workout leggings for thunder thighs

January 15, 2018 2:05 PM

Are there specific brands or styles of workout leggings designed for athletic women who are proportionally smaller in the waist, and larger in thighs?

I run into this problem routinely - a top that isn’t supportive at the waist and thus slips and slides, but fits well in the thighs. Or fits in the waist, but I feel like I’m going to bust a seam when doing squats & lunges (that is, if I can pull them up all the way in the first place). Are there brands (or specific styles within a brand) of workout leggings that you’ve found fit well for your disproportionately smaller waist, and larger thunder thighs?

I would love something that works for all kinds of things - running, HIIT, strength training, etc. I hate pants with internal drawstrings - I’d just love to find something with a compression waistband that’s supportive.

posted by raztaj to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (17 answers total)

I haven't tried them personally, but Barbell Apparel's schtick is pants for large thighs.
posted by batter_my_heart at 2:21 PM on January 15, 2018

I also have larger thighs and rely on two brands' high-waisted pants for stretching enough to fit closely with my body and staying put during exercise. I mostly do Pure Barre and running, so it's mostly about not having to tug my pants up after particularly active moments -- Lululemon and Beyond Yoga. LL offers free returns, would recommend you purchase BY leggings on a site where you can return so you can get a feel for the right size and if these work for you.
posted by vacuumsealed at 2:30 PM on January 15, 2018

GRRL is specifically for this problem.

Also have had good experiences with the brand Girls Who Powerlift.

Have heard good things about but not personally sampled Constantly Varied Gear.
posted by Medieval Maven at 2:30 PM on January 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

I have a small waist and large thighs/rear. I love Athleta’s Excursion Tights. I got them for yoga and have also worn them hiking and probably lifting. I’d totally wear them on a run in cooler weather if I ran these days!
posted by bananacabana at 2:38 PM on January 15, 2018

I am shaped like you. They are insanely expensive but lululemon is the best for this. I actually really like Nike's high waisted workout pants. I have a pair of lululemon pants that I wear whenever I can, working out, hiking, etc. They are really versatile and very comfortable, and they look great. So I feel like I'm getting my money's worth with the price tag. The same for a pair of dri-fit running leggings I got at the nike store. They are slimming, they hang on tight but they give me lots of room to move.

I haven't tried them yet, but I really want to give Fabletics a shot, they advertise workout clothes for a wide variety of body shapes.
posted by pazazygeek at 2:40 PM on January 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

For my similar body shape, the brands that work best are Lululemon, Zella from Nordstrom, and Outdoor Voices.
posted by telegraph at 2:56 PM on January 15, 2018

This is also me and I love Victoria's Secret workout pants--like they are literally the only ones I ever buy (specifically the high waisted ones with the side pocket for your phone). Kinda pricey (~$70) but they have some really good sales worth waiting for.
posted by lovableiago at 2:57 PM on January 15, 2018

You can buy pants to fit your thighs and butt, then get the waists tailored.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 3:47 PM on January 15, 2018

I'm similarly shaped, and n-thing Lululemon for great fit and comfort. Also, the Nike joggers somehow fit better than any other brand.
posted by Everydayville at 3:48 PM on January 15, 2018

I have big thighs and a big butt with a relatively small waist (WHR of .71), and I've always worn cotton/spandex leggings by Champion available at Target. Even when I was a power lifter. Never had any quality problems with pairs I've worn 5 days a week for 5+ years.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 4:21 PM on January 15, 2018

My best friend who has a Kardashian style figure swears by Zella from Nordstroms but I'm not sure they are workout tights per se. Just cotton leggings.
posted by fshgrl at 4:38 PM on January 15, 2018

I'm surprised to see recommendations for Zella because I don't think they are great in this regard -- I can't really do anything athletic in them because they slip down off my butt. For me the best is something with an internal drawstring so I can buy a big enough size for my legs but cinch the waist tighter. Lululemon has this and they do work pretty well for me but I haven't tried many of the other suggestions here, so thanks to the other commenters!
posted by karbonokapi at 5:06 PM on January 15, 2018

I’ve had good luck with high waisted stuff from Athleta.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 6:40 PM on January 15, 2018 [2 favorites]

I have this body type and I loooove the Salar capris from Fabletics.
posted by gatorae at 6:43 PM on January 15, 2018

Omgosh so many!! Thanks CrossFit! Born Primitive is one of my favorite brands. I also love IAB, their leggings are a little thicker than others. I've heard good things about Athleta. Old Navy, surprisingly, has decent compression tights. If you want to go down a rabbit hole, search for crossfit clothes, or weight lifting clothes for girls. They're realiy "in" right now.
posted by katypickle at 8:11 PM on January 15, 2018

I have a waist that's nearly 20 inches smaller than my hips. I feel your pain. I've had decent luck with highwaisted tights from Athleta, Old Navy, and Champion — anything that features 'compression' in the description. But drawstrings are still a necessity.

Medieval Maven, thank you for mentioning GRRRL! I just bought a pair of their shorts and will report back.
posted by culfinglin at 7:57 AM on January 16, 2018

Hello, I am here to spread the good word of 90 Degrees by Reflex. This is a brand found primarily on Amazon or in stores like TJ Maxx/Marshalls - they make a variety of workout clothing, but their high waisted leggings are the best $20 I've ever spent. They stretch to accommodate a variety of butt/thigh sizes, but contract around the waist with no gapping. Despite all that stretching, they are what my friends and I call "squat-proof", as in they don't become translucent when you're squatting all the way down due to a thick fabric. Not to mention they make your butt look amazing.

I linked the full-length leggings because I prefer those, but their capris are also the same quality. I've heard reviews of some variation in quality among the different colors, but fortunately Amazon offers free returns on all of them. I've had great luck with the black, almost all the blue colors (navy, bright blue, slate blue, etc), and the pink (Rubine Red). You can also go look for them at TJ Maxx if you prefer to try them on first, although I find they fit true to size.
posted by jouir at 3:30 PM on January 16, 2018 [2 favorites]