# The Loose-Fit Shift: Why Lululemon Is Betting Against Leggings, and the Wide-Leg and Flare Pants Worth Buying Now > Lululemon says shoppers want 'away-from-body' pants. What the loose-fit trend means for what you wear to class, and which wide-leg and flare pants to buy. - Source: https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants - Publisher: FlexWearLab (https://flexwearlab.com) - Published: 2026-09-07 · Updated: 2026-10-17 - Category: blog · Brand: Lululemon - Tags: wide leg yoga pants, flare leggings, athleisure trends, fall 2026, lululemon, yoga pants, studio to street ## Quick answer Lululemon told investors on September 3 that shoppers are moving from leggings to looser pants. If you want to try the shape, buy one flare you can still practise in: the Sunzel crossover flare for value or the CRZ YOGA Softretch flare for a more tailored look. Keep your leggings. ## Buying routes Channel labels describe destinations, not a guarantee of current stock. Use the source page for current shopping links. ### Start with these options - **Sunzel Flare Leggings, Crossover Yoga Pants with Tummy Control** — Amazon product listing; channel: amazon. [Model and fit details](https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants#product-B0BLNBTWP6). - Trade-off: Runs long in the 30-inch; most people under 5'6" want the 28 - **CRZ YOGA Softretch Flare Leggings 29"/31"/33"** — Amazon product listing; channel: amazon. [Model and fit details](https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants#product-B0GL1W7JZV). - Trade-off: Lighter fabric means lighter compression; not a sculpting pant - Evidence: Selected listing: CRZ YOGA Softretch Flare Leggings 29'' True Navy Small. Seller at the October 17, 2026 check: CRZ YOGA. Other sizes, colors and inseams may be separate variants; check your selection on Amazon. ## Key takeaways - On September 3 Lululemon told investors that customers are moving away from form-fitting leggings toward looser 'away-from-body' pants. - A flare with a fitted hip still works for yoga and mat Pilates; save true wide-leg pants for the walk to and from class. - The Sunzel crossover flare and CRZ YOGA Softretch flare give you the Lululemon Groove shape for far less. - Buy flares by inseam: 28 inches for flats and sneakers, 30 inches and up only with a heel or platform. - Leggings aren't finished; this is a good season to add one looser pair alongside them. ## Products reviewed 1. **Sunzel Flare Leggings, Crossover Yoga Pants with Tummy Control** (rated 4.6/5, details: https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants#product-B0BLNBTWP6) — The best-value flare on Amazon and the closest thing to the Lululemon Groove look for far less. - Shopping: Product page; check current size, seller and availability on Amazon - Pros: Crossover V-waist is the shape of the season and flatters most torsos; Buttery, opaque fabric that survives a forward fold; Four inseams (28 to 34 inches), so short and tall frames both get a clean hem - Cons: Runs long in the 30-inch; most people under 5'6" want the 28 2. **CRZ YOGA Softretch Flare Leggings 29"/31"/33"** (rated 4.5/5, details: https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants#product-B0GL1W7JZV) — The most polished budget flare, and the one to wear out of the studio. - Shopping: Product page; check current size, seller and availability on Amazon - Selected listing: Selected listing: CRZ YOGA Softretch Flare Leggings 29'' True Navy Small. Seller at the October 17, 2026 check: CRZ YOGA. Other sizes, colors and inseams may be separate variants; check your selection on Amazon. - Pros: No front seam, which is the detail that makes a flare look expensive; Softretch fabric is lighter than Butterluxe and swings well in the leg; Deep colour range in Lululemon-style neutrals - Cons: Lighter fabric means lighter compression; not a sculpting pant 3. **ODODOS Modal Soft Wide Leg Pants** (rated 4.4/5, details: https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants#product-B0F4QFBR4J) — The wide-leg pant for the 'away-from-body' brief: soft, fluid, and properly dressed. - Shopping: Product page; check current size, seller and availability on Amazon - Pros: Modal blend drapes like a trouser rather than a legging; Real pockets and a smooth high waistband; Reads as clothing at brunch, not gym kit - Cons: Modal holds sweat; a walk-in pant, not a class pant 4. **Heathyoga Wide Leg Yoga Pants with Pockets** (rated 4.4/5, details: https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants#product-B07RYRZX72) — A budget wide-leg you can wear to class, then to the store. - Shopping: Product page; check current size, seller and availability on Amazon - Pros: Stretch fabric with enough recovery to practise in; Three inseams and pockets that actually hold a phone; Cheapest way to test whether wide-leg suits you - Cons: Waistband