In with Leggings, Out with Pants
October 20th, 2009 | Categories: Style | 9 CommentsI’m 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 about leggings and tights.
A few weeks ago, I had to write a feature article regarding a popular trend among the youth for one of my communications classes. The topic I chose, not surprisingly, was that of the whole leggings and tights fashion trend. The article turned out really well, and as I know there are fellow bloggers out there who are also against this whole leggings/tights thing, I’ve posted the article for all to read:
It’s a question that is asked all over the nation. Teenage girls argue with each other over what is the right answer and the issue is a constant plague on the fashion scene. And yet, despite all of the controversy, no one has yet to be able to come up with a definitive, irrefutable answer.
Are leggings and tights suitable substitutes for pants?
Some say they are. “They’re so much more comfortable,” says [Name Removed #1]. “You can’t sit on the ground comfortably in jeans.”
Others, however, are vehemently against the trend. “I think it’s very inappropriate cause you wear pants for a reason, not leggings,” says [Name Removed #2]. “The two just aren’t the same.”
It all started when women began wearing leggings instead of yoga pants when going to the gym. Soon, the once uncommon glimpse of leggings-clad legs started appearing everywhere in places like the grocery store, Starbucks, and college campuses. Celebrities like Lindsay Lohan perpetrated the trend and leggings and tights were soon showcased as pants substitutes in the fashion runways of Milan and New York. Some fashion designers are even releasing clothing lines where leggings are styled to look like pants, such as Juicy Couture’s line of denim leggings.
“People would argue now with the whole skinny jeans trend it’s just like wearing leggings, but leggings are more sheer and they can rip more easily,” says [Name Removed #2] about the flaws of leggings and tights.
Many people believe that leggings are comfortable and go great with almost any outfit. “My preferred outfit would be a long sweater with leggings,” says [Name Removed #1], who usually pairs her leggings with longer tops.
But the comfort and versatility factors do not win everyone over. There are countless websites that express disgust with this new fashion trend, and the website www.tightsarenotpants.com have gone as far as publishing a manifesto against leggings worn as pants.
“Let’s be clear,” the manifesto states, “the wearing of tights as pants is an abomination… We have tired of tolerating attempts to force tights into a non-native garment category and have decided to do something about it.”
As if the manifesto itself wasn’t enough, there is also a downloadable “DIY Press Kit” on the “Tights Are Not Pants” website for visitors to use to spread the resistance against this fashion trend. The press kit includes fliers with statements such as “Do Unto Others: Tights Are Not Pants” and “Tights as Pants: TMI”.
Critiques of the leggings trend are in agreement of tights and leggings showing more than one would like to see. “Leggings leave nothing to the imagination,” says [Name Removed #2]. “It just shows way too much.”
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Hi, I'm Manda. I'm a college student studying communications and languages. I like to read, shop, bake, and travel. I have a tendency to listen to my favorite songs on repeat for hours on end. Sometimes I catch myself thinking in a language other than English. 
Sometimes, I wear leggings when I wear long tunic tops that reach up to mid-thigh, as long as my butt is sufficiently covered. But I have seen other girls wear leggings along with tees, and I start cringing when I see panty lines. It’s an extremely uncomfortable sight.
As long as your top piece of clothing covers your butt, I’m okay with tights/leggings. But if legging-clad butts are hanging out all over the place, I’m not impressed. It’s just distasteful and kind of trashy.
I’ll wear leggings if my top goes past my butt, but as far as I’m concerned, tights should NEVER be worn without some other kind of bottom like a skirt. Eugh.
If you don’t want to wear jeans, wear sweatpants please.
If I don’t see butt, I don’t really mind how they are worn. Some girls can get away with Jeggings if they are super skinny, but they are thicker than normal leggings.
Tights I would never wear without a skirt, possibly a shirt that covers my butt and upper thigh. Tights are far too sheer to be considered outerwear.
I’m so with you on this one! As long as your top/tunic covers your butt it’s ok. But otherwise – no. Leggings/tights are thin and much much more… revealing. Even if jeans are tight they are also thick and robust and don’t cling to every single bump on your body the way leggings can do. You’d have to be skinny like a newborn giraffe to pull off something like that. Actually, it would still look awkward :P
I’m with everyone who commented that leggings are acceptable as long as your top covers your butt. If your top does not cover your butt, find a longer top or wear skinny jeans. Leggings-clad butts jiggling visibly = DO NOT WANT. D:
Ha ha I love leggings! As long as they do have long tops covering the arse area… otherwise it is a bit too much in your face!
I agree with pretty much everyone else; leggings are great in my book, as long as you have a dress or tunic to cover your bum. I think the proportions of having a tunic over jeans looks a little strange.
Leggings are comfy in my opinion, but when girls wear them as pants and you can see every detail of their butt– that’s a bit weird. Actually very weird. But even jeans that are too tight that you can see the butt details sort of freak me out, too.
Oh well… there will always be those trends that you don’t like. For me? Jumpsuits. Don’t get them, don’t like them. Those are meant for babies in my opinion! Once you’re not a toddler anymore, you should hang up the onesie.
-M.
Pants are awesome!!
As everyone else has said… The main thing that bothers me about the leggings trend is the jiggly butt factor. Do not want! D;