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Are you a legging lover? Do you wear them to the gym, then dressed up for the office and then out to date night? If so, this article is for you.
Whether you’ve been working from home in the same pair of sweats or are craving comfort at the office, leggings are the happy medium between comfort and style you need. Plus, there are now more stylish options like faux leather and suede styles that can take you from casual to chic in a second.
Lucky for you, Spanx, the shapewear and athleisure brand for the ages, has both new releases for the season and tried and true bestsellers that you need for fall. Since seeing really is believing, instead of just pointing you to their website, we thought a little fashion show was in order, putting the stretch, shaping and style to the test.
Especially after our in-depth review on leggings, joggers and bike shorts, this review will be streamlined to give you the scoop on how the leggings hold up (and not roll down), if they pass the see-through squat test and how they can be styled from the gym to a night out.
Read on for a full review of five of Spanx’s bestselling styles, including the Booty Boost Active 7/8 Leggings, the Faux Leather Leggings, the Seamless Look at Me Now Leggings, the Velvet Leggings and the new Faux Suede Leggings.
Full disclosure, I already love these leggings. I had the pleasure of testing them out for our first-ever legging review back in November 2020 and they have become a wardrobe staple ever since.
In the original article, they were dubbed the “best compression leggings” in true Spanx shapewear fashion. I wore mine to workout in, so the sculpting fabric plus the sweat-wicking were huge assets for that activity. The only thing to note when doing squats is that if you choose to wear very colorful underwear, it may make a slight appearance through the fabric, so I opt for nude or black when at a public gym.
However, getting your moneys worth isn’t hard with these basic black leggings (that also come in other fun fall colors like navy, dark green, brown and plum) as you can just as easily wear them out and about and show off your booty in the process. Hence the name, they really did boost my less-than-toned backside, as the seams along the back curve upward and give the illusion of a rounder peach.
Pros:
- Great for a high-intensity workout featuring compression material, sweat-wicking and quick-drying fabric.
- Can be dressed up or down, with five colors to choose from including black, navy, plum, emerald green and dark brown.
- The upward-curved seam across the backside really does boost the booty, like the name suggests.
- Size inclusive, from an XS to a 3X (I wore a size large in this review)
Cons:
- Can be slightly see-through when doing squats, so choose skin-toned undergarments.
- Opt for the full-length leggings if you are taller, as these are a 7/8 length, which was actually full-length on my 5’3” frame.
Okay fine, I already owned these, too. Another pair from the original review, the Faux Leather Leggings are what I choose when I need to meet up for drinks or dinner but don’t want to wrangle my body into jeans.
Similar to jeans though, these are pretty tight when first getting them on, but you’ll thank yourself for putting in the effort when you see how slimming they are. Obviously Spanx knows what they are doing when it comes to shareware but when you combine that with a fashion legging it really is a blessing for when you want to pair them with a tighter top and a pair of heels for a sexy going out look.
My only mistake was wearing these as a pair to do a few exercises in, as the faux leather isn’t the best for squats or sweating (duh, but I had to try it.) However, if you do try and bend over, they are 100% opaque, so feel free to wear any color underwear with these.
As an added note, many readers wanted to know how to wash this material and the answer is pretty simple, even for lazy laundry-doers like myself. Just flip them inside-out and wash on cold. I skip the dryer to make sure they last as long as possible, but they dry pretty fast when laid flat on my bed for an hour or so.
Pros:
- Look super polished for an upscale look while still wearing leggings.
- The compression holds you in, perfect to pair with a tight top if need be.
- Pass the squat-test.
- Size and height inclusive (but do run a bit small) from an XS to a 3X and petite, regular and tall.
Cons:
- They do run small so size up or be prepared to really pull them on.
- Not for high-intensity days, as they are made for fashion and less for activities.
You really can’t go wrong with a pair of go-to black leggings, and these are them. When looking at leggings, one of the major complaints I have is when the waistband digs into my less-than-flat tummy or the seams leave marks up and down my legs. To solve that problem, just remove the seams, right? Right.
This pair is what I would consider a “couch to crunches” pair of pants, as they for sure function as a workout staple and don’t roll down or bunch when doing crunches and running around, but are also silky smooth and not too tight for lounging around.
These are the least tight of all of the pairs I reviewed, feeling looser than the comparable Booty Boost leggings, but these still do come with Spanx’s double-layer waistband that holds you in without cutting into you at all. They also run the most true-to-size and have the most stretch of the bunch, but as with most Spanx items, they run from an XS to a 3X to include as many legging-lovers as possible.
Pros:
- One of the most versatile pairs of leggings for both the gym and wearing day-to-day.
- A good balance of slimming without being a compression legging, and very stretchy and comfortable.
- Size inclusive from an XS to a 3X (I wore a size large in this review)
Cons:
- Since they are a bit thinner than the others, lines from undergarments may show through, so opt for seamless underwear or no-show options.
- Not a huge variety of solid colors, unless you like camouflage print in green, black or gray.
If the velour track suit of the 90’s and your favorite pair of leggings had a 2022 love child, this is it. Spanx Velvet Leggings are as soft as they sound, but I had to get my hands on them to be really sure. While some velvets on the market can feel rough or too soft and flimsy, this fabric is a perfect mix, holding up to a day of wear while staying as soft as can be.
One of my only complaints after wearing was that they don’t come in other colors aside from black, as I could do with a few more pairs in my closet for when I want a fun pant in the fall and winter. If Spanx is listening, maybe some fall colors like the new suede collection? The other thing to note is that they do feel the smallest of the pairs I reviewed, so I sized up to an XL and may have even wanted a 1X in the end.
Other than that note to the brand, the Velvet Leggings are like the Faux Leather Leggings in that they are really meant for fashion, but have the secret added bonus of shapewear with their signature “Power Waistband.” Also like the leather pair, be sure to wash these inside-out and on cold to make sure the velvet stays soft and doesn’t get matted in the hot water or the dryer.
Pros:
- A stylish alternative to the Faux Leather and the Faux Suede when you want a dressed-up or more fun legging.
- The velvet is high-quality and stays soft all day and between washes.
- Hidden shaping in the waistband, but not overly compressing.
- Size inclusive from an XS to a 3X (I sized up and wore an extra large in this review)
Cons:
- They currently only come in black.
- They seem to run a bit small, and so if you like a less-tight legging, size up one or even two sizes.
The Faux Suede Leggings already scored major points with me, as they come in an array of fall-forward colors, including olive green, camel, chocolate brown and a dark red-purple merlot. I opted for the olive green legging so that I could pair them with almost any color top and my favorite white leather booties.
I was also pleased with the size options, as with the other non-traditional leggings like the velvet and faux leather, I like to size up as many reviews do think they run a bit smaller than the athletic fabric. Even the site has a small disclaimer that reads: “These leggings may feel tight when you first put them on, but don’t worry, they will form to your body. We promise, they’re worth the SPANX shimmy!” if you missed it.
Bonus points do need to be awarded here for the tall girls and the shorter ones like myself, as they offer options for petite, regular and tall and range in size from an XS to a 3X. As for care instructions, wash these like you would the others — inside-out, on cold and air dry.
Pros:
- A great range of colors for fall, including olive green, camel, chocolate brown and merlot.
- Size and height inclusive (but do run a bit small) from an XS to a 3X and petite, regular and tall.
- New for Fall 2021; the most fashion-forward possible.
- Thick and 100% pass the squat-test.
Cons:
- They sadly do not come in black.
- They tend to run small and require a bit of a “pants dance” to put them on, so it’s advised to size up if between sizes or like a looser pant. I wore an XL in this review.
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