I’m back with another workout wear haul, and this time I’m trying TALA activewear and giving my honest reviews on the pieces. I bought these with my own money, this post is NOT sponsored in any way.
If you’re new here, I’m currently working my way through some of the most popular activewear brands to find the best workout clothes for women over 40, particularly those of us who don’t necessarily want bum-scrunch leggings, tiny crop tops or activewear designed solely with a 20-something body in mind.
And I think it’s fair to say that TALA isn’t specifically targeting the midlife woman.
However, I’ve followed the brand for a long time and really like the ethos behind it, particularly its focus on sustainability and trying to make better choices when it comes to fabrics.
So, can TALA tick the sustainability box and actually work for a midlife body?
I bought a small selection of pieces to find out.
You can also watch my full TALA activewear try-on and review to see exactly how each piece fitted and performed on my body. Click the video below or keep on reading on.
Why I Wanted to Try TALA
TALA was founded by Grace Beverley, who I originally discovered through YouTube before she went on to build TALA and several other businesses.
One of the things that has always interested me about TALA is the brand’s focus on making activewear more sustainably.
We live in a world of massive overconsumption, and personally, I’m trying to move towards buying fewer, better-quality pieces that I genuinely love and will wear repeatedly.
I also think we’re becoming much more aware of what our clothes are actually made from.
There has been increasing discussion around synthetic fabrics, microplastics and so-called “forever chemicals” in clothing, with some major activewear brands coming under scrutiny over chemicals used in their garments.
As someone who practically lives in activewear, often all day, this is something I’m becoming increasingly conscious of.
That doesn’t mean I’m suddenly going to throw away everything I own and only wear completely natural, organic activewear.
That simply isn’t realistic for me.
Budget matters. Performance matters. And when you’re training, natural fabrics haven’t always offered the stretch, sweat-wicking and support that we’ve come to expect from modern activewear.
For me, this is about making better choices where I can rather than trying to be perfect.
And I think it’s reasonable for us as consumers to start demanding more transparency from the companies producing the clothes we’re wearing against our skin every day.
That’s one of the reasons I was particularly excited to try TALA’s newer SoftSet fabric.
But first…
TALA DayFlex Contrast Sweetheart Sports Bra
The first piece I tried was the DayFlex Contrast Sweetheart Sports Bra.
This has a very feminine sweetheart neckline and definitely gives that more pushed-up look that we’re seeing everywhere at the moment.
Now, I’m not someone who is going to walk around the gym wearing just a sports bra and leggings.
For me, a sports bra needs to be functional. If I’m jumping around, I want everything staying where it should!
So when I first took this one out of the packet, I wasn’t convinced.
It looked quite flimsy and I really didn’t think it was going to offer enough support.
But I was pleasantly surprised.
Once on, it was far more supportive than I expected.
The fabric feels incredibly soft, the straps didn’t dig in and I actually felt really secure in it. It’s beautifully cut too.
It also has removable cups if you prefer to take those out.
Would I personally wear it on its own to train? No.
But underneath a vest or T-shirt? Absolutely.
This was probably one of the biggest surprises of the haul because I liked it considerably more than I thought I would.
What is the DayFlex fabric made from?
The DayFlex pieces are made predominantly from recycled polyamide with elastane.
So yes, we’re still talking about a synthetic material — essentially plastic — but using recycled materials does give it a sustainability advantage over producing entirely new synthetic fibres.
It’s not perfect, but again, I’m looking for better rather than perfect.
TALA DayFlex Contrast Sweetheart Leggings
I paired the sports bra with the matching DayFlex Contrast Sweetheart Leggings in chestnut brown.
Straight away, there were a lot of things I liked.
They’re incredibly soft with a brushed finish and have plenty of stretch.
There’s no front seam, which I know will be a huge positive for many women, and the waistband sits at a nice mid-to-high rise.
The back has a flattering V-shaped sweetheart design which I really liked. It gives some shape to your bum without going anywhere near full bum-scrunch territory!
I also felt there was a decent amount of compression through the leggings.
But then we get to one of my biggest activewear annoyances…
There are no pockets.
As a fitness coach, I constantly have my phone with me. My clients’ workouts are on it, my music is on it and if I’m walking the dogs I need somewhere for my phone and poo bags.
Pockets matter!
However, if everything else about a legging is amazing, I could potentially overlook that.
Unfortunately, there was another problem.
Do TALA DayFlex Leggings Roll Down?
This is where body shape becomes really important when reviewing leggings.
I carry more of my weight around my middle and have what many women would describe as a mum tum or apron belly.
Because of that, one of my biggest problems with leggings is waistbands rolling down.
The DayFlex waistband is double-layered, but I didn’t feel there was enough structure through it for my body shape.
Before I’d even properly worked out in them, I could feel them starting to roll.
Once I bent over and started moving, they rolled right down onto the middle of my stomach.
And that’s a deal breaker for me.
There’s a difference between leggings moving down slightly during a workout and the waistband physically rolling over and sitting across your stomach.
I find the latter incredibly uncomfortable.
I want to stress that this is very much related to my individual body shape.
If leggings don’t normally roll on you, I think these could be fantastic.
They’re beautifully soft, incredibly stretchy and feel almost like a second skin. I also think they’re really flattering.
But for me, the waistband meant they were going back.
TALA SoftSet Leggings Review
These were the leggings I was most excited to try.
TALA’s SoftSet is a newer fabric designed with a much higher percentage of fibres derived from certified or controlled wood sources.
And they feel incredible.
Seriously, the softness is on another level.
