I SO don’t wear leggings, but the ones with the zipper are really fun and the shoes worn in the middle picture on top row are rocking.

Last year Vince came out with some boot cut leggings that looked great. I would have liked to try those.

I plan on getting some leggings for fall, even though I can’t wear them to work. However, I think black leggings in the summer is a NO.

I think they are fine under a short skirt, but unless you have no tummy, hip, or thigh issues, I can’t imagine them being the least bit flattering to be worn without coverage.

Carissa, I hope you give the leggings with the zips a go.

Fjt, if it’s hot and sticky then the last thing you want to wear outside is a pair of nylon leggings! (Although they wear them in the heat of a humid Summer in Hong Kong all the time). But there is arctic air-conditioning to consider when you work inside, and in some places around the world, it just doesn’t get that hot. My leggings will be in full swing all Summer in Seattle.

You have me seriously thinking about leggings. I live in Pittsburgh and NOBODY sports that trend here though(we are always a couple years behind!) I am a suburban Mom and I am just a little afraid-I would seriously be the only one in them. Also-it brings me back to the 80’s where I wore leggings with huge sweatshirts almost every day with my hightop Reeboks and side pony! I like the look now though. I think I just need to find some appropriate tops.

(Kim, we posted at the same time). It’s a given that we HAVE to wear leggings with coverage around the bottom and thigh area. The models are showing leggings sans tops so that you can see the entire product. You might find this post helpful:

http://youlookfab.com/2007/08/.....-leggings/

This idea works for me. I want to try it. I do not like showing my knees any longer so this is a great alternative.

I just recently added a pair of black leggings to my wardrobe and I am really excited about wearing them. I do have one question for Angie. So far, all you’ve shown are black leggings. Are leggings in other colors not as desirable? I’ve seen them in heather gray (and I thought of workout clothes), I also saw them in royal blue. Then I saw a picture of really light cream/gray leggings paired with a jean skirt and I thought it just looked like long underwear. What are your thoughts on colored leggings?

http://www.sockdreams.com/_shop/edit/index.php

This website has some good looking leggings. Someone had shared ths with us on the forum.

I might consider full length leggings tucked into boots with a sweater dress in the winter when it starts to cool down here. Right now, it’s hot and I’m outside too much to give the look a go. What do you think about colors other than black, Angie? I was thinking charcoal or another neutral might be nice.

Love the mid-calf ones with the buttons. There seem to be a number of nice tunic or ’short dress’ length tops around now that I think would make it possible for most anyone to sport a pair!

I love them -they also give you a kind of freedom when you have them on with something shorter to sit down, bend down etc without “showing” off everything.

Perhaps it’s because I wore this trend the first time around that it looks so dated and 80’s to me. And stirrup pants are back? Really?

I’m sorry Angie, I just can’t do it.

I just purchased a pair of leggings yesterday and am going to try them out with a dress. However, I shudder at the thought of stirrup pants – maybe because I wore them a ton with sweaters/shoulder pads in the 80’s!

Angie, I’ve read your leggings posts before, and I have a question that’s rather the reverse of what’s usually asked: how *long* can you go with a dress over leggings? For example, you posted a slightly above knee length cobalt blue dress with zippered leggings that ended at the top/widest part of the calf. Is that the longest length of dress/skirt you would recommend? Most of my skirts end just at the knee except for a shorter teal dress that the YLF forum convinced me to hang on to, and I’m struggling to make sense of proportions.

(I was into stirrup stretch pants when I was 6-8 years old – worn with an oversized bright tee shirt and canvas slip-on Keds. I don’t think I’d ever be able to try stirrups again except for nostalgic costume parties!)

I am definitely giving leggings a go this season. I haven’t worn them very much yet but I have experimented and feel like I prefer the shorter styles on me. (Although now that I think of it, I haven’t yet tried ankle length with heels.) Like Shiny, I am having trouble finding leggings short enough for my height. But I’m excited about this option as a more flattering way to wear shorter dresses.

I’m curious about color too. I bought black and navy pairs from express and will probably have the navy pair hemmed.

