Liquid latex leggings

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Angie is co-founder of YLF and its resident fashion stylist.

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Liquid latex leggings

— by Angie

on December 9, 2008

Eighties superhero-style latex leggings are once again a fashion statement. I’ve seen them in all the colours and can scarcely believe they’ve made a comeback.

I saw two relatively young fashion industry professionals wearing the black ones a couple of months ago. They incorporated their glossy vinyls into an uber-tailored, sophisticated, daytime work look. Wearing impeccable jackets, fabulous blouses and killer heels with their second skins, they just about got away with it.

So what’s the verdict on the slick sheen, ladies. Are they stove-piping hot – or not?

I’m pretty sure latex leggings are a fad. I’ll eat my words if we see them again next season. Time will tell.

Autumn 2008

47 comments · Add a comment

Stephanie

(website)

Yikes. Let’s just hope these stay on the very thin or very young. Like I always say, spandex is a privilege, not a right.

December 9, 2008 at 8:12 am

Meredith

These remind me of that final scene in Grease when Olivia Newton John goes from nice to naughty. I applaud those brave and stylish enough to wear these. But I must steal a quote from my friend who says “Spandex is a privilege, not a right.” I agree that in order to earn the privilege of wearing spandex you must be young and lithe.

December 9, 2008 at 8:15 am

Ana

How timely! I just saw a girl wearing the leggings on the far left as pants, paired with a burnt orange t-shirt that said TEXAS on it at school the other day! Complete with Crocs! Angie, I think you might have died on the spot. My eyes bulged out of my head, and my friend (who is a very laid back bohemian style gal) turned around and gave me a horrified look. Later she asked me, “What do you think those are made of?” I wasn’t sure, but I thought they might be neoprene. Anyway, not to be catty, but I am NOT a fan of this look. I think the plain black ones can be worn in a classy way, maybe with a silk tunic or something, but it’s not for the fashion novice. I would be afraid to try it myself–it just seems like a look that is easy to get wrong.

December 9, 2008 at 8:20 am

redhead

Even through the fog of cold medication, I can see that this is a horrible fashion trend! I saw a pair of these in gold at a store the other day and wondered why they were still selling Halloween costumes!

December 9, 2008 at 8:47 am

Tiffany

These are unforgiving and unforgivable to normal women! Yes they look very good on stage or on the runway, but on the 30-something mother following her kid in the mall? NOOOOO! (Yes, I have seen this, and it was not pretty)

Note: This isn’t a jab at 30-somethings… but a jab at the fact that after a certain point some clothes will scream “desperate for attention”

December 9, 2008 at 9:10 am

Real Style Real People

(website)

They’ve GOT to be a fad- I hate them, hate them, hate them!!!! Although I would have loved to see the people you mentioned wearing them, to see if I would have softened any, b’c so far I have seen NONE that I like!

December 9, 2008 at 9:11 am

Maya

I’m sorry but these look like rubber pants and the black ones especially just scream dominatrix, esp with those gigantic heels. Maybe I’m the only one who sees that, but I think they are tacky looking. I hope no one here wears them because I have probably offended them, but I just don’t find them tasteful.

December 9, 2008 at 9:18 am

Maya

Also, I am not a fan of wearing anything that prevents my skin’s ability to breathe properly.

December 9, 2008 at 9:18 am

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Hilarious. Thanks for the entertainment this morning, ladies. Keep it coming.

I’m not going to defend this item in any way. Latex leggings were awful in the 80’s and are just as horrid now. But I wish you could have seen the way the woman I am speaking of were wearing the look. It was impressive.

December 9, 2008 at 9:19 am

Tanya

I really hate these. I have seen some young famous ladies wear them in a stylish way, something similar to what Angie described, but I would never, never wear them, not in a million years. I don’t even wear normal leggings.

December 9, 2008 at 9:29 am

Antje

I can definitely see someone pull them off, in a high fashion sort of way and on a confident woman’s toned body. But I, too, am hoping not to see too many of them around since the majority of them will NOT be seen as part of uber-stylish ensembles…

December 9, 2008 at 10:04 am

San

How timely. I just saw a young gal wear these in black over the weekend. She was petite and very thin, a young innocent looking type of gal, with high heels, a black top with a ruffle neckline, that gathered at the hip with about an 8 inch flounce. It seemed like the top did cover her butt and was a cute top, but my gut feeling was nooooo. The pants are just a bit disturbing, and they are attention getters. It was hard to stop staring at her.

December 9, 2008 at 10:19 am

Jeune

omigawd. Awful.

December 9, 2008 at 10:20 am

carlene

(website)

I like them. I would wear them, peaking out the bottom of a longer, black drapey skirt, with ballet flats or docs or converse. I think I just might get some, I’ll bet they’re warm.

