Trends come and go, but bike shorts and leggings are forever. It can seem wild to remember how the internet once argued—like, a lot—over whether leggings were pants or not because, hello, is there really any doubt at this point? And now it’s 2021 and their cropped cousin, the bike short, has fully been accepted as shorts (and high-fashion ones at that).
With a rebound summer and revenge travel on the horizon, we need a wardrobe that feels good and looks better, and there’s nothing cut out for the task quite as well as stretchy, soft, curve-hugging leggings and bike shorts. Add to that another widely accepted fact—that shopping for anything on Amazon is the easiest way to go—and it felt like the right time to do a deep dive on the various Amazon brands that make some super worth-it options.
If you’ve ever browsed for leggings on Amazon, you probably came across at least one glowing review for its Core 10 “Nearly Naked” style. Made of ultra-light wicking fabric they promise to be “squat-proof,” and the review section is packed with entries comparing them to a high-end workout-wear company that your butt and thighs are probably intimately familiar with (like Amazon user Mikey who commented, “OMG. These are amazing. I like them so much better than some of my leggings that cost $100-plus.”)
While The Drop program that you know and love is all about super-limited, super-edited drops co-designed with influencers, Staples by The Drop is a shopping experience that’s less panic-inducing (as in, you have more than 30 hours to buy or forever hold your peace). It’s a collection of trending styles meant to complement things you already own, and browsing can feel like someone downloaded your mental shopping list and then…made everything. With bike shorts being a current, well, staple for the gram-set, it’s not a shocker that there’s one here.
Sometimes you just want to find something cute and check out without even thinking about it, amiright? We’re only human after all. You can’t do any better at scratching that itch than this stretchy, slightly shiny pair from Amazon’s Essentials line, an entire brand-within-a-brand that’s all about designing basics at affordable prices.
Its performance legging earns all sorts of stars for comfort, and some reviews even use the F-word: favorite. “These leggings are probably the most comfortable and best fitting leggings I’ve ever worn,” per Amazon user L. “They’re my new favorite.” Wow, right?
Straight from Amazon’s just-launched collab with Reebok, these bike shorts are the bike shorts you want to time travel back to the ‘90s for: They’re shiny with the Reebok name proudly displayed on the back and an overall “cool kid in aerobics class” energy.
If you want to wear your bike shorts anywhere and everywhere—like for exercising but also dressed-up and o-u-t—these have your name all over them. The cred from the Core 10 and Reebok brands means they’ll work for getting sweaty, but they’re just plain cute, too.
Remember how we referenced the whole “are leggings pants?” debate and agreed that it’s done-and-dusted settled? A caveat, please. Yes, leggings are pants, but not all leggings are pants-like enough to potentially work for a job or an interview or a meal with your grandmother.
The trick to living a universal-legging life, though, is to find a pair without too many accents (cutouts and mesh can really blow up your spot) and, preferably, some design details that are more like actual trousers than gym clothing. This pair from Amazon’s Daily Rituals label is a prime example, with seams on the front and back pockets.