The Ultimate Guide to Lycra: What to Buy, Where to Wear It, and How to Style It

Lycra—also known as elastane or spandex—is one of the most revolutionary fabrics in modern fashion. Loved for its exceptional stretch and recovery, Lycra blends into everything from athleisure to tailoring. In this guide, we break down everything you need to know about Lycra: what to look for when buying it, how to wear it across different settings (from workouts to nights out), and where to shop for the best high street and designer options in the UK and USA.

We’ll also show you how Tellar.co.uk, the UK’s leading sizing tool, helps you match your body to the correct size in real-time—across more than 1,500 brands—and access free fashion advice, brand insights, and fit guides.

What Is Lycra?

Lycra is the brand name for spandex (USA) or elastane (UK). Invented by DuPont in 1958, Lycra is a synthetic fibre known for its high elasticity, lightweight feel, and resistance to creasing. It’s typically blended with other fibres (like cotton, nylon, or polyester) to add stretch and flexibility.

Key Features of Lycra:

Property	Why It Matters
Stretch up to 500%	Perfect for movement-focused garments
Shape retention	Recovers to original shape after wear
Moisture-wicking	Ideal for workout and summer clothes
Lightweight and smooth	Adds comfort without bulk
Wrinkle-resistant	Travel-friendly and low maintenance

Where You'll Find Lycra: Garment Types

Lycra is used widely across categories, with different blends suited for different functions:

1. Activewear & Sportswear

Lycra dominates the gymwear and yoga space. Leggings, cycle shorts, compression tops, and running tights almost always contain 10–20% Lycra for maximum flexibility.

High Street Picks: Sweaty Betty, Gymshark, M&S Goodmove
USA Favourites: Lululemon, Alo Yoga, Outdoor Voices
Designer Options: Ernest Leoty, Tory Sport, Live the Process

2. Swimwear

Lycra offers the close fit and recovery required for swimwear. It also adds chlorine resistance when paired with technical polyamide.

Top Brands: Hunza G (UK), Eres (France), Solid & Striped (USA)

Explore swimwear-specific size and fit advice with Hunza G’s Sizing Guide.

3. Underwear & Loungewear

Lycra is blended into cotton or modal for a soft, body-skimming fit that stays in place.

UK Options: M&S Flexifit, Boux Avenue, Nobody’s Child
USA Options: Skims, Parade, ThirdLove
Luxury Labels: La Perla, Cosabella

4. Fashion & Streetwear

Lycra enhances the fit of denim, bodycon dresses, tailored trousers, and even shirts.

Denim Brands with Lycra: Levi’s Sculpt, Good American, Paige
Style Dresses & Tops: Reiss, Zara Studio, AllSaints
Tailored Lycra: Spanx pants, Mango Powerfit collection

When to Wear Lycra

Lycra is practical and stylish when used appropriately:

Workouts: Go for moisture-wicking blends with at least 15% Lycra for leggings and sports bras.
Casual Wear: Look for jeans with 1–2% Lycra for comfort without bagginess.
Night Out: Bodycon dresses with 5–8% Lycra offer a sculpted fit.
Workwear: Tailored trousers or blouses with elastane keep shape all day without creases.

💡 Styling Tips: How to Wear Lycra Smartly

✔️ Balance is key

If you're wearing tight Lycra leggings or dresses, balance with looser layers—like an oversized blazer or cropped knit—to keep your silhouette flattering and elevated.

✔️ Look for double lining

In dresses or skirts, double-lined Lycra blends will prevent transparency and offer more smoothing.

✔️ Embrace structure

For Lycra-rich trousers or bodycon fits, choose thick, structured fabric blends to create definition rather than cling.

✔️ Keep colour in mind

Dark tones are more forgiving and create a sculpted shape, especially in activewear or bodywear.

For more fabric recommendations, see Best Materials to Buy in Clothes.

🏷️ High Street vs Designer: Best Lycra-Blend Brands

Purpose	High Street Brands (UK/US)	Designer Brands
Activewear	Sweaty Betty, M&S, Gymshark, Fabletics	Tory Sport, Live the Process, Ernest Leoty
Swimwear	M&S, Boux Avenue, Aerie	Hunza G, Eres, Norma Kamali
Loungewear	Skims, Nobody’s Child, Parade	La Perla, Cosabella
Sculpting Basics	Spanx, Mango, Zara Powerfit	Wolford, Good American

Looking for jeans with stretch? Try Flattering Jeans for Every Body Shape and Petite Jeans Fit Guide.

📏 Why Lycra Requires Perfect Fit

Lycra garments are only as good as their fit. Too tight, and seams will stretch. Too loose, and the garment loses its intended contouring effect. Because sizing varies across brands and countries, accurate fit is essential for Lycra to perform well.

🔍 Enter Tellar.co.uk – The UK’s Leading Sizing Tool

Tellar.co.uk is your free, instant way to find your true size across more than 1,500 fashion brands—from sportswear to swimwear, casual to designer.

✅ How It Works:

Input your bust, waist and hip measurements or select your known size in one brand.
Use the Store Size Lookup Tool to instantly see your best size in every other brand.
Get tailored advice for each store, category, and style.

No downloads, no apps. Just accurate sizing. Always freeInstruction on Posts

➡️ Create your free profile

➡️ Get your printable measuring tape

➡️ Explore the Tellar Fashion Hub for free style guides

Access the Free Fashion Hub

Tellar’s free fashion content hub offers thousands of expert-written guides, always honest, unbiased and independent.

Explore more from Tellar:

📲 Follow Tellar for Style Science & Fit Intelligence

Get daily styling insights, real-time sizing advice, and fit tips across Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook and Pinterest:

Instagram: @Tellarsizing
Twitter/X: @TellarSizing
Facebook: Tellar Sizing
Pinterest: TellarSizing

Final Thoughts

Lycra is one of the most versatile, comfortable, and stylish fabrics in modern fashion—but it demands precision. From sculpting leggings to swimwear and evening tops, the key is fit, quality, and blend.

With Tellar.co.uk, you can take the guesswork out of sizing. Get the best fit for your Lycra-rich pieces across sportswear, denim, designer dresses, and more.

Find your size in 1,500+ brands real-time. It’s free & easy.

Start now: www.tellar.co.uk