There's nothing better than finding the perfect pair of black leggings. You can breathe a sigh of relief, safe in the knowledge you've got a trusty pair that you can just chuck on when you need a laid-back outfit.
The must-have criteria for a trusty set of leggings is a solid block colour and no see-through fabric, and a snug but comfortable fit. We all want leggings that are super figure flattering without feeling restrictive.
So in a bid to find the perfect pair of black leggings, Emily Collis from Birmingham Live, put a viral M&S pair to the test, and compared them to Primark's.
The M&S pair has been hailed as 'magic' as it also acts as shapewear, but Emily was "sceptical" as she thought it was too good to be true. Either that or they'd be really uncomfortable. But as the garment boasts "over 900 five-star reviews", she was convinced to give them a whirl.
The M&S leggings come in at £19.50 - a reasonable price for an investment that could take you from a day out with pals to the bar when dressed up right. But Emily then noticed that Primark had their own version - "Shaping Active Leggings" - that cost just a tenner, so she wanted to compare the two.
The M&S leggings promised "stretchy fabric" which "smooths and controls the tummy without compromising comfort."
The "clever stitching" also "lifts your bottom for a sculpted silhouette."
Emily wrote: "I'm a size 14 and 5 ft 10, so finding bottoms long enough can be difficult. I was pleased to see that M&S's leggings came in petite, regular, and long, with a big range of sizes from 6 up to 24. I got a 14 long."
She said the fabric felt "nice and sturdy" and "getting them on took a while" - but Emily said that once they were on, they were "surprisingly comfortable."
She added: "The length was perfect and I thought the panels down the side were a flattering feature, but the fabric gaped ever so slightly at the back of my knees, which made them look more like skinny-fit trousers than leggings."
Emily reported a more "smooth, hourglass shape", stating that she found the bum part flattering - but she didn't spot any noticeable change to the tummy area. She said she was "impressed" overall.
Then, she tried the shaping leggings from Primark and explained: "the fabric felt like a mix between gym wear and everyday leggings," arguing they could pass for both.
The leggings simply said they featured a "shaping waistband", but Emily noticed that the fabric didn't feel as stiff as the M&S ones, but she "was hopeful Primark's cheaper alternative would do the same job."
They come in sizes XS to XXL, which can be a little frustrating for shoppers, but Emily opted for a size L, which is equivalent to 14-16. Sadly, "the fit wasn't right."
She said: "Despite being a little too short in length on me, they fit like a glove around my legs and I was certain a size down would have been too tight. But they were oddly baggy around my tummy, which meant the fabric bunched up when I sat down and the leggings kept slipping down on my waist."
Emily also didn't like the "stonking great seam down the centre front", and she said they were "quite unflattering."
Overall, Emily much preferred the M&S pair, even though she did say they only partially filled the brief.
Emily wrote: "So, are M&S's Magic Leggings really magic in terms of their shaping abilities? In my opinion, no.
"They didn't give me a flat tum or Kim K's bum, but they did flatter my curves and give me a more hourglass shape. I thought they were decent value for money and I'll definitely be wearing them again."
Would you try the M&S leggings? Let us know in the comments.
