Travel Products Style Active + Loungewear The 8 Best Exercise Skirts and Skorts of 2023 Girlfriend Collective’s Midnight Sport Skirt is versatile and size-inclusive. By Sophie Dodd Sophie Dodd Sophie Dodd is a travel, wine and lifestyle writer. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 3, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews Tips for Buying an Exercise Skirt or Skort FAQ Why Trust T+L We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Outdoor Voices / Girlfriend At the intersection of athletics and style, you’ll find exercise skirts and skorts. Longtime mainstays on golf courses and tennis courts, the flirty, flattering garments combine the coverage and comfort of shorts with the breezy ease of a skirt — and, better yet, with the practicality of pockets. While exercise skirts were once relegated to the realm of sportswear and working out, they’re now a completely acceptable — and stylish — alternative to regular skirts when you’re out and about. Plus, they make handy traveling companions thanks to their chic versatility. We’ve researched a variety of styles, from pleated designs to the best size-inclusive options. Our favorite overall exercise skirt is the Girlfriend Collective Midnight Sport Skort because of its versatility, expansive range of sizes, and sustainable material. But from anti-chafe to quick-drying picks, all of the exercise skirts and skorts on this list are simple yet high-impact additions to any wardrobe. Here’s our breakdown of the best exercise skirts and skorts to shop now: Our Top Picks Best Overall: Girlfriend Collective Skort at Girlfriend.com Jump to Review Best Pleated: Outdoor Voices Skort at Outdoorvoices.com Jump to Review Best High Waist: Lululemon Court Rival High-rise Skirt at Lululemon Jump to Review Best Pockets: Crz Yoga High Waisted Skort at Amazon Jump to Review Best Prints: Ekouaer Women's Active Performance Skort at Amazon Jump to Review Best Size-inclusivity: Athleta Brooklyn Skort 16” at Gap.com Jump to Review Best Value: BLEVONH Shorts at Amazon Jump to Review Best Anti-chafe: Outdoor Voices The Exercise 3-Inch Skort at Nordstrom Jump to Review Best Overall Girlfriend Collective Midnight Skort View On Girlfriend.com Why We Love It Girlfriend Collective’s skort is our overall go-to because it's made from cozy and compressive upcycled material, and it’s ultra-versatile and size-inclusive. What to Consider It’s a bit of a splurge. This editor-loved skort stands out primarily for its versatility: It looks convincingly like a traditional mini skirt, but it keeps you covered whether you’re biking to the beach, lounging at a park picnic, dancing at a concert, or jogging through the city. Its minimalist, high-waisted design makes it easy to throw on with anything — particularly the brand’s coordinating sports bras, which you can add to your cart if you’re searching for a sophisticated and sporty set. But the skort is a wardrobe game changer all on its own — the fabric blend is sourced from recycled water bottles and spandex, which provides a compressive fit without sacrificing stretch and coziness. The material keeps you cool with its sweat-wicking properties and lets you hit the road (or the court or the beach) hands-free thanks to hidden mesh pockets on the no-slip bike shorts and another hidden pocket in the waistband. We also love Girlfriend Collective for how they’re upholding their commitment to sustainability with their recycling program (called “ReGirlfriend”), which encourages customers to send in their old pieces to be upcycled into new clothes in exchange for a $15 store credit. The brand has also been dedicated to size inclusivity since the start, with pieces available from XXS to 6XL. Price at time of publish: $62 The Details: Recycled water bottles and spandex blend | XXS-6XL Best Pleated Outdoor Voices Sport 4" Skort Outdoor Voices View On Outdoorvoices.com Why We Love It This vintage-style tennis skort is flirty, feminine, and quick-drying. What to Consider The undershorts can sometimes be seen from the back. Per Outdoor Voices’ motto, this is a skort for Doing Things. Whether those things are athletic, like a HITT workout, or aesthetic, like meandering through a field of wildflowers, this skirt supports you with comfort and coverage — plus, it’s just really dang cute. The pleats are equal parts nostalgic and trendy, channeling tennis icons of yore. The wide waistband is flattering and stays put, as do the built-in shorts, which feature a sticky-grip hem to keep them in place — but note that they can sometimes be glimpsed from the back. Like all good skorts, they’re equipped with pockets to secure your phone, tennis and/or golf balls, and anything