I tested Lululemon’s two most popular flare leggings — here are my thoughts
As a Lululemon devotee and personal trainer who basically lives in the brand’s garments, I like to think of myself as a scholar on its entire roster of athleisure and workout clothing ranging from tanks to tops to straight and flare leggings. But with two main contenders — the Align Mini-Flare Pants and Groove Nulu Flare Pants, which each boast worthy features, I wanted to determine which bottoms come out on top. After dozens of Google searches, endless TikTok scrolling and tons of trips deep into Lululemon Reddit, I still didn’t have my answer. The only solution? To test them each for a month to find out which pair is worth the spend.
Quick comparison
How the Align Mini-Flare Pants and Groove Nulu Pants compare in silhouette
Lululemon Align Mini-Flare Leggings (left) and Lululemon Groove Nulu Flare Pants (right)
Molly Flores/CNN Underscored
Lululemon Align Mini-Flare Leggings |
Lululemon Groove Nulu Flare Pants |
|
|---|---|---|
| # of colors |
6 |
5 |
| # of lengths |
4 |
1 |
| Pocket placement |
Back drop-in pocket |
Back drop-in pocket and version with side pocket |
| Fabric |
Nulu fabric |
Nulu fabric |
Let’s start off by saying flare leggings are a godsend for shorter folks like me who need a little help elongating the appearance of their lower half. By starting off form-fitting at the thigh all the way down to the knee, the flare draws the eye vertically, creating the appearance of a longer frame — or at least that’s what I believed to be true when I look at myself in these two Lulu flares.
Whereas the Groove flares hit just below the knee for that classic look, the Align flares start mid-calf, which create a bootcut appearance. I saw countless TikTok accounts mocking this silhouette as if it resembled a horse hoof, and I just couldn’t unsee it when I first tried it on myself. The mid-calf flare doesn’t bother me visually, but it is a bit off-putting from a sensory perspective. I’m used to my pants either flaring out directly under the knee or not at all. The mini flare, which is cute if you style them correctly (think: a ballet flat or even a crisp white sneaker), cinches at an unusual spot on your leg so you constantly feel and notice it there.
Both flares bill themselves as super high-rise, which is a must if you can’t bring yourself to revisit the low-rise trend of the early aughts. The waistband is thick with just enough compression to help you feel tucked in while also feeling cozy enough for all-day wear.
How they compare in features
Lululemon Groove Nulu Flare Pants
Molly Flores/ CNN Underscored
Pockets
As a new mom who always needs her hands free, I can’t emphasize the importance of easy-to-reach pockets. While the Aligns do contain a back pocket sized for your phone and a couple cards, it’s just not practical to reach all the way behind you to access your belongings, nor is it comfortable to stash them all the way back there. The Groove flares similarly come with that oddly placed back pocket.
When it comes to side pockets, not all Groove flares have them, but if you do opt for that model, you’re in for an incredible treat. They’re a bit of a deviation from your standard drop-in pocket in that they sit on an angle like what you’d see in a pair of jeans or on a flannel shirt. This gives them an elevated look and feel that’ll allow you to do away with your belt bag or coin purse for the day.
Hems and lining
Lululemon Groove Nulu Flare Pants
Molly Flores/CNN Underscored
I’m a true sucker for the Align hem that dips down at the back. It’s a subtle way of creating a fuller behind without feeling inappropriate or grotesque. Folks around the internet call the Groove hem at the back more flattering, but to me, it simply replicates a very technical biker short, which offers an overly athletic look I’m not as fond of. Making up for that aggressive hem at the rear of the Groove pant is the delicate and slightly dressy front lining that mimics a trouser pleat. It’s elongating, slightly sophisticated and provides enough visual interest to separate them from plain old flares.
I selected the Aligns in the extra short variety with an inseam of 28 inches designed for frames under 5 foot 2. This fit perfectly, but no such luck with the Grooves. They only come in an inseam of 32.5 inches, which is far too long since it’s designed for folks between 5 foot 5 and 5 foot 8, so I had to get them hemmed. Note that all Lululemon stores provide complimentary hemming for a guaranteed perfect fit.
Colors
Lululemon has mastered the art of offering a balance of exciting and pared down colors. In both flares, you won’t find any of the former, and that’s perfectly fine because it means you’ll get more wear out of them. In a clothing staple — nay, a capsule wardrobe essential! — like an Align or Groove flare, you want your options to stay in the realm of black, brown, gray and navy. This way, you get to experiment with a range of different tops and accessories without overwhelming your outfit. At the time of this writing, both are available in green, black, navy, brown and gray, depending on which size you get. The Align also has limited availability in the blue.
