Leggings and Tights Are Not Pants
Posted on January 27, 2009 | Categories: Style | Tags: opinions, rants
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For a while now, people have been confusing leggings1 and/or tights2 with pants. It’s slowly becoming a fashion epidemic, and a horrible one at that. I see people that substitute pants with leggings and/or tights everywhere from my local shopping mall, on the subway, or even as I make my way from class to class. These people look perfectly normal, and often appear to be more well put together in terms of fashion except for one thing – they’re not wearing pants.
I don’t care how “in” the current look of using leggings or tights as pants is or how comfortable that look may be, they still aren’t pants. Leggings and tights are meant to be used for layering, such as with short skirts or light summer dresses. They were not designed with the intent of being paired with only an oversized hoodie and a pair of Ugg boots. When worn as pants, leggings make you look like your wardrobe is lacking an important element for any clothing ensemble: the bottom half of your outfit.
It’s not an attractive look, nor is it flattering, and the people that are able to pull off the leggings look are few and far between. If you can’t pull off a particular look for whatever reason, then even the most fashionable of fashion trends make a person look ridiculous instead of sophisticated. Being able for others to see your underwear lines displayed by your leggings-covered butt is not my idea of looking stylish, and frankly, I know very little people that have the right body shape to rock the leggings look without needing to feel self-conscious (leggings aren’t flattering, they hide nothing) and are able to pull it off without looking frumpy or clueless about fashion.
Leggings are only acceptable as pants if you’re off to a fitness class such as yoga or aerobics. Otherwise, they are not pants, and should only be used to layer an outfit, and never as actual pants.
ETA: While Googling about this subject, I found a very good resource. ;D
- Exhibit number one, number two [↩]
- Exhibit number three [↩]
Jem
You can tell from this post you probably weren’t born in the 80s – leggings as trousers (“pants”) were ALL the rage. ;) As a young teen (admittedly, in the 90s) I would pair my black and white striped leggings with one black and one white sock. It was fantastic.
Jem
Forgot to add – wouldn’t be caught dead in them now mind you!
Rosier
I’m not a big fashionista, although I care about fashion. But seriously, wearing legging and tights as pants is ridiciolous! With a skirt – sure thing. They are cute together. But not by themselves! I can’t imagine myself wearing them that way. Ugh.
Hannah
Back in the 80s, these would have been totally sweet! Then again, so were teased hair and over sized, brightly coloured sweaters. I hate this. When I was in high school, the “in crowd” girls would do this all the time. I seriously wanted to smack them. It was totally against dress code, as their butts would be practically out there, but they never got in trouble because they would say, “We’re just mimicking the 80s!” Yea. Pretty sure they weren’t.
The worst part was, they would wear leggings, and then wear black socks underneath to make them look like they covered their feet. Talk about tacky!
My conclusion: leggings and tights belong under mini skirts and cute summer dresses. They are not pants.
Helly
Blair Waldorf herself said it: leggings are not pants. Period! XD
And it’s a very hard trend to pull off.
Manda
Blair Waldorf’s comments about fashion are gospel! ;D
Mellissa
I only wear leggings when my top part (long top, dress, whatever) covers my butt with a good inch or two to spare! I can’t bare it any other else, it makes me feel too naked.
Melody
I am extremely amused. :D People here don’t wear them as if they were pants (oh my goodness, pants = underwear in my little brain :D), and to me it would just be ridiculous! In saying that, I’d be interested in seeing pictures. :D
Manda
I’ve added a link to my post after seeing this comment – Leggings Are Not Pants is a very good resource for photos and comments regarding this awful fashion phenomenon!
Carmen
It’s a popular trend here as well, and I have to agree- unless you’re doing sports or something, leggings are not pants!
They look so much better under skirts or dresses anyway! Except for those shiny, leather-looking tights? They are the worst thing ever.
Krissy
Amen.
That is all.
Christine
I was thinking this exact thing at the bus stop today when I saw a girl in a longish striped shirt and leggings and no pants. It was snowing today too! And she was quite thin, so she must have been hella cold. Boggles the mind I tell you.
And I just have to roll my eyes at Ugg boots. They’re slippers for heaven’s sake!
Kaylee
I was going to just echo Krissy and say “Amen”, but I have to add that I really don’t like this trend, and I wish people would SERIOUSLY consider their body shape when deciding to wear leggings.
And tights are just taking it to a whole new level of… horribleness :P
Sarah
I agree with Jem here. In the 80s leggings were “the thing” to wear. In the early 90s when I was little, I would wear leggings as trousers with a jumper or t-shirt. It wasn’t all that odd back then.
Olga
Further proof that we are hanker for a decade not our own (except the eighties were totally mine.)
Personally, I’m not totally offended by leggings and tights, but mostly because I love wearing them under dresses. They keep you delightfully warm but they aren’t the painful itchy hell that pantyhose put you through.
Haley
As someone who loves to wear tights, I must say I was rather sad to see this post! LOL. But I do understand your frustration. I have my rules about when to wear pants and when to wear tights, and they are as follows:
Tights: When the dress or tunic covers your bum and then some. The dress/tunic cannot be skintight or too short.
Pants: When the dress or tunic does NOT cover the bum and thighs enough to allow tights to be suitable.
I personally have had severe dermatological problems on my legs, so that’s why I wear tights with just about everything. I will NOT show my legs, so I don’t really have a choice in terms of not wearing them.
Also, I agree with Olga. Tights are a much warmer choice than pantyhose that catch on everything and rip!! :P
Manda
Oh, I don’t have a problem with tights being used when dresses/tunics are long enough so that the tights look reasonable. My irritation with leggings and tights stem when they are paired with a normal shirt, and not a dress/tunic or other garment that is relatively long!
breakthesky.net » Funny Facebook Groups
[...] Not Wearing Pants! (Concerned Citizens Against Leggings Misuse) I hate people that wear leggings or tights as pants. Luckily I’m not the only one! Oh, and for the record: leggings is spelt with a [...]
breakthesky.net ยป Spring Fashion Reminder
[...] Spring Fashion Reminder I saw this posted in the walls of one of the residence halls at my college. Nothing much else I have to add except that I strongly agree! [...]
breakthesky.net » Blog Archive » In with Leggings, Out with Pants
[...] pretty outspoken about my dislike of leggings and tights being used as substitutes for pants. I’ve written a blog entry solely about this phenomenon, and I’ve taken photos of fashion reminders posted on my campus [...]
Cleve
I don’t understand…!
Do you actually think that people will change the way they LIKE to dress just because a lot of people doesn’t like it? It’s like, the way you dress is not just about the fashion world, is about your own taste. If someone likes to wear tights as pants, you are you to censure them!? Even if you were a fashion designer or fashion advicer, you wouldn’t have the right to judge people just because the way they dress.
Please, we live in a free world!
Manda
I do have the right to judge people any which way I want. I also have the right to say it. You have the right to disagree with what I say. Like you said, we live in a free world.
Not once did I say we need to “censor” people who wear leggings and tights as pants. If you read my post, you’ll see that I am making the argument that leggings and tights are not pants. No matter how you look at it, they are NOT pants. Look it up in the dictionary.