December 9, 2008 at 10:29 am

Val

Honestly? I’ve been wanting a pair, but don’t really know what I’d wear with them.

December 9, 2008 at 10:32 am

carissa

(website)

they are stove-piping hot on the few that can wear it and look good, which sounds like the day time business ladies angie saw recently. the shoes in the pictures above make the leggings look killer already.

high gloss sheeny items attract more attention to the body parts they cover. i perish the thought of my bottom half in anything shiny. it reminds me of my days in high school drill team, and i don’t think i rocked the look 20 years ago.

on the subject of leggings i think these look worth a try: http://www.neimanmarcus.com/st.....;parentId=

December 9, 2008 at 11:14 am

Kristers

I would wear them if I wanted a look that just SCREAMED bacterial infection.

Seriously, not to stir the pot [some more] here but Angie said the fashion folks “just about got away with it”…. which implies that in some ways they didn’t. In what way didn’t they get away with it?

I believe that bad fashion, like good fashion, needs to be defined–especially for those of us who are fashion impaired.

December 9, 2008 at 11:14 am

Joelle

These would obviously only look good on a very slim and tall woman with long legs, but even on someone with the right figure I can’t think of any ensemble where trousers, jeans, or ordinary leggings wouldn’t look more classy (not to mention more comfortable on the skin). Of course, if you’re auditioning for your local theatre’s production of Cats, they’re purr-fect.

December 9, 2008 at 11:38 am

BLB

(website)

Unless you’re Rihanna, Blake Lively, or this girl http://www.lesliehall.com/gemsweater/gallery.htm, they look pretty tough to pull off. Although Ana’s suggestion of a silk tunic (maybe a nice colourful one with a Pucci-esque print), paired with flats (heels look too dominatrix to me, like Maya said), sounds almost do-able for something like a gallery opening. If you’re built like Blake Lively, that is.

I suppose they’re the natural follow-up to AA’s lame leggings. I wonder if I’ll see Main Street hipsters wearing these with plaid shirts. I can only hope their bums will be covered. When I see someone wearing leggings with a regular length top I am always overcome with a desperate urge to yell “Hey! You forgot your pants!”

December 9, 2008 at 11:44 am

Laura

Okay, Ana and Kristers, I laughed until I cried at your comments! You two and the others have pretty much covered it so I shall keep mum and watch for more entertaining comments …

December 9, 2008 at 12:43 pm

Budget Babe

(website)

I would have worn these in a heartbeat during my clubbing days. Much more practical than a mini skirt And i think they look fab and edgy on the young celebs like Rihanna, MK and Ashley, Lauren Conrad, Lindsay Lohan et al.

December 9, 2008 at 1:35 pm

jani

I think these look horrible on just about everybody. However, you could get away with them underneath a skirt, tunic or shorter dress.

December 9, 2008 at 1:40 pm

Shannon

(website)

In a word: ew!

December 9, 2008 at 1:41 pm

Nicole

I too am reminded of the satin disco pants that Olivia Newton John wore in Grease–“You better shape up…cuz I need a man…need a man…and my heart is set on you….You better shape up…you better understand…to my heart I must be true…You’re the one that I want…woo hoo hoo ….”

Ugh. Now I’ll have that song stuck in my mind all night!

I also can’t help but wonder how healthy it is for the girlie business to be encased in latex all day?

December 9, 2008 at 1:50 pm

Cathy R in Melbourne

Horrid!

December 9, 2008 at 1:54 pm

Sihaya

No way. I sure hope this is just a fad.

December 9, 2008 at 2:58 pm

Oneirix

(website)

Ok, I kind of love them…but certainly not on a normal person by any means. You really do have to be tall and skinny to pull these off, and confident to boot! I love the rock chick vibe, but they’re tricky, and I’ve seen some people walking around in them on campus and just…ugh, just no. But when they’re fab? They are FAB.

December 9, 2008 at 3:37 pm

yublocka

(website)

Totally grease lightening!!! The sweat factor kinda grosses me out too.

But I think with the right body and the right occasion they look hot. Personally I’m sure I will never have either of those variables!!

December 9, 2008 at 3:50 pm

(website)

Definitely a FAD. I still wouldn’t mind rocking the look at club/party or something :$

December 9, 2008 at 4:50 pm

NicoleB

looking in a fashion magazine or on a celebrity, sure, it’s there job to keep us entertained right?

seeing it on someone in real life? it frightens me. Maybe not in a darkened club…but on an afternoon at the mall. yikes!

December 9, 2008 at 5:16 pm

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Kristers, I’ll elaborate. The women I saw had the body types to pull off the look. They also had youth on their side and looked every bit sophisticated, well put together and modest FOR the fashion industry. This wouldn’t fly in any other profession (it might have worked in an arty, creative or theatrical setting as well).