How they compare in material
Lululemon Align Mini-Flare Leggings
Molly Flores/CNN Underscored
Both options come in the same buttery, stretchy and sweat-wicking Lycra- and nylon-based Nulu material, but within two sartorial contexts, they feel and function a little differently. If you’re looking to lounge or treat yourself to a low-impact activity like a stroll or a stretch, you simply cannot beat the Align flares that feel weightless against your skin. The Grooves are equally designed for a semi-active lifestyle, but due to their additional features, you’ll find yourself wearing them more frequently.
I wore the Grooves while moving to a new home, which had me lifting boxes heavier than I am while climbing several flights of stairs. Not once did I feel overheated or overstuffed, and their thick elastic waistband provided some much-needed assistance in maintaining proper posture. The Aligns truly shone on lazy weekends on the couch and slow strolls around the block. I particularly found them ideal for playing on the floor with my infant daughter since they’re incredibly stretchy for range of motion, don’t ride down at the waistband while sitting cross-legged and are perfect for scenarios that don’t require the use of my phone in my pocket to track steps or be reachable to anyone. While I won’t make a habit of this, they served as perfect pajamas when I couldn’t be bothered to change out of them. Why fix something if it isn’t broken? Specifically, why change out of the most perfect Lululemon flares when your old ratty pajamas feel like a downgrade?
As a trainer, I don’t recommend wearing either of these flares for any workout involving machinery or equipment since they can obstruct your view of your ankle thereby limiting proprioception. They could also get caught on gear or introduce too much unnecessary fabric that might impede the way you use, say, a resistance band or ankle weight. I found the Aligns to work better in a slow-flow yoga session due to their subtler flare and tighter fit around the calf. If I had to choose, I’d still stick with a tried-and-true pair of leggings that won’t ride up in a distracting way at the calf while flowing in and out of poses. If I had to get a workout in and I happened to be wearing either of these flares, I’d stick to an upper body-focused circuit instead.
Both options are machine-washable on a cold cycle with like colors and suitable for the dryer on a low tumble setting. Ironing is not recommended, however the addition of Lycra in its material limits or eliminates wrinkling, so that shouldn’t be too much of a concern. Since it’s only been around a month since I’ve owned both flares, I can’t speak to how well they hold up after years of use, however I do own a pair of Lululemon Align leggings from 2018 made of that same Nulu fabric that have accumulated so much pilling at the inner thigh, they are no longer comfortable for everyday wear.
Related articleLululemon just dropped a new crossbody version of its bestselling Everywhere bag
How they compare in sizing
Both the Aligns and the Grooves come in sizes 0 to 20, which is standard for Lululemon. However, where the Aligns reign supreme is in inseam selection. Along with extra short (my forever perfect sizing that more brands need to start implementing), you can choose between short, regular and tall. The Grooves are only offered in the regular inseam of 32.5 inches for both the standard and pocketed version.
I usually wear size 4 or 6 in Lululemon bottoms, but a testament to the Grooves’ popularity is how they were sold out in nearly every size for months. I settled for size 4 and believe this was truly the right call: in an athleisure pant, you want to maximize your compression to optimize performance and recovery. While I would have loved to compare apples to apples regarding sizing, according to most folks I speak to about Lululemon (it really does occupy most of my brain space), you can play around with sizing and not notice too much of a difference. That means if you deviate from your usual size due to inventory limitations, you’ll still find both comfort and convenience in these flares.
How they compare in price
Both flares ring in at $118 a pop, which is what you’d expect to pay for bottoms of this caliber at Lululemon. Many of its leggings come in at just under or north of $100, so with the elevated look of a flare, you’re getting a bit more mileage out of both pairs. The Groove pants with pockets cost a bit more at $128 each, so you’re essentially paying $10 for generous and deep side pockets that make every day just a little bit easier.
Bottom line
Lululemon Align Mini-Flare Leggings (top) and Lululemon Groove Nulu Flare Pants (bottom) —
Molly Flores/CNN Underscored
Between their hems that flatter in different ways to their perfect fit and their unbeatable breathable material, the Align Mini-Flare Pants and Groove Nulu Flare Pants were really neck and neck in testing. Though the Grooves provide limitless convenience thanks to the pocketed version I opted for, I would have still opted for a pocket-free version over the Aligns based on their roomier flare alone. The abundance of inseam lengths is indeed a lovely benefit of going the Align route, but given that Lululemon offers in-store hemming, that just didn’t give it enough of an edge over the Grooves.
If filling out the look of your backside is a priority for you, grab a pair of Aligns for their often-imitated-never-duplicated rear hem. If dressing any outfit up or down (and even moving boxes up and down several flights of stairs) is a priority for your lifestyle, consider moving and grooving in a pair of Grooves.
