Spanx Vs Commando: Faux Leather Leggings Review & Comparison

When you’re tired of jeans, you don’t want to mess with pants, and a skirt or dress are out of the question, faux leather leggings are a girl’s best friend during the holiday season. Every year, I look forward to resorting to my two favorite pairs by Spanx and Commando. Both versions of these faux leather leggings are absolute winter wardrobe staples for me and have been for years now! However, they’re two very different leggings that offer different fits and styles, so consider this your ultimate Spanx versus Commando faux leather legging comparison guide. The most common question I get asked is the difference between the two and which pair to buy, so keep scrolling to find out how I feel about both and for some outfit ideas!

Spanx vs. Commando

Look

When you lay the two next to each other, you can instantly see the difference. Commando faux leather leggings look so much more authentically leather compared to the Spanx. Spanx leggings have a more athleisure/workout legging look, whereas the Commando could pass for a fitted leather pant. Another big difference is the finish on the hem of each legging. Commando has a raw/unfinished hem, and Spanx’s is finished. Finally Spanx has a outer side seam, while Commando does not.

Feel

The Commando leggings have a grainy texture just like real leather products do, again giving them that authentic look. The Spanx leggings appear as though there was a sheen applied, giving them a shiny look. In terms of warmth, I found the Commando leggings to be much warmer when I wore them in Iceland (but I was still freezing because, ya know—it was Iceland!).

Fit

As far as the fit goes, the Spanx leggings look shorter but because of their insane amount of stretch, they actually end up wearing longer, matching the length of the Commando/slightly longer. Of course, the Spanx fit like Spanx in that they hold everything in, tightly. The Commando leggings fit snuggly, but not to the level of intensity that Spanx products do. The other major difference in terms of fit are the waistlines—Commando has a vertical seam down the middle whereas Spanx has a horizontal seam along the waist. Also, Commando have a mesh liner built into the top to conceal any lines from your underwear, which is lovely! I wear size small in both pairs.

Comfort

They are both incredibly comfortable and I find myself reaching for them on a daily basis. For me, Spanx are great for long travel days or lounging around the house because of their extreme stretch. While the Commando are still super comfortable, they aren’t as forgiving, so sitting cross-legged isn’t as easy as in the Spanx.

Sizing

I wear a size small in both the Spanx and Commando and find them to fit true to size. If you find yourself between sizes, you could size up, but I find them to run TTS. The Commando will look much smaller when you get them, but they will stretch as you put them on, and over time relax. Neither pair stretch out, they just relax as mentioned.

Care

I’ll be honest, I actually don’t remember exactly what the care instructions are. I just wash inside out on cold/gentle cycle and lay flat to dry.

Truthfully, I don’t think you can go wrong with either legging—it all comes down to personal preference, and I definitely prefer the Commando. To me, it’s the best faux leather legging out there and reads more as leather than the Spanx. The Commando are now $20 more (in years past they were the same price), but I think the extra $20 is worth it.