A lot people ask this question: are yoga pants and leggings the same thing? The answer is no, leggings are very different from yoga pants on styles, fabrics and intended usages. Sometimes we call yoga pants yoga leggings, however, leggings are most likely for daily wear out, and yoga pants are meant for yoga practice and other workouts. To tell the difference between yoga pants and leggings, you should know their separate definitions.

What are leggings?

Leggings are usually refer to leg-wrappings made from all sorts of fabrics like leather, cotton, Lycra or wool. According to wikipedia, leggings prominently returned to women’s fashion in the 1960s. Most  female wear leggings as outerwear now. There are over one billion photos jump out while searching for “leggings” on Pinterest, seems everybody has a pair of leggings in their closet. Basically, they are opaque and skin tight pants, you probably call them tights too. 

Leggings can be worm both by women and men, as we say so, most of the time, we see women wear pants not men. Leggings are typically ankle length, unlike other bottoms, leggings often pull on and off, they come without zippers or fastening. Thanks to the widespread adoption of a fabric material – Lycra, a synthetic fibre, leggings become widely seen in markets.

Pros of leggings:

• The fabric in leggings may feel thick or thin, but it is always opaque, which means you can not see through skin;
• Leggings often come with a variety of fabrics like Lycra, cotton, faux leather, wool and else, for instance, you can buy wool leggings for cold weather and cotton leggings for usual weather;
• Leggings are very soft and comfortable due to high cotton content;
• Cost of leggings are often cheaper than ordinary pants;
• Leggings are fit with almost all sorts of tops like tank, tee, sweater and etc.
• Leggings can be wear as a warm base layer in cold weather, or you could just go for wool leggings;
• There are huge variety of styles in leggings, meaning you have a wide range of options;

Cons of leggings:

• Leggings are not suited for heavy wear and tear;
• Fabrics like cotton or wool are not stretchable;
• Leggings does not have much room for flexible waistband, they may fold after long wear;

Leggings Styles

Legging style varies by length, fabrics and color.

Black leggings

A pair of black full length leggings “literally” fit for any occasions. Lol, that is why probably everyone has one pair of black leggings in their closet.

Neon leggings

Neon leggings are perfect for dress up occasions, pair them with a piece of oversized blazer will make a wonderful look. For occasions like Coachella music festival, shinny neon leggings are a perfect option.

Patterned leggings

Patterned leggings like zebra are very popular among gen Zs, they are cute and exhibit less complicated sense than other pattern leggings. It is not a bold choice but will jazz up your legging collection a lot.

Faux leather leggings

Faux leather leggings, they are super chic. Many of us consider them as a wardrobe hero. Faux leather leggings are basic enough to serve as a foundation for some outfits, and a little more beyond that. Faux leather leggings are super comfortable to wear these days thanks to its soft fabric. However, they do not look comfortable at all, as they often are polished and very come in a tight style.

Wool leggings

Wool leggings are limited in cold seasons. Do not expect wool leggings to be stretchable or supportive, they are just not. Wearing wool leggings, like Merino wool, makes you feel secure and robust at the same time. Also, wool is heavyweight 320 GSM fabric kind, which means it is not see through, but wool leggings can not be made too thick to hinder breathability. In a word, wool leggings hug your legs nicely but somehow will restrict your movement more or less.

What are yoga pants?

Yoga pants first sold in 1988, they are designed for yoga practice and other workout purpose. Yoga pants are usually made from blend material, which is different from most leggings, they do not use fabrics like cotton or wool, chiffon, spandex and Lycra are most often seen in yoga pants. 

Yoga pants may be seen in daily lounge wear these days, however, they are designed for workouts, hence they must be stretchable and good moisture wicking. Some yoga pants have no front seam to avoid embarrasses during exercise.  Most yoga pants are not see through for this reason too.

Pros of yoga pants:

• super cozy and not see through
• comes with side or waistline pocket for phone or key storage
• good moisture wicking is a must
• squat proof is another must
• yoga pants adopt breathable fabrics

Cons of yoga pants:

• harder to clean than other pants
• not as versatile as leggings, can not be dress up
• might have a short life because of heavy wear for workouts
• too comfortable that you do not to take them off, lol

Yoga Pants Styles:

Unlike the times when yoga pants were first seen in market, there are a lot of yoga pants styles in current days.

Patterned yoga pants

Patterned yoga pants, also called printed yoga pants, are becoming trendy in nowadays.  If you have some thoughts toward cute print yoga pants, they will bring some color into your workout life.

Yoga shorts

Yoga shorts typically cover only three to four inches of leg length, they are popular in heavy sweat workout like bicycles. If you are comfortable with its length, wearing yoga shorts for workouts provides an easy way to stay cool.

Wide leg yoga pants

Wide leg yoga pants vary by length, they give less support more freedom for movement. If you are thinking you need a activewear refresh, flare yoga pants are pretty good choices. They have fat cutters than any other yoga pant styles. Wide leg yoga pants look very stylish and and are relatively harder to find. Solid color wide leg yoga pants are more often seen than patterned ones.

Light blue yoga pants

Light blue yoga pants, also called baby blue yoga leggings, can instantly elevate your activewear look as they make your booty look great and its solid color it so adorable.