"Since my high school days, one of the things I’ve been most consistent about in life—besides my love for the Real Housewives and white-knuckled grip on my Kindle filled with thriller books—is exercise. I know, I know, it’s annoying to say, but it’s true: I really do enjoy working out. But in addition to making me an annoying person to go on vacation with, I’m also a really great judge of workout clothes.
As someone who’s a serial ClassPass user, training for a half marathon, and member at Orange Theory, my workout clothes need to pass a lot of tests. Once my workout clothes are on my body, I expect that they don’t slip, slide, roll, bunch, or move in the slightest until I physically pry them off post-exercise. In a perfect world, everything I wear to work out in not only meets those standards, but also make me feel more confident while I’m exercising. For that reason, I’ve been a long-time lover of lululemon. Despite my attempts to not fall in love with their clothes, they’re popular for a reason, and the pieces I own from them have truly lasted me years with no wear or tear. But unfortunately, given I work out five-ish times a week and do my laundry about every 10 days, the math doesn’t make having clean lululemon clothes for every workout possible.
Because of that, I’ve dedicated myself to finding workout clothes that are high-quality but affordable, and over the years, I’ve learned that Amazon’s pieces check both of those boxes… if you know where to look. These seven Amazon activewear finds are my tried-and-true, most-beloved pieces to exercise in—and they’re so affordable, I have each in several colors.
Align Leggings Lookalikes
CRZ Yoga Butterluxe High-Waisted Leggings
If there’s a lululemon item that truly deserves the hype, it’s the Align leggings. They’re unimaginably soft, stay in place, and are virtually indestructible. (I’ve washed and dried mine probably around 100 times in my building’s old laundry room and they haven’t stretched or pilled.) In a perfect world, I’d have a pile of Aligns waiting to be worn every day—but these are the next best thing.
If you’re familiar with Aligns, you know how soft their material is, and that the feeling is extremely hard to duplicate. But if you gave me a blind test and held these out next to my Align leggings, I wouldn’t be able to tell which was which. Generally, super-soft materials are synonymous with slipping and sliding, but not these; when I have the choice of any of my leggings post laundry-day, these are always the first ones I reach for. Once they’re on my legs, they don’t move, and they’re so lightweight that I find them wearable even in the summer months. Whether you prefer running, walking, HIIT, pilates, weight lifting, or yoga, you’ll forget you have these leggings on (in the best way possible).
Sizing: True to size
HeyNuts Essential 7/8 Leggings
I would repeat all the same sentiments for these leggings as the ones above, with one major difference: These are slightly more compressive. I really like compressive leggings for tougher workout classes, and these ones give that flattering, sculpted effect without being so compressive that they require 10 minutes to get them on your body. They’re also made of a sweat-wicking material that doesn’t feel wet or uncomfortable by the end of your workout. If you’re looking for leggings to take you through the toughest of workouts, these are the ones I’d recommend.
Sizing: True to size
Scuba Hoodie Lookalike
LASLULU Fleece-Lined Hoodie
Full disclosure: I own two Scuba hoodies, and I love them to death. I ordered this purely to see if it compared at all to my beloveds, and much to my surprise, it did. It has the same boxy, cropped fit and half-zip design as the Scuba, and actually is made out of a similar fleece material, too. I’d say the main difference is that the Amazon one is slightly more rigid, which might subside over time and after a couple of washes. It’s also a slightly thinner material, which to me, isn’t positive nor negative. If you’ve been thinking about investing in a Scuba hoodie but want to see if you like it enough to spend your coin on one, this is a great option to take for a test run first.
Sizing: Sized up one size for a looser fit
Align Tank Lookalikes
The Gym People Longline Padded Sports Bra
In my humble opinion, tanks are one of the hardest things to find when it comes to activewear. I like my tanks to be form-fitting, but also don’t love for my chest to be too ~out there~, especially for workouts that involve running and jumping. But this, dear reader, is a miracle worker.
I’d describe myself as medium-chested, and look for medium- and high-support bras for working out. The last thing I want is to feel like I’m bouncing around—or worse, bouncing around and bouncing out of my top. This is described as a long-line sports bra, which really encapsulates the purpose it serves for me. When I wear this top, I wear it alone without the need for a bra underneath, and it keeps me fully supported—even for long runs. (In fact, this is probably my most reached for top for running.) But despite its really solid support, it looks and feels like a buttery soft tank. TL;DR: It’s a one-and-done workout tank that doesn’t require you wear a sports bra underneath. It also comes in so many gorgeous colors that it’s honestly hard to choose one, which is probably why I own four of them.
Pro tip: I take the pads straight out of these tanks. Not only does it make the top more comfortable, but I find that the tank has so much built-in support that the pads just aren’t really necessary.
Sizing: Sized up one size for chest support
CRZ Yoga Butterluxe Double-Lined Tank
While I live and breathe for the aforementioned tank, this one also serves an important purpose for me. Since the above one is a V-neck, it does show slightly more skin, which sometimes—especially when I’m rolling out of bed on a chilly morning to go to a workout class—I don’t want. This scoop-neck tank does require a sports bra be worn underneath, but the higher neck means that your chest is completely concealed (but not in a restricting way). The buttery material is sweat-wicking and super flattering, and I love wearing it for workouts where I know there will be a lot of mirrors present. What can I say: When you’re wearing this, you look good.
Sizing: True to size
Align Shorts Lookalike
Aurefin 2-in-1 Flowy Running Shorts
Even during the hottest months of the year, I’m not someone who gravitates toward wearing running shorts for runs. I find that I end up pulling the hem down and thinking about them during the bulk of my runs, which is the opposite of what I want. (Ideally, I’d like to forget I’m wearing anything at all). These, however, are the exception.
The magic of these shorts lies in the double-lined design. The top layer is an airy liner, and the bottom is a fitted spandex, which means that they stay in place, even during fast runs. I feared that while I was moving, the liner would fly around and bunch up, but the design of them ensures they stay relatively in place and move with you in a breezy, non-constricting way. I like my workout clothes to be bright and colorful (it makes them a lot more fun to put on!) and I love that these come in over a dozen colors.
Sizing: True to size. I sized up one size for a looser fit, and definitely didn’t need to.
Training Energy Bra Lookalike
Running Girl Criss-Cross Sports Bra
As someone with a medium chest and love for running, I learned a long time ago that medium-support sports bras are my best friend. I used to think a high-support one was necessary for my workouts, but found that they were just too constrictive and uncomfortable for me to ever really reach for. Medium-support bras are enough to make sure I don’t feel too bouncy, but also are comfortable enough that I feel that I can actually breathe. All that said, this one is absolutely ideal. It passed both jumping and running tests with flying colors, and its design isn’t difficult to get on or off. (Needing to use all your strength to peel it off after a workout? Not necessary.) I’m confident enough in this bra’s design that I’d say even if your chest is on the bigger side, it would keep you secure regardless of what workout you’re doing.
Sizing: True to size
