Shit I Bought and Liked: The World's Best Black Leggings (Plus Two Very Good Sales!)

My dearest Shitters, Happy International Women’s Day! As a woman, my preferred way to acknowledge this occasion would be an end to gender-based violence (getting a constitutional right to bodily autonomy again is also pretty high up there!), but the powers that be aren’t really into that kinda thing, so I guess I’ll have to settle for whatever my boyfriend gets me (if you’ve had as rough a year as women have, methinks you can ask for a little IWD treat!).

Anyways, the point of today’s newsletter was not to send a thinly veiled request for chocolates. It’s actually to share one of my favorite discoveries to date (I’m talking ever—I’m very excited about this one, and I think a lot of women here will love it too): The Perfect Black Leggings™.

If you’ve been around for a minute, you remember our search for The Perfect Black Bike Shorts. It was intense. It was exhaustive. It was a little exhausting (for me, hopefully not for you). But this time around, I didn’t take the same approach with 15+ pairs ordered from every single store. Partially because I’ve worn and tried and searched for new leggings regularly over the past 10 years, but also because I was so happy with this find that I didn’t feel the need to do a big haul. 

So what could this mystery legging possibly be…?!

I tried to snap a mirror pic for you guys but the lighting was atrocious and the mirror was not clean… please enjoy this lovely model instead!

Meet Varley’s Always High Legging. When I tell you I want to switch out every pair of leggings I own for this style, I’m not exaggerating. That includes the Lulus, the Alo’s (don’t even get me started), even my Year of Ours ribbed sets (up until now, those had been my favorites). 

This pair is a cut (or several) above the rest. They’re unbelievably comfortable and soft to the touch. They hold you in and are super flattering (a little smoothing goes a very long way in a legging!). They maintain their shape and fit over days of wear. And they haven’t pilled AT ALL after several washes. My mind is blown. This is the first pair I grab every time the laundry’s clean, and the one that prompts me to get the next load done a day or two early. 

Now it’s not a heavy duty compression legging, so if that’s what you’re looking for, it might not be right for you, but it’s held up to sweaty workout classes (plus plenty of errands, walking, and lounging on the couch). Sizing-wise, I went down one size from my usual—normally that’s not something I’d be inclined to do with a pair of leggings, but for me/in this brand it’s a perfect fit. They’re not inexpensive, but at under $90, they’re definitely less pricey than a lot of the other leading brands, which was a very welcome departure!

Part two of today’s newsletter (and a perfect pairing with leggings) is the annual APL Women’s Day sale. APL is one of my favorite brands of athletic shoes, and open to all, woman or not, the sale is also one of my favorites year after year. They offer 25% off of everything they have in stock, which can definitely still be pricey, but that’s the biggest single-pair discount you’ll see all year (believe me, I’ve kept track!). My sneaker of choice recently has been their TechLoom Wave (they’re unisex—that listing is in women’s sizes, but men’s sizes are available here), but I’m also into these and these—big fan of a white sneaker if you couldn’t already tell. Most APLs are machine washable, which is also very helpful for keeping a white sneaker alive! I continue to wonder how/why the brand, ostensibly founded by men, landed on IWD as their one big non-Cyber Week sale a year, but as a woman who has benefited/will continue to, I’m not questioning it too hard.

And one last sale that I didn’t even realize was happening until this AM—FWRD’s anniversary sale! Everything is 20% off with the code ANNIVERSARY—I’m talking Khaite! The Row! Bottega! If you’ve been eyeing a splurge, today may be your day. I used the occasion to grab myself a Janessa Leone hat I’ve been wanting to try for a while now, plus a casual shirt option for my boyfriend (if you are him, don’t click on that!).

In the spirit of the day, here are some other women whose work I highly recommend: Venture capitalist turned career coach (and longtime Shitter!) Madeline Walsh—if you’re dealing with a career crisis or contemplating your next step, she’s a great resource. NYC acupuncturist Aiesha Abel. Lara Adekoya of Fleurs et Sel’s baked but unbaked cookies. Priyanka Ganjoo’s Kulfi Beauty—their kajal eyeliners are now at Sephora! Josephine Noel’s cutie little coffee mugs. Amy O’Dell’s biography of Anna Wintour (especially delicious if you’ve spent time in media or publishing). Cate Holstein, whose pieces I will forever be coveting (and are all a part of the FWRD sale). 

Much love always,

Priyanka

I don’t know if the FTC has ever once looked into this very legit operation, but if they have, I’d like to think they were like “this girl is really on the straight and narrow with her disclosures! She also has great picks and a fun personality!”