How to Shrink Leggings
The answer may not be what you’re looking for: It is way easier to stretch leggings than to shrink them.
And if your favorite pair of leggings has gradually become baggy, or if you’ve lost some weight and your leggings aren’t exactly fitting you like a second skin, you may wonder if it’s possible to shrink your leggings back to that ideal fit. But you may find it’s simply easier to go out and invest in a new pair of leggings.
That said, there are some tactics you can try to shrink leggings (though you might end up causing other kinds of damage in the process.) But first, let’s seek to understand why leggings get baggy in the first place.
Why Your Leggings Get Baggy Over Time
Leggings have a lot of elastic (generally, they are made of cotton or poly blends with spandex or lycra). It’s this stretch that makes them cling to your body, giving that ‘second skin’ appearance. It's also why they appear much smaller on the hanger than they do on your body.
However, all elasticated garments will stretch gradually over time.
In part, this is caused by general wear. Every time you put on your leggings you stretch them, and when you launder them, they can be stretched in the machine (especially if you wash them in hot water, or even warm water), or by hanging while they’re wet. When you move about in them (doing yoga, running or just walking) you are stretching specific areas, like the butt and knees.
When they’re new, leggings bounce back after they’re worn. But over time those elastics start to relax into their stretched shape instead of contracting back to their original shape. (Picture it just like a rubber band that relaxes over time.)
This doesn’t just happen to leggings. Any garments with stretch, including underwear, bras, swimsuits, even denim jeans with stretch, get looser over time because of this. And whether your leggings are cotton leggings, nylon leggings or spandex leggings - they all have stretch.
This explains why shop assistants will often recommend you purchase the item on the smaller side if you’re between sizes. They will ultimately stretch to fit you and last you longer (versus a bigger size which will get too baggy too quickly).
The bagginess is most likely to show around the bottom and knees at first, in part because of the amount of stretch and motion these areas undergo. But over time, they’ll become loose all over. As mentioned, this is pretty unavoidable in the long run — just part of the lifespan of these types of garments. How long you get will depend on:
- How often you wear the leggings
- The care you take of them between wears
Shrinkage is a lot less common than stretching when it comes to elasticated garments. But it’s not unheard of.
How Should Your Leggings Fit?
What should you expect when you’re wearing leggings or shopping for new ones?
Leggings Fit Too Big: The Telltale Signs
On the flipside, if your legging fit is too big, you’ll notice the following:
- They slide down. One of the biggest reasons leggings can slide down is because they’re too big for you. Jump around in the changing room and make sure they’re fitting you snugly.
- They’re baggy. Leggings should be second-skin tight. This means no wrinkles or bagginess. If the leggings hang loose away from your body, they’re not tight enough and you’ve probably gone too big.
- They don’t feel like a hug. Leggings (especially leggings with compression) should give you a feeling of snug security, or be gently tight. If they just feel ‘there’ but there’s no snugness, they’re probably too big. Remember that they’ll stretch more over time (with wearing and washing etc.) so definitely look for snug to begin with.
Leggings Fit Too Small: Here’s Your Biggest Clue
When you wear leggings, there are 3 immediate signs that will tell you the fit is too small for you and you need to size up:
- They’re hard to get on. You can’t slide them on without a lot of painstaking wriggling and shimmying. Putting on leggings shouldn’t be like putting on Spanx; they should go on relatively smoothly.
- They fit so tight, they dig in around the waist. Your leggings shouldn’t leave you with red marks around the waist, or creating a "muffin top". They should sit snugly, but comfortably, like a car seatbelt.
- They become transparent. Leggings, workout leggings and yoga pants are not supposed to be transparent. One reason they can become transparent is they’re too tight and the fabric is being stretched too thin.
But… How to Shrink Leggings?
In general, we would advise you to simply buy a new pair of leggings rather than try to shrink an existing pair. This is because the tactics used to shrink leggings can cause other kinds of damage. So you’re better off donating those old leggings and upgrading to a new pair.
Still, you might persistently wonder how to shrink leggings. If you're trying to deliberately shrink your leggings, you may be tempted to put them through an extra long hot wash (boiling water) and then toss them in the dryer on a hot setting. But, as mentioned, you’ll probably do more harm than good with these methods. Plus, any results will be short-lived.
Why Is It Such a Mistake to Try to Shrink Leggings?
You may have come here wanting to know how to shrink leggings. However, hopefully we can convince you that shrinking leggings with high heat won't really help you. The shrinking process can do more harm than good, and boiling water combined with high heat may cause permanent damage to any of the following leggings:
- Cotton leggings
- Spandex leggings
- Lycra leggings
- Nylon leggings
1. Elastic Breaks Under High Heat
Heat can cause fabrics to shrink, but it can also cause elastic to snap. This applies to heat from hot water in the washing machine and from the dryer too. Ever noticed little broken pieces of elastic on the surface of a garment? This ‘elastic stubble’ appears when elastic snaps, and it only means your item will become even looser.
