I'm a fitness gear expert and these are the 9 best exercise dresses with built-in bras and shorts that stay put

It can keep up with sweaty, high-impact workouts. The Beyond Yoga Score Pleated Dress is a true exercise dress — the attached under-shorts stay in place (for the most part), the material wicks sweat very effectively, and it's supportive in the chest. It's perfect whether you're going for a long walk or lunging and sprinting during a tennis match.

In addition to playing many a tennis game in it, I took this dress with me on a 10-day trip to Europe. It never let me down as I walked for over 8 hours in the Spanish heat.

It's universally flattering, but comes in limited sizes. While we traveled, both myself and my best friend wore this dress. It was flattering and supportive on both my 5-foot-5, 36A frame and her 5-foot-1, 36DD frame. The straps are thick enough to hold up bigger boobs (though you still may want a sports bra for high-impact sports). I liked that the elastic waistband and tennis skirt accentuate your curves without being tight across the stomach.

The main downside to this dress is that the sizing only goes from XS - XL. But if that fits for you, this dress looks good on pretty much anybody. It's also worth noting this dress runs true to size or slightly big — I wear a Large in most workout clothes, but a Medium fit me perfectly.

It's not the easiest to go to the bathroom in. Nowadays, many exercise dresses have a split in the back so you can pull down the bottom half like shorts to go to the bathroom — and this makes a world of difference, convenience-wise. The Beyond Yoga Score Pleated Dress does not have a drop seat. Its shortsuit lining is entirely connected, so you have to pull the whole dress down to go to the bathroom. It's not ideal, but not a deal breaker either.

It performs as well as dresses three times the price. The Quince Ultra-Form Active Dress looks and performs like your average well-designed exercise dress — a simple, universally-flattering neckline and a shorts liner that stays in place (with a phone pocket). In fact, this dress is more comfortable than many dresses of the same style — and yet, it costs less than $50.

The material feels luxe. Quince's affordable exercise dress uses its signature, buttery-soft Ultra-Form fabric which is moisture wicking, anti-microbial, and has four-way stretch. Aside from having the technical skills to back it, the material feels soft to the touch and looks more luxe than it should for the price point.

We love the colors — but they're all pretty understated. This dress comes in six colorways. That said, they're all a muted and natural color, like plum, navy, and forest green, so if you're a bright girlie, the color options may feel limited.

It's not supportive enough to do high-intensity workouts. As is the case with many exercise dresses, the Quince Active Dress is designed with a low-level compression, so it's not going to work in a HIIT class. Still, it's certainly supportive enough to wear as you go for a walk on a hot summer's day.

Learn more in our full Quince review.

This is the original exercise dress that launched the category years ago. I've owned three of them now and have worn this dress during swampy summers in New York, hiking mountains in Colorado, and on long airplane rides to adventurous places. After testing 22 dresses for this article, it's easily the most comfortable exercise dress for hours on end.

It's lightweight, breathable, and quick-drying. The comfort power of this dress lies in the performance material, both on the liner and the outer shell. It's very lightweight on the body, highly breathable, and quick-drying. That said, after a full day of non-stop sweat, the liner does get maxed out and it starts to get a little marshy in the crotch — but that's inevitable for any garment on a hot day.

The shorts stay in place better than any other brand. This Outdoor Voices dress is only one of five dresses I tested where the shorts didn't ride up. That's likely because it was the only dress with elastic grips at the bottom of the liner that holds the material against your thighs (but not in an uncomfortable way). Even my friend, who identifies as "thick thighed," says that she usually struggles with Spandex shorts rolling up on her, but this dress doesn't.

It's an appropriate length and fit. One reason I bring this dress with me whenever I travel is that it's not only comfortable, but pretty universal — it rides the lines between being sporty and casual, while still having a clean aesthetic that can be dressed up as needed (especially in the black colorway).

OV has made some great upgrades to the design — but it's still not perfect. This dress has been out for a while, and the brand has made some welcomed upgrades to the design (including the elastic lining on the shorts, and making the straps adjustable).

I'd love for the next upgrade to be incorporating the dropseat design competitors have started to implement. Otherwise, my one gripe with this dress is that the straps start to fray after a dozen or so washes. It really isn't enough to be noticeable, but it keeps the dress from looking perfectly sleek.

See how the original version compares in our Outdoor Voices Exercise Dress review.

It's fun, flirty, and functional. This was easily one of my top 3 favorite dresses I tested. The built-in shorts did a decent job at staying down, and even when they did roll up, it was weirdly not as uncomfortable as with other dresses I tested. It has a contouring bodice, a flirty skirt with a side opening, and thick, adjustable straps that offer decent support. But for high-intensity workouts, it still needs a sports bra underneath.

It's incredibly lightweight and breathable. I wore this on a scorching day riding bikes in the sun, and the material didn't hold onto any moisture. It also let wind come through to cool me down. Thee polyester-Spandex blend fabric felt very lightweight and incredibly breathable.

It comes in a wide range of sizes and colors. This dress runs from an XXS to a 3X and comes in a whopping 12 colorways — so there options for whatever your taste may be. The colors are all rich, and I love that certain colorways look more or less like an exercise dress than others, depending on the aesthetic you're going for.