else you need on hand. The lightweight material, made from Outdoor Voices’ signature GridTek, is breathable and notably quick-drying, with a good amount of stretch. Price at time of publish: $68 The Details: GridTek | XS-XL Best High Waist Lululemon Court Rival High-rise Skirt Lululemon View On Lululemon Why We Love It The wide waistband hits at just the right place for a flattering silhouette. What to Consider It’s best to size down, as the skirt runs slightly large. Lululemon is a near synonym for athleisure, so it’s no surprise that the brand’s high-rise skirt is one of our absolute favorites. Designed for tennis and running, it’s made with the brand’s signature lightweight Swift fabric, which wicks away sweat and dries lightning-fast. The liner shorts, which feature an inner pocket, offer security and comfort and feature an ultra-cozy elastic waistband that creates a flattering high-rise silhouette. Plus, it’s available in tall sizing and 10 colors, including two patterns. Price at time of publish: $59-$88 The Details: Luxtreme and lycra blend | 0-20 The 14 Best Tennis Skirts to Wear On and Off the Court in 2023 Best Pockets Crz Yoga High Waisted Skort Amazon View On Amazon Why We Love It There aren’t two but three hidden pockets to keep track of your phone, wallet, keys, and more. What to Consider It’s not as quick-drying as it's advertised to be. Hailed as an excellent dupe for the Lululemon Pace Rival Skort, the Cruz Yoga Skort is top-notch quality for its incredibly affordable price. The skort is a steal for how soft and stretchy the polyester and elastane fabric blend is. The moisture-wicking material helps to keep you cool for all sorts of outings, from intense workouts to casual walks, but do note that it isn’t super quick-drying. It’s wrinkle-resistant, though, so it’s an easy piece to tuck in your suitcase or gym bag. The shorts stay in place and offer enough coverage to prevent chafing; plus, they feature three handy hidden pockets: two side pockets for your daily essentials and back zippered pockets for your tiniest trinkets. They come in eight colors ranging from neutrals to pastels. Price at time of publish: $35 The Details: Polyester and elastane blend | XXS-XL Best Prints Ekouaer Women's Active Performance Skort Amazon View On Amazon Why We Love It It comes in over 40 different patterns for you to mix-and-match into your wardrobe. What to Consider The undershorts show through some of the skirt patterns. This best-seller is a warm-weather staple thanks to its soft and breathable fabric, which wicks away moisture whether you’re breaking a sweat on the tennis court or walking your dog around the neighborhood. The best part is that the skirt is available in over 40 different colors and prints, from every shade of the rainbow to leopard print and tie-dye, making it an excellent multifunctional item for dressing up or down. However, some of the darker patterns feature built-in white shorts underneath, which can show through when the outer material is stretched. Price at time of publish: $27 The Details: Polyester and spandex blend | XS-XXL Best Size-inclusivity Athleta Brooklyn Skort 16” Athleta View On Gap.com Why We Love It This lightweight and chic mini skirt is available in a wide range of flattering sizes. What to Consider The outline of the pockets is more visible in the lighter colors. This mid-rise exercise skirt is ultra-breathable and ideal for lower-impact workouts or general travel and day-to-day activities, be it museum hopping or a casual hike. It’s the perfect vacation companion, as it wears like a more traditional skirt, meaning you can dress it up with sandals just as easily as you can pair it with sneakers and head out for a run. The classic A-line number is also available in sizes XXS-3X and is our go-to for size-inclusive options thanks to its thoughtful design, which provides a smooth and compressive fit without feeling restrictive. Our one complaint is that the outline of the pockets can be seen through the outer layer of this design in lighter shades. Price at time of publish: $28-$59 The Details: Recycled polyester and spandex blend | XXS-3X The 15 Best Travel Dresses of 2023 Best Value BLEVONH Women Tennis Skirts Inner Shorts Amazon View On Amazon Why We Love It Designed to look like a classic mini skirt, Blevonh’s exercise skirt pulls double duty as a versatile skort that offers full-coverage shorts. What to Consider The shorts underneath are less compressive than typical spandex and don’t offer as tight a fit. Blevonh’s incredibly affordable tennis skirt is beloved by even the most outspoken members of the anti-shorts camp. This classic A-line mini skirt features a wide waistband and mini-shorts