(on me, these are about 3 inches above my belly button)
Girlfriend Collective Compressive high-rise leggings | small, 23 3/4″ inseam
Random tank top that says “Barre Babe” 🙂
Melissa X Baja East slides
my bra is C9 from Target and at least five years old…
(I literally just got home from Pure Barre, drank my smoothie and took this picture…it’s my “uniform” for PB every morning)
I got my first pair of Girlfriend Collective leggings when they were offering them for just shipping & handling, back when they first launched. Which was such a great idea BTW, because it gave me the chance to try them for such a great price, and now that I know I love them, I will re-purchase ONLY Girlfriend Collective leggings from now on. Oh, and they’re absolutely worth full price.
If you’re not a regular reader, or relatively new, you may not know that I’ve done Pure Barre for a little over six years and I go to class at least 5 days a week. I have five pairs of leggings and rotate them continuously; I don’t need more than that. I expect my leggings to last at least three years with 1x/week wears and washes.
I started out wearing Lululemon leggings and then switched to Alo a couple years in and now still have 4 pairs of Alo leggings in rotation, plus this Girlfriend Collective pair (I had to give away my original pair because they were too big – still in great condition though, after two years+ of heavy use). My Alo leggings are still in amazing condition also (they’re each several years old) but two pairs are just too big on me generally, and I’ll be replacing them over time with more GC leggings instead of more Alo.
At first, these leggings are tough to get on, so much you’ll think they won’t fit, but they will! And then once you get them on, they soften/loosen up and become super-comfortable. It’s REALLY important not to get them too big because they’ll tend to slip and sag with wear and use. I like heavy compression, which is why I really love these, but I see they’ve introduced a new lighter, less compressive legging that you might like better if you don’t like such a girdle-like feel haha.
The GC leggings are a bit thicker than my Alo ones, and feel like they’re a little “hotter” generally. But that makes them 100% opaque too. Not that I’ve tried any other colors to test that out (I don’t wear underwear with ANY of my leggings) because while I love their other colors and am tempted, I can’t deal with visible crotch sweat. That shit is real ladies. Black hides everything…
I also LOVE the super-high rise on these, and will probably stick with that, but they do have a lower rise if you’re not a big fan.
I mean, these are pretty much the perfect leggings if you ask me, and I’ve tried them all. The best thing is that they’re made from nylon from recycled plastic bottles, but they also fit REALLY well. Oh, and they are truly inclusive, going from size XXS to XXXL and are available in three different lengths.
I do NOT wear these other than for Pure Barre because for one thing, I keep my workout wardrobe and “real-life” wardrobe separate, never to mix LOL. And if I’m going to wear leggings with a tunic or sweater or something, I want them to be DARKEST black and EXTRA matte, not slick at all, so I generally stick with mostly cotton for leggings to wear “out.” I may consider getting a second pair of these to wear “out” for fall/winter though, because I like them so much.
I also love their new bodysuits (but why no closure at the crotch??), tops, bras, etc. and may order one or two other things to try with my next order of leggings.
Who else has tried Girlfriend Collective leggings? or any of their other items? What did you think?
Nice leggings! Sounds like you’ve got a good routine going with them.
I really need someone to explain the allure of a bodysuit without snaps at the crotch though. Maaaaybe for active wear, I get it, but anything else and I just don’t understand ????
i don’t get it for anything!! i mean…
maybe it’s not such a big deal to just pull it down, like you would underwear, but that just seems like an un-necessary extra step.
that said, i can’t imagine that snaps on your crotch is super-comfortable…so….
The comfort thing is why I get it for activewear. But anything else — how bad could it be?
I have two pairs of these leggings and I love them for all workouts except yoga – I feel like I can stretch much further in my VS leggings. I also own two of their sports bras (the Paloma and Petite Paloma, if I remember correctly). They are great for low-impact activities but do not offer enough support for activities that involve a lot of jumping. And while I don’t particularly like wearing leggings as pants, I do reach for these on overnight flights since they are comfy, dark, and hide my in-flight bloat – which is A-ok in my book!
