For someone whose fashion sense is rather non-edgy, I’m surprised to say that I’ve tried the three most popular faux leather leggings. I’ll be comparing them and sharing my honest thoughts – not sponsored!
Spanx
I’ll start with the Spanx faux leather leggings since they were the first pair I bought. They were on sale and the reviews online were fantastic, so I took the plunge.
These leggings are still in great shape because I’ve only worn them a handful of times. The ‘leather’ is definitely some sort of synthetic coating, and from what I’ve heard, it comes off a bit each time you wash them. Because of that, I hand wash them in cool water, and I’ll likely continue to wear them sparingly.
These leggings don’t have the most leathery/shiny look, but to be honest, I like that they’re not too loud! Personally, I think they look best with an oversized sweater and white sneakers, not the way I styled them in the photo. It’s basic, but it makes for a great airport, errands, or lounging around look. I don’t think these leggings work optimally for formalwear; the seams on the outer thigh give them a pretty sporty look. That said, these are comfortable and look more elevated than regular leggings, so I do recommend them for when you want to impress while still looking casual.
In terms of the fit, I would say they run true to size and are quite comfy. The hip/upper portion does suck you in just a bit without being too tight, which is always flattering. Spanx does a great job with shape-wear in general, so it’s no surprise they were able to combine a flattering fit with comfort.
Carbon38
These were the second pair I got and I made the purchase for a brand campaign I was shooting. I guess I didn’t need them for the campaign, but I had seen them before and I loved them, but couldn’t justify the price tag.
These leggings are my favorite of the three because they are SO shiny and luxe. I think they’re amazing for lounging around and sporty looks, but I personally won’t be wearing them to the gym. IMO, they’re too expensive and delicate for working out; the material snags easily (think finger nails, scratchy surfaces, etc.) and I’ve heard the shine can wear off with washing. So, this is another pair of leggings I’ll be hand washing in cool water in order to preserve. I will mention that these definitely wouldn’t work for anything formal and they also don’t look like real leather at all. To me, it’s clear that they’re some super shiny synthetic material, but it still looks really sleek and luxe even though no one would be fooled into thinking that they are leather.
In terms of fit, these are workout leggings, so they’re definitely the most comfortable of the three. That also means they don’t ‘suck you in’ the way the other leggings do. In fact, it almost will feel like you just have a layer of paint on your skin and nothing else.
Commando
These leggings are the only ones that truly look like leather, in my opinion. I bought them specifically for this post, but ended up returning them. They don’t fit in to my personal style and wardrobe, but I wore them for literally 5 minutes to take this photo and show you how they look on.
These leggings are fairly comfortable once they’re on, but I bought one size larger than what I typically wear and I think that was necessary. The material is luxe and leathery- I could actually believe that they were real leather. These leggings WOULD work for more formal looks- they truly look like upscale leather leggings and aren’t sporty-looking. People definitely wear them to clubs and parties in addition to daytime wear. Also, these leggings are the most like pants- they have more structure to them and ‘suck you in’ the most.
I mentioned that I returned them, but I think these would also benefit from a hand wash- I’m not sure they could handle a machine.
Alright- my first fashion blog post! I really LOVE doing these types of comparison posts- hopefully you guys find them useful. If you did enjoy this post, I’d love a follow on IG and/or subscribing to my mailing list! XOXO
