Fall Fashion: Leggings and Spanx Buying Guide
If you aren’t real acquainted with leggings or just aren’t sure how to assimilate them into your wardrobe check out Anna Sui’s line on Style.com. Her collection gives a great view of how leggings can be worn and mixed with different patterns.
High-End Leggings
Heather Blousy Leggings (Rachel Pally) – $185.00 (http://www.shopbop.com/)
Low rise waist with 4″ waistband. These are a great non-traditional choice – they blouse out from mid-thigh down to the top of the knee, then continue down the leg in the typical fitted style. Color: charcoal heather. Sizes: extra small, small, and large.
Ribbed Wool Legging (Iisli)- $175.00 (http://www.intermixonline.com/)
100% wool and medium weight. These leggings have a 1/2″ elastic waistband and 8 silver snaps going up the outside of the ankle, to be worn closed or open. Colors available are: black and heather grey. Sizes: petite, small, medium, and large.
Lace Wool Leggings (Iisli) – $170.00 (http://www.intermixonline.com/)
100% Italian merino wool. Available in black or pale grey. Sizes: petite, small, medium, and large. These are more like tights with a lacey diamond pattern, perfect under a solid colored or plaid pleated skirt. 1″ ribbed waistband and 4″ of ribbing at the ankles with 2 snaps.
Striped Leggings (Graham and Spencer) – $110.00 (http://www.shopintuition.com/)
These incredibly soft, black and white striped leggings are a viscose, pa, and wool blend, with a 27 1/2″ inseam. The fabric is delicate so they require dry cleaning. Available in sizes: extra small, small, and medium.
Heather Leggings (Rachel Pally) – $92.00 (http://www.shopbop.com/)
Low rise waist with 5″ waistband and 23″ inseam. Made of modal and spandex. Color: charcoal heather. Sizes: extra small, small, medium, and large. These are delicate so dry clean only. A nice classic legging.
Cropped Leggings (Rachel Pally) – $77.00 and $38.50 (http://www.shopbop.com/)
Colors: heather and hazelnut The hazelnut is on sale for $38.50. Cropped capri length legging with low rise waist and 4 1/2″ waistband, 17 1/2″ inseam. Sizes: extra small, small, medium, and large. Dry clean only. Good shaping. You will see this one listed again below in the mid-range section because of the great $38.50 deal on the hazelnut cropped leggings.
Mid-Range Leggings
Cropped Leggings (Rachel Pally) – $77.00 and $38.50 (http://www.shopbop.com/)
Colors: heather and hazelnut The hazelnut is on sale for $38.50. Cropped capri length legging with low rise waist and 4 1/2″ waistband, 17 1/2″ inseam. Sizes: extra small, small, medium, and large. These are delicate so dry clean only. Good shaping.
Intermix Stretch Leggings – $68.00 (http://www.intermixonline.com/)
Made of a polyester, rayon, and spandex blend, these leggings have a 2″ thick elastic non-bunching waistband, and a 29 1/2″ inseam. They come in black and sizes petite, small, medium, and large.
Cropped Legging (Juicy Couture) – $65.00 (http://www.shopbop.com/)
Low rise waist with 2″ waistband, mid-calf length. Light weight and form flattering. Made of cotton and spandex. Machine wash cold. Colors: black, alfred (dark grey), grant (lighter grey), suspicion (wine), and stewart (brown/taupe). Sizes: petite, small, medium, and large.
Heather Stripe Leggings (Splendid) – $55.00 (http://www.shopintuition.com/)
A pima cotton, modal, and polyester blend, these can be machine washed cold. Heather grey and white striped pattern with a 24 1/2″ inseam. Sizes: medium and large.
Stripe Leggings (Johnson) – $55.00 (http://www.shopintuition.com/)
Available in two patterns: rainbow stripes and black sparkle; in sizes: extra small, small, medium, and large. The rainbow stripes leggings are made of cotton and spandex. The black sparkle leggings are a cotton, lycra, and lurex blend. Both are dry clean only.
Pony Thermal Leggings (Primp) – $52.00 (http://www.shopintuition.com/)
Thick cotton/polyester thermal leggings with a pony print. 24″ inseam. Machine wash cold. Comes in: extra small and large. Colors: white and pink. These have been spotted on Paris Hilton and other celebrities. I can’t imagine where these could be worn or why, but some seem to like them, so here you go.
Bunny Print Thermal Leggings (Primp) – $52.00 (http://www.shopintuition.com/)
Thick cotton/polyester thermal leggings with a bunny print. 24″ inseam. Machine wash cold. Comes in: extra small, small, medium, and large. Colors: blue and white. These are the same as the ones listed above just a different print.
