You'd think I'd know better. I've been running for a while now. I know - I *know* - the importance of a drawstring in running leggings. I can just about manage without zips at the bottom of the legs, if they are full length. I can sometimes do without pockets, if it's a long run, because I'll take a backpack or waistpack with me to carry the hundred-and-one things I can't possibly run without any more.
But I was seduced by the beauty of these leggings. They are Day of the Dead ones, with leg bones decorated with roses and flowers. I'd had others (Disney's Snow White) from the same company, the same size, the same type, so I thought these would be fine, and off I set. Erm, no. Within minutes, there was slippage. I hauled them up and carried on. A certain insecure feeling made itself felt. Hmmm. Perhaps my underwear needed a quick readjustment as well? A bit of a rummage, and all was well again. But not for long. It became drafty. I hauled valiantly. My ankles appeared. Ha! No, it just took another 200 metres for the leggings to plan their escape and head for my knees. I wondered if I could somehow trap their waistband under the bottom of my bra, but discarded this idea as it would have meant some serious constructional effort by the side of a busy road. I considered plaiting grasses together for use as braces, but alas, all the hay has been gathered in round here long ago. There were no passers-by who could run with me, holding the leggings up for me, so I had to do it myself. Four bloody kilometers clutching my waistband. It should have been a 5k run but I admit that I gave up and went home.
I am fussy about my sports bra: I only trust a ShockAbsorber to look after my girls. All my running shirts are technical wicking types: most of the race ones have the standard higher necks that I find a bit choking, but on the whole they are far less sweaty than cotton. I've recently found Injinji toe socks, which I love; and it takes me forever to find the correct trainers for my Hobbit feet, currently thumping along in Brooks. But seriously? You'd think I'd know better about leggings. For me, they have to have a drawstring so that this situation can be prevented. Never again.
And no, there is no photo.
Written by
Anniemurph
Graduate
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Always nice to have a smile at someone else's expense...
My guess is they were mis-cut and are actually bigger than they should be (or of course, you are svelte-r than you used to be)
I once had leggings fall down during a serious conversation with my son's special educational needs coordinator, before I knew her very well. They were organic but the flow to my knees and ankles was altogether *too* organic.
I could wear a Canicross belt and just pretend I'd lost my dog! That would work nicely! Although with these wretched things, they'd probably fold themselves inside-out and I would end up tethered forever to the belt like some dreadful bondage experiment
Perhaps not then.
You should treat yourself to some new running leggings. Don't go to lotus leggings though!
Lol. Your post has me in stitches. Oh what memories have returned regarding the leggins without a drawstring.
All is not lost though. I go to the poundshop and buy some elastic. I then make a small cut at the front of the leggins on the inside, thread the elastic through, stitch the 2 ends together and bobs your uncle, I have a drawstring!
Best to make 2 small cuts close together though, one for each end, and knot the ends so they don't disappear inside the waistband when you take the leggings off!
Thank you for your advice I know I could, and I probably will, but I don't see why I should! I feel quite grumpy about this. [Ha - those are actually the other leggings, the ones that don't fall down :D] I must be the wrong shape or something. I don't think the pound shop can fix that, sadly
Perhaps that's what I need, although then I wouldn't dare run around the reservoir in case people thought I was an escaped seal and tried to throw me back in
shame no photo...!! I dont have drawerstrings, just tight? I think you just need a much smaller size!!!!! I had that once with a pair of little shorts. I solved it by rolling the waistband over twice, although the side effect was that I was joined on my run by a camel
But they sound so pretty!!!! Lol, the problems of style over substance. Either do as somebody suggested and add your own elastic or post a photo of them on here and see if someone else wants to buy them off you and risk it
They are quite nice I guess I will get the scissors out, although it pains me to do so, because I would not wish anyone else to risk terminal embarrassment or a nasty chill
Hahahahahaha That did make me laugh. In the spirit of sharing, I've been there too, done that, happily no photos but quite a lot of embarrassment! Problem solved by always wearing a flip belt to hold up my capris. Not ideal but much better than exposing my all and sundry to all and sundry. x
Ah, well, the flip belt. There's another story there. I'm very glad yours works for you. There's definitely a sizing issue with mine, because I cannot get it to stay on my hips and it either pretends it's fine and then drops suddenly without warning like a noose around my feet, or worse, it sneakily works its way up like some mad boa constrictor to wind its way around my ribs and choke the life out of me. Neither are conducive to happy running x
Oh what a ruddy nuisance! It drives you mad dunnit😕 My most expensive leggings are GORE and they have no waist tie and they flaming well fall down! i have some compression ones and they do too! I am mad as blazes at the gore ones as they were expensive. I let them know what I thought and never heard a word back, so,that's how much they care. Like you Murph I am deffo a waist tie tights wearer. I like my Ron Hills and my Saucony ones. My Fave ones are Nike Filament but they are like are no longer available. Sigh
Hauling ones pants up on the run is a waste of energy and we need all of that for running. Bah
I can visualise your cunningly-fashioned braces 😁 Dib dib 🏃♀️
What? Nike Filament no longer available? Woe! Woe! And thrice woe! You recommended them to me years ago and they're the king of running leggings. Warm, comfortable and never fall down or ride up. Where's the cross runner emoji when you need it?
