This Ultra-Flattering Activewear Set Also Happens to Be the Most Affordable Workout Clothing I Own

I won't splurge on much, but I will splurge on activewear. I find a well-made workout set can be the difference between okay exercise and a potential PR. That may seem hyperbolic, but if I'm stuck focusing on how my sports bra is sagging and my leggings are drooping, I can't really focus on my form. I would regularly drop $200-plus on name-brand activewear with recognizable labels adorning its apparel to find the quality I needed, but that was before I tried FP Movement.

I used to teach yoga, so Free People's activewear has been on my radar for years. It was undeniably cute, and though other teachers swore by it, it felt more like what I dub "yoga clothes" — soft, airy pieces that are perfect for savasana — than workout wear, or sweat-wicking, breathable, high-performance pieces that are perfect for burpees. Since I practice more than just yoga, my activewear needs to be able to withstand a 60-minute bootcamp class, not just sun salutations.

FP Movement recently opened a studio in Austin, where I live, and I was invited to check it out. The brand sent invitees some swag to wear to the event, including the High-Rise 7/8 Length Good Karma Leggings (Buy It, $78, freepeople.com) and the Square Neck Good Karma Bra (Buy It, $48, freepeople.com). From the almost-overwhelming color options, I went with a pretty shade of green called Deep Moss.

Buy It: High-Rise 7/8 Length Good Karma Leggings, $78, freepeople.com

Buy It: Square Neck Good Karma Bra, $48, freepeople.com

I've gained a bit of weight recently and was self-conscious about wearing a crop top set, especially one with limited sizing options — you can order an XS/S or a M/L. But when my package arrived, I quickly realized why fewer size options were available: These pieces stretch. As someone who's usually a size 6 or 8, I ordered the M/L, but I could comfortably fit into an XS/S.

I shouldn't have been surprised at how flattering it was given the reviews — "This set especially makes me so confident and fits me very well," one reads — and I couldn't help but stare when I pulled the set on. For someone learning to love their new, curvier body, I was feeling myself. I even called my fiancé into the room so he could admire my new look. But while this new set looked cute and felt super soft, I always knew FP Movement made cute, soft pieces. I didn't have the patience to wait until the FP Movement Studio opening to test out the look, so I decided to wear my new outfit to a cycling class right away. (

I hate sitting on a bike bouncing around in my sports bra and adjusting the waistband of my leggings, so I monitored for these annoyances throughout class. The leggings' high-waisted band stayed put through multiple jumps, and the sports bra was super supportive through sprints. The final test? Sweat stains. After class, I ran to the bathroom to check for any, um, swampiness. To my surprise, the clothes were barely damp; my shiny red face was the only dead giveaway that I'd just worked out.

Not only did the set pass the sweat test in cycling, but also in bootcamp, and then again hot yoga later that week. Don't worry, I washed it after each wear, and the shape bounced back good as new after each cycle. Here are the receipts (aka the before-and-after photos) from a 90-degree hot yoga class I recently took — after 60 minutes, the only noticeable sweat stain was on the waistband, and even that dried by the time I got to the car.

I also wore the set to Pilates. Pilates activewear doesn't need to be as high-performance for me, since it's a fairly low-impact exercise, but it does need to be seamless. Pilates studios are notoriously covered in mirrors, and I hate doing a plank to pike only to look over at a mirror and notice my underwear line. Thankfully, the rib-knit design delivered here, too. The set stayed smooth over my body, even sucking me in a bit at the waist line, and no VPL ever peeked through. And while I haven't been spending as much time exercising outdoors lately, I plan to wear this set on my summer jogs because the material has SPF 30 UV protection — a must in sunny Texas. (

If you think that affordable activewear translates to cheaply made activewear, allow my experience with FP Movement to convince you otherwise. The under-$130 Good Karma pieces are now the most-worn activewear in my closet. Shop other looks from the line below.