The Do’s and No’s for Leggings
January 13, 2007
Leggings are a very touchy subject when it comes to high fashion, and they have the potential to be very fashionable – if you know what you are doing. Let me give you some guidance for the situations that may ensue from wearing leggings.
For skirts: Leggings should only be worn with short, form-fitted skirts. By short, I mean above the top of the knee, to the mid-thigh. No mini-skirts allowed. They should never be worn with skirts that flare out, or with skirts that fall any where below the knee. If the skirt is pleated, the pleat can only be in the middle of the back of the skirt – that means no side pleats.
For pants: Leggings can be worn with form-fitted short trousers, or shorts that come from above the knee to the mid-thigh. No ’short shorts’ are allowed. You cannot wear capris, culottes, or long pants with leggings.
As for legging color – keep it simple. Wear basic colors – nothing bright or gauche, and keep patterns simple and clean – this means no flowers, hearts, or horizontal stripes.
Leggings should not be worn with any type of dress. This is sinfully tacky.
Leggings should not be worn with blouses or shirts that are longer than average.
As for legging length, the acceptable lengths are from the waist to the foot (they can enclose the foot as you will not see them outside of the footwear – see below), and from the waist to right below the knee. When wearing leggings that come from the waist to right below the knee, you have to have great legs and good skin color and complexion that matches the leggings and outfit you are wearing.
Never wear any kind of socks with leggings. Leg warmers should not be worn with leggings either. Leg warmers should only be worn to 80’s parties.
When wearing leggings that come from the waist to the foot, you should only wear closed-toe flats. Boots (Uggs particularly) and other footwear are inadequate by all means. When wearing leggings that come from the waist to right below the knee, you cannot wear socks, but you have a few options for footwear: closed-toe flats, heels, and stilettos – do not wear anything else, and be sure to keep these three options clean and classy. I don’t want you to look like a whore.
With these simple tips, you can be very stylish and fashionable in your leggings. If you do not follow these guidelines, you will look a hot mess. That’s all.
nicely put, but personally, i think leggings all together should just not have came back, im sorry but thats just how i see them all together sinfully tacky but hey thats just my style not everyone else.
u helped me sooooo much!!! thank u!
I’m a 23 year old metrosexual male. I personally think leggings are a wonderful concept at that! I think females need to stop whining and feeling akward about men who want to wear leggings! “Gender is nothing more than a physical construct.” It has nothing to do with what sex they are. Both men and women can and do actually percieve the world in similar ways. A man doesn’t always like to wear heavy, thick and dark apparel. We too enjoy the luxuries of lfe like silk and nylon. Clearly a man that is well built and assertive like most men, but perhaps is better groomed and enjoys wearing leggings doesn’t mean he is any less of a man. A man or woman is determined based on how kind, helpful and positive we are toward others, not what we eat, wear, sleep in, or how we act like outside of these pathetic gender roles created my society that something thought up as being the ONLY way. It simply doesn’t work that way. Individuals are very complex living beings with mixed emotions, new developing feelings about ourselves and others, and our own need to be distinctive among others. In conclusion, open-mindedness and the ability to let change occur is not a punishment but a gift to express oneself and enjoy life on higher and newer levels. Judge not another and they won’t judge you!
Now for all the men out there. Give it a try if you choose. Fear of rejection means you are dependent on what others think and want of you.
hmm…to the comment above – as a gay man, I’d NEVER date a man wearing leggings – Gross!
Anyway, I’m having my friend come read this because the other day she and I went out and I was completely embarrassed. She wore – and I am not making this up – lime green leggings coming out of her short shorts and tennis shoes that had lime green on them! It was horrible!
I dont think leggings should come out of any shorts at all. I do agree with the fact that leggings should not be worn with most dresses, but I really do think leggings look fine with longs shirts and also leggings are acceptable for very long, skirtish shirts that can pass as dresses.
I also think if you are going to wear leggings, u should only have the following colors-black and white. Thats all u need-keep it simple. if ur gonna have leggings matcing every skirk, shirt, and dress u have, why have black and white? Gray is okay to have, but personally, any gray skirt , shirt, or dress, will go just as well with black or white leggings, and gray isnt needed too much.
Leggings are great! they dont leave much to the imagination and are very sexy!!…on women not men! Fat people should not try and wear them!
[...] rubbish on me. So I certainly won’t be wearing them but for those of you that must check out Fashion and Style By Eric for a few tips on wearing leggings [...]
Ehhh…whatever. A bit helpful, I guess, but I personally think that leggings with short-shorts looks cute and I like wearing it during dance rehersal. As for the whole, “leg warmers should not be worn at all,” thing, I completely disagree. But whatever. Everyone has their own opinion.
some of your tips are good, but most of them are very cruel! 4real! i mean, why people overweight can’t wear leggings? if you don’t like how they look, then turn into another direction! lol.
and by the way i’m not a dancer at all, i work in a preschool and I WEAR LEGGINGS WITH LEGWARMERS !!! and i look very HOT!
is there a problem with that???
I think bright leggings with leg warmers are great for an 80’s party though! Other than that I would never wear either!
Yeahh leg warmers are in fashion i think they look great !!
This advice is garbage… leggings are made for boots especially ugg boots… and you can wear leggings with shorts…maybe a business short though… leggings also go well with sweater dresses…
colored leggings are never a good thing unless your in middle school or under
over weight people can wear leggings too
i didn’t know guys wore leggings?
and um yeah, leg warmers are in style right now… its fall
over all…stop giving advice because it sucks
Ummm… In Europe, at least, THE hottest thing is leggings, leg warmers, and boots… The look you have posted up there in the pic is OLD… Here, there, and everywhere… G’luck giving uneducated advice!
[...] The Dos and Nos for Leggings leggings, style Fashion [...]
lmao. You’re encouraging people to wear leggings like they’re pants and not accessories.
“Leggings should not be worn with any type of dress. This is sinfully tacky.”
“Leggings should not be worn with blouses or shirts that are longer than average.”
Wow. I really hope that this post is a joke. These tips are the only “hot mess” that I see.
whats wrong with long tops and leggings :S
I’m a bloke and I love leggings, wearing them and on any woman. I have half a dozen pairs in different colours (mostly earthy colours). They are easy to wear and I feel fantastic in them. Don’t knock it til you try it – they get me lots of positive attention!
This advise goes against everything I wanted to do with leggings. A long white shirt and uggs. Is this so terrible?
leggings are SUPPOSED to be worn with UGG boots and long(ish) shirts! this doesn’t make any sense! anyway, overweight people can wear leggings too! some people wear them really well. If they are comfortable wearing them, who are you to judge?
I think legging and mini skirt is great look with pair of flip flops