Spanx denim review: supportive, stretchy jeans that feel like leggings

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider, Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.Spanx makes some seriously comfortable and flattering denim. The $130 pairs, currently available in Cropped Flare and Distressed Skinny styles, feature four-way stretch, an interior shaping panel, and back pockets. They're easy to pull on and comfortable to wear all day long. Read on for our review of a few different styles, or read more about our favorite jeans of all time and the places where you can find great jeans for less than $150. Everyone loves a good pair of jeans, but jeans that you don't have to unbutton or unzip, that are stretchy enough to squat down in multiple times, and that make your legs and butt look great — now that's a special pair of denim. Spanx (yes, that Spanx of shapewear and leggings fame) is currently making such denim. Spanx denim, available in three styles, is like the rest of the company's star products in that it's stretchy and comfortable while supporting your body and shape. Compared to its Jean-ish leggings collection, however, it looks and feels closer to a real pair of jeans. Read more: Spanx is best known for its shapewear, but its leggings are the real unsung heroes — we asked 4 women to try different stylesThe fabric has more cotton and a little less elastane than typical jeggings, giving it more structure, and all the styles have real pockets (but only in the back), tricking bystanders and perhaps even yourself into thinking that you're wearing real jeans. True to the brand's shapewear roots, the denim is all for supportive coverage. The styles have higher-than-typical rises as well as a signature “Gut Check” shaping panel inside that targets your stomach. But you won't feel like you're being stuffed into these pants. The four-way stretch lets you move freely, so you won't dread sitting down and you can squat down to pet that cute puppy without a second thought. Right now there are only three styles, and we wish there were more. The Cropped Flare Jeans are available in blue and white, while the Distressed Skinny Jeans are available in blue, black, and white. There's also a striped version of the Distressed Skinny in blue and white. They cost $128 to $132, which is about how much we'd expect to pay for some quality denim. Read more: Everlane has launched a line of $68 stretch denim that never gets baggy — here's what we thought after putting it to the testWe tried 2 of the styles, the Cropped Flare and the Distressed Skinny Jeans. Here's what we thought. Cropped Flare Jeans, $128-$132, available at SpanxThese jeans are a fun, versatile silhouette to have in your denim lineup, but what makes them even more exciting is that they feel like leggings. They're as easy to pull on, too, with no bulky zipper to deal with. They hug my thighs comfortably, before turning out into a flare that still holds its structure despite the flexible, moveable material. If you're in between sizes, I recommend sizing up. The supportive waistband stretches well and holds in your stomach, but if you don't want to feel too constricted and you want a more relaxed feel, you'd feel a little more comfortable in a size up. Regardless, the smooth stretch fabric hits your body at all the right places and is very flattering. —Connie Chen, Insider Picks reporterI second everything Connie has said here, except that I'm 5-foot-1, and I did have to cut off a few inches of these jeans to make them work for me. If you're a shortie like me, you may have to do some creative tailoring — but I'm so used to this that I don't think twice before taking a pair of scissors to any pair of raw-hem denim. Otherwise, this pair is truly one of the comfiest in my closet. —Sally Kaplan, Insider Picks editorBlack Distressed Skinny Jeans, $128-$132, available at SpanxThese aren't as tight as I'd initially imagined — I've worn skinny jeans that were tighter than these. In fact, because the fabric is so stretchy, these are basically jeggings. They look like real denim but don't have all of the functional aspects; there are fake front pockets and zipper flaps but weirdly enough, a functional back pocket.I really liked the extreme high-rise because it goes up to my waist instead of cutting off my stomach at its widest point, which gives me a muffin top even though I don't eat muffins. I haven't decided yet if the rise makes my legs look like a never ending highway when I tuck in a top or if it makes my body look like I got stuck in a creepy fun house mirror, but I don't think I mind since I've already worn them at least five times. —Jada Wong, Insider Picks editorI'm not huge on skinny jeans because they tend to feel constrictive and they accentuate my hips more than I like; but this pair is an exception. They manage to be both tight enough to smooth me out and loose enough that I can bend over, squat, sit all day, and pick up my cat without suffocating. The one thing I find frustrating is that the waist band doesn't have any sort of faux button detailing, so it looks a little weird to half-tuck a T-shirt or sweater, which is generally what I do with jeans. But I love styling this pair with oversized sweaters and a comfy pair of white sneakers — which I'm lucky enough to get away with at the office. —Sally Kaplan, Insider Picks editorShop all denim at Spanx here