Leggings. Gear. Casual Wear. - YouLookFab Forum

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Leggings. Gear. Casual Wear.

Anonymous

About a month ago, April posted a comment about leggings.

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....heres-gear

Ever since I read April's post, I have been amazed to see all the leggings out there. I see them everywhere now!!! I am not sure if they were always there and I just failed to pay attention or if Spring has brought them out en mass.

I was at the mall yesterday to look for a top for my wedding guest capsule (no luck by the way), but the people watching was superb. The day was gorgeous; the temperatures were perfect to sip coffee and walk slowly by shop windows. I was loathe to actually enter any stores because the day was nice.

I scanned the real-life fashion as much as I did the shop windows (probably more since I wasn't really in "buy" mode.). Leggings seemed to be everywhere. Boots were everywhere too. I thought they were trying to wear their boots one last time before they put them away for the season.

So I saw an assortment of leggings/skinny jeans/knee high boots/sweaters. IF they weren't wearing boots, they were wearing sneakers. A few rare coats/jackets. I didn't see any purses or bags that caught and retained my attention. There weren't a lot of people wearing jewelry either.

Like me, few people were carrying packages. But they all looked unhurried and happy.

Dressing

22 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Sounds like a fun afternoon! But I am mystified about all the leggings.

ClaraT

Veteran

Leggings, and black leggings in particular, are hugely popular where I live (sf Bay Area). I was near the high school at lunch last week and counted the first 25 girls I saw--17 had on black leggings (with sneakers or boots). (The rest wore skinny jeans, a couple high waisted, plus one in overall shorts with black tights.) Today in SF I was people watching and again, both downtown and in the Marina, tons of black leggings. So yes, leggings are a California casual staple, at least for now.

Nebraskim

Veteran

Leggings are everywhere in Nebraska, favored by young women and women of all ages. I'm ancient at 62 and I love to wear them under dresses or long tunics. College women live in them. I rarely see college women in jeans. It's all leggings. I was at my sorority's annual luncheon yesterday, which featured about 120 college women and about 40 alumnae of various ages. I can report that at least here in Nebraska, the favored spring look for college women is short rompers made of a flowy fabric. Tops are either cold shoulder or spaghetti straps. Most are white with florals.

Joy

Veteran

Being in a large university area, young women are either wearing leggings or yoga pants. On a warm day, short shorts rule, sometimes over distressed leggings. Older women wear leggings and yoga pants too, more often with sneakers than boots. Jeans are less common on females, more on males.

Laura1975

Can I ask a silly question? What's the difference between leggings and yoga pants? I'd thought they were one and the same. Leggings to me are like tights without feet, sadly often worn see through unknown to the wearer!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

They seem similar to me. But my 23 y old daughter visited on Saturday and was wearing new black yoga pants with sort of interesting seams and perforations. I thought they looked nice and said so, then I said but I don't think leggings are pants. She said oh, but these are a bit thicker than leggings, and these are more interesting...it seemed a pretty fine distinction. I did think she looked nice, she has been exercising more and looks a bit more toned. I wouldn't do it, but then she is 23 and I'm 56, there is quite a big difference!

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Well, as many of you may already know, I LOVE leggings. And I love yoga pants too. And since our winters are rather mild, I did wear leggings/yoga pants a lot more often than jeans the past season.

For Laura1975 - Leggings (especially the ones we wear like pants) are made of thick stretchy ponte, cotton, nylon or polyester blend with spandex/elastane. They are NOT see through. They fit like skinny pants and are designed for casual wear, not athletic wear, because they don't wick away sweat. They look great with a longer sweater & boots, or with a hip length shirt & sneakers. I buy mine at Zara. These are not like thin jersey leggings that need to wear with tunic length tops because they're see-through.

Yoga pants, on the other hand, are made for exercising. Most are like dry-fit pants you buy at Nike or Reebok. They wick away sweat and have more spandex (since you should be able to do your downward dogs without your leggings splitting at the seam).

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I agree with you, Maneera, that thicker "leggings" look great with long sweaters and boots. But I'm not sure that I'd describe my skinny ponte pants as leggings either. I think they're thick enough to be pants?
Examples in pics. First one taken to show that best friend and I had the same pants despite such different heights! We actually call those our Sabatini "leggings", but I do think they are more pants.

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Anonymous

Thank you Maneera. I too wondered what the difference was.

