Love or loathe them, leggings are here to stay
An airline’s ban on the controversial clothing item sparked online outrage last weekend, but the skintight trend is here to stay, writes Caroline Leaper
United Airlines made headlines for all the wrong reasons over the weekend, after they barred two girls from boarding a plane because they were wearing leggings.
Twitter users, including model Chrissy Teigen, criticised the decision and accused the company of “policing” women’s clothing, particularly as one of the passengers was a 10-year-old girl. And so, a discussion has kicked off about the right and wrong ways to wear this clearly divisive item of clothing.
The sartorial issues to navigate when wearing leggings seem to be the ‘spray on’ effect (an often unflattering look that can be even trickier to pull off if the fabric is thin and goes see-through) plus the trousers’ association with sportswear, which, for United, made them too casual to comply with its dress code.
We have Los Angeles to thank for the fact it is now deemed socially acceptable to wear leggings outside the gym. Our neighbours across the pond think nothing of hitting an early spin class and then heading straight to a morning meeting (via a green juice bar, natch). Later they might meet friends at a bar, still wearing the same leg-hugging Lycra.
If you thought the gymwear-asdaywear trend only applied to this Soulcycle set, and Kendall and Gigi’s glossy model posse, you were wrong. A growing number of Irish women have embraced the look.
“Women are increasingly time poor so being able to transition activewear into a daytime look is important for our customers’ lifestyle, whether running to an informal meeting or catching up with friends,” explains Natalie Kingham, buying director at the luxury retailer Matches Fashion.
Women are not just wearing the tired joggers they’ve had for years, but actively buying into ‘athleisure’, as they would any other fashion trend.
This weekend, for example, sees the opening of the first Irish branch of Lululemon in Brown Thomas. The athletic brand counts Reese Witherspoon, Rosie HuntingtonWhiteley and Kim Kardashian among its fans, and is famous for its leggings and yoga pants, which are sure to be a hit here.
Net-a-Porter retail fashion director Lisa Aiken reports that the e-tailer has seen a rise in popularity of leggings over past seasons, and thus the team has increased the buy of activewear brands such as Live The Process, The Upside, Nike and Adidas by Stella McCartney. Matches, meanwhile, continues to up its stock of contemporary brands, such as Laain and the cult London label LNDR, that embrace athleticism in its collections.
Avoid head-to-toe activewear in the office
But how does one actually transition from a gym class to a lunch date without, well, breaking a sweat? The team at LNDR understand this sartorial crisis: “We love the old adage ‘dress for the job you want, not for the one you have,’ but unless the job you want is a personal trainer or aspiring superhero, it’s best to avoid head-to-toe activewear in the office, and instead style your leggings with everyday pieces.”
Pair leggings with luxe knitwear
So, instead of wearing your leggings with just sports bras and breathable vests, branch out into the basics already in your wardrobe. Kingham says that, for the Matches team, it’s all about pairing leggings with luxe knitwear, or a quality black coat — a perfect high-low match.
Always wear smart shoes with leggings
Elizabeth Jane Bishop is style council member of the social shopping network, the Net Set. She muses that “the style of leggings influences how you can incorporate them into your personal look. For example, black leggings and a shirt with some smart shoes are perfect when you’re hanging out with friends or for dinner. I recently bought a beautiful pair of vintage Vivienne Westwood leggings which go with everything and give all of my looks a bit of a rock ‘n’ roll edge.”
The team at LNDR maintains that the “best athleisure looks come down to the trainers: avoid fluorescent, beat-up gym sneakers and instead opt for a stylish, minimal pair”. They recommend Common Projects, and classic all-white Reeboks as failsafe options.
Invest in quality, thick leggings that won’t be see-through
We’ve all borne witness to women and girls flashing more than any of us would wish to see in a regrettably scant pair of leggings as they stroll down Grafton Street.
Light colours and flimsy fabrics are unflattering to fuller figures, so when choosing your next pair, remember the LNDR team’s sage advice to “avoid nude-coloured or sheer leggings, unless you want to be on the receiving end of shocked double-takes”. Check the fabrication on darker pairs — a quality pair will give greater longevity.
For Aiken, it’s less about pouring over a specific style, and more about the fact that “leggings have reinforced a positive attitude for all women towards their bodies and fitness”.
Now that is a trend we can agree with. Just make sure you buy a fully opaque pair.
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