Yoga pants are stretchy, usually form-fitting, active wear designed to help you move comfortably. Popular styles include boot-cut, wide-leg, straight-leg, capri and shorts with an elastic or drawstring waistband that's either low- or high-rise. The style you choose is purely a matter of preference. Look for pants that provide the most flexibility and ease of use. Some yoga pants are so versatile you can mix them with your regular wardrobe.
Color
Black is an all-time favorite, but choices include a rainbow of colors, funky prints, embroidered accents and stamped designs.
Material
Some popular fabrics for yoga pants include cotton, Lycra, hemp, soy, bamboo and various blends. These blends, many of them trademarked, help draw sweat away from your body to keep you cooler during practice. They also travel well in your workout bag.
Organic cotton, grown on farms that do not use chemicals, is an eco-friendly favorite, often mixed with a small amount of Lycra so the fabric has more "give" and retains its shape.
Cotton also blends comfortably with soy or hemp, both of which are soft, durable and good at wicking moisture.
Bamboo, an up-and-coming star in the world of yoga pants, is silky, lightweight, absorbent, hypoallergenic and antibacterial.
Added Touches
Slits from the knees to the bottom, either on the back of the pant or on the sides, serve as "air conditioners" for your legs. They also make it easier to check your knees for ideal alignment.
A diamond-shaped insert in the crotch area, called a gusset, helps prevent the pants from riding up as you move from pose to pose.
Some waistbands fold over to cover your seat, a style favored by those who wear yoga pants for more than just practice. Fold-over waistbands also let you decide whether you want your pants to sit high, low or somewhere in-between.
Size
Choose pants that fit snugly but not too tightly. You can always hem the pants if they're too long. Look for extra-length inseams if you have long legs.
Care
To wash your yoga pants, follow the label instructions, which will differ based on the fabrics. Generally, you can machine-wash the pants in cold or warm water, and either toss them in the dryer or hang to dry.
Price
Yoga pants vary in price from under $20 to more than $100 as of 2009.
Brands
Manufacturers of yoga pants include Adidas, Be Present, Hard Tail, Nike, Prana, Nuala, Jai-Dye, Athleta, Alo and lululemon athletica.
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