Ask Belle: Best Leggings Ever
Jul 10, 2014
Hi Belle,
I searched but I couldn’t find the post where you talk about your favorite leggings. Â What was the brand again? Â
Thanks! AM
The brand is Zella, it’s a Nordstrom house brand. Â The leggings that I love are called the Live-In Legging. Â They’re $52, but they’re worth it. Â I got my first pair over a year ago, they’ve been worn hundreds of times and they still look new. Â The fabric is unbelievably heavy, but feels soft and smooth. Â The leggings also come in plus-size.
I love all of the Zella active wear. Â But their UV Jersey and Z5 Tees are great for the gym or just lounging around the house. Â I check the Nordy’s sale section religiously to see if any of their pieces are discounted.
Anyone,
Do these leggings also come in the length that hits just below your calf? I don’t know what the technical term for that length is. If they don’t, could anyone provide me with the name of that length and another brand they suggest?
Thanks!
Like this pair?
https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/zella-streamline-cross-dye-capris/3493296?origin=coordinating-3493296-0-5-PP_3-Rich_Relevance_Recs_R3-ClickEV
I’ve seen them called “capris” or “cropped” or “crops” and that can mean anything below the knee to just above the ankle.
Athleta sells calf-lenght leggings (they are called knickers on the website).
Are the Zella leggings machine washable/*actually* machine washable or do you recommend hand washing to preserve them?
I machine wash mine about once a week (I mostly wear them around the house) and they’ve held up well. I usually wash on cold and hang to dry.
I wash mine constantly. I dry them on low though to preserve the color. My oldest pair has some color loss, but it’s less than I would expect for how much they get worn. Far less.
I also swear by these leggings! They’re *actually* machine washable and last forever. They come in capri and full length, and the Nordstrom Anniversary sale starts this week so they’ll be on sale!
They’re on sale at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, if you are a cardmember with early access. $33.90. The cropped (below knee) ones are $22.something I believe.
FYI – if you have a Nordstrom card, the anniversary sale starts today (next week for everyone else) and I believe the Live-In leggings are $32. Happy shopping!
Thanks for the tip, going to nab these in blue!
I’m pretty sure my grandmother never wore leggings, but I think of her every time I walk past the display because her name was “Zella” too 🙂
Does anyone have suggestions for leggings that come in shorter inseams or petites? Capri lengths are usually too short. I tried on a pair of Zellas, but they’re super long on me and I can’t stomach paying $50 and then getting them tailored.
A lot of Athleta and Gap (in the GapFit line) leggings come in petite sizes.
Thanks! Do you have any from either store? How’s the quality?
I have a pair from Gap and they’re good (especially if you can wait for one of their constant 30% off sales). Not as thick as the Zella leggings, but definitely opaque (a must!) and comfortable.
Just bought some Zella online this morning with Nordstrom Anniversary Sale early access. I feel like I hit the sale jackpot.
I grabbed two pair as well. I’ll see how the navy is in person, the color looked a little space-dye for me in the photo.
[…] I finally got these after hearing Belle rave about them! […]
Just throwing this out there: I am a legging fan (specifically ankle length) and like them lightweight but opaque and for sure matte. The $10 H&M basics are really my very favorites. Comfortable, don’t get saggy, machine washable. Not a spokesperson (ha! I wish!) just a devoted evangelist of those leggings…