I Reviewed Adanola’s Leggings—This One Thing Surprised Me

Much has been discussed about what makes the ultimate leggings to work out in. Irrespective of intensity and type of training, your chosen ensemble must be suitable for moving in, keep you free from sweat and won’t ride down when squatting, lunging or running. Less important, though a significant factor to consider nonetheless, they have to be non see-through, chic enough to make you look polished when grabbing a coffee after class and comfortable enough to wear them for hours on end when lounging around the house. A crucial list of prerequisites, yes. But it’s not one that’s unattainable. Especially when there are styles like Adanola leggings around.

The British-based athelisure brand was founded in 2015 by brothers Hyrum and Josh Cook. In under a decade, the Manchester natives established themselves as pioneers in a considerably oversaturated activewear market, especially here in the UK. Stripping things back to basics, the label’s streamlined shapes, neutral colours and unfussy designs—read: no zips, excess straps or drawstrings to contend with—earned them a following that led them to earn upwards of eight figures a year.

Data aside, it’s their aesthetic approach to fitness that warrants them a mainstay in cool girl wardrobes, with everyone from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley to Kaia Gerber spotted sporting the brand’s Ultimate Leggings. Kendall Jenner, too, is an ambassador for Adanola, though these A-lister endorsements do just as much to sell the brand as their enviable social media presence and organic pick up by stylish women. (It’s true, just one scroll through their social media feed and I’ve already added several pieces from their new collection to my cart.)

It’s a brand you’d see worn by the women who attend Pilates classes in Chelsea’s King’s Road and grab matcha at Marylebone’s Abeulo café. This reputation precedes them, but does that make Adanola’s leggings worth the hype? As a studious fashion writer who always remains in the know, this is a question I’m plagued with when it comes to dishing out recommendations for stylish gym clothes. And as an Australian, I do feel that this is my speciality, considering we’re home to so many incredible brands, such as Nagnata and Pinky & Kamal, that are innovators in this category.

To caveat, however, I’m not an athlete by any means. I’ve never had an interest in racing in marathons, I don’t participate in garish CrossFit classes, and you’ll never catch me recording myself dripping with moisture while trying the Tracy Anderson Method. To me, the marker of whether Adanola leggings warrant the hype is whether or not they’ll show my underwear when I have my legs in straps during a Reformer class, maintain their shape after washing, won’t gather around my ankles or leave me with a heat rash after exercising.

So, to honestly review Adanola leggings, that’s exactly what I did. Clocking upwards of 50,000 steps in them, I tried and tested the brand’s most in-demand styles to see what the fuss is really about. Was I sold? Scroll on to find out…