Lightweight Thermal Leggings (Splendid) – $50.00 (http://www.shopintuition.com/)
Made of pima cotton and modal, these lightweight thermal leggings can be machine washed cold. 24 1/2″ inseam. Available in small, medium, and large. Color: greyish/black. This is a great keep you warm legging that won’t look or feel too bulky.
Printed Leggings (Free People) – $48.00 (http://www.shopintuition.com/)
Lightweight and elegant, cotton/lycra blend, with a diamond shaped pattern. 26″ inseam, brass buttons at the bottom. Machine wash cold. Sizes: small, medium, and large. Colors: white and black.
Jersey Crop Leggings (So Low) – $46.00 (http://www.shopbop.com/)
Low rise waist, cropped leggings with 1″ waistband and 20″ inseam. A cotton, polyester, and lycra blend. Colors: heather charcoal, medium heather, chocolate, army, and navy. Sizes: XX small and extra small. Machine wash cold. These are well made and could be worn with just about anything.
Spanx High Waisted Power Panty (Spanx) – $34.00 (http://www.shopintuition.com/)
If you haven’t heard Oprah or Tyra Banks raving about Spanx then I’ll take up the cause-these are absolutely necessary in any woman’s wardrobe. You don’t have to wear underwear with Spanx, they eliminate pantylines, and pull you in in all the right places. Not only that but they smooth out imperfections and can be worn underneath leggings, and let’s face it leggings aren’t exactly friendly to imperfections. They are basically body shaping and slimming stockings without the full leg. I haven’t seen these available on too many websites so take advantage of ShopIntuition. Comes in sizes: A, B, C, and D.
Spanx Two Timin’ Tights (Spanx) – $32.00 (http://www.shopintuition.com/)
Reversible control top pantyhose with a matte finish and coolmax feature, which helps prevent moisture on the feet. Comes in sizes: A, B, C, and D.
Stretch Capri Leggings – $30.00 (http://www.shopintuition.com/)
Made of cotton and spandex. 24″ inseam. Machine wash cold. Colors: baby blue, burgundy, grey, and black. Sizes: small, medium, large, and extra large.
Deals and Steals
Knit Tights (Free People) – $28.00 (http://www.shopintuition.com/)
A cotton, polyamide, spandex blend. Available in: black, grey, white, and burgundy. These go perfectly under any fall/winter outfit and add a classic look. Pair them with heels or boots and a pleated skirt, sheath, or jumper. Hand wash cold.
Spanx Low Rise Footless Pantyhose (Spanx) – $26.00 (http://www.shopintuition.com/)
Low rise body shaping and firming pantyhose. No waistband, adjustable leg band. Comes in sizes: A, B, and C.
Lace Leggings – Williamsburg Navy (Isaac Mizrahi) – $19.99 (http://www.target.com/)
Sizes: extra small, small, medium, large, extra large, and XX large. Capri length leggings with lace detailing. Elastic waistband and hemmed cuffs at the bottom of the leg. Made of nylon and spandex. Machine wash cold. These would work well underneath a skirt or dress or on their own with a long top or sweater.
Red Leggings (Mossimo) – $9.99 (http://www.target.com/)
Sizes: extra small, small, medium, large, extra large, and XX large. Machine wash cold. Light weight, mid-calf length. Colors: heather grey, charcoal, white, black, and chocolate. These would be best worn underneath a skirt or babydoll top.
There are so many more choices for leggings available at ShopBop, so check out their site for leggings by other designers such as: Splendid, C & C California, Primp, and LaROK.
I should make a quick note here that even though many of these leggings can be machine washed cold, it is better to hand wash all of the non-dry clean leggings to prevent fading and shrinking.
Pretty much all of the leggings featured in this buying guide can be worn under most skirts and dresses, and many can stand alone with a sweater or babydoll top. As always it is at each fashionista’s own discretion how she mixes and matches her ensemble but whatever you do consider your shoes carefully because leggings paired with the wrong shoes are absolutely awful looking. Consider some of this season’s boots-above the knee boots always work, but aren’t easy to find; knee length boots work with certain kinds of leggings (and of course it depends on the outfit). Often times a nice ballet flat will complement a good pair of leggings well.
Leggings are one of the biggest trends of the coming fall season, you will be seeing them everywhere. I think the biggest problem will be picking a style, not where to find them. I hope that this fall buying guide to leggings and Spanx will help you decide where you want to buy your leggings, and more importantly, which style is right for you.
