I don’t wear them at all because I don’t like the way they feel, I don’t like the way they look on me (thigh definition) and they are a bit too casual for my style.

But I don’t have a problem with anyone else wearing them in anyway that they like. The leggings as pants look is totally ubiquitous here. I assume that’s because people find them comfortable to wear (I don’t). As long as they are thick and don’t show the colour/print of your undies (which goes for any bottom), I don’t see a lot of difference between them and many types of skinny jeans. I do think that they are generally too casual to be worn in a business setting but most people here tend to treat them as weekend/casual wear.

Yea I’d never wear them all in a professional setting unless they were under a dress

My leggings are GEAR - for running, cycling, cross country skiing, the gym. I do not wear leggings otherwise. Little girls in colourful leggings under dresses (leggings worn as tights/hosiery) is liberating for playing on the jungle gym. I'm not a fan of the look for 'off the property' for anyone older than 16 years.

Ouch Runcarla lol ouch lol

I'm not a fan of flannel pj bottoms worn as daywear either. Call me an old fuddy duddy!

Oh I’d never wear pj bottoms out lol

Yup, I wear them as pants.

ETA for a myriad of reasons. A big FU to the body shaming police . They’re easy. I still have decent legs/butt. Easier than jeans honestly. And did I say they’re easy; yes and I just admitted to being lazy

My one pair of leggings is thick and I wear them as hosiery. I wear my two pairs of ponte pants as pants, but even then I prefer my bum covered.

I exercise walk at a track at a women's college. One morning I saw a gal running, probably a student, wearing leggings so thin I could see the red and white print on her panties. I felt it was my mom-ly duty to say something. IIRC, my hunch that she had dressed in the dark or in dim light was correct. Sometimes these things aren't apparent until you are in full sun.

You know, this is probably just a tender subject, like wearing shorts (I do) or wearing a bikini (I do that too) along with how one might develop a 'poison eye' (like seeing more bad leggings style than good). Wasn't the 'butt vest' of a couple of years ago a skirted legging? A mini skirt no less? And some wore it with panache!

We will all get another chance this summer, since I understand that 'bicycle shorts' will be a thing....

You're right Carla! They are already a thing here in my December Instyle Australia mag- Emilio Pucci for $ 565 anyone?

I'm not a huge leggings fan because they're a little too casual for my style. When I do wear them, I wear them as hosiery, usually under a dress or skirt.

However, I did just recently buy a pair of ponte pants from WHBM. They were called Slim Fit Side-Zip Comfort Pants or something. But the label inside the garment says "The Legging." The fabric is very thick, and there are faux pockets on the back, plus a side zipper. But they fit very tight, like a legging, even all the way down to the ankle. Talk about confusing!

I tried wearing them one day on errands and to appointments, just with a turtleneck, but I felt too casual and althleisure-ish (athleisure is not my thing). So now when I wear them, I wear them either as leggings, with a longer top, which covers most of the bum, or as gear-type pants with an exercise top when I go to dance class. They are actually quite handy for the latter use!

I prefer them as hosiery under skirts. I just don't like the silhouette that leggings or skin tight pants creates. I don't consider it to be a very polished or eye-pleasing shape, even for skinny women. Most women where I live combine dark-colored leggings or skinny pants with a lighter or brightly-colored oversized or tunic-style top and the effect looks like Humpty Dumpty. When you see a mass of average-sized women dressed like that, it looks like Christmas balls bobbing around on stilts. I have no problem, however, if others want to wear them for comfort or practicality in their homes or in other casual situations. I don´t judge them at all. You have to wear what gets you through the day, and that can vary according to the roles you have and the expectations the people nearest to you have of you.

I think you are right Carla. I apologize to Anna and anyone else if I came across as body shaming. I don't care what other people wear.

I wear leggings but not as pants. I love how a substantial pair of leggings allows for a shorter skirt, but I always keep my butt covered.

I work on a "resident" college campus where, like the airport, leggings as pants with a short top seem to be THE outfit. Fortunately, most but not all of the young girls have the bodies that support it.

My thirty-something daughter has a real poison eye for leggings as pants. She agreed with her father when he got in trouble with his large family for his comment upon seeing her teenage cousins wearing too sheer leggings as pants, "Have these children no father?" She recites a little rhyme when she sees leggings worn as pants,

I see London. I see France.
I see leggings failing to be pants!

