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Every woman needs a few good pairs of leggings in their lives. They’re the most versatile clothing option for running errands, lounging about, or doing chores. And sculpted curves? Yes, please. Like most women, I have curves. And while I am proud of my body, sometimes I want to wear something that accentuates my curves in a more flattering way. This is where Leonisa’s Extra High Waisted Firm Compression Legging comes to the rescue.
Leonisa has a wonderful reputation for understanding women’s bodies and providing women with comfortable shapewear with an eco-minded production process. So, needless to say, I was excited to try the “Body Contouring Experts” take on a high-waisted, compression legging that can be worn day-to-day or for my workouts.
Ordering with Leonisa
When it comes to finding the perfect fit, sometimes I get a bit of online-ordering anxiety. Luckily, Leonisa has an easy-to-follow sizing chart. I followed their instructions—measured my hips and around my butt. I ended up ordering a size large.
First Impressions
My Leonisa high-waisted legging arrived in a plastic bag. As I opened the bag, I immediately felt the fabric. It is soft yet durable. It doesn’t feel like cotton nor does it feel like typical spandex. I was a bit surprised to find the interior mesh of the waist-shaping region. The top also had a well-enforced seam with a bead of rubber along the waist to keep the waistline from slipping down.
You may also be surprised to find the ruching in the rump seam.
I love, love, love the beautiful olive tone of the legging. I wanted something that would be neutral enough to match most tops yet different from my army of black leggings.
The Fit
Getting into my Extra High Waisted Firm Compression Legging the first time was interesting. First, the shaping waist region is (naturally) narrower than the hips. This means you have to wiggle your way in. And not knowing how strong the material was, I was hesitant to force myself into them. I anticipated hearing that dreaded sound of popping seams.
Ultimately, I had a job to do, so I held my breath and muscled them up and on. Luckily the seams held and the fabric did not develop runs.
The leggings truly are high-waisted. They extend to just below the bra line.
The ruching along the bum seam is interesting. It tucks the seam into your bottom to give your butt a rounder appearance. I had to pull the leggings up from the above-butt-seam to get the alignment correct. Before that, you could see some of the butt ruching, which looks like those ripples you can get if you overly stretch spandex.
Wearing My Leonisa Extra High Waisted Firm Compression Legging
I tested my high-waisted compression leggings for athletic wear as well as general leisurewear. The results between the two uses varied quite a bit.
Active Use
I run four to five nights per week. And as the temperatures drop, I thought these leggings would be the perfect cold-weather running wear. They turned out to be great in some respects and fine in others.
First, the leggings keep you very warm. It was about 45-degree Fahrenheit. The Leonisa website suggests their legging fabric, Durafit®, is highly breathable. So, I expected the material to be a little cooler. However, if you’re running in cold weather, these keep your stomach and legs nice and toasty. The PowerSlim fabric in the waist area is somewhat like wearing a vest while running in terms of insulating your tummy.
I found myself running with a more upright posture in my Leonisa leggings. Also, the waist area holds your stomach snug, too. I could see how this could be a wonderful option for postpartum workouts.
Additionally, I appreciate that the waist stays in place (no rolling, no scrunching) and the ankle seams do not creep up.
Flexibility
I stretch before every run and do yoga weekly. So, I decided to put the Extra High Waisted Legging to the test when it comes to downward dogs and goddess poses. The fabric moved well with my body. Again, make sure you have the crotch all the way pulled up.
Sweat Visibility
The green version of these leggings does show sweat. Unfortunately, the most obvious places where sweat was highly visible after my run were the crotch area and belly button.
Everyday Wear
These leggings look great for running errands. The seams are flat and do not show. And, yes, they make your butt look fabulous. The leggings stay put and the crotch doesn’t migrate southward as you walk, which is great.
Underwear
You have to go commando or wear a high thong with a lace hip band in order to not have bad panty lines in these leggings.
Hiding Cellulite
While I love the olive tone of these green leggings, I feel like the color emphasized my cellulite rather than camouflaging it. I believe the patterned versions or black version of these leggings would mask cellulite a bit better.
Durability and Washing
I’ve sent my Leonisa leggings through the wash several times, and they have held up well. I did get an odd stain on the hip that I can’t seem to get out, but they continue to look great otherwise.
I have not seen one stitch out of place. Nor have I found any pilling or pulls, and I do not expect to.
Final Thoughts
So, did Leonisa’s Extra High Waisted Firm Compression Legging sculpt my curves? Absolutely. I would definitely throw these on with a big t-shirt and go to the library or chase after my dogs at the dog park. I would also wear them as leggings with boots and a sweater to go to a concert during cooler weather.
These seem like the perfect option for keeping a slight belly or postpartum belly tucked in tight. And I would definitely explore Leonisa’s postpartum and maternity wear.
Would I wear them running or to hot yoga regularly? Probably not. Although, I bet the black fabric hides sweat much, much better.
