When it comes to clothes, I have two extremes. Sometimes I enjoy dressing up and wearing a 'look-at-me!' statement frock teamed with fun accessories and impractical shoes, but mostly I resort to my trusty black leggings, pairing them with any one of my 28201283 neutral tops.
A good pair of black leggings is truly the crux of my everyday wardrobe. Whether it's a lunchtime walk, returning an ASOS parcel or meeting a friend for an iced vanilla matcha - you can best believe I'm relying on the stretchy bottoms for looking smart, and chic and allowing me to do twenty starjumps if the occasion calls for it.
As I wear black leggings 99% of the time, I haven't minded spending almost £100 on a pair in the past, telling myself that the price per wear made it worth it - #GirlMaths and all.
I'm also an extremely fussy leggings shopper and often nothing ever comes close to Adanola or Lululemon's Aligns.
My checklist is simple: I want them to be stretchy and comfortable without bunching at the knees. I want them to make my bum look fantastic and I want them to cinch me in at the waist. I want to exercise in them without them falling down or falling apart. Is that too much to ask?
After seeing countless posts online of people swearing by the CRZ leggings on Amazon, and then reading the thousands of rave reviews - I decided to give them a go. What did I have to lose?! At £23 a pop, they're not mega cheap, but they are definitely far more affordable than the high-end leggings I had grown accustomed to, so I prayed for a miracle.
Reader, I can't believe how brilliant they are.
I'm normally a size 10, but sized down to an 8 and they fit perfectly. The finish reminds me of Adanola's leggings - a 'smarter' sheen as opposed to Lululemon Aligns' famous Nulu fabric, plus they won't bobble and you can dress them up with a cosy knit and boots in the autumn.
They feel really stretchy, comfortable and figure-sculpting. I ordered them a month ago and I have worn them most days since. They wash well. They're my first port of call on WFH days. I am telling my mates that I am obsessed with them.
I am in my all-black ery-thing era, but the leggings also come in 30+ colours including navy, purple, sage and camo print.
If I were to be critical, the only downside I can think of is that they probably wouldn't fair well for sweaty cardio or your next half marathon as you may want something a little more sweat-wicking and high performance, however, for everyday outfits, walks and strength training at the gym? Perfection.
Aimee Jakes is Closer’s trending content editor. As well as writing about skincare launches, high-street fashion and gym bag essentials, she’s forever chatting to celebs about their fancy beauty routines. Follow her on Instagram here.