The reason I felt they didn’t 100% get away with the look is because latex leggings imo imply a level of tarty-ness (or as Maya puts it, “ dominatrix”) which is appropriate if you’re a rock star, or going out at night. But not in a professional setting.

I don’t fancy this item at all. But it’s not up there with crocs and maxi dresses.

December 9, 2008 at 5:23 pm

carrie

Blech! I can’t imagine anyone outside the 16 – 21 year age range pulling these off. And I don’t think I could have even when I was that age!

December 9, 2008 at 5:38 pm

mickey

Not!

December 9, 2008 at 7:54 pm

Chandra

Ironic that this is the post, beacause I just bought a black pair today. I plan on pairing them with a drapey, black, tunic-length sweater and 5 inch black pumps. Night time wear only though.

December 9, 2008 at 9:13 pm

Aseel

I am personally not a fan of these. I definitely wouldn’t be able to pull the look off but the other day I saw a young girl wearing a moderately shiny pair with a longish purple top and fabulous tux jacket with rolled-up sleeves. She works in the department store and is tall and has curves in all the right places. It did look good on her although I had the impression that those who were staring at her were thinking that she forgot to put her skirt on! I think they are just too camp and shouldn’t be worn during the day.

December 10, 2008 at 9:48 am

Renee

They won’t work on everyone.

December 11, 2008 at 9:32 am

Sara

(website)

Awful. One of my fashion rules is nothing shiny on my bottom half — I save the flashy stuff for tops and jewelry. And I agree about bacterial infections and letting the skin breathe!

December 13, 2008 at 3:04 am

Maria

Haha, Maybe under a dress, but not wearable as trousers

December 13, 2008 at 3:38 am

cathy

Just no to the latex legging trend. The first time I saw them was on a bunch of celebs in People In Style. Yikes. I think even the celebs look bad in them.

December 14, 2008 at 2:29 pm

Gina

I woke up yesterday to several presents from my man. YES! I scored liquid leggings for Xmas.

While the trend is still in style so will I.

December 27, 2008 at 7:50 am

My 4’11”, not thin, 50-yr. old boss wore these to our company Xmas party. My god, I was so embarrassed for her! She looked like a washed up hooker.

January 9, 2009 at 8:20 pm

Rejina

I adore this trend. I’m a sophomore in high school, and I’m tall and thin, so I feel like this trend was MADE for me =]
I have a special outfit I wear – the leggings, a long black tank top, a loose black sweater over it, and these shoes

February 4, 2009 at 8:24 pm

QuiteLight

As club wear, sure! It’s all about looking sleek & over-the-top. I would have, when I did the scene. I had a wet-look latex halter top, but honestly, I was more modest than I wanted to admit & never took off my jacket when I wore it.

BUT, & here’s something to keep in mind, latex clothing has been adopted from the S&M culture. Latex is a submissive fabric, for the most part, and you might attract very specific attention wearing it!

April 21, 2009 at 11:40 am

Erik

I don’t think most people realize that the leggings shown are not made of latex rubber, but a spandex/polyester fabric. I have a latex rubber fetish, and I’m always looking for the lowest prices on these garments. Please let me know if you are aware of any latex rubber leggings costing less than $100

April 27, 2009 at 1:45 pm

Nicole

I love these leggings, but they look good on certain people. and also if they are to be worn, it should be during night time for clubbing, or other event, but not during the day, and also has to be paired up with a nice shirt or tunic.
i looovvvee these

June 5, 2009 at 5:39 am

lycra lover.

I think leggings are a huge yes. Especially wet look lycra leggings similar to the ones pictured. Other fabrics for leggings consist of latex rubber ( the mose expensive and not that practical for everyday wear ), pvc and of course lycra / nylon. The pictured wet look leggings are similar to shiny nylon lycra and coated in a wet look substance. Be careful – they can mark or scratch easily. Best worn as pants with a short t-shirt or crop top, if you have got it flaunt it, go and buy a pair of wet look leggings and be confortable with yourself. As a male I often wear lycra cycling shorts and sometimes leggings underneath, we should not be too quick to judge people. If you like them wear them.

January 26, 2010 at 1:57 pm

Lila

Being tall is not a requirement for wearing these, but being of the right proportion is. At 5’1″ and 89 pounds, I love mine and wear them frequently. I even wore them to the office today … under a Cop Copine mini-dress with asymmetrical hem and short platform boots … and got many many compliments. After work, I kept the leggings and switched the dress for a long poet’s shirt belted in and a cropped leather motorcycle vest to go out to dinner with my husband. Again, I garnered compliments, including from my husband, our waitress and another customer when I went to the restroom. With so many compliments on the outside there’s so much negativie input here!

February 1, 2010 at 9:06 pm

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