"When I first added a workout dress to my wardrobe (specifically the Outdoor Voices Excercise Dress, of course), I was completely unaware of the frenzy it was about to ignite in me. Purchasing one inevitably led me to purchase another, and then another, and sooner rather than later, I found that I never wanted to wear anything else ever again. I’m not exaggerating when I say that workout dresses are the most comfortable and flattering pieces of clothing you could put on your body.
Call me biased, but I think that the exercise dress is arguably one of the best trends that has emerged in the past couple of years. I think it’s safe to say that this dress has finally exited the “trend-cycle-territory” and has solidified its status as an athleisure staple in many of our wardrobes far and wide. If you haven’t picked one up yet, let this article be your sign to finally buy one.
Can you work out in an exercise dress?
Exercise dresses are short dresses, typically with a tank top torso, that’s made of a stretchy activewear material that comes fully equipped with a bodysuit lining under the dress. While these dresses are advertised to be “activewear” dresses, I don’t think many intense workouts are being done in them. They’re a great swap for leggings, and you don’t have to worry about any wardrobe malfunctions since they already come with built-in shorts or lining. The exercise dress is moisture-wicking, easy to move in, flattering on all bodies, and comfortable to wear for long periods. I like to wear mine when I want to feel put together while working from home, and I love that I can easily run out of the house after work in the same outfit to meet up with a friend or run around town. They’re an excellent basic to rely on when you don’t know what to wear or you’re being active in a more casual way. From your hot-girl walks to spending all day out running errands to traveling, the workout dress is absolutely essential to keep in your wardrobe.
How to Style a Workout Dress
I can’t dive into the best workout dresses without first giving you some tips on how to style them. Sure, you can stockpile your wardrobe with different stylish workout dresses, but you’ll get the best use out of them once you understand all the different ways you can wear them—and believe us, there’s a lot. Despite their name, workout dresses don’t have to just be worn for working out in. Depending on how you style them, you can wear them no matter what season it is, and dress them up for more polished wear, or down for a low-key casual look. Keep reading for all the Pinterest-worthy outfits I’d pair my exercise dress with.
1. With a Button-Up and Sneakers
No wardrobe is complete without a breezy, boxy, white button-up shirt. If you want to add some dimension to this simple workout dress, throw on your favorite button-up and most comfortable pair of sneakers. This is the ideal outfit for running errands, grabbing coffee with a friend, or even doing some shopping around the city. Plus, if you start getting warm, you can wrap the shirt around your shoulders in an oh-so-chic way.
2. With a Sweater
Alexa, please cue cardigan by Taylor Swift. If you’re the type of person who basically lives in your favorite cozy cardigan, you have to pair it with an workout dress. This is a great outfit base that can be worn in different ways depending on what type of cardigan and what shoes you wear. Keep it casual with sneakers and a slouchy cardigan, or dress it up with a button-up cardigan and Mary Janes or mesh ballet flats.
3. Under a Blazer With Chunky Boots
When in doubt, add your favorite blazer over your exercise dress. A blazer is easy to style, can be worn with or without extra layers, and effortlessly gives you that cool city-girl vibe. Keep the rest of the outfit simple and sandwich your accessories with chunky platform leather boots and black leather accessories.
4. Styled for Fall
Not to be dramatic, but I’m counting down the days until I can pull my trench coat out of my closet and wear it practically everywhere. When fall comes around, a trench coat is the perfect wardrobe staple to turn to as a finishing touch for your outfit. When worn with a workout dress, you’re absolutely ready to tackle those transitional weather days. Lean more into the fall vibes and pair this look with a draped sweater over your shoulders, a trusty baseball cap, a tote bag, and comfy sneakers.
5. With a Cute Hat and Converse
If you’re going to be doing a lot of walking or sightseeing, let your exercise dress come along for the journey. Wear it with a cute dad hat (I’m partial to this Ralph Lauren option), your trendiest pair of sunnies, and swap out your sporty sneakers for some classic Converse. It’s the perfect ensemble to throw on when you have a big day ahead of you, and you’re guaranteed to be comfortable and cute no matter how many steps you get in. Plus, you don’t have to worry about any wardrobe malfunctions with this one-and-done piece of clothing.
6. With Shoes That Aren’t Sneakers
Remember that Wrong Shoe Theory everyone was talking about a while back? Personally, I haven’t forgotten about it. Instead of opting for your usual sneakers to wear with your workout dress, try a shoe you might not think to pair it with. Whether that’s a pair of loafers, cowboy boots, or Mary Janes, following the Wrong Shoe Theory transforms this look from ready to hit the pickleball court to ready for bottomless brunch with the gals.
7. With Cool-Girl Accessories
A perk to wearing a workout dress is that there’s absolutely not an accessory out there that doesn’t go with it. From your BRAT-coded sunnies to your cutie crew socks and vintage-inspired white sneakers, the world is your oyster when it comes to accessorizing a workout dress. I have a theory that you can pile on the accessories with a workout dress, and it’ll hit the mark every single time. Too much? No such thing here.