Drawstring leggings are a pain and yes I've found them slipping down in the past and have abandoned them totally now. I think it's the way they're designed. After several washes I found the drawstrings just went loose 😳
My favourite capris have no elastic, drawstring or anything on the waist and they fit like a dream (Sweaty Betty) - I got them in a sale and a pair I got in TK Maxx (Marika) but the fit needs to be really snug! That way there's nowhere for them to go 🙂
If one is slim and svelte, like you, beautiful IP, no doubt snug fitting leggings are great. Unfortunately, I look like a sausage. Sorry - here's the bleach again
One end of my drawstring has disappeared inside the waistband after their last wash, I keep forgetting I need to rethread it as now have one really long cord that I have to tuck in... and nothing at the other side...
A brilliant post, so sorry about the leggings, I have a pair, with all the right darts and glittery lines. They are a bugger to get on.... and then one false move and the waist descends to mid thigh!
Oooh, glitter! But oh, descent I'm starting to think there may be a market for runners' braces. Perhaps some sort of suspension device from the lower edge of the bra, for ladies. I will ponder this on my next run - in different leggings!
Great post ! Love your descriptive writing, so funny. Send them back with a copy of this post, hi-lighting the part that says you’ve purchased other leggings from them which were fine! ..., slightly gutted you didn’t post pics!
I have a pair of lovely Adidas long tights and they are a tad short even for me, and I'm short! 😃 They fit lovely and have a draw string. They were under £20
The pocket is non-existent though. Just one of those key jobs.
My two best pairs are my first ones - Karrimor cheapies, £12 five years ago and still going strong. Draw strings, zips and pocket.
I've noticed recently that there are some gorgeous leggings but they seem to be aimed more at the fitness market, so only a teeny pocket, or no pocket at all, and no drawstrings and no zips. Shame really.
I know your pain but my problem was caused by weight loss... The slippy drawstring material kept slipping on a run resulting in my trousers coming down, right next to a junior rugby match. I ended up knotting them so tightly that I nearly had to cut the drawstring for escape when home.
I have a pair of leggings I only really wear for winter running when it's really cold and they randomly slip down not enough to be obscene but just enough to create a "hollow area" and there is no other solution than to stop and adjust the whole garment from mid-calves upwards. Like when you put a pair of tights on. But sometimes they don't do that all. A bit like my bra unzipping itself mid-run. That's random too.
No, I think I'm the same weight - well, possibly a pound or two adrift, but not majorly. Sadly.
I'm starting to think we should send this whole thread to a legging manufacturer. This is obviously a problem for people of a variety of shapes and sizes. As you say, it can be random as well, with one run being fine and the next - not!
Haha! I'm glad it's not just me! I did my second run yesterday in some new, not at all fancy, leggings and had exactly the same issue. Trying to get to the end of the minute before they fell down completely. Won't be wearing them again..
The problem is that some of them look as if they should be okay and they aren't. Then others look as though they might not last and they are fine. SOme of my favourite capris are Primark £5 ones with no drawstring, but they have lasted all summer and still look fine. They have a great pocket as well. I thought for that money I would try them and now wish I had bought another pair.
You will get there. Take it slowly, and slow down even further if you need to. That's fine. The running action is different from the walking action so it doesn't matter how slowly you need to go, what matters is that you carry on. I am impressed
Thanks! 3rd run planned for tomorrow morning. Will try grass in the park this time as concrete feeling a bit hardcore at the moment, even if it comes with a great sea view 😎
Haha! I know that feeling well, when you can feel the crotch of your leggings descend to knee level combined with a draft gap between your tee shirt and their waistband. However, to rescue aforementioned leggings what I now do is to put my own cord into the waistband, all you do is make a small slit on the inside and feed it through, takes less than a minute and I find that a long bootlace works well, the welded end makes it very easy to thread through the full waist, although in an emergency string will suffice! 😂
Yes, the bigger problem was that as they were descending they were pulling my knickers down with them I could have been the first C25K-er arrested for indecency on a run
😂Yep sounds familiar, also have experienced the knickers dropping whilst leggings up which is also an uncomfortable distraction!
recently bought some nike running shorts... usually buy the below the knee type with the inner compression support, they didn't have these so as it was the summer i went for a slightly different pair, i brafvely/foolishly decided not to try them on in the stores changing room and wished i had, as when i tried them on at home they were well above knee level... i can cope with this i thought it's summer after all and my knees could do with an airing however i didn't factor in large thighs + short shorts*time run/distance=shorts becoming speedos due to excessive riding up of the material... spent so much time readjusting whilst i run ... not worn them since either they will go to the charity shop or i might try them again when i trim down a bit
I have one pair of shorts which I haven't worn this summer as I find them a bit problematical. It took me ages to find them as I didn't want them too short These are just above the knee and I am very conscious of the potential ride-up factor due to my fat thighs!
Oh, well done! I have just come back in after a morning of running errands... where I did not buy a drawstring. Fail.
Haha just came across this thread!
I Know the feeling as i've had some tights that were too tight around my calfs ant thighs, so when i put them on they felt fine, but when you started running there was no give in the tights so they gradually started being pulled/falling down..did have a couple of scenes but i dont think i flashed anyone with my jewels!
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Is she a good friend now? Or does she cross the road when she sees you, or dodge round the aisle in the supermarket? 
Drowned rat
Naked French run 
Week Nine Run 1 in the bag!
Run in the sun
