These are hands down the best women's workwear pants I've ever tried

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Aella (pronounced ay-luh) is an LA company making a name for itself by fixing one of women’s most common complaints about their workwear options: ill-fitting, unflattering, and uncomfortable pants.

Founder Eunice Cho began her startup in 2014 when she couldn’t find a pair that were stylish enough for a day job at a high-end store in Soho but professional enough for business school—and comfortable enough for a 24/7 schedule.

Six months of fabric research and over a year of development later, Aella rolled out its first pair of black pants.

The female-led company wants to make women’s lives (and options) more seamless, so everything is made out of patented, proprietary fabrics that mix technical and performance wear with polished tailoring. In essence, you’ll look great during your meeting but feel like you could go do cartwheels in the hallway.

Aella’s suiting materials range on a spectrum from sporty to dressy and are all picked with three essential points for comfortable and easy-to-wear workwear in mind: stretch, machine-washability, and resistance to color fading:

• Matte Skin (Most sporty) is an Italian-made, patented knit fabric with lots of stretch and bounce-back.
• Techno Crepe (A little bit of both) has a crepe-like texture to make the fabric look dressy while still being stretchy and comfortable.
• Powder Skin (Most traditional) is a more comfortable option than your normal dress pants but doesn’t have an active-wear like fabric.
• Suede Skin (Most luxe) feels exactly like the name suggests: like “beautiful suede—but with a crisp edge." It’s made out of Tencel, a fiber allegedly more absorbent than cotton, cooler than linen, and softer than silk.

We've only personally tried their pants (which you can read our thoughts on below. spoiler: the fabrics really are that awesome), but they cater to much more of the workwear sphere than just their original goal of making the best Little Black Pants on the market for working women.

So while pants are different levels of sporty and dressy, their shirting materials are selected for their drape, versatility, and softness. Of course, to keep it all simple, everything is still machine-washable and has 4-way stretch.

• Feather Skin (the tried and true t-shirt knit) is a brushed, sueded texture that lets you dress it up or down and wicks away moisture.
• Silk Skin (“The most comfortable silky material you’ll ever meet”) is made from Japanese charmeuse for a breezy feel and beautiful drape.

So aside from making beautiful pants with slim, elastic fits and tops that feel light and drape exceptionally, it's also all machine-washable, wrinkle-resistant, fade-resistant, and sweat-proof: because nice workwear is not made for a mannequin, and a human woman moves around a whole lot more than one.

If you'd like more help than scrolling through images online to find your perfect-fitting pair of pants, you can Find Your Fit with a stylist quiz. After taking a minute to answer helpful, pointed questions about the most likely use of the pants/office dress code/height and other details (including your most common pants problems), you'll receive a stylist's recommendations made specifically for you in your email inbox within 24 hours. The tailored lineup is helpful, especially if you're looking for an excuse to get outside the box or need added guidance, but a majority of shoppers will likely be able to navigate the site and pick what works for their bodies and office environments even without added assistance.

And just in case the fit isn't perfect on the first time around, Aella always offers two sizes for each pant style at no cost to you, plus free exchanges. 

We got to try out Aella's revolutionary workwear pants made out of technical materials and we loved them. Read our full thoughts on our respective pairs below to help you decide for yourself: 

Malarie Gokey, Insider Picks guides editor

Aella's dress pants are made of stronger stuff than your average dress pant. The fabric is sturdy enough to hold its shape without wrinkling and you can even machine wash these pants without ruining them forever. They're also really comfortable and super cool looking. 

Aella's stylist quiz recommended the High Waist Flare Petite pants, and I love them. They fit perfectly, and the seam down the front of the pants creates the same look of an ironed crease — no ironing required. The fabric is breathable enough to wear in the summer, but it's thick enough that I expect they'll feel great in the fall and winter, too. The only downside to these pants is that they're a few inches too long for petite pants. However, to be perfectly fair, Aella's stylist quiz did warn me that these pants would require heels since I'm only 5'2. 

High Waist Flare Petite, $245

Mara Leighton, Insider Picks reporter

After completing the stylist quiz for preferences on fit and style, Aella’s stylist recommended the Slim Pintuck pants (seen above), which are a nice way to cater to a slim profile without going completely leggings.

The pants themselves are made of my favorite fabric to-date. It’s breathable and smooth (which makes it comfortable to wear all day) and really exceeded my expectations by keeping their elasticity and shape even after consistent wears. They feel like a breathable, thicker performance material without sagging a lot, which is a common concern for similar materials. 

The pintuck details add some interest without detracting from credibility, which I really enjoy in well-made workwear. For a pull-on pant, they did a really nice job of using the seam in the Pintuck design to add a slimming length to your legs. It also makes it less likely you'll get lost in the color you choose and look like one big block. 

But though I liked the originality of the Pintucks, my favorite by far (and my new closet workhorse) is the Ankle Skinny — for all the same reasons, but with pockets and a more fitted look (thanks to the design and a front zip closure instead of an elastic band). 

I prefer slim fits in dark colors for work so that I can be comfortable and also look professional. Before trying Aella I had a couple favorite pairs in my rotation, but since trying these I’ve gravitated towards them very heavily. If all of them have just come out of the laundry, these are the ones I grab first and wear most frequently. They’re not as inexpensive as many pairs I own, but they’re about $40 more than the pair I like the most, and the difference between them is pretty big. I definitely couldn’t replace all my work pants at once with Aella, but I would buy a pair and do my laundry more often to keep wearing them.

Slim Pintuck Pants, $185

High Waist Ankle Skinny, $198

Kelsey Mulvey, Insider Picks reporter

My black work slacks are a mainstay of my professional wardrobe. Slightly nicer than jeans, they transition nicely from the office to happy hour and look great with everything. Since I wear the same black slacks twice a week, I was excited to try a pair of Aella pants. 

I took the company’s “Find Your Fit” stylist quiz, which is designed to help you find the best size and style for your lifestyle. While the pants fit well and are comfortable enough to wear all day, I didn’t love the styles I received. The High Waist Flare and High Waist Cigarette (pictured) styles might be perfect for a corporate setting, but were too baggy in the leg for my liking.

I’d recommend using the “Find Your Fit” questionnaire if you’re not sure which style to choose but if you already have a couple work pants you love, try browsing the site on your own.

High Waist Flare, $245

High Waist Cigarette, $220 

Connie Chen, Insider Picks intern

I’m not a big leggings person. When given the choice, I prefer a pair of running shorts for lounging around or working out, but these Slim Leggings have made me question my long-held preference. They’re super stretchy and comfortable, holding up well to lunges, squats, and jogging. I liked that the straight fit and sturdy but not stifling material made them more appropriate for everyday and workwear, instead of being relegated to indoor and exercise wear. Due to its quality and versatility, these are the only leggings you’ll need to keep in your closet.

Slim Leggings, $175

You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.

Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyowcidnKxno6nGrbGOmpylpJFivaa%2BxaipppmemLJuw86romaokaPBtHnRnq2inac%3D