What to Wear with Leggings

Where once the “little black dress” and classic jeans ranked at the top of necessary apparel in every girl’s closet, black leggings now reign supreme. Why do girls wear black leggings? Because they’re versatile, dressy, comfortable and have the added benefit of making your legs look great with minimum effort.

It’s hard to find a downside to black leggings, even if some people claim they’re not real pants. Sorry, but women around the world made that decision long ago! Black leggings are definitely real pants. They’re also awesome because you can wear them for workouts, running errands, the office and as yoga pants, to name a few of many uses.

The question is not if leggings are real pants. The question is, “What to wear with leggings?” The following provides some ideas.

The Versatility of Leggings

Leggings started in 14th century Scotland. They were versatile from the start. Men wore them for both casual outings and battles, according to Nordstrom’s, and by the European Renaissance they had evolved into the thick tights men wore beneath tunics.

In the modern era, actress Sophia Loren made black leggings popular in the 1950s, wearing them with a loose top while dancing. Audrey Hepburn wore them as well while dancing in the movie “Funny Face.” Years later, Jane Fonda wore black leggings in an exercise video.

Today, women take a dress, shirt or skirt and wear them with leggings. That same look works for running errands, shopping, working out or for yoga. Try doing all that in jeans. Black leggings truly have become the most versatile pants a woman can own.

A Bit Dressy

Nothing is going to replace the little black dress. But you can step things up when combining leggings with a blazer and boots, instantly making yourself perfect for an event that requires a dressier look. A denim jacket over a shirt and leggings is less classic but also can work in some circumstances. Another dressy look is to combine black legging with a designer jacket, such as Chanel. You won’t be alone. Designers that include Derek Lam, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Kenzo have started to slip black leggings into ensembles with dresses and skirts.

Comfortable (But Not Sloppy)

Black leggings can make doing even routine chores comfortable, but not sloppy. That’s true even if you’re wearing a hoodie or T-shirt on top. Black leggings provide a clean, streamlined look that lets you stay comfortable while running errands without looking like you threw on the first thing you saw.

Black leggings also have emerged as a staple in “athleisure” or activewear clothes that combine comfort with a fit look - and allow you to stop off at the gym after work without missing a sartorial beat.

Your Legs Look Great

We wouldn’t even ask “why do girls wear leggings” or discuss what to wear with leggings if they didn’t make our legs look great. But they do. Unlike jeans, black leggings hug every body style, making your legs look shapely no matter what shape they’re in. That’s a high return on investment for clothing that is inexpensive and can be worn just about everywhere.

Clearly, black leggings have become a staple for every woman’s closet for good reason. Once you figure out what to wear with leggings, you are on your way to living a much simpler life. Leggings do what most clothes don’t: combine great looks with comfort.