TALA rates the fabric five out of five for softness and stretch, and I’d completely agree.
However, the compression is only rated two out of five, while workout intensity is three out of five.
So straight away, these aren’t really being positioned as your super-supportive HIIT or heavy gym leggings.
They’re probably more suited to things like Pilates, yoga, walking, lighter training or everyday wear.
And this is where my problem started.
Are TALA SoftSet Leggings Flattering on a Midlife Body?
When I first put these on, I absolutely loved how they felt.
They’re incredibly stretchy and comfortable and you could easily wear them all day.
I also really liked the high waistband and initially thought it might solve my rolling problem.
Unfortunately, I still experienced some rolling.
But the bigger issue for me was the lack of compression around my stomach.
Because the fabric is so soft and lightweight, it showed everything around my midsection.
Rather than smoothing my mum tum, I felt like it actually emphasised it.
And that’s simply not how I want to feel in my workout clothes.
I’m not trying to hide my body, but I do want activewear that makes me feel supported and confident.
If these had slightly more compression through the stomach and pockets, I genuinely think I would have kept them.
I loved the fabric that much.
Are TALA SoftSet Leggings Squat Proof?
I also noticed that my lighter-coloured underwear was visible through the leggings.
For Pilates, yoga or everyday wear with darker seamless underwear, this probably wouldn’t bother me too much.
But for gym training, it’s something I’d want to consider.
Again, I don’t think that necessarily makes these bad leggings.
In fact, I think they’re going to be absolutely gorgeous on the right person.
They just weren’t quite right for my body and what I need from my activewear.
And that’s an important distinction.
Are TALA Leggings Worth the Price?
The SoftSet leggings were around £52/€74 when I purchased them, putting them firmly into the premium activewear category. Though I feel that way as I was buying in Europe which means more import charges are applies, bumping up the price. But to purchase in the UK, I actually think they are a really good price point.
When we’re paying premium prices for activewear that’s predominantly polyester or other synthetic fibres, I increasingly find myself questioning exactly what we’re paying for.
If a brand is investing in more sustainable manufacturing and innovative fabrics using a higher percentage of plant-derived fibres, I’m personally more willing to pay a premium.
So although the SoftSet leggings didn’t work for my body, I actually thought the concept and fabric helped justify the price point.
I’d love to see more brands developing fabrics like this but with options offering greater compression and support for women who carry more weight around their middle.
TALA Viral Cocoon Zip-Through Hoodie Review
Finally, I had to try the viral TALA Cocoon Zip-Through Hoodie.
I’ve seen this all over TikTok and it always looks absolutely gorgeous.
Unfortunately, the colours I really wanted, pink or baby blue, were sold out, so I ended up trying the yellow. I have just seen that they have restocked with lots of new colour ways and so I am very tempted to get this again in the deep burgundy, which looks stunning.
As someone with orange hair, yellow isn’t exactly my colour!
The full price was around €84 when I reviewed it, so again, this is definitely a premium piece, though only £59 if in the UK.
The fabric contains 60% organic cotton alongside polyester.
I love seeing organic cotton being used, although at this price point I personally would have loved to see an even higher natural-fibre content.
Then I discovered something else.
No pockets.
A hoodie without pockets!
I know this sounds like such a small thing, but functionality is incredibly important to me.
When I’m heading to a PT session or teaching a class, I need somewhere to put my phone.
And if my leggings don’t have pockets AND my hoodie doesn’t have pockets, we have a problem!
I’m still super tempted to get this in another colour because I really think it’s a beautiful fit and feel. If it had pockets I’d have it straight in my basket, though I do see that having pockets may ruin the fit of it.
But the Shape of This Hoodie…
This is where I became torn.
Because the actual shape is beautiful.
It pulls in around the waist and then has those oversized balloon-style sleeves, giving it a really flattering silhouette.
I initially worried that the oversized shape might make me look bigger, but I actually really liked it.
If I’d ordered it in baby pink or blue, I would have found the decision much harder.
Ultimately, though, I came back to the same rule I’m trying to use when rebuilding my activewear wardrobe:
If it’s not an immediate yes, it’s a no.
I want fewer pieces that I absolutely love rather than a wardrobe full of things that are almost right.
So the hoodie went back too.
My Final TALA Review: Would I Buy From TALA Again?
Interestingly, I didn’t keep anything from this particular TALA haul.
But I would shop from TALA again, they have so many gorgeous peices that I would love to try more of.
The quality impressed me. The fabrics felt beautiful. I like the direction the brand is taking with sustainability, and there were elements of every piece that I genuinely loved.
The problem was predominantly fit and functionality for me.
TALA isn’t specifically designing activewear for women over 40, and I think that showed in some of the pieces I chose.
At this stage of my life, I know exactly what I want from my workout clothes.
I want:
- Enough compression and structure around my stomach.
- A waistband that doesn’t roll down.
- Pockets wherever possible.
- Fabrics that move with me.
- Clothes that perform properly when I train.
- Pieces that make me feel confident.
- And increasingly, materials and manufacturing choices that I feel better about buying.
TALA ticked quite a few of those boxes, just not quite enough with these particular pieces.
But I definitely see potential.
I’d particularly love to see brands taking some of the innovation we’re seeing with more sustainable and natural-fibre fabrics and combining it with activewear designed specifically for midlife bodies.
Because I think there’s a huge gap in the market there.
If you know a sustainable activewear brand doing exactly that, please let me know in the comments because I want to try them next!
And if you’ve tried TALA, I’d love to know what you think. Which styles have worked for you?
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