Everyday I wake up, I stretch, and I lay there in bed thinking about what my day will entail. I ask myself, “Where did I leave my car keys? Will I actually go to class? Does walking to Dunkin’ Donut’s count as enough exercise to order a half a dozen donuts?” Through all of these day-influencing thoughts, the question: “Will I wear leggings today?” does not rise because I know the answer. Of course, I will be wearing the skin-tight, body clinging, thigh-hugging, confidence-boosting pants.
Over the past few months, the issue of leggings has caught my eye as I have mindlessly scrolled through my newsfeed on Facebook. Besides another person being engaged, what really grabs my attention are the articles shared that say things like, “Leggings Aren’t Pants,” or, “Why I Choose To No Longer Wear Leggings.” At first, I rolled my eyes at the pessimistic old people who are just behind the times, but then I realized that almost all of these articles are written by women. Young women.Women who have full on taken a battle that I like to call the War on Leggings. Each of these articles claim one reason, and one reason only as to why they don’t support the worlds most comfortable pant: men.
Now, before I dive into my extremely strong opinion on why leggings are a staple item that are ridiculously hated on (even Kanye West doesn’t experience this much negativity), I want to point out something incredibly obvious, men typically are not the ones slipping their legs into leggings. Women are.
The reason behind this tragic War on Leggings, is a mindset that I believe needs to be changed because it’s negatively effecting both women and men. They say women should cease the legging-wearing because it causes men to stumble—they are suddenly staring at (what I think is a better part) of my body full of lust, desire, and noticing the number of squats I’m actually (kinda) doing at the gym. They say that anything that should cause a man to look at me and stare at me for something other then my beaming personality is a negative.
Okay, here is the issue: we act as if men have zero self-control and women cannot possibly be distracted.
I have never been a man, and never will be one, but I can almost guarantee that after they are done staring at my legging-clad behind they can swallow their emotions and continue about their day. Perhaps they’ll be distracted for a bit, but will still be able to function. I think we are giving men absolutely no credit. We are acting as if we have so much power over them, as if they saw me in leggings, BAM! they’re crippled for the rest of the day like a wounded soldier.
Back in high school, I started dating this guy—definition of attractive: long blonde hair, rock climbers body, skies, smart, and basically every time I saw him I got those annoying little butterflies. When I’d see him in a button-up shirt, I’d get even more butterflies with thoughts along the lines of, “Yep I was right, he is a babe,” or, “God, he is just a god.” Yeah, those thoughts distracted me for a second or two and maybe when I’d see him continuously throughout my day—but surprise! I never asked the entire male population to stop wearing a button up shirt because I think they make men look like the perfect combination of a Wall Street Millionaire and a Beach Babe Hottie. (As a sidenote: I have never heard of men being accused for “sexual distraction” while wearing tight pants—and let me tell you, women are far more attracted to pants that fit then the baggy ones from 2003!)
Women should be able to wear leggings without feeling like she’s being judged by other women. Let’s be friends girls, this isn’t the middle school locker room. If a woman is genuinely uncomfortable wearing leggings because she feels men are staring at all of her goodies, then it’s her choice not to wear the pants! More for the rest of us! But if a woman stands in solitude with me feeling more confident and comfortable in leggings than in any other pant, then stick those bad-boys on in whatever color or pattern you choose! Wear what you want for you, not for others.
To help end the War on Leggings, please stop judging every other woman out there who is wearing what gives her confidence. Instead, tell her that she is beautiful!