🥕 Soul Snacks

10 min read

Dear Snackers,

It’s a known fact that the official wardrobe item of motherhood is leggings. It starts when you’re pregnant, actually. One day your regular pants stop fitting, and from that day forward, putting on any pants other than leggings is choosing violence. When the baby comes along you almost have no choice but to wear leggings - anything less than a performance fabric is impractical. A full day with kids is a marathon, and would I run a marathon in jeans? Fuck no, I wouldn’t. 

Since I spend a large portion of each day wearing leggings and filming videos of myself dancing around my kitchen to post on social media (just now realized what a great resume line that would be…maybe will do a joke resume as an upcoming Soul Snacks piece), many people inquire about the leggings I wear. Here is a review of some of the leggings I’ve worn lately:

1. Booty by Brabants – full disclosure, I was gifted a few items from this brand because they are fellow Massholes (that is an affectionate term for people from Massachusetts), so while I didn’t buy these leggings, I have been wearing them recently. The leggings they sent me are their one-size leggings (they also carry sized leggings) so these are not high compression, which makes for a very comfortable fit and, shockingly, they do not droop in the crotch – I found this to be remarkable. There’s nothing I enjoy less than continually jacking up a pair of leggings, separating my lady bits into the dreaded camel toe. This particular pair of their leggings are also textured - nice touch. The part about these leggings that I like the most, however, and I am pretty certain this is a feature on all of their leggings, is that the seam on the back of the leggings that goes across your ass dips down ever so slightly creating an incredibly subtle yet bootylicious illusion. Have to admit, it’s seggsy and I love it. Extra points for the very high waist, too. 

2. Lululemon – I don’t think it is legal to do a leggings review without including Lululemon, and I don’t want to get arrested, so here it goes….I have owned exactly two pairs of leggings from Lululemon in my life, and both were gifts (not Instagram related, like actual Christmas/bday presents). Being sort of opposed to trends in general, I have essentially resisted buying anything “Lulu” because of the madness over this brand (and it’s price tag). The idea of someone asking me where I got my leggings, and replying “Lulu”, the way people who shop there a lot say it, makes me want to gag a little. I digress. I ended up loving this pair of their leggings because they were the first pair of leggings I ever owned with pockets. At first I was like, of COURSE these assholes had to do something weird like put pockets on leggings, I don’t need pockets while I am working out, this is STUPID….and then I had kids and I was like, wait, I am wearing leggings all day, so I do actually need these pockets for my phone and my car keys and my kids used tissues and shit. Lulu converted me to a pocket leggings lover, so alas, they make the list. The fabric is also like fucking butter, and I don’t like to admit it. 

3. Alo – these leggings are elite. They are chic, and the fabrics are strong and slimming and their Airbrush leggings are like Botox for legs – I put those fuckers on, and my legs were immediately 10 years younger, I swear to God. Their “full length” legging is the first legging I ever had that went all the way down to my ankles. I am tall (5’10”), so most leggings on me are like putting a standard sized pillow case on a king sized pillow– she ain’t gonna cover it. Alas, Alo has broken my damn heart because they do not make their full length Airbrush leggings with pockets, and pockets are now a deal breaker for me. Alo, if anything changes in pockets department, call me. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t need pockets on your leggings, these are worth the price tag. 

4. Amazon’s Gym People – Amazon, you are a cheap, quick and dirty little whore, and I can’t quit you. A couple of winters ago, I was in the market for a thicker legging WITH pockets, obviously, and as a virtue signal to Lululemon to prove that I am not just one of their little sheep, I went to everyone’s favorite small, local business owner, Jeff Bezos, for help. The leggings, to the tune of $25 a pop, were pretty great. The color choices, compression and thickness were on point, but my poor ankles were, yet again, left out in the cold. This is when I started wearing longer socks….problem solved. Truth be told if I had paid a high-end price for these leggings I would have burned them at the stake and cursed their name, but since I could get four pairs for what would have been the price of one from “you-know-who”, I was pleased as a pickle with myself. I think we all know who came out on top of this moral stand-off. 

5. Old Navy – at last, my love has come along. Old Navy has done it AGAIN. First of all, if you’ve ever bought something full-price from Old Navy, you have mental issues. Second of all, for a sale price of around $30, maybe less, I found a legging that covers my entire leg and is sold WITH POCKETS!!! Old Navy’s full length power soft legging, has made all my wildest dreams come true. These are not a thick legging, but their lightweight fabric is right up there with the high-end brands, and is perfectly lovely weight for most seasons. If you are under 5’8”tall, the 7/8 length is probably perfect for you, but if you’re a tall drink of water like me, you’re going to really appreciate the full-length version of these babies. The price, quality and pockets have made these Old Navy leggings, hands down, my number one pick. 

That’s all I got for you.

— Caitlin

• MAKE: Here in the Northeast of the continental US the weather is shaping the fuck up!! Here is a list of easy summer recipes if you’re feeling the summer coming in hot like I am.

• LISTEN: This week I give you my OG playlist. Enjoy!