Wearing Leggings as Pants

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 the two are and how they differ.

Leggings 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 they 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, they became popular as a sports outfit, and were also preferred over jeans. The reason was that 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 are considered as a very comfortable clothing and they suit almost any body type. 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 to use pants and they became popular among both men and women. Pants are worn, coupled with tops, shirts, or t-shirts.

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.

Leggings tightly fit onto 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.

So, leggings worn as pants, if not coupled with the right kind of outfit, will either make you look cheesy, or reflect a bad taste. Also, wearing leggings to work will seem unprofessional.

Whether to and when to wear leggings as pants depends on the top you choose to couple them with; it depends on the outfits you choose to wear with leggings. 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 choose to wear leggings under shorts. Wearing jeggings, that means jeans in the form of leggings is also a good option to keep warm in the cold weather.

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 based on the occasion you are wearing them for; 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 a little more than needed; which may not look decent.

So, if you are wearing leggings as pants, team them with a long and slightly loose top that ends at the mid-thigh. They look good worn as pants, only if you pair them with a long top. One last tip; what you wear, should not make you feel awkward or uncomfortable. You should be comfortable and feel confident in it. Look at yourself in the mirror and listen to what the mirror says to you; it tells you the truth.