We’ve Tried Hundreds of Black Leggings Over the Years—These Are the Top 10

In the year of our Lord 2025, no wardrobe is complete without a pair of black leggings. Soft, stretchy tights have become as essential as blue jeans and white t-shirts—wear ‘em on cozy nights in, wear ‘em while exercising, throw on an oversized blazer or sweater and wear ‘em to the office (if your dress code permits… use your judgement, we’re not your boss).

But when it comes to options for black leggings, the limit does not exist. So the SELF team got to work testing tights from fan-favorite brands like Athleta, Lululemon, Old Navy, and more to see which are the very best for your needs, be that for running or running errands, namaste-ing or staying in.

Our top picks

Best Overall: Athleta Salutation Stash High-Rise Legging
Runner Up: Aritzia PowerSculpt New Cheeky Hi-Rise Legging
Best Budget Pick: Old Navy High-Waisted PowerSoft Leggings
Best for Lounging: Vuori AllTheFeels Legging
Best for Most Workouts: Lululemon Wunder Train High-Rise Tight
Best for Compression: Spanx Shape Booty Boost 7/8 Leggings
Best for Lifting: Under Armour Meridian Leggings
Best for Yoga: Adidas Women’s All Me 7/8 Leggings
Best for Wearing All Day: Nike Women’s Gentle Support High-Waisted Full-Length Leggings
Best Maternity Leggings: Gap Maternity Everyday Full Panel Leggings

What to look for when choosing black leggings

First things first: What are you buying these leggings for? A pair meant for physical activity will need specific features—like moisture-wicking materials or compression—that might not be as important to you if the plan is to wear them while catching up on Severance. Here are some criteria to keep in mind as you weigh your options.

How we chose the leggings on this list

SELF editors sifted through online reviews to find beloved leggings across the world wide web, then put some of the top picks through their paces. Testers wore their leggings for multiple activities—including running, yoga, cycling, and school pickup—over the course of the testing period (testing time varied by person, but was at least one month long) and washed them according to the care instructions. We also considered past winners from SELF’s Activewear Awards.

Shop the best black leggings

In a sea of black leggings, these are prime catches.

Best Overall: Athleta Salutation Stash High-Rise Legging

Pros

• Super-soft fabric
• Durable; holds up to years of workouts and washings
• Roomy leg pocket doesn’t add bulk to the silhouette

Cons

• Not the most compressive option on this list

There’s a good reason why Athleta’s Salutation Stash leggings took top honors in our 2024 Activewear Awards: They’re soft, supple, and last forever. “These are my everything leggings! I have been buying the Stash from Athleta for years, and they hold up, one awards tester said. “I teach barre, lift weights, hike trails, and browse the aisles of Trader Joe’s in them constantly.”

I love how the waistband supports my core without rearranging my organs, and the fabric blend, (which includes sweat-wicking nylon, Lycra, and polyester), can stand up to sweaty workout sessions—believe me, I sweat a ton.

Runner Up: Aritzia PowerSculpt New Cheeky Hi-Rise Legging

Pros

• Sculpting waistband with a drawstring
• Available in numeric sizing for a more precise fit

Cons

• No pockets
• Not very size-inclusive

Don’t sleep on Aritzia’s activewear. The Cheeky Hi-Rise Leggings in the brand’s PowerSculpt fabric are smooth, sleek, and stay put through every squat, lunge, and forward fold. If you love the style’s booty-lifting look but prefer a less compressive fit, the same design is available in five different fabrics that, according to Aritzia, are better for lower and medium-impact activities.

Best Budget Pick: Old Navy High-Waisted PowerSoft Leggings

Pros

• Under $40—and often on sale for less
• Side pockets
• Sweat-wicking fabric

Cons

• Reviewers report they run small

Pro tip: You don’t need to spend a bundle to get Old Navy’s High-Waisted PowerSoft Leggings were the number-one pick by SELF readers in our 2024 Activewear Award—s, and they’ll run you just $40 (even less when they’re on sale, which is often). “They’re comfortable AF, slimming, and they actually stay up during runs! I literally have 25 pairs, and they’re the only bottoms I’ll do races in,” one tester said. “The side pockets are so great, I don’t even need to wear running belts during my training runs to keep my phone, gum, and keys handy.”

Best for Lounging: Vuori AllTheFeels Legging

Pros

• Lightweight fabric has great stretch
• Soft, brushed feeling

Cons

• Knit material can hold in heat and sweat

“After years of wearing and writing about leggings, I finally know what brands are talking about when they say their tights have a ‘second skin’ feel, thanks to these leggings,” SELF’s senior commerce writer Sara Coughlin says. “They’re lighter than air, endlessly stretchy, and truly a joy to wear.” Coughlin wore the Vuori leggings for a whole day: she lounged on the couch, she went for a walk, she played with the dog—”“and I never once felt distracted by my leggings,” she says.

However, she doesn’t recommend this pair for workouts because their thicker, knit material traps in heat and moisture. “The leggings felt great while I was stretching, but started to feel a little warm when I started lifting weights and moving around,” Coughlin says about wearing the AllTheFeels to the gym. “I’m still glad to have them in my closet—they really are uniquely and blissfully comfortable—but now I know they’re strictly lounging leggings.”

Best for Workouts: Lululemon Wunder Train High-Rise Tight

Pros

• Wide, comfortable waistband with pocket
• Available in four lengths
• Quick-drying fabric

Cons

• Reviewers say the fabric feels thin (but not flimsy)
• No side pockets

Lululemon’s Wunder Train Tight is designed for the gym or fitness studio (but still looks sharp out to brunch or bopping around town). This pair is made from the brand’s “Everlux” fabric, which is a blend of sweat-wicking Nylon and Lycra. It features four-way stretch (so the leggings are just as flexible as you are) and has medium compression, so it’s more supportive than the brand’s popular Align and Wunder Under styles but is just as soft to the touch.

With numeric sizes fromup 0 through 20 and four available lengths, you can mix and match specs to find your perfect fit; then cinch the waistband’s drawstring if you need even more customization. During my testing—which included multiple sweating Peloton cycling classes and strength-training sessions—I found the Wunder Trains to be more lightweight and a little looser than the Athleta Salutations. (If you like a gentle hold, go for your regular size; I’d recommend sizing up if you prefer a less compression and down for a tighter fit.)

Best for Compression: SPANXshape Booty Boost 7/8 Leggings

Pros

• Contoured waistband and no center front seam
• Squat-proof fabric stays opaque while you move

Cons

• May be too tight for some
• Not available in full-length

If your top priority with leggings is looking snatched, we’ve found your match. Shapewear brand Spanx is doing what it does best with the SPANXshape Booty Boost Leggings: The pair’s sleek, slippery fabric offers so much support, I feel like a Bond girl (or a seal…but like, in a good way?) when I wear them.

This style has also taken home SELF Activewear Awards multiple years running, proving it has more to offer than good looks by holding up to hard-core CrossFit circuits and dance cardio classes. “These are perfection,” said one tester, who wears a size 2X. “They did not move. The leggings are high-waisted and cover my entire tummy as a plus-size woman. Where have these leggings been all my life?”

Best for Weightlifting: Under Armour Women’s UA Meridian Leggings

Pros

• Available in short lengths and in plus sizes
• Two side pockets

Cons

• Reviewers report cases of VPL (visible panty lines)