ReviewLifestyle
Adanola Review: Minimalist Activewear That Deserves the Hype — Mostly for Pilates, Not Marathons
Adanola's Ultimate leggings live up to the hype. They're flattering, squat-proof, stay up and cost around £40, not £100. Sizing varies between product lines and some sweatshirts fade after washing, so choose your pieces carefully.
rating 7.8 / 10
7.8/10
- Best for
- Women who want clean, minimalist activewear for pilates, yoga, gym sessions and everyday "off-duty" outfits, at a lower price than Lululemon or Alo
- Price
- ~£35–£40 ($50–$65) bras and leggings – ~£80+ sweatshirts and outerwearadanola.com
The shortlist
03 PRODUCTS · PRICES CHECKED AUTOMATICALLY
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Best Overall Pick Ultimate Leggings $40 Adanola
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Best for Style Ultimate Wrap-Over Leggings $42 Adanola
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Approach With Caution Oversized Sweatshirts & Hoodies $60 Adanola
How this works — Links to shops may earn FailleGlam a commission. It never decides what we recommend, the score, or the order. Prices are read from each shop and shown with the time we last checked. How we review →
01 Why We Reviewed Adanola
Adanola was founded in Manchester in 2015 by Hyrum Cook, with a simple idea: activewear that looks as good at brunch as in a pilates class. Its breakout product, the Ultimate Leggings launched in 2020, has sold over a million pairs. In 2024 The Times named Adanola the UK's fastest-growing retail brand. In 2025 it signed Kendall Jenner as its face and entered the US through an exclusive partnership with Equinox. The look is muted colours, collegiate sweatshirts and simple sculpting leggings, and it's everywhere on social media.
The honest caveat is that popularity brings growing pains. With 22,500+ Trustpilot reviews at 4.3 / 5, most buyers are happy, but 16% of reviews are one-star. The recurring complaints are inconsistent sizing between product lines, fabric that feels thinner than expected on some items, delivery mix-ups, and at least one buyer's hoodie that "faded drastically after one wash." Independent testers also note Adanola works best for lower-impact training. Some of the shorts ride up on runs, and the bras are medium support.
02 Adanola at a Glance
At a glance
- Founded
- 2015 — Manchester, England
- Product Category
- Women's activewear, athleisure, loungewear, collegiate sweatshirts
- Price Range
- Ultimate leggings £40 ($65) / Sports bras ~$50 / Shorts ~$60 / Sweatshirts & outerwear higher
- Ships To
- UK, USA, EU and international
- Made In
- Designed in Manchester; produced in small production runs overseas
- Warranty
- Faults handled via customer service
- Return Policy
- Standard returns window for unworn items — check current terms at checkout
- Available At
- adanola.com, Selfridges, END., The Shop at Equinox (US)
- Review Count
- 22,500+ Trustpilot reviews (4.3/5, 74% five-star); 97% of negative reviews answered
- FailleGlam Rating
- 7.8 / 10
03 What FailleGlam Found: The Honest Breakdown
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+01
✅ Leggings that stay put. Independent testers were surprised that the Ultimate Leggings stayed up during intense exercise and only shifted slightly when they did move.
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+02
✅ Premium look without premium prices. At £40 / $65, the Ultimate Leggings cost well under the $100+ of Lululemon Align or Alo.
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+03
✅ Flattering, sculpting fabric. 71% recycled polyamide and 29% elastane four-way stretch gives a high-rise, compressive, squat-proof fit, recently upgraded for better recovery.
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+04
✅ Inclusive length options. XXS to XXXL in regular, tall and ⅞ lengths, which is rarer than it should be.
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+05
✅ Responsive customer service. 97% of negative reviews get a reply, and buyers mention staff sending refunds plus discount codes to fix problems.
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−01
❌ Sizing isn't consistent. Leggings run true to size, but reviewers say other lines fit differently, and with few physical stores, finding your size can take a few orders.
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−02
❌ Some pieces fade or thin. Complaints include sweatshirts fading after one wash and fabric thinner than expected.
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−03
❌ Not built for high-impact training. Testers found the crop shorts too short and prone to riding up on runs, and bras are medium support.
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−04
❌ Delivery errors. Some buyers report wrong or missing items, though most say these were fixed quickly.
Our readAdanola does its core product, the leggings, very well at a fair price. It's weaker on some fashion pieces and on high-intensity performance.
