These lululemon Daydrift Trousers Are Comfier Than Leggings (Yet They Look Totally Polished)

Name: The Bottom Line: These Pants Are Not Leggings—They’re Better
Brand: lululemon
Price: 148 USD

They are my entire personality—and wardrobe

Author image: Candace Davison, PureWow vice president of editorial content

By Candace Davison

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Published Feb 11, 2026

PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and some items may be gifted to us. Additionally, PureWow may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here.

purewow100 winner daydrift pants on model and on editor

lululemon/candace davison

Value: 16/20
Fit: 19/20
Quality of Construction: 20/20
Aesthetic: 20/20
Comfort: 20/20

TOTAL: 95/100

If I could, I’d live in breezy caftans and cozy loungewear. Like Parker Posey’s character in White Lotus, I’ve reached the age where I’m meant to be comfortable. Admittedly, I decided I reached that age when I was 11.

But all it takes is one too many second glances in the mirror, where you mistakenly wonder if Dobby the House Elf is staring back at you, to realize that you can do better than oversized, ragged clothes.

I’d figured I’d just have to suck it up when it came to workwear, tolerating waistbands that dug in as I sat at my desk, or starchy pants I’d shift around in as I worked. Then lululemon’s Daydrift High-Rise Wide-Leg Trousers entered my life.

Yes, the name alone is a mouthful. But that’s because they do a lot—and do them well. They’re pricey, for sure, so let me explain why I, a veritable TJ Maxx-inista, think they’re worth shelling out $148.

lululemon

What I Like

Comfortable fit
Fabric has great heft
Nice range of sizes/lengths/colors

What I Don't Like

Pricey

Fast Facts:

Return Policy: Returns can be made within 30 days, provided the pants are unworn and unwashed (see full policy here)
Sizes Available: xxs to xl
Inseam Lengths: 29.5”, 31.5”, 35”

My Review of the lululemon Daydrift High-Rise Wide-Leg Trousers

When it comes to feeling more polished, I love a high-rise pant, especially with a wide leg. It creates such a dramatic silhouette (and, given the roomy cut, it’s also easier to lounge in). What makes these stand out, though, is that they’re made of the brand’s Luxtreme fabric, which is sweat-wicking (great for when the office heater is working overtime) and offers four-way stretch. It moves with you, so you’re not constantly readjusting or fidgeting during a conference call.

The Fabric Works Miracles

Better yet, though, is that the fabric includes a little Lycra, which helps it retain its shape. Several washes in, the pants haven’t shrunk or gotten baggy in odd places.

They’re also easy to slip on and off. There’s a faux fly in the front, which makes them look more like traditional office wear, but you don’t have to worry about gaping or, you know, getting caught with your fly down.

The Luxtreme fabric has a great heft to it, too. My biggest pet peeve with wide-leg pants is that they’re often made of a lighter, flimsier material, and swish between your legs as you walk, making you feel like you’re doing a ‘70s Bee Gees strut. Saturday Night Fever, this is not.

That heft also makes these pants more durable; after over three months of wear, there’s not a snag or a sign of pilling, and they do. Not.Wrinkle. Even when haphazardly thrown into a duffle bag or neglected in a pile of “to be folded” laundry for days. That alone is worth applause: No need for an iron or steamer?! Ever? YES.

The Fit Is ‘Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’-Worthy

I went with the regular size—a 31.5-inch inseam, though to get the floor-skimming cool girl aesthetic, I probably should’ve opted for the 35-inch (I’m nearly six feet tall, so these skim the tops of my shoes.) The brand recommends the regular inseam for people 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-8 to get that effect. Oh, and my petite friends, fear not—there’s a 29.5-inch inseam as well.

With 11 colors to choose from, ranging from trendy pinstripes to basic black and quiet luxury-coded warm ash gray, I’m already eyeing a second (and third) pair. Would I love it if they went on sale? Yes. Do I get so much wear out of them—despite choosing the flashy pinstripe variety—that they’re capsule-collection-worthy at full price? Also, yes.

candace davison

The Bottom Line: These Pants Are Not Leggings—They’re Better

lululemon

After paying half the price for pants I regret wearing by 3 p.m., and now knowing what it’s like to have pants you can literally fall asleep in and wake up feeling totally cozy, I’m ready to make the lululemon Daydrift trousers my entire wardrobe. Especially now that I know they make a straight-leg version too.

$148 at lululemon

Candace Davison

VP of editorial content

Oversees home, food and commerce articles
Author of two cookbooks and has contributed recipes to three others
Named one of 2023's Outstanding Young Alumni at the University of South Florida, where she studied mass communications and business

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