I wear leggings under thigh-length tops/dresses/mini-skirts, but not with anything shorter. As far as I'm concerned, leggings are a thicker variant of footless tights! I class them (similar as Runcarla does for little girls on jungle gyms) as 'what you wear so nobody sees your knickers when you're active'.
I do have a couple pairs of jeggings/skinny jeans, and I'm still on the fence regarding shorter tops with those - especially since I have hefty thighs and skinny ankles, short tops over tight trousers is not a good look on me!

Abby, I love your daughter's rhyme!

If I do leggings as leggings it's only because I'm in exceedingly casual mode, like skiing or hanging around the house, and yes, butt and most of thighs are covered. I mostly use them as hosiery though, and I like them best in fall and spring weather when they give me some warmth so I can wear otherwise too-cold dresses and still leave my feet bare to show off some fun sockless shoes or sandals.

I wear leggings to the gym or to go running. I might quickly go to the supermarket afterwards, but that's it. This time of year I have a Shkoop insulated or down miniskirt that I wear over them anyway.

Elizabeth P-Skirted bicycle shorts are exercise skorts or tennis skirts

I purchased couple of pairs for under tunics. Have yet to wear them.

When we went to Six Flags over the summer, I noted that there were very few women wearing actual pants/shorts/capris. I would estimate that 95% of the women wore some version of leggings as pants with rear exposed. Of that group, 80% wore basic black. About 50% were paired with a cropped tee, also reminiscent of the 80s.

Leggings as gear ,I wear them like pants but otherwise they are hosiery for me instead of tights which I find uncomfortable.

Oh and I’m not making any judgements here but the DH and I were walking behind a young woman the other day when he pointed out to me that her leggings were so thin that her thong was entirely visible.He asked me if I thought she knew,l didn’t but obviously wasn’t going to point it out to her.

Wow, a lot has happened on this thread since yesterday! I'm just getting back to it because I went home sick from work (a cold thanks to my littlest who had croup last week) and napped most of the afternoon/evening.

Based on Angie's revised definitions, I wear my leggings as leggings. I wear leggings as pants when working out, but even then my tops are longer and fairly loose - no tight crop tops here.

This is an awesome thread - I love that we can have such a lively discussion about something, disagree with respect, and have fun along the way!

Cardiffgirl, that's my issue with 'leggings' as pants - and maybe it's all about what we call things, as has been noted. If I can see through them, then to me they are tights. Tights are not pants. They are a somewhat more opaque version of nylons. But tights and leggings are also two different things - but the names are used interchangeably, hence some of the issues!

Leggings to me are thick enough to cover what is under them, once that's done, whether you shirt covers your butt is a matter of personal comfort and taste. To Anna's point, once you're covering your undies and following whatever professional guidelines or whatever needs to be met, it's really up to the individual to decide what's right for them!

Gretchen, dance mom high-five - my daughter is in the studio 5 or 6 days a week, so I can't really blame her for living in leggings, even though I'd love to see her in something else. But we have a strict "once it's generally appropriate it's none of my business" policy for the kids clothing choices too - after all, she survived going to school all winter with summer shorts over her pants for two years of kindergarten, so leggings aren't going to do any harm now!

For me, leggings & skinny jeans are the perfect bottom. I'm retired, an artist/designer & not only do they fit my lifestyle, I recently decided they are the best silhouette for me. I'm teeny-tiny (4'11" on a good day) and I'm lucky enough--after years of dance training--to have GREAT legs. I wear them mostly with tunics that come to crotch level, but sometimes with a shorter top because my hips & butt are still pretty good too (I'm 72). I'm working on losing a couple extra pounds & since I've lost a little, it all works. I sew so I've made some tunic tops & am in the process of developing a good leggings pattern for myself. (I plan to make more tunics & sell them in my etsy store.) I love lots of color & bright, unusual combinations--think "Indian maharajah" like fuchsia/hot pink with kiwi green, and chartreuse with deep peacock blue in satin brocades for tops & 4-way stretch velvet for leggings--and I like unusual short booties with the look & kimono-type jackets. Well, that's me & it probably wouldn't suit a lot of people but I do think it works for me.

WOW. This thread exploded overnight. We are passionate about leggings!

Thanks for the words of wisdom and chuckles, ladies. It was a good topic to thrash out - and I bet we have all learned something. I know I did.

Most importantly, we're living in a fashion era where almost anything goes - not everything - but almost. Tolerance, an open mind and acceptance is important. It's your right to not like a look or outfit. Heck, we can't help the odd poison eye because fashion and style are such visual things. Remember though, to judge the outfit and the outfit alone - and not the individual wearing it.

I have some leggings, but rarely wear them. Some are like tights, and some are like pants. I like a long tunic or dress over them.