Oh leggings. How I love thee. You are a cross between pants and tights and should be treated so. With your forgiving waistband, stretchy material and unlimited colors and prints, you hug my bottom-half in all the right places. Although, leggings... you have been used and abused by far too many. You are debate-ably one of the longest lasting and most popular trends I've seen in my lifetime. With all that fashion power, I wonder why we just can't seem to get you right.
Generally speaking, leggings are a thick, footless version of tights. Would you walk out the door in tights and a top that shows your crotch and butt? Sweet Lord, I hope not. So, please, stop doing it with leggings. Of course, there are a few exceptions to the rule. Working out? Lycra leggings (designed for supportive exercise, with zero sheerness) are fine for the gym or running. Under 21? Go ahead. Take advantage of that adorable perky young butt. Jeggings? Absolutely. As long as there's pockets, belt loops and a zipper or button closure, you're good. Don't care about rules? Okay.
So, realizing you've been breaking legging rules? Welcome to the club. I would say almost 50% of women I see in leggings these days, aren't wearing them right. To each their own. I wear leggings just as much as I wear any other kind of pants, but I always try to follow the "Leggings Golden Rule: Always cover your crotch and butt with a dress, tunic or layering piece when wearing leggings". The "camel toe" trend did NOT make it and if your bottom is wider than your hip bones (which is a yes for most women), showing that part of your body off in a tight, thin material isn't doing you any justice.
With all that said, fashion rules are meant for breaking and if you feel great, you will probably look great too. A few pro tips to finding the right legging for your body: (1) The waistband is everything. To avoid pulling your leggings up constantly, find a pair with a thick, wide waistband. (2) Sizing. Your leggings should not pinch, bunch or strain at the seams. The fit should compliment your bottom half. I struggle finding leggings that are long enough. A great solution to a pair that might fall too short or too long is to fold them up a couple times at the hem. A very fashion forward move. (3) Balance. I emphasize balance on my Blog a lot. The general rule is, if you are wearing leggings (which fit snug), balance them with a more flowy tunic or cardigan. (4) Print. I love print. Sometimes too much. Unless you're a fashion pro, stick to one piece with print. Pair your floral print leggings with sandals and a solid swingy dress and you've got a look that can go from day to night.
My look above breaks all the legging rules... but I don't care! My off-shoulder pink top (Forever21) perfectly complimented the high-waisted olive green leggings (Forever21) and peep-toe sandals (Steve Madden). It was the perfect look for an outdoor concert, which screams for trendy comfort.
