The Best Athleisure Outfits, According to Fitness Pros

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By Sarah Grossbart

Remember when gym attire meant running shorts and an oversize tee? Then came the advent of athleisure, aka. the acceptance of yoga pants as everyday clothes. These days, there's no shortage of comfy yet cute leggings, shorts and tops—all in super soft, four-way stretch performance fabrics that look equally appropriate on cardio machines or at the coffee shop.

To help you find pieces with the best fit, feel and resistance to wear and tear, we asked workout instructors and fitness pros to share their top picks. These are the cute and casual athleisure outfits to add to your rotation.

$69 at Beyond Yoga

$99 Save $30

$165 at Hoka

$165 at Zappos

$94 at Joah Brown

Comfortable, stretchy leggings "that move with you" are key for Katia Pryce, New York City-based founder and CEO of DanceBody, whose exercise regimen includes frequent cardio-heavy, sweat-inducing workouts. Her favorites, from Beyond Yoga, are made of a polyester and elastane performance fabric that's "so soft, it never bothers me, no matter what position I’m in," she says.

With a slight, navel-bearing dip of the waistline, the leggings’ high-waist cut is one most people will find flattering. Pryce likes to pair hers with a Joah Brown bralet because the polyester-and-spandex crop tops are "supportive enough to skip the sports bra," she says. The finishing touch: Hoka's all-white sneakers, which match every outfit and stay springy, Pryce says. "They outlast any other shoe I’ve found."

$114 at Revolve

$59 at Year of Ours

$77 Save $18

$75 at Nordstrom

$120 Save $45

$84 at Bandier

$120 Save $36

If you’re seeking an extra dose of confidence, you just might find it in the super high, cross-v waist of Sydney Miller's favorite leggings. Their blend of nylon and spandex "hugs my curves in a way that makes me feel sexy, but athletic at the same time," says the Miami-based master instructor at SoulCycle and founder of Housework.

Miller pairs them with the brand's cutout crop top because the tank(ish) style is not only comfortably form-fitting but also "shows a little skin," she says.

To handle all the HIIT and Pilates moves of her workouts, the Nike kicks she's been wearing for years are a must, she adds. With their thick foam cushioning, "the support is phenomenal for all the balance work I do in class, and the bounce is super helpful for any jumping."

$98 at Amazon

$120 at Bandier

$80 at Bandier

$80 at Amazon

$160 at New Balance

$160 at Amazon

$30 at Amazon

Having gone through her own postpartum exercise journey, Megan Roup, New York City-based founder of The Sculpt Society and mom to 16-month-old Harlow, understands the importance of stretchy, well-made pieces that hug curves comfortably. That's why she reaches for Bandier's quick-drying workout gear—the brand's leggings with a wide elastic band are "great for compression," she says, and the sports bras are "really supportive whether you’re running, taking dance cardio or a low-impact class."

Roup's favorite water bottle (BPA-free glass, with a silicone sleeve and handle) and go-to sneakers are just as smartly structured. The footwear has more underfoot cushioning at wider parts and flexibility at the narrower areas—a combination that helps her keep up a schedule of regular runs and teaching dance cardio-and-sculpting classes. As a bonus, she says, the kicks are "cute enough to wear on my daily coffee walks too."

$48 at Bandier

$68 Save $20

$51 at Net-a-Porter

$85 Save $34

$53 at Bandier

$88 Save $35

$168 at Free People

$320 at Athletic Propulsion Labs

A corseted waistband and 18% spandex heavyweight fabric mean these Bandier leggings "really hold you in, but aren't too tight," says Lindsay Arnold, Utah-based founder of The Movement Club and former "Dancing With the Stars" pro. "They stay up during an intense workout and look so cute with an oversize sweater"—or the fuzzy, slouchy Free People fleece Arnold regularly wears them with.

