Ever bought a pair of leggings that seemed great in the shop, only to find they won’t stay up while you’re jogging? Or realised your lovely new purchase goes ‘see through’ as you bend over!! Eeek!

As a person who practically lives in this particular piece of apparel, I’ve fielded these issues & more and suffered the embarrassment of the odd wardrobe malfunction too. So allow me to impart some practical advice, as all leggings have not been created equal!

When choosing the right leggings your first consideration should not be how they look, sounds like dating advice doesn’t it but may I suggest choosing first based on the activity you want them for.

If you’re out running or working out in the gym, it’s useful to have a key pocket, with a zip for extra security, plus a pocket or side panel to slip your phone into.
The fabric needs to be sweat wicking, go for polyamide as this has antibacterial properties too. Where these two activities split off is fabric thickness, in the gym you’ve gotta make sure your leggings are squat proof – do the squat test in the changing room before any purchases!
Outdoor running will be seasonal, in winter it’s useful to have thermal lined or even waterproof leggings, so you don’t cramp as cold air/rain hits the thighs as you run.

Then we have activities such as Pilates or stretch classes that are less likely to make you sweat, in fact you’ll usually need warming, breathable fabrics, such as cotton, bamboo or wool.
The squat test is again crucial here and the added element of a high waist – so underwear does not appear as you Roll-up, Roll-down, or bend over. No pockets required, especially zip pockets, as they have a nasty habit of digging into your back as you work in supine positions.

Finally elastane is essential – at least 3-5%.

Now you know they are functional, how do they look?

This article has been published in the October edition of Life Magazines – http://www.lifemagazines.co.uk