Reader Uniform: Trying Out Alo Yoga

Goddess and Moto leggings

Last week I posted an update on what I wear when I'm reading, biker shorts all day every day. Youhere. They are perfect for the hotter months, especially the now very muggy days of monsoon season in Arizona. I mentioned in that review that when the temperatures drop I am in leggings and an oversized sweatshirt the rest of the year.
can check out three of my favorite pairs that I've tested

Typically my leggings are of the cheaper variety that I find at TJMaxx. My most expensive pair might have been $20.00 and they consist of brands like Yogalicious, 90 Degree, and some Adidas or Reebok. Nothing particularly fancy. The pants just have to meet the requirement that they are soft enough for curling up with a good book but also can actually hold up to an hour long yoga session.

Last November I decided to try a more expensive brand of leggings: Alo Yoga. These super cute leggings are often advertised on Instagram and are seen on many well known models. Their most easily recognizable styles are their trendy moto leggings and the unique goddess legging. Their app is also very appealing with an "Inspo" tab that shows various Instagram posts styling the pants both from the company and sponsored reviewers. You can check out their website here.

I had seen them around prior to November. I thought they were at least cute as advertised, though I feared they might look better on the tall, leggy models than they would on my shorter frame. What kept me at a distance also was the average $100.00 price tag. But soon I started seeing more and more ads. Then last Thanksgiving weekend the pants went on a major sale. I finally caved.

Two weeks into December, after my package wasn't shipped for over a week and was lost at least twice, I got a slightly beat up envelope in the mail with three pairs of brand new yoga pants. Check out below what I thought of the airbrush legging, the moto legging, and the goddess legging and how they've held up to about 8 months of wear.

The Airbrush Legging
Size ordered: Small
Color: Black
Rise: Mid

These leggings are probably their most foundational legging with the airbrush fabric being a part of many of their pants. I was expecting a fairly average fabric, possibly a little cottony based off of the lack of reflection in the images online. What I got was a very thick pair of leggings that I will weigh the pros and cons of below.

The fit of these was a bit off for me. In most clothes I am a size small with no issues. When I first

The airbrush fabric attracts dog hair-as you can see here.

tried to put these on I worried they were way too small as they dragged rather than slid on, but it was really just stretching out the thicker fabric that made it feel that way. Once they were actually on I noticed that the waist was a little loose and if I do a lot of intense activity they do need to be yanked up. If you are a taller individual the length will be perfect, however I am petite and the legs were several inches too long. This extra length was not uncomfortable nor did it hinder my yoga practice in any way but if you are looking for a cleaner look it would probably be a better idea to look for a shorter fit or plan on getting these hemmed. Some people like pulling their leggings over their heals during yoga practice. I was definitely able to do this and it was actually pretty comfortable.

The thicker fabric does feel cottony when on and is quite soft. I would describe the softness more as a cotton t-shirt than as a buttery soft fabric like I really enjoy from Athleta's Powervita fabric. It is very thick though. This is perfect for when it is colder, but can feel suffocating in the summer. I also notice during sweatier workouts or the few times I've been wearing them when it rains that they took longer to dry. Since the finish is not silky smooth these leggings attract dog hair exceptionally well.

I have had these for roughly eight months now and have worn them at least once every couple of weeks since, more frequently when it was colder out. I have not been particularly careful in their care. I wash them on a cold gentle cycle and then throw them in the dryer. I have noticed no fading in color, no shrinking, no reduction in elasticity, and they still feel the same as when I first got them overall. All leggings will eventually pill as they get older. Some are worse than others. These have pilled somewhat but not allover. The only place that I have noticed is on the upper inner thigh, where my legs rub together when I walk. It is not visible when I am wearing them but I can feel it starting to happen.

As far as how these look on, I was actually surprised at how flattering they were. There is zero digging in around my waist/hip area despite these being a lower waisted pant and they hug perfectly along my legs and flatter the rear quite well. The fabric does indeed do what their site says: "sculpts, lifts & smooths". If you are on the petite end of the spectrum, I would probably not recommend the full length leggings as at 5'3" I have a couple of inches bunched up around my ankles.