When not in her ballroom heels, the workout creator lives in what she calls "the best sneakers ever"—made of a proprietary FutureFoam material, they offer more traction and rebound than others, she says. Plus, the subtle stripe design makes them chic. "They really elevate every outfit."

$51 at Terez

$170 Save $119

$112 at Zappos

$160 Save $48

$80 at Asos

$45 at Clare V.

Forget sunshine; "walking on a cloud" is how Cheddar TV co-anchor Katie Sands feels whenever she leaves her New York studio in Hoka's ultra-cushioned sneakers. (Key features: memory-foam ankle support and a beveled heel for extra stability.) The rest of the style expert's running uniform includes what she calls "one of my favorite bodysuits of all time"—an eye-catching Aztec print with adjustable crisscross straps—and Nike's reflective jacket that's just lightweight enough to add warmth without weighing her down.

Hotter temps call for the trucker hat she rarely leaves home without. Its wider brim offers sun protection, says Sands, who also appreciates the mesh fabric in the back that "won't make your head sweaty."

$29 at Lululemon

$68 at Lululemon

Having spent a lot of time running around Nashville, Tenn., in leggings or biker shorts and an oversize sweatshirt, personal trainer, fitness instructor and model Bianca Vesco has done some extensive hands-on research in the loungewear space. At the top of her list is anything from Lululemon's "buttery soft" Align series. Made of a sweat-wicking, nylon-based material with Lycra for stretch, the tank includes a built-in shelf bra and leggings have two layers of fabric for a thicker, high-quality feel.

$49 at Beyond Yoga

$58 Save $9

$94 at Terez

$68 at Four Laps

$100 at Asics

$160 Save $60

$18 at Ulta

$18 at Kitsch

New Yorker Amanda Freeman's running shoes passed the ultimate test a decade ago, when they carried her through all 26.2 miles (plus months of training!) of the New York City Marathon. They’ve been her stalwart ever since, the founder and CEO of SLT says, because they’re "cushioned, supportive and comfortable. (Pro tip: Go up a half size.)

Rounding out her uniform, whether she's logging miles or strength training on SLT's megaformer, are a pair of "flattering, easy to move in" black leggings and a cross-back sports bra so comfortable, she says, that she almost forgets she's wearing it. And then there's the high-neck muscle tee that she's wearing constantly, especially outdoors. "I hide from the sun," she says, "so it's helpful to not have to worry about covering my neck." For anyone looking to make a seamless transition from workout to night out, she recommends these satin ties for a ponytail because they’re "known to help avoid making a dent in your hair."

$65 at Koral

$160 at Nordstrom

$160 at Nike

$69 at Cute Booty

A super-lightweight, moisture-wicking tank is essential for staying cool and dry during workouts, according to Miami-based professional dancer Simone Sobers, founder of Boss Chick Dance Workout. This one, made of ultra-breathable polyamide and spandex, is one of her top picks, especially because the racerback design makes movement easier when she's leading her dance cardio-based "twerkout" classes.

Her preferred sneakers, meanwhile, offer "great arch and ankle support" for both high and low-impact classes. And as their name promises, the scrunch-detailed Cute Booty Lounge leggings she pairs them with "make every booty look good."

$70 at Amazon

$70 at Fabletics

$89 at Knix

$35 at Amazon

$35 at Hydro Flask

On the hunt for a sports bra as flexible as she is, Abiola Akanni, Seattle-based founder of Yoga By Biola, landed on Knix's molded cup design. "The straps offer more than five adjustments so I can get just the right fit based on my movement that day," she says. Having recently added running to her regimen, she finds the nylon and spandex blend supportive for a fuller chest—"everything stays put," she says. Same goes for her curve-hugging, high-waist leggings, which "offer the give you need for movement without feeling too tight."

Her double wall insulated, stainless steel water bottle is quite the workhorse too. Years in, "I’ve dropped it several times, banged it against rocks and it barely has a dent," she says. "It's a bit pricey for a water bottle, but it’ll last you forever."