When you think of Spanx, you probably picture sculpting shapewear that you have to hold your breath to squeeze into, but the brand’s Spanx AirEssentials line offers the complete opposite — ultra comfy fashion basics that you’ll never want to take off. Made with a smooth, breathable material that the brand calls “spacer fabric” (kind of like a lighter, breathable and more fluid version of a scuba material), each piece in the collection feels like slipping into your comfiest loungewear but with a more elevated look.
After testing out some top AirEssential styles over the past month, I’m completely hooked. Read on to find out exactly why these are must-haves.
Pair this half-zip pullover with matching AirEssentials pants or your favorite pair of denim for a foolproof outfit. It adds a touch of sportiness while still looking polished. The style comes in four core colors, as well as eight limited-edition hues.
Like sweatpants that you can feel good about wearing out of the house, these pants feel smooth and silky against the body. They're available in three lengths — petite, regular and tall — for a more personalized fit.
A great style to dress up or down, these cropped pants feature a cuffed hem and a flattering tapered leg. Whether you wear them to work or for lounging, they'll keep you comfortable all day long.
This V-neck polo top is a versatile piece that looks polished but feels like pajamas. It has a roomy, forgiving fit that makes it easy to style.
There are so many ways a jumpsuit can go wrong in a , but this one avoids the common missteps (hard to get on/off, awkward fit) and exceeds expectations. With a cinched waist and an overall relaxed feel, it's super flattering too.
What we liked
Extremely comfortable styles
One review on Spanx’s website said the spacer fabric feels like “angel hugs” and I have to agree. It’s super light, stretchy, breathable and feels silky smooth and cooling to boot. It feels like a performance fabric, but adapted to the most comfortable and flattering styles.
I wore the half zip top and wide leg bottoms on a cross-country red-eye flight recently and it was the perfect travel outfit. I also packed the tapered pant and polo top to wear on the trip so I could mix and match the styles. Honestly, it’s hard to resist dressing in head-to-toe AirEssentials once you experience how nice it feels. Like a hug from the heavens, indeed.
Wear it for work, workouts and more
In addition to being supremely comfortable, the AirEssentials styles are made to be extremely versatile. At first glance they lean more casual or athleisure, but with basics like the polo top or jumpsuit it’s easy to dress them up. Depending on how formal your office is, you could pair the top with slacks or a skirt or throw a blazer on over the jumpsuit.
The light and breathable material also makes them suited for more active pursuits. On my trip, I did some hiking and opted for the half zip top as an extra layer on the trail. It kept me cooler than a typical cotton sweatshirt and made me feel more stylish too.
Inclusive sizing
All of the AirEssentials pieces run from XS to 3X, which is a bigger range than similar styles I’ve tried from Lululemon and Amazon. I found the pieces I tried to run true to size. And since I’m 5 foot 2 inches, I especially appreciated that many of the pants and jumpsuits come in multiple lengths. According to the brand, the petite sizing is recommended for people 5 foot 4 inches and under. The wide leg pants in petite were the perfect length to wear with sneakers or Ugg boots, but the jumpsuit seemed to run a little longer. I could get away with wearing it with platform loafers, but I should probably get it hemmed. Alternatively, there are tall sizes available for people 5 foot 9 inches and above.
What we didn’t like
My only qualm with the AirEssentials is that the material is prone to some light creasing. For such an effortless look, you kind of expect the clothes themselves to be low maintenance too. It’s easy to remove any wrinkles with a clothes steamer at home, but I didn’t have one on hand while traveling so I had to live with some wrinkly spots.
Bottom line
It seems that Spanx is really listening to what women want in their wardrobes. Sure, we may need some waist-snatching shapewear for special occasions, but most of the time, we’re looking for comfortable essentials that serve multiple purposes. That’s why AirEssentials is front and center in Spanx’s Best Sellers section, followed by its activewear and figure-shaping jeans (the next thing I’m itching to try from the brand).
The AirEssentials are some of the most comfortable clothes out there. Period. The quality and price matches that of more popular names in the athleisure space, but I think Spanx gets more points in terms of versatility and size inclusivity. Sweatpants that look nice enough to wear to work? Now, that’s a real win.