I’m a total convert. Nothing could be comfier than leggings and a tunic. And those FC patterned ones are fantastic!

Really, they flatter all shapes of calves? Because I’ve been stopping myself from buying them because I have slightly muscular calves. But I’ll be giving them a try now.

Jaime, there are lots of suburban Mums sporting leggings on our forum. If you have a squizz, you might be encouraged. Set the trend in your area!

I’m a purist when it comes to leggings. They look best in black and occasionally charcoal, or chocolate brown. I can see them work in ink blue too. Sleek, sophisticated, svelte and modern. The styles in colours and hectic patterns tend to look juvenile which is great when you’re a child, teenager, or in your early twenties. Perhaps others see it differently, but that’s how I see it.

Cindy, I also wore leggings till the cows came home 25 years ago, and if you asked me 10 years ago if I would wear them again, I would probably have said no too. But I love how current fashion has evolved the look to another level this time round. A lot more chic and arty, but still as playful. I’m once again all over the look.

Kari, great question. The length at which I wore my dress with leggings in the post last week is fairly flop proof with flats. You should go a little shorter on the top length when you’re petite. But you can also go longer on the dress or top when you wear a heel and/or wear extra long leggings. It’s a proportion thing and you’ll need to experiment. I hope that info helps get you started.

Meream, leggings look FABULOUS on muscular calves. Please try them.

They even look good on more curvy girls and us older chicks can wear ‘em too. They are NOT the leggings of the 80s. Think like really, really skinny jeans. I love them under a skirt or dress with flats. Or the long boyfriend sweater, a white button down underneath, and a slim belt over the top. I’m with you, Angie, keep them dark, opaque and modern.

Terrific post! As a child of the 80s I certainly remember a youth peppered with leggings, but even though they’ve been in vogue for several season now, I can’t seem to bring myself to buy a pair these day. I’m petite and have short legs and it seems that no matter how many pairs I try on in the shops, my poor little legs end up looking more like cocktail sausages than stylish gams Interestingly though, I don’t find this black tights. However, I’m not giving up on the notion of leggings and will keep hunting for a pair that works on me.

Wishing you a splendid day!
♥ Jessica

Angie – I have been a huge fan of leggings for the past two years. They are flop proof. I’m curious – in a previous post you had said that they look best when they hit about top calf length. Sounds like you are saying full length leggins are fine too. And what about ankle length leggings? I know you don’t like ankle length pants so I’m curious if the same translates here. If not, what do you think is the key difference in appropriate lengths for leggings vs. pants/jeans? Thank you!

Bless you, KLauren. Like your thinking.

Good questions, Sihaya. Ankle length pants work when they are skinny, OR when they are leggings because they look like tights (or are tights). Skinnies actually look even better when they are ankle length with hem scrunch. It’s when ankle length pants flare out and hit you somewhere between ankle bone and lower leg that they are style suicide. These visuals might help:

http://youlookfab.com/2009/03/.....gth-pants/

Wearing leggings that finish around the calf, or shorter is pretty flop proof. Wearing them ankle length requires a little more experimentation and attention to flattering proportions. Sometimes you need to lengthen the top and add a heel. It depends on many variables and it’s hard to come up with specific guidelines at this point. But I’ll keep you in the loop once I’ve worked it out for us all.

I like the idea of leggings and would wear them all the time, but I just can’t find enough tops. Anything longer than mid-thigh ruins the look for me, but trying to find tops at that length is hard. Most tunics are shorter than that, and dresses are longer. I know I could wear them with dresses, but I tried it and really didn’t like the look. I hope these are still in by the time I build up my legging-friendly collection of tops.

The difference this go-around is a better fitting tunic or short dress rather than the baggy sweater that only covers the hips.

I’d love to have better guidelines for ankle-length leggings with a dress for spring and fall, but I’d want to wear ballet flats. Can this work? Maybe I should just stick to the shorter length leggings for that.

