A 90s childhood favorite has come to the rescue and an updated summer reading uniform is now my go to. After some trial and error I have found my three favorite biker shorts that are comfy and cute. They are just as comfortable as my normal leggings but offer a cooler touch and give me serious Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanovich's One for the Money vibes.
Check out the three styles I am obsessed with below! I will include the size that I ordered for each below but for reference I am on the petite side: 5'3" and my normal size is a small in everything.
1) Athleta Elation 8" Short
Price: $59.00Sizes Available: Regular XXS-XL, Plus 1X-3X
Colors Available: Black
Review:
I was absolutely apprehensive to order these in the beginning with the higher price tag and these would be my very first pair of biker shorts since childhood. Every pair I had tried on before this to include Yogalicious and Adidas had cut into my thighs and been overall uncomfortable. But I still wanted to give this trend a try. So the nearly perfect reviews and the promise of 20% off my first Athleta order if I signed up for emails convinced me. Within a week of receiving my first pair (in color Volcanic Violet that quickly sold out) I had logged back in and ordered a second pair in black.
First for the fit: These shorts fit true to size. My normal size small sat comfortable at my waist without any gapping or digging in. Whether I was reading or doing an hour long yoga class, that waistband did not move. It was almost hard to believe. The legs were much the same and sat comfortable without creating the uncomfortable squeezing sensation I had experienced in previous styles. After wearing the shorts all day I did notice that sometimes the legs would fold or rise up, but never more than half an inch.
There is clearly thoughtful design in the placement of seems as well with no evidence of the dreaded camel toe. The gusset is also well designed and is the most similar to what you would find in a pair of athletic underwear and makes avoiding panty lines much easier. The lack of seems along the hips makes for smooth wear and no irritation whether you're going for a long walk outside, twisting in a complicated yoga pose, or curled up in couch potato mode. There is an elastic along the top of the waistband but I do not feel it and they sit comfortable. Though if you ordered a size too small it probably would cut in.
The fabric is a nice buttery soft finish that I have put through the washer and dryer multiple times with no issues of pilling or shrinking. The purple pair I have do sometimes show lotion marks or get an odd striping look if they are creased in a certain way for a prolonged period. I have not seen this in the black pair. They breathe reasonably well and the few sweatier workouts I've done in them have dried fairly quickly, with the waistband drying the slowest. As an added bonus: they are UPF 50+.
Not only do they feel great but they also look pretty great. I was surprised to see that they slimmed my legs and despite my petite proportions the legs hit right where they do on the model. Both colors I ordered appear to be completely squat proof. If you choose to wear underwear with them, the panty lines would be difficult to avoid. If cellulite is a concern, the black does a great job of camouflaging it. Only very close inspection would show any bumps. It is a bit more obvious in the purple, but not enough that I feel self conscious.
Now for animal lovers: dog hair definitely sticks to the fabric.
In summary, I freaking love these shorts. They are exactly what I was looking for to lounge in and do yoga in. They feel amazing, look great, and pair well with a variety of tops to be dressed up or down. I love them so much that I will probably order a pair of the Elation leggings once the weather starts to cool down (bonus they come in tall and petite lengths!).
Check them out here.
2) Always Women's High Waist Bike Shorts
Price: $13.95
Sizes Available: One Size, Junior Plus Size, Extra Plus Size
Colors: More than 30 optionsReview:
I came across these while looking for a cheaper alternative to my Athleta faves on Amazon. I was intrigued by the wide range of colors that reminded me of some of the Alo Yoga airbrush bike shorts I had been wanting to try and the overall positive reviews. I initially passed on them. They kept popping up and I was very leery when I saw that they were the one size. But the under $14.00 price range and next day delivery with Prime had me ordering my first pair.The navy pair I received were very soft and extremely comfortable as was the second pair I ordered in sky blue. Shockingly the one size was not an issue with the legs sitting comfortably and the waist not digging in terribly. There are two different one sizes and I would say that the "One Size" fits a size small well. Other reviewers mentioned it also working well for a traditional size medium. It would likely fit an extra small but not be as form fitting as traditional biker shorts and a large could work but it depends on what fit you are looking for. The Always size chart mentions that One Size is meant for waist measurement 24"-29" in which I fall right in the middle and they fit me well. The Plus Size option is for waist measurements 30"-35".
While the Athleta shorts also had an elastic band at the top of the waist it was less noticeable than the elastic in these shorts. I did not find it uncomfortable as the rise hits right at my natural waist and did not dig in. However, if you are looking for a truly seamless waistband and elastic drives you crazy you might want to try a different pair.
The darker color was fairly squat proof but the sky blue pair that I ordered is considerably less so. Both show panty lines clearly so picking the right undergarments would be important if you plan on wearing these out and about. Unlike the Elation shorts, these do not have a crotch gusset so going commando would be considerably less comfortable and the likelihood of camel toe is higher.
Each color had a slightly different fabric finish as well. The navy were a bit thicker and reminded me of my jersey flannel sheets, very soft and comfortable but a bit warmer. The sky blue felt thinner and I did not have any issues with getting too warm. Dog hair stuck to both equally. When it came to wearing them I did not notice having to be careful with the navy ones but when I wore the light blue and brushed up against a dusty chair it left dirt streaks.
These shorts are less all around useable than the Athleta with clearer panty lines and less of an athletic material, which is to be expected at the drastically lower price range, but I still really like them and have already ordered a third pair in coral. I would say these are great for lounging at home, pajamas, or light yoga workouts (probably at home). What I love most is the price, great range of colors, and they are just really comfortable.
Check them out here.
3) Wild Fable Women's High-Rise Bike Shorts
Price: $12.00
Size: XXS-4X
Color: Black Snake Print
Review:
These were the only pair of bike shorts I was able to find in a physical store. Everywhere else seems to be completely sold out. My boyfriend actually bought these for me when we were wandering through a Target. I was initially apprehensive about the snake print but they ended up being very cute and subtle. The first time I wore them I was approached by multiple people asking where I had gotten them.
These fit fairly true to size in the small. The legs sat nicely without digging in while the waist was a bit looser than on the other pairs I had tried. While they were far from falling off, I did notice a slight gapping in the waist when I was sitting down in the back. I probably could have sized down, but for the fit I was looking for they were perfect. Like the Always shorts, these do not have a crotch gusset.
The snake print makes the fabric feel a bit slipperier than the buttery soft material of the previous two and makes them a bit shiny under certain lights. They are thin enough that I was far from overheating while wearing them but a simple pair of seamless undergarments was not visible under them. They also passed the squat test. Dog hair stuck to them minimally and easily brushed off.
I would not workout in these as they don't feel like they would wick sweat well. Despite that, these were perfect with a cropped hoodie to run errands in. I highly recommend the Wild Fable Cropped Hoodie Sweatshirt. At $18.00 it is very soft and the perfect length so that it was just longer than the top of my shorts. I went up a size to a medium for comfort. While out and about I did not feel self conscious. They camouflage cellulite, hide seamless panty lines, and there was no issues of camel toe.
These were also comfortable for lounging and reading in. No side seems on the hips meant no digging in or scratchy feelings. These are fun and really quite inexpensive. They definitely surpassed my expectations. And an added bonus? When I was removing the tags I noticed that the fabric is made from 80% recycled polyester.
Check them out here.
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