8. Worn Like a Skirt
One of my favorite ways to bring new life to clothes I already have is by wearing them in different ways. For example, I’ll layer a T-shirt or sweater over my exercise dress, making it look like I’m wearing a skirt and a top rather than a top over my dress. I particularly like to do this with exercise dresses that have pleated skirts, since it gives that trendy tennis skirt look with something I already have in my wardrobe. As fall approaches, adding dimensional layers to your exercise dress is a great way to get use out of this comfortable garment year-round.
The Best Workout Dresses Available Now
From affordable workout dresses with expansive size ranges and styles with unique detailing, I’ve found the best of the best workout dresses. Trust me when I say these workout dresses are comfortable enough to work from home in, get your 10,000 steps in, and everything else that could come in between.
Outdoor Voices has taken the activewear world by storm since its emergence. Their exercise dresses are easily one of their most recognizable pieces, and you probably know someone who has one of these dresses (or two) in their wardrobe. (Guilty!)
- Lightweight, stretchy, and thin, fabric
- Breathable and comfortable
- Scoop neckline
- Built-in inner lining’s shorts come equipped with a sticky grip
9 colors available
available in sizes XXS – XXXL
Abercrombie’s activewear line, YPB, is highly underrated. Not to call it early, but this Abercrombie dress might be their next viral product.
- SculptLUX fabric is soft, sculpting, and thick
- Trendy boatneck look
- Built-in inner lining is compressive, but isn’t too tight
7 colors available
available in sizes XXS – XXL
Vitality’s Cloud II fabric is as buttery soft and suuuuper stretchy. You also won’t have to worry about being unsupported in this dress with its built-in shelf bra.
- Flattering square neckline
- Medium compression
- Built-in inner lining
6 colors available
available in sizes 2XS – 4XL
The internet just about lost it when Taylor Swift was seen wearing Popflex’s viral Pirouette Skort, so it was a no-brainer to mention that their Tie-Breaker Exercise Dress is just as iconic. Read more about our love for Popflex products here.
- Lightweight fabric that gathers in at the waist to snatch it
- Flattering slit and seamed lines
- Adjustable straps
- Built-in shorts
10 colors available
available in sizes XXS – 3X
Lululemon’s Align Dress fits tight to contour to the shape of your body. Designed for casual wear, this dress offers light support, so we wouldn’t recommend attending your HIIT class in this number. However, it is sweat-wicking, so that hot yoga class or hot-girl walk in the 100+ degree weather? Go for it.
- Made of their iconic Align fabric
- Built-in bra
- Built-in inner lining
10 colors available
available in sizes 0 – 20
Amazon proves time after time that their affordable athletic wear is comparable to some major brand names, and this exercise dress (and its 6,000+ reviews) is proof of that. It has a slight A-line, so it flares out at the waist for an all-around flattering look.
- Moisture-wicking fabric
- Removable bra
- Adjustable racerback straps
- Built-in inner lining
10 colors available
available in sizes XS – XXL
Hit the pickleball court in style with this exercise dress from Old Navy. The half-zip torso and pleated body has us immediately demanding a Challengers rewatch. This dress doesn’t have an inner lining, but you can easily wear it over a sports bra and biker shorts.
- Made of their editor-loved PowerSoft fabric
- Soft feel while lightly compressing your body
3 colors available
available in sizes XS – 4X
Another Old Navy hit, their PowerSoft Square-Neck Athletic Dress can be easily worn with an oversized T-shirt over this so all your weekend errands will be easy and breezy while wearing this outfit.
- Built-in bra with removable cups
- Hem of the dress is vented on the sides
- Built-in inner lining
7 colors available
available in sizes XS – 4X
Target’s JoyLab line has a phenomenal selection of quality—and cute!— activewear that’s easy to snag during your Target run. This exercise dress ultra flattering due to its corseted detail and cute side slit.
- Adjustable straps
- Built-in shorts with pockets
3 colors available
available in sizes XS – XXL
This exercise dress from Alo is simply stunning. It comes with contrasted piping that is easily distinguishable as Alo’s signature look and is ideal to wear on a day out (or while working out!).
- Made from their Airbrush fabric
- Smoothing but not too compressive
- Cute, comfortable, and flattering
- Built-in inner lining
available in sizes XXS – L
Girlfriend Collective always hits it out of the park with their stunning and sustainable activewear pieces available in an expansive size range. This casual dress has crisscross straps across the back, giving it a cute and distinctive look.
- Offers medium support
- Outer lining of the dress is made of their FLOAT material, which is soft, stretchy, and flouncy
- Built-in inner lining is made from their signature compressive material for a smoothing and supportive feel
4 colors available
available in sizes XXS – 6XL
Bella Gil, Associate Commerce Editor
Because shopping is quite literally her full-time job, Bella is dedicated to making sure you spend your hard-earned money on products you’ll fall in love with. She spends her days testing, researching, and writing about a wide range of topics, from beauty products to rug cleaners and everything in between.