Read up on more of our favorite plus-size activewear from the Taylor Swift-approved brand in our full Popflex review.

It really is the perfect workout dress. The Align Cami Strap Dress may not look like anything special, but it is actually the perfect execution of a workout dress. Many others I tested look similar, but their shorts rode up, or their liners weren't very supportive. I had no such issues with this dress.

It's flattering, functional, and easy to go to the bathroom in. It has a simple, spaghetti-strap neckline, a built-in liner that doesn't roll up when you move around, and a flatting monochrome sheath overtop. The liner is designed with a split so you can just pull the shorts down to go to the bathroom — a feature that's definitely worth the higher price bump. I also love the slightly open back, which adds style points and provides more support to the chest.

It's made from Lululemon's beloved Nulu fabric. Among a brand known for its proprietary fabrics, Lululemon's Nulu fabric has a special place in the hearts of fitness girlies. It's incredibly soft, but has four-way stretch and is both sweat-wicking and highly breathable. This makes this exercise dress feel (and look) luxe, while also doing its job of keeping moisture to a minimum.

It's not supportive enough in the chest for high-intensity workouts. Although this dress held up as I played a light game of tennis and went on long dog walks, the built-in bra and thinner straps weren't quite supportive enough to keep me secure on a run — which would be even more true for big-chested women. It's still a great dress for running errands, though.

It offers more coverage and looks sleek. This high-neckline dress is ideal if you want more modest coverage alongside all the perks of an exercise dress. It looks much more put-together than the others I tested. It's an A-line silhouette with adjustable straps and a stylish back cutout, which prevents it from feeling overly conservative.

The high neck works beautifully for activities where you're bending over a lot — like playing with your kids — so you won't have any gaping or extra cleavage showing. Plus, the cut of the shoulders and neckline make it easy to layer over a sports bra.

The built-in shaping technology actually works. It's no surprise that an exercise dress from a brand known for its shapewear would look — and feel — flattering. This dress has built-in SPANXshape Booty Boost shorts that provide targeted core, hip, and thigh compression.

I genuinely felt a difference in this liner — unlike other exercise dresses where the "shaping" feels like a marketing gimmick, this dress smooths and supports in all the right places. It felt perfectly compressive without feeling restrictive.

It has split shorts for easier bathroom access. One of the few dresses on our list with this convenient feature, the Get Moving High Neck Dress has shorts that detach in the back so you don't have to wrestle the entire dress down. It's hard to overemphasize how valuable this feature is, and its designed so that you can't feel the split when you're walking around.

Its built-in bra is supportive, and the material is easy-breezy. Though it has no shorts liner, this dress does come with a supportive built-in sports bra with a thick band and tight fit. As a smaller-chested woman, I had no issue with bounce or pain when I went for a run in this dress. I also love how it kept me dry and cool on a sweat trail run.

Without shorts, it's more versatile. Maybe you hate the feeling of shorts that ride up, or you already have your go-to workout shorts that are the perfect length for your comfort. In either case, this shell dress lets you mix-and-match for max comfort. It's also more versatile if you want something comfy to throw on at the end of a long day of adventuring.

It has subtle stash pockets. One reason the Hoka Mizi dress rose above its competitors without shorts is that it has built-in stash pockets right above the back hip for your phone, snacks, or a water bottle. It also has a key loop inside the right pocket. This makes it handy for trail runners and hikers. However the pocket wasn't tight enough to keep my phone from bouncing around on a run.

The cut is very flattering. I personally prefer a compressive onesie liner to cinch everything in under my shell, but I still appreciated that this dress has higher sides with enough length over the booty. In the back, there's a cutout for a little more fun (and airflow).

Of course, the brand's main focus is its shoes. Read about my favorite sneakers in our guide to the best Hokas.

It has split shorts for easier bathroom access. While this feature isn't a must-have for workouts, you definitely want split shorts when you're crammed in a tiny airplane bathroom. The SpanxShape Get moving Zip Front Dress has a split in the lower back so you can pull the shorts down and away from the skirt, and the top hem has a seamless elastic band so you don't feel it when they're up.

The silhouette is sleek, timeless, and offers customizable coverage. Travel outfits need to be versatile. I love that this dress looks both sleek and modest, in case you're running from the airport to lunch. The hemline is the perfect lenght, the zipper offers custom coverage control (and can hide a bra if you feel the need to wear one), and the front seam lines reinforce its contoured shape.

The luxe performance fabric is ideal for long trips. This dress is made from sweat-wicking, four-way stretch fabric. That means you'll feel comfortable even as you sit in hot taxis, crowded planes, or any other stuffy environment you find yourself in. I also really appreciated how sleek and clean the navy nylon-elastic fabric looks, adding to its versatility for different kinds of travel.

The sculpting shorts stay put. The liner of this dress is ridiculously comfortable, in my experience. It strikes a perfect balance between compressively supportive and comfortable enough to wear for hours. It has Spanx's signature Booty Boost shorts to give you targeted shaping, and the seamless design prevents chafing. The shorts also stay put during low-impact activities, so you won't have to dig up and pull them down in the middle of an airport.

