I Tried the Faux Leather Leggings With 1,600 5-Star Reviews—and They Really Are That Good

Gone are the days when leggings were just for the gym or lounging around your house. If I have to wear pants, they might as well be a cozy pair of leggings (even if I'm going to the office), right? That's where the Spanx Faux Leather Leggings ($65; spanx.com) come in handy—they're as comfortable as my softest gym pants, but offer a more dressed-up style that's appropriate for basically any occasion. 

RELATED: You Can Find Leggings From Your Fave Fitness Brands Under $75 at Nordstrom Right Now

This probably isn't the first time you've heard about Spanx's Faux Leather Leggings: They're so wildly popular that they have over 1,600 5-star reviews on Nordstrom's site, and have already sold out twice during this year's Nordstrom Anniversary sale this year alone. The good news? We found them price-matched on Spanx.com for cheaper than ever. (And pro tip, if you sign up for Spanx' email list, you can score an extra 10% off—bringing the price to under $59, which is the lowest we've ever seen them sold for.)

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To buy: Spanx Faux Leather Leggings, $65 (marked down from $98); spanx.com and nordstrom.com

I'm not usually one to buy viral products, but in this case, curiosity got the best of me. "I'll probably end up returning them," I thought to myself after ordering a pair. "They can't really be that good, right?" Spoiler alert—I was completely wrong. They really are that good—these Spanx leggings are easily the most versatile item in my closet right now, and they have been for the last year. 

When I looked in the mirror after trying them on for the first time, it was truly love at first sight: The slick material resembles a sleek leather, but it's super soft to the touch and stretchy enough to move around in. I previously only knew the Spanx brand for it's famous shapewear undergarments, but it turns out the brand's signature fabric technology has a similar shaping effect that's amazing when applied to leggings: The high waist offers "subtle control" that holds you in without feeling too much like a compression top (read: uncomfortable).

In the past, I haven't always felt comfortable wearing leggings without a long top to cover my hips—but these are so flattering, that I don't mind showing off how they look around my midsection. After hearing that they ran small, I decided to size up from my usual small to a medium, and the fit is perfect—not too tight, but still holds me in. Overall, they give you an airbrushed effect that enhances your natural figure—I'm convinced they even make my legs look longer (which is ideal for someone barely over five-feet-tall like me). 

The Spanx Faux Leather Leggings come in plus-size and petite sizes, so there's a pair to flatter everyone. Every single woman I've seen in these pants looks absolutely fabulous in them—check it out some of the looks yourself: 

RELATED:  The 5 Best Running Leggings, According to Women Who Run Every Day 

Since I've already owned this pair of leggings for a year (time flies when you're making memories in your favorite pants, right?!) I can confirm that there are endless ways to style them. One of my favorite places to wear them is actually to the office, where I pair them with a cropped blouse, oversized blazer, and booties. Add a simple black bootie (my current favorite is the Naturalizer Fairmont) and your coworkers will be asking you where you got your entire outfit, when in reality, you're at the office in leggings that feel like cozy pajamas.

Basically, if you've ever found yourself wearing jeans and wishing you were wearing leggings instead, you're in luck with these pants. I've also worn my Spanx Faux Leather Leggings everywhere from nights out with friends to family parties for special occasions, and I always look perfectly put-together in them. It only makes sense that my favorite leggings are pretty much acceptable attire to wear anywhere but the gym. Though, I do find them to be comfortable enough to wear on more casual occasions as well—especially when paired with my favorite fleece pullover (which is actually on major sale at Nordstrom right now). And they don't stretch out between wears, either, so I can get a handful of uses out of them without worrying about sagging. 

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Now that the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is live I want to take a minute to talk about my two favorite purchases from last year that I actually wear all the time (you know, when it’s not 90 degrees out…) . First of all, these Spanx faux leather leggings really do live up to the hype. They are so flattering and look good enough to wear everywhere from a night out to the office. I often style mine with a blazer to dress them up. They are so cute and comfy that I find myself reaching for them way more often than my go-to pair of jeans for events that I previously wouldn’t have thought to wear leggings to. And yes, it might seem like so many people already have these (anyone else tend to stay away from buying what everyone else has?!), but the thing is everyone wears black leggings year-round—there’s no obnoxious branding on these to give you away. Once they are on they just look like a pair of super flattering leather pants—what more could you need? (Note: They sold out in the sale already but I found them marked down elsewhere!) . Secondly, this wubby is hands down the coziest thing in my closet. I even bought a second one in the sale this year now that they made it in more colors! I’ve worn it on many cold winter nights, but a few stand out: For some reason, I have an overactive heater in my apartment that makes my room burning hot in just minutes. (In case you were wondering, the AC sadly is not as powerful.) Luckily, this top kept me warm enough that I didn’t need to worry about turning it on much. It literally feels like you’re wearing a warm, fuzzy blanket — which is why I also consider it a travel essential for long flights. When I flew 16 hours overnight to Taiwan, it was so helpful to have. So what I’m saying is, if you’re planing to be in cold rooms without a heater or taking any long flights in the upcoming future, this is the sweater for you ? . Linking both and a few other things I actually have (including beauty faves!) using @liketoknow.it. There are also a ton of great, affordable finds at Nordstrom right now that aren’t part of the sale, so I included them as well. Shop it all at the link in my bio or here: http://liketk.it/2Dyz2

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I have to admit, I hadn't bought a pair of leggings with such a steep price tag before this—but I've gotten so much wear out of them, that it's been more than worth the cost. While they've been coming in and out of stock at Nordstrom's sale, remember that they're also available at Spanx.com for the same discounted price. You'll want to grab a pair ASAP (along with some of our other favorite leggings) since everything will go back up to full price after the sale ends August 4th at Nordstrom—and we're guessing Spanx will raise their prices then as well. 

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