The three terms get used interchangeably, but they describe different garments — and knowing which you actually want saves a mis-buy.
Leggings
Footless, opaque, stretch-knit trousers worn as outerwear. Thickness varies from lightweight summer knits to fleece-lined winter pairs. The defining trait: opaque enough to wear alone.
Yoga pants
Technically a broader family that includes flare and bootcut cuts as well as tight ones. In practice, “yoga pants” today usually means a performance legging with a high waist and construction details for mat work — smooth front seams that do not press in a forward fold, and dense knits that stay opaque in deep stretches. Browse our yoga range to see the difference in construction.
Tights
The sheerer, footed (or stirrup) garment worn under things rather than as trousers — think hosiery weights, measured in grams or denier. Our thermal tights sit in between: tight-weight construction with legging-level warmth.
Which to buy
- Wearing them alone to train or run errands → leggings
- Yoga, pilates, deep stretching → yoga pants with a smooth front seam
- Under dresses and trousers for warmth → tights
Whichever you choose, the sizing rule is the same: international sizing runs about one size smaller than US — our size guide covers how to measure.