04 Best Adanola Products Worth Considering
Based on independent tests, fabric composition and buyer complaint patterns, these are the pieces worth buying.
Adanola
Ultimate Leggings
The product that built the brand: high rise, compressive, squat-proof, with a zip pocket, and a million pairs sold. They're true to size and come in regular, tall and ⅞ lengths. They work for pilates, yoga, the gym and everyday wear. If you buy one thing from Adanola, make it these, in black first.
Adanola
Ultimate Wrap-Over Leggings
The crossover waistband is Adanola's most recognisable detail and flatters the waist. It has the same fabric as the Ultimate, so the performance is the same with a more fashion-forward look.
Ultimate Cross Back Bra — ~$50
Best Matching Top
Medium support with removable pads, and testers had no complaints through runs and cross-training. It's ideal for pilates and gym sessions. Larger busts doing high-impact training may want a higher-support bra.
Adanola
Oversized Sweatshirts & Hoodies
They're the collegiate look everyone wants, but they get the most fading complaints. Wash inside out, cold, with like colours, and consider sizing down if you don't want a very oversized fit.
05 What Buyers Are Actually Saying
A buyer on how a problem was handled:
I had an issue with an item I purchased and Weronika sorted it out straight away and sent me a refund and 10% off.
An independent tester on the leggings in action:
The Adanola leggings truly did stay up most of the time.
On the concerns side, a buyer on washing:
The brand new hoodie I purchased faded drastically after one wash… I followed the washing instructions.
And an independent tester on the shorts:
Too short for running… better suited for yoga and pilates.
The pattern: the leggings get consistent praise, while the complaints focus on sweatshirt durability, inconsistent sizing across lines and occasional delivery errors.
06 Adanola vs The Competition
| Adanola vs The Competition | Our pick Adanola Ultimate | Lululemon Align | Alo Yoga Airlift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (Leggings) | ~£40 / $65 | ~$98+ | ~$128+ |
| Quality / Build | ✅ Compressive, squat-proof | ✅ Buttery-soft, less compressive | ✅ Sleek, compressive |
| Stays Up | ✅ Yes (tested) | ⚠️ Can slip in HIIT | ✅ Yes |
| Size Range | ✅ XXS–XXXL + tall/⅞ | ✅ Wide | ⚠️ Narrower |
| Stores | ⚠️ Few (Selfridges, Equinox) | ✅ Many | ✅ Growing |
| Best Activity | Pilates, gym, everyday | Yoga, lounge | Pilates, studio |
| Unique Strength | Price-to-quality ratio | Softness + stores | Luxury fashion status |
| Best For | Value-minded style lovers | Comfort seekers | Premium buyers |
07 Is Adanola Right For You?
Perfect For
Pilates, yoga and gym-goers who want flattering, minimalist activewear, and anyone who wears leggings as everyday outfits and wants the "clean girl" look without Lululemon or Alo prices.
Worth Considering If
You run or do HIIT. The leggings hold up, but pair them with a higher-support bra and skip the ultra-crop shorts.
Skip It If
You need technical running gear, want to try everything on in-store before buying, or expect fashion sweatshirts to survive rough washing.
08 FailleGlam Recommends
Adanola
Adanola Ultimate Leggings
The million-pair best-seller earns its reputation: flattering, squat-proof, stays up and costs well under the big US brands. Start with black in your usual size, add the Cross Back Bra for a matching set, and wash sweatshirts cold and inside out to avoid fading.
09 Adanola — Questions We Get Asked Most
Q.01Are Adanola leggings worth it?
Yes. At about £40 / $65 they perform close to $100+ leggings for pilates, gym and everyday wear.
Q.02How do Adanola Ultimate leggings fit?
True to size, with a high rise and compressive feel. Available XXS–XXXL in regular, tall and ⅞ lengths.
Q.03Adanola vs Lululemon Align — which is better?
Adanola is more compressive and stays up better in workouts. Align is softer and better for lounging and yoga.
Q.04Do Adanola leggings go see-through?
Testers and most buyers describe the Ultimate Leggings as squat-proof. Do a squat test in good light when yours arrive.
Q.05Do Adanola sweatshirts fade?
Some buyers report fading after washing. Wash cold, inside out, with similar colours, and avoid the tumble dryer.