2. Leggings Lose Their Opaqueness
If your leggings shrink and you stretch them again when you wear them, they may start to become transparent. Leggings should NEVER be see-through; they should be completely opaque. But old leggings can start to become translucent when they haven’t been properly cared for, or when they’ve been worn threadbare.
3. They May Not Shrink in Ways You Like
It’s unlikely that your leggings are equally loose all over. Maybe they’re loose around the butt or knees, but fit perfectly on the waist. Problem is, your shrinking process won't just target those specific areas.
If you're shrinking leggings through a hot water washing machine cycle, or a dryer cycle, you’re not able to target specific areas of the garment. You might find the waist you didn’t want to change shrinks too much. Meanwhile, the baggy bottom and knees may still be baggy.
The point is: You’ll be lucky if you get the specific kind of shrinkage you want. Odds are you’ll end up with something just as ill-fitting, but in new ways.
Skip the Hacks: Invest in a Great Pair of Workout Leggings
Knix leggings come in seasonal colors, but basic black is by far the most popular and versatile. Our seamless leggings put comfort first. They’re made with 360-knit BlissFit™ Fabric for body-hugging smoothness that moves with your body.
Plus, when it comes to compression, we’re here to support (yep, pun intended). A ribbed waistband for gentle compression that smooths and holds your tummy is everything you could want.
Finally, they’re as versatile as they come. Perfect for lounging, for layering with whatever ensemble you’re putting together and, of course, as activewear. The flattering high rise silhouette is easy to style and easy to wear inside and outside.
If you’re lucky enough to own Knix leggings, here are our official guidelines for washing Knix leggings:
- Machine wash cold (not medium heat or high heat)
- Do not bleach
- Do not iron
- Do not dry clean
- Lay flat to dry
How You Should *Really* Care for Your Leggings
When you do decide it’s time to invest in new leggings, check out these guidelines for how leggings should fit. And when you do find that new, perfect pair, take care of them.
Here are some pointers:
Wash Them as Frequently as Underwear
Leggings are worn right next to the skin (and the groin) so they absorb EVERYTHING. What’s more, workout or gym leggings are designed specifically to be moisture wicking. Those damp, sweaty fabrics are a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and odor, which can quickly turn yucky.
There are no hard rules about how many wears you should get out of your leggings. But I usually think about it the same way I think about my bras: If I work up a sweat, 1 wear and it gets washed. If I’m pretty sedentary, 3 wears is fine.
Also, don’t let a stale, sweaty garment just sit in your laundry hamper or workout bag for a week. Bacteria can breed and odor can worsen, so even a quick hand-wash can be a great short-term solution.
A Cool Washing Machine Cycle Is Best (No Hot Water)
Hot washing machine cycles are great for tough fabrics that can really take it, and need a very thorough clean. But most garments with stretch, like leggings and yoga pants, need a gentler touch.
This is because elastics can break under high washing machine temperatures — and leggings have A LOT of stretch. As well, it could just make your beloved leggings look a little grubby overall. So stick with the cold water wash cycle for your leggings and other items with a lot of stretch (like sports bras and wireless bras).
Protect Them From Getting Tangled in the Washing Machine
You don’t want your leggings to get stretched in the washing machine. So try to wash leggings with items of a similar weight (t-shirts, underwear etc.) If you do wash them with larger or heavier items (bedding, towels or sweaters), consider popping them in a mesh bag so they don’t get knotted up with these items.
Choose a Gentle Detergent
Because leggings are skin tight, harsh cleaners can leave residue that really irritates the skin. I tend to treat leggings like lingerie and use a more delicate detergent with them. Don’t use too much, either. It’s always tempting to think that adding more will make things cleaner. But adding more just means more residue.
Skip Fabric Softeners
Fabric softeners will leave a very noticeable residue on the top of your leggings. Not nice. This residue can also dull and discolor your leggings. If you use softener in your laundry, make sure you separate the items you want to use softener on from your synthetics before you pop them in the machine.
Lay Leggings on a Flat Surface to Air Dry
When clothing is wet, it weighs more. That means hanging leggings when they’re wet can stretch them out more. Instead, lay leggings on a flat surface to dry. You’ll be surprised how quickly leggings dry!
Avoid the Dryer Completely (Even Medium Heat)
Drying machines are an absolute no-no when it comes to leggings. Instead opt for an air dry. Why? Because the heat of dryers can be detrimental to the elastic in your leggings. And once the elastic is gone, your leggings are finished.
Think Before You Shrink
If you're at the point where you need to shrink an existing pair of leggings, it may actually be a sign to move on from them entirely. After all, you may do more harm than good trying to shrink your beloved pair of leggings. Invest in a great, new pair of leggings instead!
Written by Jane Flanagan — Updated on March 5, 2023.
We hope you found this post informative — but remember: we’re not doctors and this post is not medical advice! While all posts are fact-checked and well researched, we always recommend you chat with your doctor about any questions or concerns you might have regarding a medical condition. We’re here to support and educate, but never with the aim of disregarding professional medical advice you’ve been given. Phew, now that that’s out of the way, you can go on living unapologetically free.