Mmmm…i love my leggings! i have black with rhinestone skulls and beige ones with lace accents, white with black stripes, military style leggings that have buttons down the outer side….all of them are cool and funky some of which were purchased at Sockdreams. I wear mine with short skirts, long skirts and fun tunic shirts….the stirrup one looks awesome with my mary jane heels.

they are warm in the winter and tho the calf length makes my legs look shorter, i add a pair of cute heels and i’m good to go! ^__^

fashion IS fun…well, in my world anyway…

Practical question – leggings are generally black and look teenyboppery in colors, but what if you’re not wearing black anywhere else? Doesn’t that look odd?

Seems fashion goes in 20/30 yr. cycles , At least that way the rules get ironed out and become more defined for the next go around!!

Thanks for clearing things up and showing us the CORRECT way to do leggings!!

Leggings have been a comfortable casual option for me, with tunic tops in cooler weather, but since it is now starting to get too hot for them I will probably give them a rest until the fall. Mine are all just plain black, charcoal gray, or dark blue, however I would like to try the kind with zips. The ones with stirrups just don’t appeal to me, for some reason. They look a little bit like old fashioned men’s spats.

I’m a recent convert and can’t tell you how glad I am that I finally took the plunge. I’ve only tried them over a dress (a little above the knee), but am now contemplating giving them a bash with a tunic too (I can hardly believe I’m saying this;-)

I also don’t think I could do stirrups again. I did them to death in the last go around. With oversized shoulder-padded sweaters or waistless mid-thigh length shirts. I don’t remember my stirrups being as tight as leggings; they were a bit baggier than that, and the stirrup kept them taut and sorta sleek.

But, my eye is getting used to the dress-over-cropped leggings look, and I can see how practical it is, so I’m going to give it a whirl.

My prediction is that this trend is only going to get more popular. Why? Because it’s practical, cozy and comfortable!

I actually bought a pair of black leggings that I can adjust some in length, but have yet to find the right top. I came close to buying a dress yesterday that had a colorblock pattern and hit above my knees. However, at my 5′4″ height, I decided it needs to be shorter. Besides, the dress had to be drycleaned (silk) and I still don’t know if I’ve got the courage to wear the look and would rather start with an everyday dress. I rarely see them on anyone over 20 here, so being an over 60 in them is going to take some guts. I want to look absolutely fab in them in order to pull off the look.
I love the feel of the leggings and have found them to be ideal to wear when trying on clothes, especially if out at thrift/resale shops where there may not be much privacy.

Another great question, mamark. I like to wear black somewhere else in the outfit if I’m wearing black leggings, but that doesn’t mean that it’s necessary. For example, if you have black hair, you’ve repeated the colour in your outfit.

Taylor, trends do seem to come in 25 year waves – hopefully always better the second time round. I guess we’re looking to repeat 90’s fashion soon. Of all the decades, the 90’s seem the most nondescript. Overflow of bad 80’s trends and the very beginnings of truly modern, retro and timeless dressing. Time will tell.

Shiny, I have the same suspicions. Leggings are here to stay because they are inexpensive, comfortable and practical.

Well done, Joy!

I am fine with leggings even though I don’t think that it is my best look. However, I have the same reaction to the stirrups as Shiny. I was actually very young the first time around but I still remember wearing them. I can’t believe they are making a come back. What else is coming back from 80s? scrunchies? leg warmers? aerobics?

Hmmmm I wore stirrups first time around as well. Often had to cut the elastic as the pants were too short and fell down. Anyway I can’t help but love these new-style stirrups, although they would work much better for winter than summer here in Aus. I’m going to be keeping my eye out for them for sure!!!

I love how designer Vera Wang wears leggings (her personal style) as well as the ways she incorporates leggings into her affordable line for Kohls. Very arty and sophisticated, as you said Angie!

Tam, you and I are on the same wavelength about the stirrup style leggings. I wore them the first time round too, but they weren’t nearly as comfortable then as they are now. Improved fabric technology makes them stretch and mould perfectly to the leg and foot. Brilliant. I guess the fact that they bring back 80’s flashbacks is precisely why I want to wear them again.They make me smile. But this time I’ll pull them off with taste and style.

