leggings and yoga pants

Difference between leggings and yoga pants


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So many people are of the opinion that leggings and yoga pants are one and the same. The reality is that they are not. They are both flexible wears and perfect for certain outdoor activities and they are similar to each other in other aspects, however that does not make them the same. How then do they differ?
Before we proceed to differentiate them, we have to know exactly what each one means.



They are tight-fitting lower wear that are designed to cover the whole leg. They are made from several materials such as nylon, Lycra, cotton, polyester or a combination of any of these two. Leggings were originally invented as a wear for dancers and acrobats.
These days however, they are worn for mostly exercise and other sports-like activities. They have also evolved as they are now worn on the street. Their versatility has made them perfect to be worn with other wears such as sweatshirts, shirts, polo’s, blouses, skirts, tunics, short dresses, ballet shoes, sandals, sneakers, boots, sweaters, slip-on, shorts, heels and shirts.
They cover the legs down to the ankle. However, several designs have surfaced over the past couple of years where the leggings cover the leg but does not reach the ankle.

Yoga pants:

They are opaque, light in weight, has a soft texture, thick and very flexible. This wear was designed initially for Yoga enthusiasts. They are made from a wide range of materials ranging from cotton, spandex, polyester, nylon, wool, Lycra, and other synthetic materials.
They are however used for other physical activities such as aerobics, martial arts, dancing, Pilates and several other sports that require athletes to stretch. It has also become a popular for pregnant women as it gives them the desired freedom they need.
Yoga pants were initially designed with black color, with a well-bottom. The previous design was done to ensure that Yoga enthusiasts provide comfort and flexibility while practicing yoga. They are available in different colors and variations these days such as including bootcut, tight-fitting, Capri, Kundalini, etc. Read this review to know more about Yoga Pants.

Differences between leggings and yoga pants:

  • Leggings are elastic tight-fitting pants while yoga pants are flexible, flared pants, allowing those practicing yoga to move excellently during the exercise.
  • They were made for different audiences. Leggings are designed for dancers and acrobats while yoga pants are designed for yoga enthusiasts.
  • Leggings are designed to cover your entire legs down to the ankle. Yoga pants on the hand are well-bottom in design.
  • Yoga pants are thick and soft while leggings are not as thick as leggings.
  • In terms of variations produced recently, yoga pants are now available in new cuts like bootcut, tight-fitting, Capri and kundalini. Leggings on the other hand is till produced the same way, the only difference is the shorter lengths currently available.
They have only a few differences with most of their feature being similar. In terms of function, they are used interchangeably. This is the reason why most people confuse the two and assume they are the same.

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