Leggings are the most comfortable clothes out there, but finding the right pair can often be a struggle.
The right pair will feel both comfy while also flattering on the legs. It might not sound like a huge checklist, but it can often be hard to to find the right ones to add to your shopping basket.
Which is exactly why BirminghamLive reporter Emily Collis went out of her way to find which retailer sells the perfect pair on the high street by pitting the popular M&S Magic Shaping High Waisted Leggings against a cheaper pair from Primark.
The M&S pair, priced at £19.50, currently boast over 900 five-star reviews from shoppers. Meanwhile, Primark's Shaping Active Leggings are only £10, but could they be just as good at half the price?
Here is what she thought of both pairs of leggings.
M&S Magic Shaping High Waisted Leggings
M&S' bestselling high waisted leggings are said to be part of the retailer's "magic range" that helps flatter and control the tummy area. They are crafted with stretchy fabric, a covered waistband and skinny fit.
Nearly 1,000 shoppers have left the leggings glowing five-star reviews, with some hailing them for being "comfortable" and helping to "control the tummy area."
In even better news, they are also available in short/petite, regular and long lengths. Sizes range from a 6-20, depending on which length you are purchasing.
Emily said of the leggings: "My first impression was that the fabric was very thick. It felt nice and sturdy - the kind that would suck in your lumps and bumps, but I feared it would be uncomfortable to wear.
"Getting them on took a while the first time. I had to wrestle with the thick elasticated fabric to pull them up but once they were on, they were surprisingly comfortable."
She said that the length was "perfect" and that the panels down the side "were a flattering feature", though the fabric gaped slightly at the back of the knees that made them look "more like skinny-fit trousers than leggings."
Emily added: "The waist was very high, but synched me in nicely, with no bulging on top. My body shape dips in slightly below my hips, but the leggings gave me a smooth, more hour glass shape.
"Side on, I didn't think my tummy looked any flatter, but they were flattering on my bum. Overall, I was impressed."
Primark Shaping Active Leggings
The reporter then tried on the cheaper Shaping Active Leggings from Primark which could be found in the gymwear section of the store. Despite the fabric feeling "like a mix between gym wear and everyday leggings", Emily reckoned they could pass for both.
A description for the Shaping Active Leggings on the Primark website mentions that anyone who wears them can "embrace their figure." Aside from that small description and a "shaping waist band", there wasn't much more detail on how the leggings could shape your body.
Trying them on, Emily said: "The fabric was nice and thick but didn't feel as stiff as M&S's. There were similarities in the panelling down the sides and the thick waist band, so I was hopeful Primark's cheaper alternative would do the same job."
One key difference between both pairs, was that Primark's pair came in less sizes, with only XS - XXL available, something that Emily says "frustrates her endlessly."
After deciding to grab a UK size 14-16, Emily explained that, while they were easy to get on, she could "instantly tell the fit wasn't right."
Despite being little too short in the length, Emily said that the Shaping Active Leggings "fit like a glove" around her legs and that a size down "would have been too tight."
However, they were found to be "oddly baggy around the tummy", meaning the fabric bunched up when you sat down. Emily also said that the leggings "kept slipping down her waist" - which is something she has noticed before with Primark's activewear.
The appearance of a massive seam going down the centre front also meant that the pair of leggings didn't look really nice. Emily then said: "Most importantly, the leggings didn't seem to have any shaping effect whatsoever. In fact, they were quite unflattering."
Overall thoughts
Overall, Emily much preferred the M&S Magic Shaping High Waisted Leggings over Primark's £10 Shaping Active Leggings that didn't do anything for her figure.
While she admitted that M&S' £19.50 pair weren't really "magic" in terms of their shaping abilities, they at least partially fitted the brief.
Emily wrote: "They didn't give me a flat tum or Kim K's bum, but they did flatter my curves and give me a more hour glass shape. I thought they were decent value for money and I'll definitely be wearing them again."
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