We’ve been scouring the best Black Friday fashion deals all weekend, and we think we’ve spotted the best deal out there - Lululemon’s iconic Align Pants are on sale, with up to £54 off the original price of the 28" high-rise pants. There are gym leggings, and there are gym leggings - as anyone who has ever had the good fortune to get their hands on Lululemon’s Align pants and then been forced back into bog standard gym-wear afterwards will tell you (still not convinced? Read our review of Lululemon’s Align pants here for our fashion editor’s gym pants journey to gym pants Nirvana).
www.lululemon.co.uk
Grazia's head of fashion commerce, Hannah Banks Walker said: ‘while the High Rise Align Pants With Pockets are intended to be worn for low-impact activity like yoga. I can, however, confirm, that if you wear them for more intense exercise like running or indeed boxing, they are still a dream. At £98, they are clearly far more of an investment than my £10 horrors but, given that I enjoyed five glorious years with them, I would suggest it's worth spending a bit more rather than buying a cheaper pair that won't last as long (and which will make you cry).
‘I think it's a combination of the high waist band, soft fabric and excellent length that makes them so special. They also come in five different colours, in sizes 0-20 (UK 4-24) and in different lengths, all while truly living up to the promise of being light as a cloud. It's no wonder they're one of the brand's best-selling items.’
Beloved by a host of influencers and celebrities (Kim Kardashian, Meghan Markle and our very own Princess of Wales Kate Middletonare all fans), the Align pants are famed for their high waistband, soft fabric and perfect length. They’re available in sizes 0-20 and come in a huge range of colours. It’s no wonder they’re the brand’s best-selling product - although don’t forget to check out our edit of the best Lululemon Black Friday deals if you fancy refreshing your whole gym kit.
www.lululemon.co.uk
Even comfier than the standard Align leggings (if that's even possible), these are great for yoga or other low-impact sports, or are perfect for life in general when you want to feel super comfy.
The Align pants normally retail at somewhere between £88 and £108, which can seem like a lot for a pair of gym leggings, but as our reviewer found out, they’re fantastic quality (hers lasted for five years) and although they’re marketed as yoga leggings, she found that they also worked perfectly for more high impact exercise like running and boxing. They’re also insanely comfy and flattering, which is how they've become so ubiquitous.
It’s been a long time since gym gear has just been confined to the gym. My favourite gym leggings take pride of place in my wardrobe (well maybe not pride of places, but they get worn a lot. Whether it’s heading out for a morning work, the comfiest WFH outfit I can think of (who even considers wearing jeans while WFH these days?) or playing in the park with my kids (in fact my conversion to gym wear as daywear after having my eldest son, and realising that all my clothes had to be stretchy and washable, but that’s a cliche for another day). So, even at full price the cost-per-wear ratio of a pear of Align leggings seriously add up. But, now they’re marked down to an incredible £34 for some colorways and sizes, bagging yourself a pair feels like a no brainer.
Rebecca Holmanhas been digital director at Grazia for the last five years, and previous to this, was editor of The Debrief, xoJane UK and Handbag.com. Her first book, BETA: Quiet Girls Can Run The World is available to buy now. Rebecca has written about dating, relationships, work, parenting, pop culture and feminism. She wears yoga leggings 88.5% of the time.