Commando Faux Leather Leggings Review

Commando Leggings (they run VERY small. Size up!) // Old Navy Flannel (It’s been my go-to. See four other ways to wear it here) // similar sweater // Chanel flats (more affordable alternative here) // London Fog trench coat (it’s my new go-to winter trench for rainy Seattle winters because it has a quilted liner for extra warmth. I’m wearing a size small. It’s currently 50% off!)

Let’s take a quick break from all things holiday-related, shall we? Are we sick of all the gift guides yet? How are we all feeling? Let me know in the comments!

Ok, I finally jumped on the bandwagon (I’m probably the last person to join) and got a pair of faux leather leggings. I’ve heard for years about the Spanx faux leather leggings. People rave about them like they are the best thing man ever created. Seriously though, go on the Instagram of any mid-to big-time blogger and you’ll probably see them somewhere in their feed.

Well, I finally was influenced and caved. But not after some significant research. You probably already know this but there are two heavy hitters on the market when it comes to faux leather leggings. The Spanx version, which I already mentioned, and the pair from Commando. Both are very popular, about the same price, and have high waist control tops. But which to purchase?

Well, I ended up opting for the Commando leggings since other reviews and comparisons have said that the Commando pair is thicker and wear more like real leather pants whereas the Spanx version are a thinner material and much more a traditional legging but I’ll address the Spanx versus Commando debate in a minute. First, let’s get into the full Commando faux leather leggings review.

Sizing & Fit

These run VERY small! Online it says that a small = size 4-6, medium = size 8-10, large = size 12-14. According to that scale, I’d wear a size small but there was absolutely no way. I had read online that it ran small so I initially ordered a medium but when it arrived, it was a very tight fit. Like REALLY tight. So I went back and sized up to a large and it is a much more comfortable fit.

After all this, I saw that the tag mentioned that after one or two wears the leggings should stretch and loosed to your shape. Go figure. However, I’m still happy with the size large that I ended up with. The extra size give it more of a Ponte pant look than full-on leggings. I don’t notice that they fall or slide down any more than regular pants would.

As for the inseam length, I didn’t really notice much difference between the two sizes. However, if you are more petite, you might want to opt for the Commando ankle-length leggings (26″ inseam) instead of the traditional ones (28.5″ inseam). I considered getting those but they were out of stock when I finally went to purchase.

My sizing notes for reference: I’m 5’5″ and around 140lbs. I have a standard pear shape frame. I generally wear size 27 or 28 in jeans, 4 or 6 in dresses, and medium in tops.

Price

These retail for $98, which in my opinion, is a lot for a pair of leggings. However, I have read online that these specific leggings hold up well over time so I don’t imagine I’ll have to repurchase them any time soon. They also have the control top panel so you can argue that you’re getting a pair of faux leather pants AND shapewear all in one package.

Commando vs. Spanx

So Commando versus Spanx faux leather leggings was the real debate that I had when I was researching which pair to order. I personally haven’t ever tried the Spanx faux leather leggings but my friend Megan does and she said that the pair I was wearing were significantly thicker than her Spanx pair, which lines up to everything that I read online.

The two main differences I heard was that A) the Spanx pair is more faux leather looking and therefore more conducive to a sportier or casual look and B) that the Commando pair are thicker, therefore, are better for winter weather.

Other than those two differences, both leggings are very similar to one another. They even retail for the exact same price. One thing that I have noted, however, is that the Spanx leggings seem to go on sale much more often than the Commando pair. I’ve yet to see the Commando pair go on sale while the Spanx pair were part of both the Nordstrom Anniversary sale and the Nordstrom Cyber Weekend sale, selling out both times.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, I’d say they’re nice but they aren’t earth-shattering. If you are in the market for a nice pair of faux leather leggings, these won’t do you wrong. As someone who only plans to own this one pair of faux leather leggings, I’m happy that I made an investment and got these rather than a cheaper pair. I’m ok paying for quality when I know that I won’t need quantity. However, if you are a regular leggings wearer, I’d suggest waiting until these go on sale because $100 is a lot to pay of a pair of leggings.