I don't wear leggings in casual settings (unless running errands) because they are less comfortable than jeans for me. I do own very slim fitting pants (definitely not form fitting like yoga gear), I wonder if some might term them leggings? I call them ponte pants and wear these pants with long oversized shirts.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

I see. These are the kind of leggings I have and wear with long tops & sweaters https://m.zara.com/us/en/woman.....10674.html

https://m.zara.com/us/en/woman.....08592.html

What I'm talking about are definitely leggings....not pants at all. But I have seen ponte pants and own some too.

jill58

Veteran

I too wear leggings (of the type Maneera posted) all the time under long tops and dresses, generally with my chelsea boots. I find them much more comfortable than jeans although I do wear jeans a lot too. I think of yoga pants as being wider at the bottom or boot cut but I may be wrong.

Laura1975

Thanks Maneera, I don't think I've made the distinction between the two. They're all leggings to me! When I read yoga pants my mind jumped to MC Hammer style harem pants.

The thin ones you refer to are worn by young and not so young girls here but as trousers. It's not a look I like.

Anonymous

You look fabulous in your leggings Jenni.
I'm going to do some people watching and report back.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Hmm, I always thought the difference between leggings and yoga pants was in fit. Leggings fit like tights. Yoga pants are straight-leg or boot-cut pants from the same fabric. See examples from Athleta below. As Maneera said, leggings come in both gear- and casual- fabrications. Yoga pants, as well, but we call the non-gear yoga pants "ponte pants."

Gap Revelation Tight

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1

Gap Salutation Pant

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0

minimalist

Veteran

I thought what Jenn thought.

But I don't do yoga. The instructor of the one lesson I took wore loose resort-wear rather than gear. And it wasn't at a resort.

Thirkellgirl

Veteran

Jenni, I've often told my daughters "leggings are not pants," but the line is blurring. They certainly are or can be these days. We all wear them, and we all wear them with long shirts that cover our rear ends (you're welcome, world) and I see them on people of all ages. I think they're here to stay. Lands End hit a home run with some tunic-length tops this spring that are perfect with leggings, and they're out of stock online and in stores.

LaPed

Veteran

We've just had our first good dose of people-watching weather here (60 yesterday, almost 70 today, and finally some sun!). And yes -- leggings everywhere. I mostly hang out with parents of young children, so lots of MOTG gear, which is almost entirely gear leggings or skinnies, plus a couple stalwart moms still wearing their bootcuts and looking great (better than the leggings moms IMO, because the women in bootcuts are wearing them quite consciously as part of a cohesive style and with an eye to what is most flattering on them). On the college campus, it's pretty much ALL gear leggings -- but it is an Ivy League school, so a lot of emphasis on sports. Most of them are actually always on their way to/from a practice or competition.

I like my Athleta and Prana leggings -- I wear the thick supplex nylon ones -- substantial, matte, and never see-through. They're great for biking around town because there's no extra fabric flapping around, but they look more casual and don't scream "gear" as loudly as cycling clothes. And they're great for preschool story hours and other classes where you'll be crosslegged on the floor the whole time. And for yoga, of course. That said, I almost always pair them with a dress or skirt, because I really don't like the look of bodycon garments on my legs, whether leggings, denim, or otherwise.

Anonymous

It is funny how much I need a visual in order to fully understand the topic of conversation. Once I see it, I just get it.

Thank you, Jenn and Manerra.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Guilty as charged.
I've been wearing leggings as pants, a lot. I do it when I want to do an urban althleisure look. I've been a bit more inspired by street wear as of late. And leggings fit. Especially the Lysse leggings. I just ordered another pair from Bare Necessities because they're having a sale. I wear them with funky sneakers or shoes and a funky sweatshirt.
I see leggings all the time here in Seattle.
My life has changed, and this is what works.

Spanx Faux Leather Leggings

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19

Lyssé High Waist Faux Leather Leggings

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9

Lyssé Seamed Ponte Knit Control Top Leggings

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1

Anonymous

Anna -- I happen to think Lysse leggings look really great. They are certainly a step up from the leggings I saw the other day. I especially like the faux leather. I never even considered buying any because they seem hot to me. You live in a different climate though. They must work great for you.

Glory

Veteran

Where I live I would say black leggings from Lululemon are the high school and university uniform. 9/10 girls have them on with all sorts of footwear: Stan Smiths, Birks, Keds, Uggs, even flip flops once the snow goes. They favour hoodies with slogans and crests but you also see lots of other tunic tops etc.
I love leggings in the fall and winter with a long sweater/tunic and high boots.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

80% of the teens and young adults wear leggings in Seattle. It is UBIQUITOUS. Some as pants, and some as leggings.