The Ultimate Leggings Guide (2021)
If you’ve been a fan of Paragon for a while, you know the names of all their leggings, old and new. Luxora. Everyday. Essential. Seamless. Wrap. Vanilla. Best Friend...and now they’re introducing NEW recycled styles. Say hello to the new Recycled High Rise Naked Legging and Recycled Supportive High Rise Legging.
The names are cute and all (I mean, who doesn’t like the sound of Best Friend Leggings?!), but how do you know which ones you’ll like? And what are the most important differences between them?
If you’re asking these questions, you’re in the right place. This ultimate leggings guide will take all of the guesswork out of which leggings will fit you and your lifestyle best. Keep reading to find out which style you’ll just have to snag on launch day.
Three Types of Leggings
Paragon ultimately has three categories of leggings: those without a front seam (classic design), those with a front seam, and seamless. They’ve designed different styles within these categories to give you as many different options as you can imagine. Some are better for yoga and others for heavy lifting days. Some you might want to wear while out on a jog with your pup or for a quick trip to the shops. This guide breaks it all down for you, so you know exactly which style is your next favorite.
Without a Front Seam
Recycled High Rise Naked Legging
These new leggings are made with the brand new exclusive-to-Paragon Reluna™ fabric. Oh, and they’re made from recycled plastic bottles...so you can feel good and DO good. No need to pay $98 for that next-to-nothing luxury soft feel (The Paragon team said they just can’t Align with that…) you can get that naked peach brush feel for just $44 with the added bonus of sustainability + ethical production.
The Paragon team has put a LOT of work into getting that true naked feel (specifically, 2 years of research + development and 7 iterations). Most leggings are made of many small pieces of fabric sewn together, but this legging is mostly 1 piece of fabric cut and sewn in just the right places (with no front seam). Minimal seams, maximum comfort.
The Recycled High Rise Naked Legging brings a new level of soft to the table - the non-compressive, lightweight stretchy fabric is perfect for lounging around, running errands, and your next yoga class. Buttery doesn’t even begin to explain the feel...try silky, peachy, or well….next to nothing.
The high rise waist has subtle contouring on the front and back giving you the support you want without sacrificing flexibility. And don’t worry - they’re still squat proof with no camel toe.
*Please note that the fabric characteristics required to achieve the naked feeling makes this fabric susceptible to pilling. Pilling is normal over the lifetime of the garment.
Naked runs true to size and will be available in XS-2XL.
Recycled Supportive High Rise Legging
These new leggings are made with the brand new exclusive-to-Paragon Surelux™ fabric. Like its sister Reluna™, these leggings are also made from recycled plastic bottles because Paragon is all about giving back to the planet where they can.
This style is all about cozy compression. Created from the perfect combo of spandex and repreve fibers, you'll get a supported feeling with the plush luxurious brush. We've heard people refer to these leggings as the perfect 'hugged' feeling - everything is 'locked in' and compressed, but not too tight - making it the perfect legging for in and out of the gym. As always, you can count on these leggings to be squat proof and anti camel toe.
Best Friend Legging
If you were fretting over the retirement of the Everyday Leggings, you can rejoice: the Best Friend Leggings take the Everydays to a whole new level. Like the Everydays, the Best Friend Leggings take camel toe out of the equation because they’re mostly made from one single piece of fabric. As Paragon’s fifth no-front-seam legging, this style minimizes the number of seams while maximizing comfortability.
Left: Best Friend Leggings vs. Everyday Leggings. Right: Best Friend Leggings.
Your Best Friend Leggings will be just that: your new best friend. They’re the perfect transitional leggings - they’ll go with you on a run and then immediately to the store for a bottle of wine (which you deserve, btw). Sleek, lightweight, and buttery soft, you’ll barely even notice you’ve got these on. A word of advice, though: these leggings hold up best with minimal friction, so save your glute band workouts for your On The Go and Seamless Leggings!
The Everyday Leggings were a beloved product by all, but as with many aspects of life, evolution just couldn’t be stopped. The Best Friend Leggings are the Everyday 2.0, with an upgraded fabric, a new hipline, an updated waistband and ankle seams, and longer inseams. Paragon heard everything you wanted for the Everydays and perfected them.
The fabric used to make the Best Friend is the same buttery soft comfortable fabric as the Vanilla, and will continue to mold to your body after you’ve worn it.
