Would I Buy It Again? SPANX Air Essentials

I've owned SPANX AirEssentials for at least two years.

Not one set.

Several.

Long enough to know what I genuinely love about it...

...and long enough to know exactly where I think it's overhyped.

That's the idea behind this series.

Not first impressions.

Not unboxings.

Just one question:

Would I spend my own money on it again?

For AirEssentials...

The answer is yes.

But there's a very important catch.

The Reason I Keep Buying It

Let's start with what everyone gets right.

The fabric really is that soft.

It drapes beautifully, feels incredibly comfortable, and somehow manages to look relaxed without looking sloppy.

It's one of those sets that you put on once and immediately understand why so many people love it.

SPANX also pays attention to the little details.

The metal tips on the drawstrings—both on the pants and on their hoodies—are one of my favorite examples.

They're a tiny detail, but they make the entire collection feel more elevated than most lounge sets.

If I were judging AirEssentials on comfort alone...

This review would already be over.

Then I started wearing it everywhere.

Where My Opinion Changed

This didn't happen after wearing it once.

It happened after living with it for a few months.

One of the recommendations I see all the time is that AirEssentials makes the perfect travel outfit.

So I tried it.

Once.

Never again.

Planes are freezing.

This fabric isn't.

It's lightweight.

It's breathable.

It's unbelievably comfortable.

It is not warm enough for a full day of airports and flights.

I like being comfortable when I travel.

I also like being warm.

For me, AirEssentials only checks one of those boxes.

If I'm flying, I'm reaching for a completely different outfit formula.

Then I Snagged It

This was probably my biggest disappointment.

The fabric snags.

And it snags more easily than I expected.

After that happened, I completely changed the way I care for every AirEssentials piece I own.

Now everything goes into a laundry bag.

Everything gets washed on delicate.

Cold water only.

Nothing ever goes into the dryer.

Could it survive more than that?

Maybe.

I'm not interested in finding out.

I'd rather spend an extra two minutes doing laundry than replace a set because I wasn't careful.

The Part That Changed How I Buy It

Here's where my opinion has evolved the most.

I've owned enough AirEssentials pieces to know I'll never pay full price again.

That doesn't mean I don't love it.

It means I've learned how SPANX works.

They run good sales.

Often.

And once you've owned the collection for a while, it's hard to justify paying full retail when patience almost always pays off.

Case in point...

I'd been thinking about the fuchsia color for a month or two.

If you've followed Looks More Expensive for a while, you already know my Barbie pink golf cart has slowly become a bit of a personality trait since moving to the coast.

The color of the AirEssentials set was perfect.

The price wasn't.

Then Labor Day arrived.

SPANX offered an additional 30% off sale items, and I ended up bringing home five different AirEssentials pieces for around $150 total.

That's about what I think each piece is actually worth.

At those prices?

I'm buying.

At full retail?

I'm waiting.

Every single time.

What About the Amazon Dupes?

I've actually found one Amazon set that's surprisingly close in softness.

If softness is the only thing you're shopping for, it's a genuinely good option.

The funny thing is...

Once SPANX starts running one of their bigger sales, the price difference becomes much smaller.

At that point, I'd rather own the original.

For me, the strategy isn't buying the dupe.

It's waiting for the sale.

So...Would I Buy It Again?

Absolutely.

I've already done it.

Would I pay full price?

Absolutely not.

I'd wait for a major sale every single time.

I'd wash every piece in a laundry bag.

I'd keep every piece out of the dryer.

And I definitely wouldn't wear it on an airplane.

That's exactly why I wanted this series to exist.

Products don't have to be perfect to be worth buying.

They just have to be worth buying again.

AirEssentials has absolutely earned a place in my closet.

It just hasn't earned full price. -LME

*This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use, love, or genuinely believe are worth sharing.

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