The 11 Black Leggings You'll Wear Around the Clock

Never trawl through dozens of online reviews again.

The 11 Black Leggings You'll Wear Around the Clock
(Image credit: Morgan McMullen/Getty Images)

Welcome to The Essentials, our weekly series highlighting a must-have classic, key to building a timeless, pulled-together closet.

Controversial as they are, leggings—the ultimate stand-in for pants—are the past, present, and very likely, the future of fashion. Constantly in demand, leggings come in an endless array of options, but choosing the right pair requires legging-wearers to be discerning. Comfort is key, and a high-quality, contouring material can make a mere black legging a powerhouse purchase. With an emphasis on comfort culture, leggings brands have perfected sleek silhouettes in buttery soft fabrics, including some that sweat wick and quick dry. Other options come in thicker stretch jersey and wool fabrics that shape shift and elongate. Ahead, we've highlighted 11 options that will be the champion of your wardrobe.

Sara Holzman
Style Director

Sara Holzman is the Style Director for Marie Claire, where she's worked alongside the publication for eight years in various roles, ensuring the brand's fashion content continues to inform, inspire, and shape the conversation about fashion's ever-evolving landscape. With a degree from the Missouri School of Journalism, Sara is responsible for overseeing a diverse fashion content mix, from emerging and legacy designer profiles to reported features on the influence of social media on style and seasonal and micro trends across the world's fashion epicenters in New York, Milan, and Paris. Before joining Marie Claire, Sara held fashion roles at Conde Nast's Lucky Magazine and Self Magazine and was a style and travel contributor to Equinox's Furthermore website. Over her decade of experience in the fashion industry, Sara has helped guide each brand's style point of view, working alongside veteran photographers and stylists to bring editorial and celebrity photo shoots to fruition from start to finish. Sara currently lives in New York City. When she's not penning about fashion or travel, she’s at the farmer’s market, on a run, working to perfect her roasted chicken recipe, or spending time with her husband, dog, and cat. Follow her along at @sarajonewyork