Lululemon Finally Added Pockets to Their Famous 'Naked' Leggings — And They're Truly the Perfect Pandemic Pants

This Might Help is our new recurring column featuring the wellness products that actually make us feel better. This week, why Lululemon's Align Pant with Pockets are the perfect leggings for working — and working out — at home.

If you're like me, you've gone through many phases of pants-wearing over the past year. There was the sweatpants forever phase where comfort was paramount, followed by the, well... maybe sweatpants are not forever? phase wherein I attempted jeans to boost my mood and productivity — at least for a few hours until I changed back into my sweatpants. But, through it all, there's one pair of pants that has remained a staple in my pandemic wardrobe: Lululemon's naked leggings.

I first fell in love with these buttery leggings, technically called the 'Align Pant', when they launched more than five years ago — and haven't stopped buying them since. As part of an overhaul of their lineup, Lululemon created the ability to choose your leggings based on how you want to feel — Tight, Hugged, Held-in, Relaxed, and, my personal favorite, Naked, which is where the Align Pant ($98; lululemon.com) falls. Unlike other compressive leggings that are too restrictive to comfortably lounge in when you aren't working out, the Align pant feels like wearing nothing, as the name suggests, only better.

The secret is Nulu, a four-way stretch fabric Lululemon developed for the Align leggings to feel 'weightless and buttery soft.' While they're technically designed for yoga (or other low-impact, relatively low-sweat workouts), they're my pant of choice for early morning flights or a day of errands — pretty much any situation where I want to look slightly more put together than sweatpants but still feel really, really comfortable. (As many reviewers have said, they're somehow supportive, without feeling tight.) And in 2020, they were my go-to for at-home yoga, working from home, and lounging on the couch, and yes, I've even fallen asleep wearing them while attempting to finally get into The Crown.

In addition to their dreamy fabric and fit, they're also high-rise — a must for me personally with any workout legging — and land in the perfect spot right above the ankle. And now, with Lululemon's new version of the bestseller: they have pockets. While I was already hooked, with this simple feature, they've officially cemented their status as my perfect pandemic pants. Plus, they come in enough colors to build a whole at-home wardrobe. The new pocket version comes in black, navy, a sagey green, two shades of blue, and two patterned options if you like your leggings on the louder side: an impressionist-watercolor like floral in pinks and oranges, and a black-and-gray tie-dye sort of vibe that looks like smoke.

Available at Shop.lululemon, Amazon

After diehard fans of the Align pant begged for pockets (there are more than 5,000 5-star reviews for the original version), Lululemon finally listened and added a drop-in pocket along each leg. They're the perfect size for your iPhone (and keys, wallet, and mask), but don't add too much side bulk either.

Despite having a drawer filled with leggings, my only worry now is whether or not these are dirty — because nothing else can compare to the comfort, fit, and now, practicality, of these leggings. My only word of advice? Budget accordingly. I've barely taken my black pair off since they came in the mail, and am already eyeing which of the other seven colors I need next.