Midsize & Plus Size Editors’ Honest Reviews of NikeSkims Activewear

True, the market is saturated with buzzy collaborations — like Béis x Rare Beauty and Madewell x Alexa Chung — that quickly sell out on the strength of their designs and celebrity founders. But now there’s an entirely new brand built from two powerhouses that has both captured our attention and promised several collections to come. NikeSkims, which launched in September 2025, is the brainchild of a beloved activewear brand (Nike, obviously) and lifestyle juggernaut (Skims, founded by the one and only Kim Kardashian). 

“Merging Nike’s performance innovation with Skims’ obsession with fit and form, the collection delivers sculpting, versatile pieces that move with her — studio to street, low-impact to high-performance — while unlocking endless possibilities for layering, styling, and self-expression,” a press release notes. 

The brand’s second drop recently launched on both retailers’ sites, featuring 65 styles across leggings, workout tops, sports bras, and more apparel in sizes XXS through 4X, along with accessories like socks and training gloves. Refinery29 editors were excited to test out the brand’s new styles, which include a Shine colorblocked capsule, mesh-enhanced pieces in the Airy line, Woven Nylon winter layers, and the Matte core collection with Nike Dri-FIT technology — particularly so we could know firsthand if round two of the elevated activewear brand is worth the hype. 

Ahead, we put NikeSkim to the test. Read midsize and plus size editors’ honest thoughts on the fit and functionality of the trendy activewear pieces below.

“Having tried several Skims and Nike styles previously, I opted for a size large across all pieces to review. I’ll admit, I was still quite hesitant about the look and quality of a workout top with a built-in bra. Would the pads be visible? Would the top alone be supportive enough for my workout? 

Going sports-bra free to the gym was a daunting thought, but I instantly felt confident and stood a bit straighter when I put this baby tee on. Skims is elite when it comes to smoothing fabrics and sculpting silhouettes, so I was not surprised to see my chest was lifted, my waist was cinched, and —because there were no lumpy sports bra straps underneath the skintight fabric — my back looked smooth. I appreciated the not-too-cropped length because it didn’t cut right into my waist and helped accentuate my curves. While the neck and arm holes felt almost too tight, I was able to comfortably perform all of my arm workouts.

I’m very particular about leggings — a side effect of reviewing so many styles from different brands! — but these fall pretty high on the list. They were super compressive without feeling constricting and the 26-inch length was perfect for my 5’3” height. I will say that I wish the waist had a slightly higher rise. A few extra inches in the back matters a lot, particularly for those of us with booties (which I figured Ms. Kim K would understand). This part dipped a bit, and I found myself hiking them up quite a few times throughout my workout. Credit where credit is due, though: This style features no front seam, which prevents both general discomfort and the appearance of a camel toe!” — Victoria Montalti, Senior Fashion Writer

“I might be the last person in the world to try Skims — believe it or not, I went into this review with no prior experience with the brand. I ordered my usual size (2X) in everything except the sports bra. Because I have a large cup size and I've heard Skims can run small, I figured it made sense to opt for a 3X to be on the safe side.

The first look I tried was the Padded Baby Tee and 26" Legging. The tee fit my body in a 2X, but it did not fit the bust correctly: The padded part only covered a small portion of each breast, and this was as high as it could go if I wanted the underbust elastic to actually sit... under my bust. I don't usually feel comfortable in braless shirts, so I was pretty impressed that this padding and underbust elastic felt secure enough to venture out in. However, by the end of the day, I felt like the weight of the world — or at least my chest — was all sitting square on the back of my neck. Needless to say, that was not the most comfortable feeling. I might still buy the non-padded variant of the baby tee, but I’d definitely wear my own sports bra underneath, and I'd recommend the same for anyone with an F cup or above.

I found the 26-inch leggings to be generally comfortable, matte, and opaque, though the black leggings showed a little bit of shine in direct sunlight. My one gripe with the leggings is that they wouldn't stay all the way up on my high natural waist, and the waistband often shifted down over the day. This might not be a make-or-break for some, but I prefer leggings that stay firmly in place. If I was ordering again, I'd try sizing up to a 3X to see if that was a better fit.” — Sarah Chiwaya, Contributing Editor

“Up until this point, all of my sports bras have come in traditional Alpha sizing, so I was intrigued by the cup and band measurement of this sports bra. I ordered my typical 36C, which offered a perfect fit. I appreciated that the thick band with hook-and-eye closures felt secure and laid flat under my shirt, while the thick straps comfortably lifted and supported my chest. The fact that those same straps are adjustable in the front? Genius! 

These thick knit sweatpants will easily become a lounge and activewear staple, especially during the colder months when I’m looking to layer up. I can wear them buttoned up on their own or unsnapped over leggings and biker shorts for extra airflow, giving me way more mileage and versatility than your regular lounge pants.” — Victoria Montalti, Senior Fashion Writer

“The second look was the sports bra, leggings, and oversized snap-up sweatpants. I really like these pants — the fit is fun and slouchy without feeling sloppy, and I appreciate that the snaps are functional from waist to hem. (I would totally wear them open on a warmer day!) The matte tricot fabric is soft and feels nice too. While I don't often replicate a piece’s exact styling in a lookbook, I took a cue from the model and wore them layered over leggings. The cold weather here made it a no-brainer).

The wide-strap sports bra was where I had real issues, though. I sized up to a 3X in this to be on the safe side, and I still had a lot of spillage at the top (and a little bit at the sides). I have a very full bust, so I get it, but this was firmly on the athleisure side for me (I would not feel comfortable doing anything more vigorous than a brisk walk in this one!) I liked the look of this square neckline bra, but I would caution anyone with a larger cup size to size at least one size up in this style.” — Sarah Chiwaya, Contributing Editor

“NikeSkims’ boxy V-neck top helped me easily tap into the sporty trend without repping a specific team. It felt like an airy, comfy soccer jersey. The lightweight, drapey fabric was ideal for sweat-heavy workouts (as well as for lounging on the couch).

The collection also features biker shorts in several lengths, but I was most interested in trying the 7-inch style. If there’s one struggle I constantly face, it’s when my shorts ride up and my thighs chafe the moment I start walking. These were just as comfortable as the leggings — again, no front seam — and long enough that they didn’t budge or ride up during my stretching routine.” — Victoria Montalti, Senior Fashion Writer

“I love an oversized shirt-bike shorts combo, so I was very excited to try this look. I was immediately impressed by the fit of the bike shorts, which fit perfectly in a size 2X, and did not ride up on the leg or slip down on the waist with wear. The oversized top was soft and roomy in a 3X, and I liked the way the two pieces looked together. My only critique of this outfit was that the top creased with wear more quickly than I’d like for activewear. By the time I shot the photos for this review, I felt a bit rumpled. Still, I’d wear this look again — just not on a cold November day!” — Sarah Chiwaya, Contributing Editor