Wow, I’ll have to try these out. I wear zella leggings mostly, but I’ve never heard of Girlfriend Collective. And I loveeee the inclusive sizing. It’s so hard to find stuff in really small sizes!
According to your link, the Flex bodysuit is “Complete with a snap closure so you can get in and out with ease.” Is that not a reference to a snap crotch? The description for the Lily says, “Snap on, snap off, and get on with it.” Silverlake is the only one that doesn’t say anything about snaps as far as I can tell.
ah yes!! thank you for pointing that out!
i looked only at the silverlake bodysuit, which explains my ignorance, but doesn’t excuse it 😉
I have a *slight* addiction to all things Girlfriend Collective. I have at least 6 bras in their 3 different styles – all are super comfortable; they feel like you’re not wearing anything. I have a few tanks and t-shirts – love them all because they look different enough from anything else but are also simple. Plus, I have at least 6 regular leggings in black, navy, pink, and green. And I just ordered the new “LITE” ones made out of Econyl – they feel like you’re not wearing anything! I’m super interested to try them with a sweatier/hotter workout to compare. I’m just amazed at how well their products hold up – no pilling, no seams coming undone, etc. while also being eco-friendly That’s why I keep going back to them!
What are your favorite leggings for normal life? I need a new pair for the fall/winter! 🙂
james perse!! (predictable, i know…) i have worn JP leggings for more than a decade; they are the most comfortable, fit me perfectly, and last for years…i always have to get them hemmed though. to be clear, i haven’t worn the SAME EXACT pair for a decade, but my current pair is pushing five years old…
the stretch jersey leggings are the ones i’ve worn forever, but i also had a pair of their yosemite leggings that i LOVED and wore for many years to yoga/exercise. they were more for “sport” though and similar to girlfriend’s leggings.
Thank you, Grechen! From your review, it seems like the JP pair is worth the price too! I feel like when I buy cheap leggings, the fabric pills or the elastic wears out quickly, etc …
oh my gosh, so worth the price.
i have a pair that’s actually more than five years old that my sister’s dog “bit” a small hole in that I still wear at home (I just stitched up the hole a bit and hardly notice it! it certainly never got larger). i find that they take a long time to fade, and they do fade over time, but still stay blacker than any other legging i’ve ever tried…
Props to you on 5x per week pure barre. I like hearing about it to help keep my motivation up. Also thanks for the review on the GC leggings. Hadn’t heard much about them before but I’m always on the look out for my next pair of leggings and might try it next time I’m in need of one. I agree with your take on work out leggings vs. getting dressed leggings. For getting dressed, matte is definitely the way to go, and I’d also add that for work out leggings, all those curvy seams are great, but for getting dressed leggings, fewer seams are better.
I have been reading your blog for about a year now, and felt it was time to acknowledge what is so great about it. You are gorgeous, and look fantastic in your outfits, but your beauty doesn’t seem to be the thing you strive to highlight most, and that makes your blog truly stand apart. I was originally drawn to your blog because I love how you dress, but I’ve stuck with it because you’re informative and honest. So thank you! And the two dresses you wore recently (the Quince dress and the Steady dress), both looked totally amazing on you.
I have three pairs of leggings and a handful of tees/tanks. Love them all. I really want to try the lite leggings but don’t *need* another pair at the moment.
Their customer service is fantastic too. I had a small issue with one tee I ordered, and they immediately sent a replacement and offered a small credit.
I believe two of the bodysuits have snap closures at the crotch.
wow, thank you so much for that. i really appreciate your taking the time to leave a comment 🙂
and now i’m blushing …
I’m not into the GC leggings! I thought I was at first but they slip down a lot and I can’t wear them for real workouts because they sag and feel too hot and don’t stretch enough. I do HIIT and crossfit type workouts and they just are not comfortable for actual workouts for me. I still wear them as casual wear but I have to pull them up constantly!
Hi elizabeth! I’m thinking of getting the LITE leggings – was wondering if you could share if they are sheer/squat proof! I’m mainly worried about that ><
Surprisingly yes! They are opaque and also don’t show sweat but are also the thinnest leggings I’ve ever worn and feel like I’m not wearing any! It’s truly amazing.