The Lululemon Align Leggings Now Come in Exercise Dress Form, and It’s So Perfect, We’ll Be Wearing It All Summer Long
PSA: You can keep your exercise dress on while you go to the bathroom this summer. Yes, really. Lululemon's new Align Dress ($148), which features the same, velvety soft fabric as its coveted leggings, comes with the smartest, simplest shorts liner that'll have you ditching the strip when nature calls. Imagine that?!
Available sizes: 0-20
Colors: 4 (select colors/sizes sold out)
Pros:
- Buttery soft
- Functional
- Comfortable
- Bathroom-friendly
Cons:
- Expensive
- Not supportive enough for high-impact activities
Pro-potty shorts aside, it's also ridiculously cute and even more ridiculously comfortable. Between its next-to-nothing material, its sculpting, lightweight support, and its cute colorways, it's pretty much *the* perfect exercise dress. In fact, it's left me and my fellow Well+Good staffers nothing short of amazed by how dang pleasant it is to wear, move, and go to the bathroom in. Albeit a bit expensive, it's the one-and-done piece of clothing you won't want to (or have to) take off this summer. Find our full reviews, below.
- 01About the dress
- 02Editor reviews
- 03final thoughts
About the dress
The first notable detail is the fabric, which is the same material used in the brand's famous, celebrity-approved Align leggings and yoga pants. It's puppy ear-soft and virtually weightless, made to feel like nothing's there, so you can move with complete comfort. Aside from its supreme softness, the material is also stretchy, sweat-wicking, and supportive, designed with a smidge of sculpting that hugs the curves of your body without adding restriction or compression. It's great for low-impact movements, like yoga and walking, and feels comfortable enough to wear outside of the gym, too.
Each Align Dress is cut in a short A-frame that skims the middle of the thigh as to not get in your way on Hot Girl Walks or during Sun Salutations. The front sports a slight V-neck with a built-in shelf bra and removable cups. The tank straps come together in the back in a simple scoop, no complicated straps or ties to haggle with. And, of course, there's the built-in shorts liner underneath the skirt that make it exercise-friendly. Each 4-inch liner is the same color as the dress and features drop-in pockets on the sides for storing personal items, as well as an open back that makes going to the bathroom easy peasy. While most other exercise dresses need to be stripped off when using the restroom, the open back can just be pulled down, saving you the time and decency when you gotta go.
The Lululemon Align Dress: Our honest thoughts
Frankie, Associate Commerce Editor
Size tested: 6
Finally an exercise dress you don't have to strip off to pee in! It's about damn time. I've been somewhat of an exercise dress devotee ever since Outdoor Voices was the only brand making 'em back in 2018-2019 (I still love their dresses), but have never liked peeling them off to go to the bathroom in. Not only is it uncomfortable (I've had to do it in pretty precarious situations, like on hikes and on fishing boats with male fishing partners) but it stretches the back out, so the straps inevitably rip or lose their elasticity.
The open back on the Lululemon Align version is genius. It's a little awkward to crouch in, but way better than stripping off altogether. And the fabric? Like butter, baby. It's a little too soft and forgiving to do HIIT or other intense activities in, but for lounging, running errands, and low-key workouts, it rules.
Kara, Beauty Writer
Size tested: 8
Kara Jillian Brown, our beauty writer, also praises the dress for its pee-friendly design. "For that reason alone, this one from Lulu is my new favorite," she says. "The semi-detached shorts also make it easy to tuck the skirt away, which is something I like to do when I bike in an exercise dress so it's clear I have shorts on and no one thinks I'm flashing them as I pedal by. I wore it on a 40-minute bike ride and fell in love. It provides great compression and support without feeling too tight or restrictive. Plus, the shorts don't roll up as easily as those on many other exercise dresses. I also love that the skirt is a bit snug around the hips, creating a really nice shape. The V-neck creates nice cleavage and the build-in bra offers great support for my D-cups. Overall, I'm head-over-heels in love with the Lululemon exercise dress and it has earned a top spot in my summer rotation. I vary between a size 8 and 10 and chose an 8 which was snug, but comfortable."
Rachel, Fitness Writer
Size tested: 12
"Lululemon has solved the worst part about exercise dresses, which is that you have to take the whole darn thing off to go to the bathroom," echos Kraus. "Yes, the dress's fabric is a flawless blend of stylish and functional, the light 'V' of the neckline is interesting but not too revealing, and the white color way is simultaneously creamy and bright, something that I didn’t know was possible. But my favorite part of this dress is the fact that in the back, the shorts are separate from the top lining. Which means—you guessed it—the getting naked in the bathroom situation is a non-issue with this dress."
Gina, Editorial Commerce Director
Size tested: 8
"From May until September-ish, I live in exercise dresses. They're like my summer version of leggings, and I honestly don't know how I survived without them for so long," says Vaynshteyn. "The Align dress is the latest in my collection, and holy moly—I will be purchasing several more in other colors (if they're not already sold out). It's soft, which is a given, but it's also incredibly functional given that it has built in shorts you can pull down so you can actually go to the bathroom without getting naked every single time. Genius. The built-in padding is great for my 34C cup, and the stretch of the fabric makes everyday wear a dream. I can run errands, take the dogs on a walk, and do low-impact exercises in this dress—all while looking really good. Lulu strikes again, making yet another best-seller that deserves the hype."
Is it worth it?
Yes, the Lululemon Align Dress is absolutely worth it. As you can see, all of us have been blown away by the comfort of this flirty frock; its fabric feels just as dreamy on as a dress as it does as leggings. Exercise dress fans will appreciate the bathroom-friendly shorts liner that'll save you *so* much time in the bathroom and will have you feeling less exposed, to boot. Why it's taken so long to make an exercise dress that we don't need to strip off is a mystery, but we're thrilled Lululemon has taken a step to solve such a problem and will be proudly peeing in comfort all summer long thanks to such innovations.
We only wish there were more in stock—as of now, many select colors and sizes are completely sold out. (Probably because it really is that good.) If it's not in your size, don't worry—you can sign up to get notified of a restock. Sign up or shop now here.
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