The Best Friend Leggings run true to size and will be available in sizes XS-2XL and in all new colors - black, sailor blue, spruce, tea, fig, and auburn.
(From left to right) Best Friend Leggings in black, sailor blue, spruce, tea, fig, and auburn.
On The Go Legging
Paragon has also designed other leggings without a front seam - with pockets (pockets!!). Their latest version is the On The Go Leggings, an updated version of the classic Luxora. The On The Go uses the same soft, durable fabric as the Wrap Legging so the fit is true to size. The On The Go Legging is available in size XS-XL in black, mauve, sage, and blackberry.
Best Friend Leggings vs. On The Go Leggings
With a Front Seam
Vanilla Legging
The new Vanilla Leggings are an upgraded form of the retired Essential Leggings. These babies are Paragon’s take on the quintessential legging silhouette, made with premium materials, intentional construction, and extra attention to fit. The Vanilla Leggings are similar to the Best Friend Leggings, but with a front seam that really gives you the ‘classic-leggings-look.’
Left: Vanilla Leggings vs Essential Leggings. Right: Vanilla Leggings.
The Vanilla Leggings are largely interchangeable with the Best Friends and so are perfect for daily wear. The Vanillas are meant to stick with you through yoga and the drive home (or, these days, the walk from your bedroom to the living room), followed by a chill night on the couch. You’ll find that they hug you in all the right places but still give you room to breathe - because nobody likes feeling constricted!
The Essential Leggings were a popular choice of many, so the Vanillas have quite a few customer-requested improvements. Not only is the fabric updated, but so is the fit - Paragon made multiple adjustments at the waistband and the hip, increased the inseam length, and included a more traditional gusset for better durability and longevity.
The Vanilla’s fabric is buttery soft and non-compressive, and will continue to mold to your body shape the more you wear them.
The Vanillas run true to size and will be available in XS-2XL and in black, smoke, fig, sailor blue, and spruce.
(From left to right) Vanilla Leggings in black, grey, fig, sailor blue, and spruce.
Wrap Legging
Other Paragon leggings with a front seam include the recently released Wrap Leggings. The Wrap Leggings feature a high, wrap-style waistband that gives you a contoured, distinctive look and are perhaps the softest fabric Paragon has ever introduced with a slightly heavier feel and comfortable compression..
The fabric on the Wrap is supportive and stretchy so you’d be best off sticking with your normal size.
The Wrap Legging is full length and is available in XS-XL in black, merlot, terracotta, iris, blue daisy, samoan sun, and blackberry.
Vanilla Leggings (left) vs. Wrap Leggings (right)
Seamless
Native Seamless Legging
Prefer no seams at all? Paragon’s got you covered (literally). The Native Seamless Leggings mold flawlessly to your body, slipping over your hips like they’re coming home. The Native Seamless feature a distinctive marled knit fabric that supports and uplifts you in all the right places.
You might wonder how the Native Seamless can keep you from appearing flat - after all, don’t seams give you contour where you want it? Paragon was extra sneaky with their design of these leggings and added shading and a fake seam on the booty. Both of these features prevent the dreaded “pancake booty” while still giving you that dreamy seamless silhouette. The lack of seams (including a front seam!) lend the Native Seamless Leggings extra comfort, but still maintain that structure you need for a second-skin fit.
The Seamless are your ideal sturdy legging - they’re more than suitable for heavy lifting days and longer, more intense workouts. They’ll hold you up through those last grinding reps, those final few seconds where you just aren’t sure you have it in you - but you do. You won’t find a superior, higher quality, more affordable seamless legging on the market.
The Native Seamless fabric is Paragon’s more supportive fabric, and fits true to size, so stick with the size you would usually wear..
The Native Seamless Leggings are currently available in XS-XL in thyme, sea blue, gray heather, and black heather and in XS-M in rhubarb.
Native Seamless leggings. Left: front. Right: back.
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BUT WHICH ONE IS THE BEST?
You really can’t go wrong with any style - each has their unique characteristics, but all are the highest quality and, somehow, still incredibly affordable. There’s no other way to put it: each launch Paragon introduces has better and better leggings. Refer back to this guide the next time you’re wondering which pair of leggings will best fit your needs. We’ve got your back.
- Eliza Thulson, Paragon Athlete