underneath, which run a bit looser than those with sticky grips on the hem, meaning they offer the coverage of shorts but without the compression of shapewear. This makes the skort an excellent choice for lower-intensity workouts or for more low-key activities like running errands. While the shorts are a bit more freeing, the elastic waistband stays in place no matter what you’re up to. This sporty skirt is available in 34 colors and patterns and has one deep pocket for your valuables. Price at time of publish: $10-$32 The Details: Polyester and spandex blend | XS-2XL Best Anti-chafe Outdoor Voices The Exercise 3-Inch Skort View On Nordstrom View On Outdoorvoices.com Why We Love It The shorts' liner helps keep everything in place for active days. What to Consider A 3-inch inseam may be too short for some. Outdoor Voices makes a variety of easy, breezy exercise skirts, but this sporty number takes the cake as our favorite anti-chafe model thanks to the built-in shorts liner, which keeps the shorts in place for all sorts of activities. Built for more than your everyday stroll, they're made of super sweat-wicking material — feel free to wear them gardening on a sunny day or take ‘em out for a night on the town. The 3-inch inseam prevents the shorts from riding up, which in turn means chafing is a thing of the past. If you’re planning to sightsee in a new city and know you’ll be walking around all day, this skort is your new best friend. Plus, it’s got two side pockets and a zippered pocket to keep all of your valuables safe. Price at time of publish: $68 The Details: Nylon and spandex blend | XXS-3XL Tips for Buying an Exercise Skirt or Skort Choose the right style for your activity When purchasing an exercise skirt or skort, there are a few key aspects to keep in mind. First, consider what sorts of activities you’d most like to use it for: sports like tennis and golf would be better suited for a pleated skort, which offers unrestricted movement as well as the coverage of built-in shorts. For a more general wardrobe addition, a straighter cut may be more versatile, and it’s entirely up to you if you’d prefer to opt for built-in shorts or not. If you do go for a skort, be sure to note if there are pockets in the shorts (because whatever activity you’re doing, hidden pockets are always a good idea). Go for the right fabric and length Other critical aspects are the material and sizing. If you plan to wear your skirt for workouts or in warmer weather, a moisture-wicking fabric like polyester is your best bet to keep cool and dry. In terms of sizing, check that the length matches what you’re looking for, whether on the shorter side (a mini) or closer to the knee (midi). Frequently Asked Questions What should I wear with an exercise skirt? One of the best parts of exercise skirts is their versatility. They famously pair well with just about everything, from workout wear like sports bras and tennis sneakers to daytime looks (think graphic tees and a well-worn pair of mules) and going-out outfits (dress them up with sandals or heels and a chic blouse). When should I wear an exercise skirt? While exercise skirts aren’t exactly formal attire, they can be dressed up or down based on your needs, which makes them an excellent choice for a wide range of outfits. Since they’re sleek and easily foldable, they take up hardly any space in a suitcase, which makes them a great addition to any travel wardrobe. Exercise skirts can be swapped in for a normal skirt on most occasions, except particularly formal ones, as the materials may not cut it for certain dress codes. When it comes to workouts, exercise skirts are a floaty and flattering swap for pants or the ubiquitous exercise dress — but for the most part, skorts tend to be a better fit for physical activities, as they provide added coverage for peace of mind. How do I fold a skirt? The best way to fold a skirt to keep it wrinkle-free is to follow the KonMari method, coined by organizational guru Marie Kondo. For ideal results, begin with the skirt flat on a hard surface. Fold one-third towards the center and then the next one-third toward the center, which should create a long rectangle. Then fold the hem towards the waist by one-third. Fold one-third one last time, and voilà! By lining up your skirts and storing them vertically, you’ll save space and be able to see them at a glance. Why Trust Travel + Leisure Travel writer Sophie Dodd drew upon her own globe-trotting style and researched dozens of products to curate this list of the best exercise skirts and skorts for every taste, budget, and activity. The 13 Best Exercise Dresses of 2023 Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit