A Few Thoughts On: The “Right” Way to Wear Leggings as Pants

I know, I know…I’ve been a firm proponent of the maxim that “leggings are not pants.” I think that’s mainly because I see so many women wearing them as pants in a not-so-flattering way. I am a believer that what works well in the gym doesn’t necessarily translate well on the street. But that’s just me – and I know many women love to wear their leggings all the time. So… with that in mind, here are a few suggestions on how I can see leggings working as street-wear.

First of all, make sure your behind is covered. I understand that some people may not like what I have to say on the matter and that’s okay. My thoughts are that, while it works fine in athletic endeavors, the legging doesn’t provide enough coverage to serve as street-wear. But if you wear a long enough top (tunic, blouse or jacket) it can make for a quite comfortable outfit, whether casual or dressy. I love the idea of pairing a tuxedo jacket with leggings and some great looking shoes. And I’m a big fan of the tunic blouse.

I also think leggings can work great layered under a dress or long tunic:

Lastly, if implementing the first thought above, leggings make a quite affordable basic for a casual environment, whether for busy working moms or the work-from-home-entrepreneur, or the retiree. A few examples I’ve pulled from Pinterest for you: