I may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. As always, my opinions and sentiments are my own and I express them freely, regardless of sponsorship because I partner with brands I love.
Plus size workout and athleisure brands and gear have been in the spotlight a lot lately. Recently, I shared my thoughts about the announcement that lululemon was expanding their sizing to be more “inclusive” for plus size women: I think it’s about time and I’m glad that they’ve decided to do it, however, they are not being as inclusive as they’re letting on. More about that, and seven brands with plus size workout and athleisure gear (in addition to straight sizes) you’ll love!
lululemon’s size expansion
Lululemon decided that it wanted to enter the plus size workout and athleisure world, so it’s producing six styles up to a size 20. The brand claims that they will expand other styles and potentially sizes, yet provides no timeframe or plan of action for doing so. This hardly seems inclusive, especially when the fit for plus size is scalable once you create a plus size pattern. The company has had many opinions about fat folks in the past and although their original founder, who seems to be the one who sparked most of this, has moved on…it’s entirely possible his opinions and sentiments have not.
I have worn lululemon when I was on the bubble of straight and plus and truly liked their clothing, so I did dive in and ordered the Define jacket in a size down from my usual. It does fit as it should and it’s the kind of quality I remember. I’ll definitely wear it, but I don’t think I’ll be as forgiving or eager to jump in and order a plus size pair of Align leggings because I’ve found other inclusive brands that I like more*. 
jacket / leggings / shoes (selling VERY fast!)
*I’ve never tried the Align leggings, so I don’t know that I wouldn’t like them more, but I like my current leggings enough to not even want to try.
other inclusive brands
The great news is that there are many other brands out there who are doing a great job of producing size inclusive workout and athleisure wear right now! I haven’t had the opportunity to try all of these brands yet, but I am really hoping to do so in the future so I can confidently weigh in with experience.
You had some excellent suggestions to add to my own list of brands that I’m wearing and love in this inclusive athletic and athleisure wear space. Check out the brands and some of the things that have caught my eye while browsing their selection, plus my tried and true favorites.
Zella
Zella is a Nordstrom Made brand that I tried a few years ago for the first time. I was so impressed with the quality because it felt like the lululemon that I was used to wearing but was wayyyy more affordable!
I love:
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Live In High Waisted Leggings (sizes XXS-XXL and 1X-3X)
I have the classic thigh rub issue and that area tends to wear out on low quality pants but it has never even pilled in these leggings and I have worn my first pair regularly for three years, but have picked others up along the way! They retail for $59, but you can catch them on sale at Nordstrom fairly often. I purchase mine during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale whenever possible.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect when it came to these joggers. I love everything that I own from Zella (or its sister brand, Z by Zella), but these impressed me from the second that I received my first pair. I loved them so much that I immediately bought a second pair, as they’re my work from home uniform. They’re so soft, but they’re not a cotton-y material. They feel more like a soft parachute and run true to size, but are not tight on your legs.
Z by Zella
As I mentioned above, I also love the Z by Zella brand, which is sold at Nordstrom Rack. The clothing is still great quality for athletic and athleisure wear, but at a more budget-friendly price point than the regularly-priced Zella line.
I love:
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Shooting Star Cardigan/Jacket
It is a really comfortable sweatshirt-like material, but is a great, elevated asymmetrical look (with a snap under the collar) that’s perfect for running errands or even nursing mothers. There are some REALLY cute colors available in this cardigan/jacket right now and you can find it in straight sizes or plus sizes for under $30.
Girlfriend Collective
I heard of Girlfriend Collective when they were brand new to the workout/athleisure market, but at the time, they only carried straight sizes. I loved the quality of the pieces and am thrilled that I can wear them now as a plus size woman! The other thing I really love about the brand is that they are very invested in sustainability efforts – packaging is made from recycled materials, products are made from recycled materials (water bottles, actually!), and they have an incentive program to recycle your old Girlfriend Collective gear.
I just ordered:
It comes in sizes XXS through 6XL, which is truly incredible! This piece also comes in six beautiful colors, which makes it even more appealing. I’m really looking forward to trying a pair of their leggings, as I am thinking the quality will be on par with lululemon (but at least $30 bucks less expensive) and MORE size-inclusive and, you know, just more ethical all around.
You can get $10 off your first order of $95 or more with my referral code – I would love for you to get a discount and I also earn a pair of free leggings when you use my referral link to shop, which is cool, too.
What’s on my wish list at Girlfriend Collective:
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Pretty much every single bra, honestly.
Spanx
I love everything I’ve purchased from Spanx and have heard that their active line is just as great. There are more than 50 products in the active section on Spanx.com, ranging from XS to 3X, which is amazing.
What’s on my list:
Aerie
I’ve gotten quite a few messages from those of you who love the Aerie activewear, notably the Offline leggings. I’ve seen others talk about how often these leggings go on sale and they dip to incredibly affordable prices, so I’ll likely grab some when they have a sale.
Fabletics
In the past, I was a member of the Fabletics VIP program, because it really is a great deal (leggings 2 for $24 at an introductory offer). I think that the quality is pretty good – it’s not going to outlast a crazy high amount of regular use, but it will wash and wear well if you work out frequently for probably 8 months to a year and does pass the squat test.
I was part of the program for several months and acquired a number of great workout apparel items that I still wear today. I’m no longer a VIP because I ended up with more than enough activewear, but I would recommend it if you go through workout clothes pretty frequently.
