When’s the last time you saw this?
This afternoon probably, right?
I mean not at the office. (Hopefully.) But you saw it somewhere else this week. At the airport or the grocery store or the birthday party or the movies. It’s sort of everywhere.
So what’s the verdict on leggings?
This might be the point where I say all views expressed here are my own and not necessarily reflective of the most edgy fashion advice in the marketplace. I’m not 20 and I live in Texas and I have a career at an oil company – not exactly the hallmarks of cutting edge fashion. But I do think I have a good sense about sense. That’s right, a little common sense in a fashion marketplace that seems to be losing most common sense.
However, I don’t wear leggings and would love to master them because without them, as I’ve mentioned, wearing riding boots over my jeans give me elephant knees. Here are the rules I have gathered based on my market research:
1. Leggings are NOT pants. If the occasion calls for trousers do not substitute leggings/jeggings/or any other eggings. This includes anything work related if you have a desk career and are ambitious (in the best way).
2. Cover your rear. Y’all, there is nothing that bugs me (and certain of my friends) more than seeing someone wearing leggings with a shirt that stops at her waist. Uh-uh. No sirrie bob. Cover your rear. It may be a sweater or a long tee or a blazer but cover that up. (See rule 1, leggings are not pants!)
3. Test drive fabrics. Leggings intentionally cling to you. You may not have one spot of cellulite in which case you don’t need super heavy duty fabric but a lot of us, me chief among us, do have it. And you can see that stuff right through leggings if you don’t test drive fabrics and materials.
4. Don’t buy cheap. Not only does the fabric often come too thin (see rule 3), but it doesn’t wear well, it fades or pills, and it cheapens your outfit. Not to mention, all too often cheap comes in an assortment of bad patterns. Please avoid bad patterns on your legs. There’s WAY too many out there.
If you’re going to do leggings, here’s some great ways to do it:
The jegging with oversized top and boot.
Perfect for running the kids to a party on Saturday or for meeting a girlfriend for shopping. And think of colored denim when you’re investigating jegging options – a great way to combine several fun trends.
My girlfriend recommends Jag Jeggings from Nordstrom’s. Gap has an assortment, and they have them in black as well as denim. From Anthropologie (for the budgetless among you) to Express, you can find a panoply of options just be willing to make returns if you buy on line.
Winter cozy.
Combine a patterned sweater and oversized scarfs or layers to make your outfit downright huggable. For those of you in the great north, this look could work for you all the way til April. For us Houstonians, we basically have one more month of this – by rodeo we’ll be done til next November.
Sophisticated chic.
The best way to do this is with a gorgeous blazer. Dress it up further with great accessories like oversized pearls. (Are you dying for that gorgeous orange jacket? I can’t find it!)
The legging option with footwear other than a boot.
From chic flat to sophisticated pump – the legging can be paired with something other than a riding boot though that’s the look dominating the fashion field.
So tell me, what’s your take on the legging? Do you wear them? What’s your favorite brand and way to keep them sophisticated?
YES to all of this. Oh, leggings. I actually love them, but they are never, ever, ever worn as pants. Ever. And, question…I sort of fell in love with the sweater in the second photo down on the left…the lighter brown with the front pockets. Any chance you know where I can find it? Oh, it’s CUTE! 🙂
Mel – I found that outfit on pinterest and the girl said she got the sweater last year from http://shopruche.com/ – so maybe stalk them and they’ll run something similar? I’d never heard of them before.
I agree! The booty needs to be covered. I love love love J. Crew’s Pixie Pant for leggings. The fabric is a bit thicker (read: more coverage) and it has an elastic waistband to hold it all in 😉 They are great with boots or flats.
J Crew – aha, another new source, cool! Thick fabric, that’s what I’m in the market for!
Yes to all of your rules! My favorites are White House Black Market…a bit thicker (read more flattering/forgiving) than most…if you want to step out a bit, try their model with leather tuxedo stripes…I laughed out loud when the sales lady brought them back and insisted I try them, but found when I put them on they are super slimming!
I am making a list of all these great places to pick up a pair of leggings should I finally take the plunge and dare to try the look, I love the idea of the tuxedo stripe!
I wear something like leggings under dress pants and jeans for an added layer of warmth because I’m an Ohio State student and I walk all over creation five fays a week. To wear them as a visible part of an outfit though? Never. Right now, because I’ve gained weight, I won’t even wear tight pants or jeans. This is just my opinion but in my mind, leggings were made for smaller women not my size-16 hips-with-curves-where-I-absolutely-don’t-want-them.
Ashley – I think it’s why I’m on the fence. My current size just doesn’t feel like it would work with leggings and the photos I see are of pretty small people sporting the look – I’ll wear fitted pants (baggy pants can actually ADD weight) but leggings, just not sure…
I LOVE leggings and wear them many weekends! tonight I wore gray corduroy legging by Hue- very forgiving- with gray punched/slouchy suede boot and a ballet pink sweater with longer pink tank under for that nice layered look, and yes to cover my butt. Gray and pink are so nice together! Having said that, I only wear them with boots, I don’t like the flats or pumps look on me- I think that works better on tall women- I’m a size petite 4/6 on bottom and tend to look silly/little girl in leggings without the boots to anchor me.
great post! ps- can you please tackle the “crop tops are back” issue? I don’t like it, but see it everywhere for spring- scares me! can adults really wear that??
I agree that flats with leggings is a tall person look and even now I’m skeptical it reads a little 90s. You’ll have to send me a pic of the outfit from the other night, I too love me some gray and pink (esp b/c I’m sort of obsessed with gray…)