is thinner than the premium pairs and can fold in a deep squat 5. **CRZ YOGA SoftAura Straight Leg Sweatpants** (rated 4.5/5, details: https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants#product-B0DFNPJ751) — The straight-leg option: the loose look for people who find flares too much. - Shopping: Product page; check current size, seller and availability on Amazon - Selected listing: Selected listing: CRZ YOGA SoftAura Straight Leg Sweatpants 30" Black Medium. Seller at the October 17, 2026 check: CRZ YOGA. Other sizes, colors and inseams may be separate variants; check your selection on Amazon. - Pros: Peach-fuzz brushed fabric and a straight leg that hits the loose trend without the swing; The right proportion under an oversized hoodie; Sizes and inseams for most bodies - Cons: A lounge and layer pant, not for movement Listing checks are point-in-time observations, not a guarantee of current stock or brand authorization. Follow the source page for current shopping links and check your size, color, seller and delivery location. Buy one flare with a fitted hip, and keep your leggings. That is our answer if you are wondering whether to swap some leggings for flares or wide-leg pants, and the picks below are the loose pairs that still work in class. The prompt is Lululemon. On September 3 it cut its full-year outlook for the second time this year, [reported comparable sales down 9 percent](https://corporate.lululemon.com/newsroom/press-releases/2026/09-03-2026-210528733), and saw its stock fall roughly a fifth in a day. Among its explanations was one that matters to anyone who wears studio clothes: it is shifting its product mix toward "away-from-body" pants because customers are moving away from form-fitting leggings. The brand that built the modern legging is saying the legging is no longer the whole story, and it matches what we have seen in studio lobbies this year: flares first, then wide-leg trousers in technical fabrics, then straight-leg sweatpants worn as real pants. Every pair below was in stock the week this was written. For the fitted end of the wardrobe, our [best workout leggings guide](https://flexwearlab.com/activewear/best-workout-leggings-2026) still stands. *Related: [Sunzel vs CRZ YOGA Flare Leggings: The Budget Flare Showdown](https://flexwearlab.com/activewear/sunzel-vs-crz-yoga-flare-leggings), [every CRZ YOGA flare compared](https://flexwearlab.com/activewear/crz-yoga-flare-leggings-guide), and [Lululemon Groove flare dupes on Amazon](https://flexwearlab.com/activewear/lululemon-groove-flare-dupes).* ## What "away-from-body" means In apparel language it means anything that doesn't cling: flares that skim the hip and open below the knee, wide-leg trousers, straight-leg sweatpants, relaxed joggers. Lululemon has been building this range for two years with Softstreme, the Groove flare and its trouser-cut pants; the September call confirmed the company thinks the balance has tipped. Our guess at why: after a decade of leggings, a looser shape looks new; the studio-to-street idea that Alo pushed works better with a pant that looks like a pant; and soft neutrals with drape fit the quiet-luxury look in a way compression doesn't. ## What still works in class Think about how you move before you buy. A flare with a fitted hip and thigh behaves like a legging in yoga, mat Pilates and barre: the hem swings, but nothing rides up in a forward fold. Wide-leg trousers are different. In reformer footwork or a deep lunge, fabric pools at the ankle and catches. Straight-leg sweatpants are for the walk in and the coffee after, not the mat. | Silhouette | Yoga / mat Pilates | Reformer / barre | Street | Best fabric | |---|---|---|---|---| | Flare (fitted hip, open hem) | Yes | Yes, mind the footbar | Yes | Brushed nylon, no front seam | | Wide-leg trouser | Slow classes only | No | Yes | Modal or drapey stretch | | Straight-leg sweatpant | No | No | Yes | Brushed fleece or peach-fuzz | | Legging | Yes | Yes | Yes | See our leggings guide | ## Five pairs worth buying ### 1. Sunzel Crossover Flare — Best Value Flare The crossover V-waist is the detail of the season, and Sunzel does it well: a wide, flat band at the natural waist, a fitted hip and a flare that opens from the knee. The fabric is buttery and opaque in a fold, and the four inseams (28, 30, 32 and 34 inches) solve the flare's one real problem, hem length. Choose 28 inches for flats. If you are trying the trend for the first time, start with the [Sunzel flare](https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants#product-B0BLNBTWP6): it goes from class to the street and gives you the Groove look for far less. ### 2. CRZ YOGA Softretch Flare — Most Polished It has no front seam, and that is what separates a flare that looks like leggings with a wide hem from one that looks like tailored pants. Softretch is lighter than CRZ's