We’ve all seen someone on our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter share a picture of some girl’s unfortunate mishap with leggings in which they’re see-through and the caption reads, “Now, can we all agree that leggings are not pants?”
I, for one, have had it with these isolated incidents—and not to mention probably clearly unauthorized photos. I wear leggings as pants. I wear them almost every day. I go to school, have a job, and an internship, and most times do not wear actual pants to any of them. I also consider myself (and have been told by others that I am) a well, appropriately dressed person.
How is this possible, you ask? Well, it all depends on what kind of leggings you wear, the material they’re made of, and how well they fit you. And you’ve probably noticed that this list can be applied to pretty much any article of clothing! Dressing well for your body depends on making sure the clothes actually fit and whether or not you look and feel good in them. Below, I have compiled a list of reasons as to why the stigma of wearing leggings as bottoms needs to end right now:
1.They’re so much more COMFORTABLE than jeans
This is probably the biggest reason girls or anyone else wears leggings regularly because when you’ve done it once, it is very difficult to go back. The material stretches and actually moves with your body, so it’s easy to forget they’re even there. Also, the material is usually tight enough that the bottoms mostly stay in one place throughout the day. There are no zippers to poke at you when you sit down, and—as long as they’re not too tight—no upsetting outlines left on your body when you take them off! Plus, not to mention how easy it is to actually take them on and off, especially when you’re in a rush in the morning. That means (especially for ladies who know how tight jeans for us usually are), no jumping or sucking in, no squatting your way in to them, and no need to try to initially stretch them out to feel comfortable in your outfit of choice.
2. As long as you get thick enough material and the right size, they’re not going to be see-through
This is probably the biggest reason people scoff at (and sometimes even ban in schools) the regular wear of leggings. Leggings are not meant to be the consistency of tights or nylons. When leggings were actually invented in the late 70s-early 80s, they were meant to be worn for athletic purposes. They were supposed to be tight enough to increase sweat productivity, but stretchy enough to enable full range of body motion, so that people didn’t feel constricted while using them. They were never meant to be an undergarment, either. From their conception, they were always meant to be pain bottoms. However, when companies make leggings too thin and a few girls wearing the wrong size, people get the idea that these bottoms are not appropriate.
These are all isolated incidents of either bad manufacturing, or someone not dressing for their actual size. This is why the leggings consumer just needs to be super vigilant of what leggings they decide to wear. The stores I usually buy from are Forever 21 and H&M.
3. They’re no tighter than most women’s pants nowadays
The days of boot-cut jeans and pants have been long gone, and in a professional setting, most people wouldn’t wear anything they consider to be “baggy” anyway. Look at most jeans and pants marketed for women. They’re usually pretty tight to the leg; that’s the style nowadays. We’re been more apt in recent years to go for a bigger top with tighter bottoms. Leggings can be the same, and contrary to popular belief, aren’t always skin tight! Again, it all depends on the material and fit of the leggings, which can also be said for shirts, sweaters, skirts, and pretty much any other article of clothing as well.
So, if you’re unsure about whether or not you should be wearing leggings regularly, despair not! Just make sure the leggings fit your body—maybe even try a bend-over test in your mirror at home just to make sure before you leave—and the material is far thicker than the consistency of your tights or nylons! This way, you’ll still feel comfortable in everything you wear, and in doing so, you’ll feel great about yourself as well!