Leggings have transitioned from an essential piece of workout wear to an everyday wardrobe staple worn all year round...yes, even in the summer. (Pro tip: Lightweight leggings are perfect for warmer months!)

While it might look like sorcery, there's a science (er, technique) to how these butt-lifting leggings work. "The magic is in the strategic placement of stitchings, ruching, and spandex," says textile expert and educator Deborah Young.

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Fortunately, there's a solution that thankfully doesn’t involve getting rid of your yoga pants. Enter: butt-lifting leggings. These babies can perk up your peach, thanks to high waists, side panels, and design elements like strategic stitching. (More on that later.) Many of these leggings have ruching to separate the booty cheeks and create an illusion of a perkier behind, Young explains. Additionally, there's a huge amount of spandex or elastane involved, she says. "The higher the [amount of] spandex, the more compression there is, and compression helps hold all the parts together in the right places." Most garments typically include 2 percent spandex, which is "usually enough to add a little liveliness," per Young. But in the case of most athletic wear (including butt-lifting leggings), brands want to create apparel with a four-way stretch, which requires anywhere from 12 percent to 30 percent spandex, she explains.

verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ But the same compression material that gives leggings their scrunch, helps keep their shape, and enhances your performance by boosting blood flow to your lower body can have some not-so-flattering side effects. Mainly, it can smush your butt and flatten it like a pancake. That doesn't do justice to all the glute workouts you've been doing! Lastly, many butt-lifting leggings feature a honeycomb knit structure—the technical term is a "weft knit"—"which is a great camouflage agent," Young says. It helps smooth everything out, hide any lumps or bumps you may want to conceal, and overall "provides a rather flattering look."