The tie skirt is very flattering, albeit a bit short. Rather than a full sheath overtop a liner, Abercrombie's exercise dress has a front wrap tie that creates a cinched waist effect while subtly disguising your midsection. The skirt opens to a slit, revealing a cheeky flash of leg. This gives it a level of sexiness in contrast with its modest neckline. That said, the skirt is rather short in the rear.

The fabric is incredibly comfortable. This piece feels more like a dress than exercise apparel, which I loved for running errands and going to the grocery store. It uses A&F's signature studioFLEX fabric, which feels lightweight, buttery soft and perfectly compressive.

It looks sporty, but the shorts aren't made for working out. I love how secure the top of this dress is, especially considering it's an open back. My chest felt supported while I jumped around playing tennis.

However, the shorts simply do not stay in place that well. I had to pull them down multiple times because you can see their hems beneath the open slit. This didn't bother me too much — if anything, the slit gives you easy access to slip them back down. But if you want to avoid having to make frequent adjustments in public, I suggest the Outdoor Voices dress instead.

Alo Alosoft Courtside Tennis Dress ($118): With its thin straps and short liner, this dress isn't designed to actually workout in, but it is great for petite women and generally comfortable to bop around town in.

Vuori One Shot Tennis Dress ($98): Overall, this is a fine, standard exercise dress, but the shorts don't stay down, making it inferior to Lululemon's Align Cami Strap Dress and Outdoor Voices' Exercise Dress, which are the same style.

Halara Softlyzero™ Plush Backless Active Dress-Easy Peezy Edition ($44.95): This is a decent affordable exercise dress, and I appreciated the split liner for easy bathroom access. However, the shorts do not stay down and the seam on them creates bad chafing. Also, the phone pockets on the side of the shorts are unnaturally high. I had to lift up the entire skirt to access them.

Beyond Yoga Spacedye Refocus Dress ($48.50): This was another strong contender for styles without built-in shorts. The dress feels lusciously soft to the touch and has a flattering high-neck fit. For those who stand under 5-foot-5, the skirt length is on the longer side.

Carbon28 Strappy Dress in Melt ($134): This dress felt luxe and was very comfortable to wear, but it had no shaping to the liner, and the shorts were always showing underneath the skirt. Also, the fabric held on to moisture in the heat. For the price, there are better options.

FP Movement Never Better Dress ($118): I loved this dress. The material was a little too thick for hot days, but the skirt is cute, the shorts stayed down decently well, and the built-in bra was supportive enough for light activity.

Vuori Daily Tennis Dress ($118): A great cut for athletic body types, this dress is well-designed for real exercise, true to Vuori's reputation. It doesn't have a built in bra, which some might like, but this made it less convenient as a grab-and-go outfit.

Wiskii Cross Back Tennis Dress ($108): This dress has a very sweet cut, but it is so incredibly short, especially considering it doesn't have any liner underneath.

FP Movement Smockin Hot Dress ($118): This dress was so, so short.

FP Movement One More Serve Skortsie ($108): This dress is made for a single and very specific body type — the straps on this dress are very, very long (as with most Free People clothing) and the contours hug in weird places.

Wiskii Mirto Knit Sleeveless Dress ($128): This dress is very cute with a knit, heritage tennis vibe, but it's certainly not for working out (or even being sweaty in). The interior shorts are practically non-existent (their inseams are barely an inch long) and overall it felt quite heavy.

Alo Airbrush Streamlined Dress ($128): The perfect "Clean Girl" exercise dress, I loved the aesthetic of the piping and the brushed softness of the fabric. The shorts don't stay down, but this dress is so cute that it's almost forgivable.

Alo Alosoft Backspin Dress ($128): I was surprised by how great this dress is. The cut is very flattering, and the high neck is offset by the short skirt, creating a flattering dress for larger-chested women. The shorts don't stay down, but they don't cause any chafing, either.

Performance materials: Look for liners made with materials that are breathable, quick-drying, and, ideally, that don't show sweat stains. Within these parameters, some materials look more like workout clothes, while others can pass for a more stylish dress you'd wear to brunch.

Shorts that stay in place: This is perhaps the hardest feature to find in an exercise dress. Of the 22 dresses I tested with built-in liners, only a handful had shorts that reliably stayed put.

A compressive liner: The inner liner of an exercise should be slightly compressive — particularly at the chest — to provide support and stay in place while you move around all day. But it shouldn't be so compressive that you have to hold your breath to put it on.

Adjustable straps: The ability to tighten or loosen the straps lets you find a more comfortable fit and better support, especially for large-chested women.

Bathroom access: Some dresses have a liner that's completely attached, so you have to take the whole thing off to go to the bathroom. This is the most common design but, of course, way more of a hassle. Others have a split in the back, so you can pull the shorts down and away from the dress. Especially if you're traveling or hiking, opt for one with a split.

Sizing: An exercise dress should fit snugly to hold you in all day, so if you're between sizes, we generally recommend sizing down. For context, I've provided notes on how each dress fit my body (I'm 5-foot-5, wear a 36A bra, and typically a size Large in workout clothes).