I like the tank tops with the bra built in. They don't fall over your face of you bend over, and they keep your middle covered. Mine are from Athleta. I'm trying to find some that are sized according to bra though (S, M and L leaves a bit of "wiggle" room).

Same here, amj. For Pilates I love the Athleta yoga pants, capri length. There is a certain style that is not low-rise. And for tops, since my torso is long, I look at tank tops from Nike, Under Armor, Saucony or Athleta. They all seem to have longer tops that come down to the hips. There are a few other mfg that make longer tops, but it is harder to find ones with built-in bras.

If you have a Lululemon shop in your town you might check them out. Some people I know really like their workout wear.

I used to love Lululemon, but their quality isn't what it used to be. Remember the whole fiasco with the seethrough thin fabric on their pants a few years ago?

I have several LL pants bought between 2007 - 2010 and they still look great. Wish I had stocked up when the quality was still good!

I like Athleta, and surprisingly, Old Navy has fairly decent workout clothes that are a bargain. I like their compression yoga capris, and their long loose tanks with a sports bra underneath. They also have some t-shirts in the breathable mesh, with ruched sides, that are fitted but not tight, that are more flattering than most on my roly poly body :-)

Thanks amj and Outside for the tip! A top with a built in bra is a great idea. I've been checking out sports bras online. My little town has limited shopping. I'll check out the mall (20 miles away) and try ordering online if the mall is a fail. I have never owned yoga pants but I ordered a pair on sale from Loft and they arrived yesterday. I had to laugh at myself trying to figure out just where that waist band was supposed to sit, low rise or higher? If I like the class, I will need more than one pair. Off to check out Athleta online and Lulu Lemon (although see through would not be a good look for me!).

For yoga and Pilates you don't to wear a loose top. Get ones that cling to your torso. Else they will fall down over your head when you do some exercises. Even if you do wear a sports bra and a tank top over it, get a fitted top.

Target sometimes has nice tops but they are too short for me. And a friend finds things at TJ Maxx and Kohl's but I don't.

I second Target, specifically their C9 brand. Inexpensive, and I find they hold up well.

I'm tall and have a long torso, and I practice yoga at home and in a studio. I have to try on workout clothes before purchasing. When you're exercising, your workout clothes don't just have to look good while standing in the mirror, they have to look good when your arms are reaching for crescent pose and potential exposing your midsection, or when your a$$ is up in the air during downward dog.

Until you find a brand that works for you, I recommend Dicks and Sports Authority, which have standard brands you can try on in the store. Also, my local Marshalls has a great selection of workout clothes.

Totally agree about Target and their C-9 Champion wear. I finally replaced a pair of pants that I have had for about 3 or 4 years (wearing about 4 times per week for zumba). I only replaced them because the seams had started to fray slightly and there were stains that I couldnt get out. I thought they had earned retirement. I bought new ones from Target and while they are not quite the same, they are holding up very well.

I also prefer Champion workout wear (not just that at Target). I run, do yoga and pilates. Their gear is durable, breathable and fits well. I do have to try everything on but that's ok. If you're a Costco member, they have some gear that's pretty good too.

I've also recently found Avia running leggings at WM on clearance that I use for yoga. It seems like all of the leggings have a certain transparency when stretched at all so I wear compression shorts underneath them.

The tanks with bras are great but if you've got any size to you, I recommend doubling up and wearing a sports bra underneath. The shelf bra is not supportive at all.

I am an avid runner and just recently discovered Lorna Jane. OMG, their stuff is some of the cutest workout wear I've ever seen, and extremely comfortable. I discovered the shop while visiting Dallas, but they are an Australian company and you can order online.

Athleta and Lululemon are super expensive, but great quality. I can't see paying $80-90 for a pair of pants that I'm going to nothing but sweat in though, so I tend to buy the cheaper stuff. Target's C9 brand is good and I have also done well at Ross/Marshalls/TJ Maxx. If you live near a Kohls, they have a great selection - they have their own house brand, TekGear, and they sell a lot of Fila and Adidas. They also have a very nice line of yoga-oriented stuff by Gaiam. They also carry Nike, but recently changed their coupons so they don't work on Nike anymore. But if you stay away from Nike, with the 30% off coupons that they send up plus the sales they run, you can get very nice stuff for cheap. I have a couple pairs of Fila capri-style yoga pants that were under $10 each and I recently got a beautiful pair of Gaiam yoga leggings for $6. I've owned the Fila pants for years, wearing them a couple times a week, and they are still holding up great -- just a little faded from washing them so often.

I'd never heard of Lorna Jane, so I looked. Yowza! Cute, but are those prices in US dollars? I think so, dang. I can't justify $65 for a sports bra and $100 for leggings. But the model in most of the pictures is super cute.

Lucy! I have a pair of their everyday pants and a couple of shirts that are old enough that it is embarrassing, but I still get compliments on them....not inexpensive, but worth it. There was a Lucy shop in Houston.

Well, the mall was unsuccessful and I didn't get to Target or Old Navy. I checked out Costco but they seemed to have a very picked over selection at our store. I'll try to get to more stores this week end. I think I need to go into the city where they have a Lorna Jane, Lululemon and more. But I hate going there. I may order one support top from Athleta that promises not to create a uni-boob. Thanks for all the great recommendations. It's good to know that some of the less expensive brands are well liked!

I'm a personal trainer and always in exercise clothes of some sort. I wear almost all mentioned plus Gap and Zella (Nordstroms).