Wearing Leggings as Pants
"I am thinking of wearing leggings as pants when we go out tonight", said Sarah. "And do you think that's cool, Sarah? Grow up! You can't be wearing your leggings as pants, especially you", argued Mike. "What do you mean by 'especially you', Mike? Am I...? Why can't I wear leggings as pants? What's so un-cool about it?" retorted Sarah. "Come on Sarah", said Mike, "Look at yourself..I mean...you are not ugly, but you are fat!" "Okay plump", Mike corrected himself after looking at Sarah's angry expression. He further added, "...wear a pair of pants instead, with that nice red tee you have. You'll look good." Their argument ended when Sarah decided that she would neither wear leggings nor pants. She had decided to wear her long black skirt and pair it with her favorite red top while going out that night.
You might wonder when exactly to wear leggings as pants. Well, wearing leggings as pants is quite a topic of discussion and there are many who are actually confused about whether leggings can be worn as pants, while there are others who pretty confidently say that leggings are not pants. Let's quickly understand what leggings and pants are and how different they are.
Leggings and Pants
Legging are a form of fitted clothing that can be worn by both men and women. As their name suggests, leggings cover the legs and are available in a variety of colors and designs. If you look at the history of leggings, you'll find that leggings have been worn by both men and women since centuries, to cover the legs and protect them from cold. Later, leggings were a part of the military uniform. Soldiers of the infantry wore leggings as a protective gear for their legs and as ankle support. After the Second World War, leggings disappeared from the military scene.
Leggings giving the look of skin-tight pants became a fashion in the 1960s. With passing years, leggings not only became a popular sports outfit, but was also preferred over jeans. The reason was leggings could be donned with long t-shirts, sweaters or sweat shirts. Capri-length leggings could be worn with skirts and dresses. Shiny leggings made an appearance in the late 2000s and became popular as club attire. No doubt, leggings are here to stay.
Pants, trousers...I don't think they need an introduction. They were always there and are quite popular with men and women of all ages. Pants are supposed to be one of the most comfortable clothing and that which suits almost any body type. Pants, as we all know, are worn on the lower part of the body. They are held up by a belt or braces. Traditionally, pants were a part of men's clothing only. In the 20th century, even women began using pants and they became popular among both men and women. Pants are worn, coupled with tops, shirts or t-shirts.
Leggings as Pants?
Considering the difference between leggings and pants and going by what the fashion trend is, do you think it's a good idea to wear leggings as a substitute for pants? Basically, the purpose of wearing leggings is different from that of wearing pants. Leggings can be considered as firm-fitting pants or trousers, that are often made of cotton or lycra. They are a part of women's clothing, in fact very popular among women. As we have already seen, leggings are generally worn for workouts as gym clothes or worn under a skirt or short pants. At times, leggings are worn in place of pants. But traditionally, they are at least partially covered by wearing a long t-shirt or an over-sized sweater over them. Lately, leggings have become more of a fashion clothing; some of you might be knowing them as tights. Today, they are available in a wide variety of designs and lengths. They are no longer an only exercise wear. And this is what has dulled the line of difference between leggings and pants.
How does Wearing Leggings as Pants Look?
It may look like wearing a body suit as a shirt. (Now, that's a bit too much.) If you wear leggings as pants, it looks like you have forgotten to wear something, possibly a skirt! (Now, that rhymes!)
Wearing leggings as pants can look like you are too stingy in buying apparel, which is why you are using leggings in place of pants. It sounds like you are using two things interchangeably just because they cover the same body part. It may reflect a cheap choice of clothing, as you are defying the basic purpose of wearing pants by using leggings as their substitute. Leggings are tight-fitting clothes. They say, wearing tight fitting clothes neither makes you comfortable nor those around you. True that is, and I hope you got the point. (wink)
Leggings tightly fit into your legs, exposing your body shape. Wearing leggings as pants might look like you are deliberately trying to expose your curves. There's a difference between flaunting and exposing, and wearing leggings as pants blurs this difference. By wearing one for the other, you are revealing a bit too much. So, leggings worn as pants, if not coupled with the right kind of outfit, will either make you look cheesy, or reflect bad taste. Also, wearing leggings to work would seem unprofessional.
When to Wear Leggings as Pants?
Whether to wear leggings as pants depends on the top you choose to couple them with; it depends on the outfits with leggings you choose to wear. The top worn on the leggings should not end above your hips. If you are wearing leggings as pants, make sure you are wearing a long t-shirt, or an oversized hoodie or sweater. Or team your leggings with a draped top or a jersey. You can also opt wearing leggings under shorts. Wearing jeggings, that means jeans in the form of leggings is also a good option to keep warm in cold weather. Now, this applies to winters.
What about wearing leggings in the summer? If it's summer time, you could wear capri-length leggings and pair them with a long sleeveless top. Leggings look good under a skirt, but then, here you are not wearing them as a substitute for pants. Decide the length of your leggings on the occasion you are wearing them on; choose the right kind of top or shirt that goes with your leggings, preferably a long one that covers your hips. The kind of shoes you would be wearing with leggings depends on the top you have paired them with. Understand how to wear leggings before you decide whether to wear them as pants and when.
It's not that wearing leggings as pants is an undoubted 'yes' for thin people and completely forbidden for the fat ones. Agreed, leggings don't look great on people heavy around the waist. But they neither look good on extremely skinny legs. Those with a heavy upper body can wear leggings to attract attention to their relatively thinner legs, while those with very thin legs should avoid wearing anything that fits tightly on the legs; be it leggings or even tight-stretch jeans. When worn with a tunic or shirt that covers the hips, leggings look funky and cool. But, if worn with a short top or t-shirt, you would be divulging pretty much more than needed; which is a complete no-no if you want to look decently dressed.
So, if you are wearing leggings as pants, team the leggings with a long and slightly loose top that ends at the mid-thigh. Leggings are leggings; pants are pants. Wearing leggings as pants can look good only if you pair them with a long top. One last tip; what you wear, should not make you feel embarrassed, disturbed or depressed; you should be comfortable and feel confident in whatever you wear. Look at yourself in the mirror and listen to what the mirror says to you; it almost always tells you the truth!
