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When you’re hiking in the mountains — where 60º mornings quickly change to 93º afternoons — one thing that’s for sure is that you need to be comfortable. Turns out, you could say the same about living in Charlotte, NC land of humid summer heat and frigid office air conditioning.
While the concept of climates sending mixed messages is nothing new, what did throw me for a loop was the fact that the sartorial solution to both situations was a single pair of comfortable leggings.
I first experienced Ashton - Mid Rise Leggings on a day hike through South Mountain. In the earliest hours I spent amid the elements, the air was still crisp and cool, and the leggings were keeping my body temps balanced. The fabric’s bouncy weave gently squeezed my curves, holding in my middle and thighs while I trekked between dramatic boulder stacks and narrowly avoided brush.
Around 11 a.m., things started to warm up, but, thanks to the leggings’ highly breathable material, I felt cool as air. These breezy bottoms were night and day, compared to other leggings I’ve worn on hikes where my legs sweat profusely and body heat gets trapped with no exits in sight.
The high-performance qualities of the leggings can be largely traced back to their innovative fabric, Econyl. You may have heard of this emerging material, sometimes found in swimsuits, for its landfill-divergent composition. The nylon fibers of the fabric are sourced entirely from plastic collected from landfills and ocean waste, creating a carbon-negative footprint in the process.
What’s more, the unique, recycled nylon is ideal for activewear, being both thin, durable, and extremely flexible. Its ‘cooling’ capability can be attributed to the moisture-resistant and moisture-wicking properties, which move sweat away from your body and out into the air.
Who knew these leggings would have a double use besides comfortability and fitness? While peeling through my drawers looking for a pair of black trousers that I knew damn well weren’t there. I caught the Econyl leggings staring at me while I continued sifting through garments and thought, ‘What if?’ I had an important-ish meeting that day and thought jeans would be too casual so, just as an experiment, I slipped into the detailed black leggings and a sleeveless blazer dress. To my surprise, it totally worked.
In this COVID sprinkled fiasco, leggings have been my go to for everything! They're amazing to lounge around it, comfortable for work activities, and stylish enough not to be seen as "regular" leggings. It's so amazing how the pandemic has brought us back to what is most convenient and cozy!
Wear these leggings to work or out with friends for drinks. Our leggings are extremely versatile, providing proof that there’s nothing these humble black leggings can’t do.
Shop the leggings that have made their way into every part of my wardrobe from our shop!