I admit, I'm picky about leggings. We do expect a lot from them when you think about it - we need them to be supportive enough to exercise in, not see through so we can rely on them when running errands, and to be comfortable for working from home.
Price: From £44
Size range: XS to 4XL
Fabric: 94% Nylon, 6% Elastane
Care instructions: Machine Wash Cold, Gentle Cycle
Closure: Pull On
Inseam: 28 Inches
I will happily fork out a fair bit on a pair of jeans, but when it comes to leggings I tend to buy cheaper styles - and then end up buying more pairs when they inevitably give up the ghost.
With so much talk about Claudia Winkleman's leggings on The Traitors, I decided I had to try her favourite style for myself. They're the Spanx Seamless Leggings, and with an RRP of £76 (currently reduced to £44 on the Spanx site, or £58 on Amazon), they're probably double what I'd normally spend on leggings. So do they live up to the hype?
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Spanx Seamless Leggings: Design
Truthfully, on first impressions I was a bit terrified. Much like Spanx shapewear, when you hold these leggings up for the first time, you wonder if you've mistakenly ordered from the kidswear section. They're tiny! Especially since I'd inadvertently picked a size smaller than I actually meant to...
However once I put them on I immediately felt more confident. They smooth everything out in the way that shapewear does, but not with the same level of compression.
They're almost more of a knitted fabric so if you're used to smooth, lycra workout leggings they are very different. But to me this makes them that bit more versatile - you can totally wear them as fashion leggings, as Claudia does on The Traitors.
You'll notice she often wears them blazers or jumpers that fall past the hip. I think these leggings are thick enough to wear with shorter styles, but like Claudia, my preference is for that little bit of extra coverage.
Spanx Seamless Leggings: Comfort & Fit
Don't be put off by the word Spanx. I mean, I love their iconic shapewear, but I wouldn't want to wear it for 12 hour days. However, these leggings really are comfortable enough to wear all day long. The seamless design moulds to your shape, so the fit is absolutely flawless.
The last pair of leggings I bought were some Uniqlo HEATTECH thermals, and don't get me wrong, they did the job, but they're starting to go a bit baggy and I wished I'd sized down a bit. Whereas my Adanola leggings I love for exercise, but they feel too sporty to wear with chunky boots and knits at the weekend.
These are high waisted (love) and exactly the right length for me. They're not at all see-through, and all in the name of research, I did a yoga class and went for a run in them. They fared well and didn't fall down - a real pet hate of mine.
Spanx Seamless Leggings: Cleaning
On Amazon, it actually suggests hand washing these leggings, but let's be honest, nobody has time to hand wash leggings. So instead, I follow the advice of the Spanx website, which suggests a cold wash on a gentle cycle.
So far, so good. No fading, no loss of elasticity, they still look exactly as they did the day they arrived.
Spanx Seamless Leggings: Verdict
Who knew such a simple item could really improve your capsule wardrobe so much? The Spanx Seamless leggings are a reminder that you've got to get the basics right. I've worn them every day since I got them (I'm wearing them as I type!), so they really are an investment worth making. I'm already looking to see if there are other colours and prints I can treat myself to...
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Reese Witherspoon has been spotted running in these leggings, and the camouflage print will shake up your collection a bit. I can totally see Claudia Winkleman wearing these!
