let us down with the leggings we decided to give something else a try and oh my goodness, it is AMAZING!!!  This tank is made with the same quality as the leggings and has super cute and just a little sassy written all over it.  It is all business in the front...



With a total party in the back!


So cute we can hardly stand it.  Like the leggings, this tank comes in a ton of colors and patterns and the price is amazing.  There is a little variation with the pricing depending on what color you pick, but this black one was only $18!!!  Hello?!?  We'll definitely be ordering this in more colors.  

Why we love it...
  • Made with really light weight and breathable fabric. 
  • It has a built in padded shelf bra that is super supportive. You could wear another sports bra with it, but it is fine just on it's own. 
  • It's long enough to cover the booty and thighs if you want or also looks cute slouched up or with a front tuck. 
  • Makes us feel cute when we are working out and everyone knows that is going to make working out more fun! 
  • Comes in a ton of fun colors and patterns. 
  • The price can't be beat and the quality is fantastic!  
After reading a bunch of reviews about sizing we realized people said that the shelf bra ran small/tight.  Carrie Beth went with a medium and it fit perfectly.

Another cute top we love is this one from Old Navy.  It's got a sheer striped panel on the back and can be worn knotted up or down.  Sizes are limited in some colors, but on sale for $15!!!


This tank from Old Navy is on sale for $7 in limited sizes.  Hard to tell from this picture, but the back also has a mesh insert and cute fun straps. 


One of our go-to looks is wearing all black and just throwing on a regular cardigan pre and post workout. Then you look put together when running errands, volunteering at the school or anywhere else you need to be that day.


Like the cardigan trick, we do the same thing with cute pullovers. Our favorite is this asymmetrical quilted one.  Jen has it in several colors and Carrie Beth got her blush pink one for Christmas this year.


Another athleisure look we love are these Spanx leggings, a comfy tee, and cardigan


This outfit could take you walking with a friend for exercise, then shopping, then just throw on some booties and you could be headed out to dinner with your fam (because I totally did that last week). 



Another inexpensive favorite is this long sleeve perforated tee. We love Walmart's Avia brand and this tee knocks it out of the park. 


The material is so light and airy, and the perforated holes are so nice for airflow especially for those heavier duty workouts.


 Love that this tee works great to pop over a tank or to wear by itself. We're also a huge sucker for anything with thumb holes. Anything to keep our hands warm on those long runs (and by long runs we mean brisk walks outside or sitting on the sidelines of that weekends soccer tournament). 

| Coat | Pullover | Leggings | Shoes |


Regardless of what is on our top or bottom, this down jacket has been a quick favorite this season. It's the jacket we grab the most no matter what the occasion. It's budget friendly price also helps. We love our Patagonia but it is a bright, fun color. We wanted a black jacket to go with everything. We also live in the South where temperatures rarely dip cold enough to justify owning a slew of expensive winter coats. 

Jen gave it a test run and then Carrie Beth purchased one after her thumbs up. It's super light, but warm. It's packable - like can fit in a small purse packable! - and it just as good as quality as its more expensive counterpart. Its the best jacket and it also comes in a longer length if you want a little more coverage. 


These leggings are the ones everyone raves about no matter where you are. The Lululemon Align Leggings are pricey, but they do live up to their coveted name. The suck everything in just right and stay put all day long. We like that they are on the thicker side too because they give us slightly more warmth than some less expensive leggings. 

The shoes are a big time favorite. The Nike Flex are our favorite running shoes, but these slip on ones are so light! Love that they pull on so fast (you do still have to tie them), but they feel like air on your feet! 

Speaking of shoes, we were both in the market for a new fun pair of running shoes and when we saw these metallic blush pink ones we were all heart eyes!!!  We decided to be twins and both ordered a pair. They are on super sale and we knew we would be the perfect pair for wearing now and into spring/summer.



We've had our eye on a few warmer weather active wear items. The perforated tee we mentioned above can take us into Spring without being too hot, but the real winner lately are these shorts

| tee | shorts | shoes | headphones | watch |

These shorts come in with a built in liner and are available in a ton of colors. They fit just like a pair of Lululemon shorts we own - but for a fraction of the price (less than $10!). They've been great to wear for indoor workouts - everything stays put so we don't have to keep adjusting, and they are super breathable. We also love how stylish they are. They come with a fun little playful side slit, and some trendy little touches. We can't wait for the weather to warm up again, because we know these will be our go to pair!


We're always on the hunt for great active wear pieces. If we add to our finds we'll be sure to share here or on our shopping pages (Amazon and LiketoKnowit) if that is easier for you.  If you have any that you love - please share! We love adding to our active wear wardrobes (because its practically our only wardrobe)! 



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