9 best yoga pants and leggings that are stretchy and supportive

These leggings hug the body, feeling strokably soft on the legs, bum and tummy. They don’t budge at all when you change positions and the waistband offers a gentle level of support without ever digging in.

Made with Lululemon’s signature nulu fabric, they feel as light as a cloud. This gives you the freedom to move as if you were naked while benefiting from opaque fabric that preserves your dignity when you’re upside down and your bottom is in the air. In fact, they feel so comfortable you might want to live in them all day long. In which case, you’re in excellent company joining a long list of royals and celebrities to have been photographed in them.

There are 20 different colours to choose from so you’ll have no problem finding the perfect pair to complement the rest of your workout wardrobe.

Lorna Jane is an Australian yoga brand founded by a woman and designed with women in mind. You can tell that work has gone into making them flattering for the female body and we loved how these made our bottom look more lifted thanks to the V shaped booty seam. The high rise waistband also made us feel confident enough to just wear a sports bra on the top half without fear of a muffin top or back fat hanging out of the sides.

Made from the aptly named “nothing 2 see here” fabric, the leggings are satisfyingly squat and downward dog proof. As the fabric features a four way stretch, they suit all types of yoga flow from yin to vinyasa and are sweat-wicking enough to wear to brunch after the class.

If you want to get on the mat, breathe and relax, you can’t beat a pair of wide leg pants to allow you to let loose and go with the flow. The Tu wide leg leggings are so flattering that you can get away with wearing them to work or other smart functions without it looking like you’re dressing down, which makes the £16 price tag for this Tu pair incredible value for money.

They feature all the detail found on more expensive leggings such as a thick soft waistband, breathability and a quick drying fabric. And they even feature recycled yarns so you’re helping the planet at the same time as protecting your bank balance.

If you love a matching set for yoga, head to M&S; where you can get a gorgeous pair of leggings and matching crop top for under £45. The leggings feature an eye-catching abstract print, which feels more fun to wear than traditional block colour leggings, while the wrap waistband means these sit beautifully next to the tummy without digging in and they feel silky soft on the legs too. Made from blackout material, these are slightly thicker than some of the other leggings we tried but this did allow us to move with confidence that we weren’t showing off more than we wanted.

Pronounced “Ah-l-oh”, Alo stands for air, land, and ocean which reflects the Californian’s brand’s deep-rooted respect for nature. Every detail is engineered to promote environmental sustainability and its flagship store in Beverly Hills runs entirely on solar power. So, while its high rise yoga leggings on the higher end of the price range, you’re paying for style as well as sustainability. With split leg seams and a flared leg hem, these feel fashionable and cute – you could even wear them on a night out and nobody would bat an eyelid.

The slogan for Castore is “better never stops”, and these leggings will ensure that you never have to stop mid-flow to hitch up your leggings. The fabric is thicker and more supportive than other leggings we tried and these felt lovely around the waist, gently pulling us in and helping us stand taller. The combination of the black colour and the sculpting, compressive fabric means they are very flattering and the angel wing logo on the back is a cute touch. The seams are flat, which means you don’t feel them at all. We just wish these were available in more colours.

Featuring an ultra high waist, these make you feel like you lose a few inches around the waist as soon as you slip them on. The supportive fabric sucked us in and stayed in place in warrior pose, crow pose and half moon pose so we somehow felt lighter and leaner throughout the practice. This fabric is also stretchier than some of the other leggings we tried with more elastane, so it is brilliantly flexible.

Sneaking in a cheeky yoga session during work hours? You can stay connected in this pair as these were the only leggings we tried that had a pocket big enough for a phone.

H&M; have some top quality items in its sports range this season and these affordable  leggings feel just as butter soft as pairs that cost three to four times as much. They have just the right amount of compression too – not so much that you feel weighed down but just enough to boost your confidence when you walk into the studio at the start of class. The colours are warm and flattering to most skin tones and come with matching sports bra options to make you look the part, even if you’re just at the beginning of your yoga journey.

Comfy, stylish and supportive, these were the cheapest leggings we tried and we couldn’t fault the quality for the price. They’re lightweight and slim fitting so you can move fast and free, however, they do run slightly large so we recommend sizing down if you’re in between sizes. We loved the aubergine purple colour of these leggings though, which felt rich and deep with a cute leaf print running down the length of the leg.