Budget babe, you hit the nail on the head. I LOVE how Very Wang wears her leggings look. So eclectic, mod and fab. And she’s 59. A very sassy lass.

Re: the stirrups…it appears at first blush another item on the 80s fashion-must-recycle list that many of us don’t really want to see again. However, this version is not just 80s fashion but is borrowed from ballet, or more precisely, modern dance. I guess that’s why I don’t find them *quite* as offensive, but I still can’t help thinking of them as dancewear rather than streetwear. (Unfortunately, I’ve seen some “Flashdance” revival items out there too…yuck. Is that really necessary??)

Well I wrote yesterday but lost it, anyway just wanted to express the same reservations about stirrups that many of you have – I will be interested in seeing how Angie plans to pull these off!

I am short and have fat calves and I can even pull of white leggings.

http://fashionafterforty.blogs.....white.html

Well I for one don’t think that just because you already wore a trend 20 years ago doesn’t mean you can’t embrace it again in a fresh new way. Angie isn’t asking anyone to wear these with boxy oversized sweaters and scrunchy socks! I think it looks completely different from what I saw in the 80’s.

I have seen stirrup leggings around here for a while now and I’m DYING to get a pair but I have been resisting because I don’t own enough appropriate tops to wear them with! I have 2 dresses and a pair of stirrup leggings in my cart on urbanoutfitters.com as we speak and if I get the job I’m after, you can bet I’m checking out immediately!

I was 6 years old at the end of the 80’s so I didn’t really get to enjoy these trends in an adult way and I’m looking forward to more. I love stirrup pants and I love dance inspired items. Fashion is inspired by so many different things–why not dance?

I love leggings! I wear the crop version with mid thigh and knee length dresses and heels, wedges and flats. I am getting ready to purchase ankle length tights as well. I saw some really cute black animal print from Arden B.

I think the leggings look is really hip and stylish. I may even try to experiment wearing them in different ways like with skirts also.

I like the dance look too Maya, well at least I like the look of crossover cardigans, knit skirts, loved bodysuits when they were in. I guess I just don’t associated stirrup pants with dance but with the sort of looks you were describing ie “boxy oversized sweaters and scrunchy socks”. So I am willing to keep an open mind. (Not that I have bought any leggings of any type yet; in fact it was only a year of 2 I threw out my 1993 ones which I kept to wear under pants on cold days!)

Leggings can add an edge to business outfits: tulip or pencil skirts, cardi or boheme blouse and leggings – so cool!
My problems always: You kind of have to wear your shoes without socks or tights, so it´s either too warm to wear leggings or too cold to go out with your feet naked in the shoes… a classical dilemma!

Angie, what do you think about non-black leggings?

Phoebe, I agree – it’s either too cold for me to wear leggings, or too warm (so warm I wouldn’t want to wear hose either, only stockings or fishnets). But I like the look of them under a short tunic-dress, just like I like the look of skinny jeans or clamdiggers with the same time of top.

[...] I’ve tried to encourage adoption of this look and it’s been well received on our forum. I hope you give it a [...]

[...] True to my word, I recently gave stirrup leggings a whirl. Love them! Arty, unfussy, practical, inexpensive and extremely comfortable. I really liked the idea of stirrup detailing on tights instead of pants, and what an improvement. It makes perfect sense to wear the look like a light-footed dancer instead of an 80’s ice-cream cone. But stirrup leggings aren’t everyone’s cup of tea and I won’t take it personally if you don’t fancy the look on me. [...]

hello angie, i am a newbie reader and i love your site there is non like this in dubai, i have big legs and calf i really wanted to wear leggings but it does not allow me to do so. please help.thanks carla of dubai

[...] Anyone can wear leggings and look smashingly appropriate once the details are right. This is why the item made my must have list for Spring and Summer 2009, and they’ll work perfectly as we head into Autumn. I’ve written several posts on how to wear leggings, including this recent synopsis. [...]

Hey!! You say that leggings flatter all calf shapes. And that they accentuate and streamline a curvier calf. However, I can’t seem to find a pair that does it for my fat chunky thighs and calves. Do you have any advice on that? Thanks!!