Penny For Your Thoughts! Part Two

voltee ♦ May 15, 2012 ♦ 5 Comments

I have been trying and trying to find inspiration these past two weeks, for naught. It’s been a combination of many things, starting with some growing pains and finishing with finding the ends of a few ropes. But mainly I have been obsessed and utterly consumed with work.
My real job. At MAC Fitness.
Then, tonight, I realized that I had inspiration!
Maybe tonight I have no wardrobe fairy tales to tell.
Tonight, my inspiration is something that has literally been staring me in the face for quite a long time. I wished and hoped it would vanish, but this trend seems to have some unfortunate staying power.
Leggings.
Specifically, Leggings-As-Pants.
I have nothing against leggings themselves. I will admit, though, a very strong recoil the first instance I saw a pair worn in public, on purpose, outside of the 80’s.
It was at Bard college on a Saturday night.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” I said, probably to myself and out loud. “Someone has resurrected the Legging!”
More, probably internal, dialogue, went like this.
No. No! It’s ridiculous. What’s next, the scrunchy sock??
Never. I will never jump on this bandwagon. I did it the first time, hard core. Leggings and baggy sweatshirts and side ponies, all the way!
At some point, I recanted. I realized that Leggings were actually very comfortable, and can actually be chic when worn correctly.
To me, worn correctly means under a tunic, dress, or longish top. Something that covers the hiney.
But lately, I’ve been noticing a disturbing trend.
Leggings-As-Pants.
It started at the gym, and I don’t mean athletic, running or biking tights. I mean fashion leggings, worn as pants.
I feel the Legging-As-Pants is an abomination for many reasons.
One. We used to call them footless tights back in the day. Tights are strictly underwear, unless you happen to be Edie Sedgwick.
Two. They aren’t as thick as real pants. Some of the versions I’ve seen in the gym are akin to body paint. Flimsy. Revealing.
Three. I don’t care how perfect your body is. Leggings-As-Pants are not flattering on anyone. There are bits of all of us that just do not need the kind of attention the Legging-As-Pants call to it. See for example this photo of Olivia Wilde:

She is an amazingly beautiful woman with a practically perfect body! But don’t you think she would look so much more chic if that shirt came down farther and left her, well, cracks, to our imagination??
Four. If you’re in the gym, what’s wrong with yoga pants? They are thicker and ALWAYS more flattering. Or why not a longer shirt? Comfy!
Five. I firmly believe that actual pants are well worth the effort. On those days when a zipper and a button just seem too much to pull off, why not a dress? Or a tunic, with leggings underneath? Wouldn’t that be nice, too?
I just don’t get it.
Am I way off base here? Do others find this trend appealing?
Is this a look you really love on your body?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, can you enlighten me? I am truly puzzled on this one.