When it comes to the squat test I would not say that these are squat proof. If you wear seamless underwear that is close to your skin tone you could probably get away with saying that these, in black at least, are fairly squat proof and safe to wear out and about. However, if you are wearing a color lighter or darker than your skin tone I have definitely noticed that you can tell. Panty lines are not overly obvious but are still visible.

If I get another pair of these in the future I would definitely opt for either the capri length or their 7/8 length to better fit my petite stature. I would also probably give the higher waisted option a try to see if that helps solve my issue of them slipping down my hips. While I do not have an Alo Yoga store locally I would like to in the future try on the next size down to see if they fit better, though I am worried that would make them too sheer.

Overall, if I had paid the normal $82.00 price for these pants I probably would have been disappointed with the fit not being as perfect as possible and the few issues I did have with them. However, since I got these for $23.00 I would say they were pretty great for that. They are comfy for sure and I feel confident and cute in them. If they go on sale again I would definitely consider ordering a second pair.

The Moto Legging
Size Ordered: Small
Color: Navy
Rise: Mid

I was excited to get these more for fashion reasons to wear out and about than for anything else. They are very comfortable and fit well whether I am out running errands in a t-shirt and denim jacket, doing yoga for an hour, or curled up in my reading chair. They stretch well and for the most part will stay put. Sometimes, especially on my leaner days, I notice that the waistband will slowly make its way lower and lower on my hips.

These are the same airbrush fabric as the first pair of leggings, so they have all the same properties in
that regards. They are soft, but very thick and not totally squat proof. Some of the moto detailing is more of a silky fabric and looks a bit like satin. While wearing the pants you can feel the moto detailing on your leg. It took a little while to get used to and eventually I was able to ignore it. Luckily, it did not impact my yoga sessions too much. But don't be surprised when at the end of the day you have weird lines on your thighs and shins from the design.

Unfortunately, these have to be styled very carefully in order for me to feel comfortable with how they look when I am going out. As I said above they are very cute with a white t-shirt and my denim jacket. But, if I am not careful with the shirt I pick these can easily make my legs look shorter and thicker. This possibly could be fixed by ordering a 7/8 length in the future to better fit my leg length.

These normally retail for $114.00 but I scored them for $33.00. I probably would not have purchased them if I was trying them on in a store and they were their full price, but as with the pair above I don't mind as much at the reduced price. I am happy that I got them at such a steep discount. They're cute and fairly comfy. I would easily recommend them if someone was looking for this specific look. Honestly, I probably won't buy a second pair as these were my least favorite of the three styles I tried.

The Goddess Legging
Size Ordered: Small
Color: Black lower, Navy upper
Rise: Mid

These were the unexpected all-stars of my Alo order. They did have the same fabric as the airbrush leggings but it somehow felt softer and I noticed that the waistband did not slide as much as it did on the airbrush or moto leggings. When squatting they were still semi-sheer.

When I first tried these on I was pretty aware of the line where the leggings transitioned into the leg warmer part of the pants, and it does leave a line on your leg after extended wearing. Luckily though
I quickly stopped noticing it. I happily did a 90 minute yoga session in these pants without them giving me any trouble and even went on to lounge about the house in them for hours afterwards. I often pair these with an oversized sweatshirt during colder months and find them to be perfect lounging pants.

The leg warmer portion coming over my foot is very comfortable for lounging about at home or doing yoga in, whether at home or in a studio, but I am not entirely sure how well that would transition to street wear. I personally do not wear these for running errands or leaving the house. There would be a substantial amount of fabric around the ankles and calves if they had to be pushed up for shoes.

The normal price for the goddess legging is $102.00 but I got mine for $47.00. I would definitely consider getting these in other colors in the future if they are on sale again.

Final Thoughts

Alo Yoga is good quality overall. The leggings, which were all airbrush fabric, have all held up with less than careful care and proved to be comfortable. I still wear all three pairs of pants regularly and could see them lasting for at least a couple of years without any issues.

The company's advertising is also done very well with all of the clothes being functional enough for the mat but also cute enough you wouldn't feel out of place wearing them to do errands or go out to eat. I have often been tempted to try out their cool girl vibe tops and sports bras as well as the more technical airlift fabric from their other pants. I have also been using their platform for workouts, Alo Moves, that I will be doing another review on in the future. No only do I love the workouts but it appears that all of the instructors are clad in Alo gear.