It's funny to think that I started wearing Spanx pants only a year ago, because my collection has grown exponentially in that time—it started with perfect black ankle pants, then the faux leather leggings, every pant in navy, and even activewear. I wear Spanx pants several days a week on average; I love that they're comfy but polished-looking, e.g. it's not totally obvious that I'm wearing leggings. But now I'm starting to go out more and want to look like I'm not wearing leggings, however I'm also carrying around 5 extra pounds of pandemic weight and wearing hard pants is, well, hard. Enter Spanx jeans. They look like traditional denim but definitely don't fit like it. If anything, they're even better than jeans—they're a gift from the gods. Here's my honest and unfiltered review of Spanx flare jeans and Spanx skinny jeans.
The flare jean
Flare jeans were popular when I was in college in the late '90s; I will forever associate them with Contempo Casuals, where I worked for a year. And while I have a pair of flares that I occasionally break out, they've never quite fit how I imagined they would: ideally super slim through the waist, hips, and thighs, flaring out below the knee in a way that elongates the leg in a '70s Lauren Hutton kind of vibe. When the proportions are even slightly off, flare jeans can make one's legs look wider and trunk-y, but I am happy to report that the Spanx flare jeans do none of those things. They are, hands down, the most flattering pair of flare jeans I've ever worn.
The Spanx flare jeans have quite a bit of stretch to them, but not as much as you'd imagine—they're 91% cotton, 7% polyester, and 2% Lycra, but the special sauce is the hidden shaping panel, which you can find in most Spanx pants. These jeans are pull-on, although they have real belt loops and back pockets (the front pockets and fly are faux), and I think this is also a key part of their success. I know Karl Lagerfeld once said that elastic waistbands are the devil's playground, but there have been a lot of innovations in that area recently, and really, some things are better off without a button closure and zip fly. Anyway, the belt loops are key in covering up the giveaway elastic waistband, and I especially like a belt on high-rise jeans such as these, for extra waist emphasis.
As for the fit, the flare jean is true to size, according to Spanx's size chart. I am wearing a medium, which is what I take in most Spanx pants (I'm almost always a size 6 or 28 in jeans). The rise on these is pretty high—mine hits just below my belly button—but the waistband is super comfortable and unlike my other jeans, I don't have to unbutton them after a big meal. One thing to note: the inseam on these is rather long, like 34 inches long, so if you're like me and have ditched most of your heels in the last year, just keep that in mind. (I'm 5' 7" and wearing a 3" heel in these photos.) The jeans do come in petite and tall lengths, and in sizes XS-3X. Now I just need to get a few pairs of platform heels to wear with them ;)
OUTFIT DETAILS: J.Crew jacket (current version here) | Amazon top | Spanx flare jeans | Isabel Marant Lecce belt | Dolce Vita pally sandals
The skinny jean
As I've said several times before, I am not a big skinny jeans person. However I totally support those of you who are, and if you love skinny jeans, by all means, do not bow to Gen Z pressure to wear mom jeans. Do you, boo. Skinny jeans are by far the superior fit for tucking into boots, for example, or for wearing with long, cozy sweaters. Also, because they tend to have so much more stretch than straight leg or mom jeans, they can be incredibly comfy. And that's definitely the case with Spanx skinny jeans.
Spanx skinny jeans feel more like a jegging (remember those?) to me, versus the flare, which has a thicker denim feel to it. That may be because the skinny jeans have less cotton and more lyocell, elastane, and polyester in them; the effect is a bit softer and stretchier overall. Like the flare, the skinny has a built-in shaping panel and a thick elastic waistband, plus real back pockets but faux front pockets. The result is a very smooth, sleek fit; I feel very "held in" in these, in a good way. The legging-like construction also solves a problem I frequently have with skinny jeans, which is that the ankle is always too baggy (I have muscular legs with very bony ankles). These are so stretchy that the ankle actually looks and feels like a true skinny jean.
As with the flare, I'm wearing my usual Spanx size medium, and the fit is just right. Also like the flare, this fit comes in sizes XS-3X in three different lengths. The flare is definitely my favorite of the two fits, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the skinny. Spanx definitely knows how to shape a good pair of pants.
OUTFIT DETAILS: Free People jacket (similar here) | We the Free tee | Spanx skinny jeans | Hermès Oasis sandals