Butterluxe fabric, so the leg swings properly. Wear the [Softretch flare](https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants#product-B0GL1W7JZV) when the coffee after class is really a meeting; of the budget flares, it looks the most expensive. ### 3. ODODOS Modal Wide Leg — Best Wide-Leg Trouser This is the pant Lululemon was describing: a modal blend with real drape, a smooth high waist, pockets and a leg that moves like a trouser. It is not a class pant and doesn't pretend to be. With a fitted tank and sneakers it is the cleanest version of the loose look on Amazon, for the walk to the studio, travel days and offices that allow soft pants. ### 4. Heathyoga Wide Leg — Wide-Leg You Can Practise In Where the ODODOS is a trouser, the Heathyoga is a stretch pant cut wide. It has enough recovery for a slow flow or a mat class, the pockets hold a phone, and it is the cheapest way to find out whether wide-leg suits your body and your practice. Wear it for yin and slow yoga. Our [yoga pants vs leggings guide](https://flexwearlab.com/activewear/yoga-pants-vs-leggings) explains the fabric differences. ### 5. CRZ YOGA SoftAura Straight Leg — The Loose Option Without the Flare Not everyone wants a flare. The SoftAura is a straight-leg sweatpant in peach-fuzz brushed fabric, cut to sit under an oversized hoodie without the swing. Buy it if you like loose pants but find flares theatrical, and for rest days and colder months. For the top half, our [fall studio-to-street layering guide](https://flexwearlab.com/blog/fall-2026-studio-to-street-layering-quiet-luxury) has the pairings. ## Getting a flare to fit Start with the inseam, because a flare that puddles on the floor looks like a mistake. With sneakers or flats, 28 inches suits most people up to about 5'6", 30 inches suits 5'6" to 5'10", and 32 or 34 inches is for tall frames or heels. Size for the hip and waist as you would a legging. The shape works because the top half is fitted; the flare looks after itself. Choose no front seam if you can. It is the detail that most separates a budget flare that looks expensive from one that doesn't. Buy dark neutrals first. Black, espresso and navy hide the extra fabric and read as trousers; pale flares can be your second pair. ## If you want Lululemon's own The Groove flare and the Softstreme trouser are the pieces Lululemon means by "away-from-body". The Amazon pairs above are a low-risk way to find out whether the shape suits you, and our [Lululemon reset guide](https://flexwearlab.com/blog/lululemon-reset-guidance-cut-what-it-means-for-shoppers) covers what the company's changes mean for shoppers before you buy the original. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Are leggings going out of style? No. Lululemon's point is that the mix is shifting, not that leggings are finished. For class, a legging is still the most adaptable pant; what has changed is that a looser pant is now just as acceptable on the street. ### Can I wear flare leggings to Pilates? Yes for mat Pilates and barre. On a reformer, keep the flare modest; a very wide hem can catch on the footbar or straps. ### Which inseam should I buy? Match it to the shoe you wear most: 28 inches for flats or sneakers at most heights, 30 or 32 for heels or platforms. ### Do wide-leg yoga pants look good on petite frames? Yes, if the rise is high and the inseam is right. A high waist lengthens the leg; a hem that drags shortens it. Go for 28 inches and consider a straight leg rather than a full flare. ### Are Amazon flares as good as Lululemon's Groove? Close enough for a first pair. The Groove has the better fabric and waistband; the shape is very similar. Try the Sunzel or CRZ first, then decide whether the upgrade is worth it to you. Our [Groove dupes guide](https://flexwearlab.com/activewear/lululemon-groove-flare-dupes) lines the Amazon flares up against the Groove's fabric and inseams. ## One looser pair, not a new wardrobe Buy one looser pair this season, and make it a flare if you want to practise in it: the [Sunzel crossover flare](https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants#product-B0BLNBTWP6) for value or the [CRZ YOGA Softretch flare](https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants#product-B0GL1W7JZV) for a more tailored look. Add the [ODODOS wide-leg](https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants#product-B0F4QFBR4J) if your week has more coffee than reformer in it, and keep your leggings. *Prices and availability change; check Amazon for current details. As an Amazon Associate, FlexWearLab earns from qualifying purchases.* --- Cite as: FlexWearLab, "The Loose-Fit Shift: Why Lululemon Is Betting Against Leggings, and the Wide-Leg and Flare Pants Worth Buying Now", https://flexwearlab.com/blog/loose-fit-shift-best-wide-leg-flare-yoga-pants. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.