Leggings as Pants - In School

[Piratelvr1121]

Regarding the sexism....I have a feeling that if boys tried to wear leggings, David Bowie in Labyrinth style, they would probably get the same chat as the girls have received. They just haven't tried it yet. 

Mmm, David Bowie is one of the reasons I still like that movie.  I watched a review of it that had me laughing, as the girl was talking about how it was seemed like it was just a vehicle for David Bowie's songs he didn't want on any of his albums.  That and to show off his...*ahem* package.  Anyone interested, look up Nostalgia Chick Labyrinth review. 

/threadjack.  

[RocketScientist]

OP again: Back in the 80's when I was a teen, it was the trend to wear skin tight leggings or tights with an oversized top that covered your rear. I think they are trying to re-introduce the trend, but I also think that lots of people are taking it too far. I think the low rise jeans and wearing tights with a crop top is not a good trend, and not appropriate for school. I would not let DD out of the house that way.

I guess what I don't understand is why the parents are letting the kids go out of the house that way and the school has to get involved at all.

At the end of the 80s, when I was in the 6th grade, I got called into the vice-principal's office along with two other girls. I was wearing a button up top and skirt with knee length leggings underneath. The other two girls were wearing button up tops over leggings only. Faculty was concerned because they'd noticed the shirts involved in this fashion trend getting shorter over time. We were asked to turn to the side, which revealed the two girls' shirt hems came up well above the hip.

We weren't in trouble but we were asked to not wear leggings again, and the ban was extended school-wise shortly after. My mom, who had bought me that skirt/legging outfit, was pretty ticked though, considering the fact that I had a skirt on over the leggings.

Still, isn't it interesting how these fashions (and the issues they create) spiral back into style every few years?

[Judah]

Wearing them as instead of tights with a dress - OK.

Wearing them with a shirt instead of pants - not OK.

This.

[ladyknight1]

I have absolutely no problem with leggings as pants on anyone, as long as your bum is covered by a long shirt. I have seen (to my horror) women wear leggings without underwear or a long enough shirt. I do not need to see your skin through the cable-knits of your leggings (especially at breakfast!  ). I have a few pairs of jeggings, and leggings I wear to the gym. Even at the gym, I wear a longer shirt to cover more.

I have a friend with a young daughter who doesn't really notice what she wears. The daughter was at an event, wearing neon orange undies under white leggings with a short tank top. I took it as a sign.

At DS' high school, they have 3XL orange t-shirts and XL sweatpants for anyone who violates the dress code.

[ilrag]

I agree with which ever poster said leggings (thicker material, not at all see through) are pants.

You can see panty lines on many pants - or underwear sticking out the top. 

My theory is if you're covered, your underwear is covered, you're dressed. Wearing them in school doesn't bother me at all.

[JenJay]

I have no issue with it as long as they are making the boys pull their jeans up and belt them so no boxers are showing. I disagree with one teacher who said she'd ban "jeggings" (stretchy like leggings but look like jeans) because DD has some and they are appropriate. They aren't any tighter on the butt then the super-skinny jeans everyone is wearing right now, just tighter down the legs and at the ankle.

When I was in high school a lot of girls liked to wear a sports bra under a tank top. This was deemed inappropriate by school staff and banned. Okay fine, except there was a line of t-shirts quite popular with boys at the time that used word play to make thinly veiled sexual references and those were not banned. The girls organized a protest and wore their sports bras and tank tops every day until the t-shirts were banned as well. Took about 2 days if I recall. 

[Piratelvr1121]

I have to say, there've been some days I kinda wish the school could enforce a dress code of parents on school property picking up their kids.  There've been times I've seen a very inappropriate shirt on a parent and been thankful my kids didn't see it or ask me what it meant.

For example, one dad wore a shirt saying "I love *doing sexual act* the way a fat kid loves cake" Classy, real classy, dude.

[JenJay]

I have to say, there've been some days I kinda wish the school could enforce a dress code of parents on school property picking up their kids.  There've been times I've seen a very inappropriate shirt on a parent and been thankful my kids didn't see it or ask me what it meant.

For example, one dad wore a shirt saying "I love *doing sexual act* the way a fat kid loves cake" Classy, real classy, dude.

I saw a plain black t-shirt with large white lettering of just one word. The "c" word. At a bar, okay whatever, but at a school? Really??

At DD's middle school they don't send the kids home for inappropriate clothing. They keep a stash of clean sweatshirts/pants in the office and if your own clothing doesn't meet the standard you change into borrowed clothing. Apparently being seen in office clothing is the MS version of the Walk of Shame and has worked wonders in enforcing the dress code. 

[ilrag]

When I was in high school a lot of girls liked to wear a sports bra under a tank top. This was deemed inappropriate by school staff and banned. Okay fine, except there was a line of t-shirts quite popular with boys at the time that used word play to make thinly veiled sexual references and those were not banned. The girls organized a protest and wore their sports bras and tank tops every day until the t-shirts were banned as well. Took about 2 days if I recall. 

We always had the fight about sports bras in a shirts v skins sense.  Why could the boys teams scrimmage shirts v skins but we couldn't play sports bras v shirts? Double standards all around. 

I guess "life isn't fair" is a good lesson to learn in high school. 

[JenJay]

When I was in high school a lot of girls liked to wear a sports bra under a tank top. This was deemed inappropriate by school staff and banned. Okay fine, except there was a line of t-shirts quite popular with boys at the time that used word play to make thinly veiled sexual references and those were not banned. The girls organized a protest and wore their sports bras and tank tops every day until the t-shirts were banned as well. Took about 2 days if I recall. 

We always had the fight about sports bras in a shirts v skins sense.  Why could the boys teams scrimmage shirts v skins but we couldn't play sports bras v shirts? Double standards all around. 

I guess "life isn't fair" is a good lesson to learn in high school. 

To be fair to the school the girls were wearing the sports bra/tank top combo all day, as clothing, not just in PE or after school practices. I never understood what the issue was (and I wasn't one of the girls wearing one, just couldn't see what the fuss was about) but rules is rules. As long as the rules are applied fairly, that is!

[TurtleDove]

I think leggings that are actually leggings (and not tights) can be appropriate without a long shirt or tunic depending on the person wearing them.  That's where things get dicey.  The same outfit on different body types can look anywhere from classy to vulgar.  The article I read showed Pippa Middleton looking classic in leggings, in my opinion; the same outfit on Coco (Ice-T's wife) would likely look borderline vulgar. 

[WillyNilly]

Leggings as lovely pants, even with short top (body shape permitting):
http://blog.thefind.com/tag/denim-leggings/
or
http://www.scoutnetworkblog.com/2009/10/780/leather-latex-and-leggings/

Leggings as pants, but not so lovely:
http://jerkmag.wordpress.com/2011/09/26/leggings-a-growing-epidemic/
and
http://www.sodahead.com/living/high-waisted-jeans-hot-or-not/question-1438145/?page=6&link=ibaf&q=&imgurl=http://images.watoday.com.au/2010/04/07/1295432/Article_leggings-420x0.jpg

Marketed as "leggings" but actually footless "tights" aka undergarments, not ok to wear as pants:
http://coolspotters.com/clothing/wayne-textured-leggings
and
http://bloggers.com/post/fahion-aversion-vol-3-see-through-leggings-7048549

[Jones]

I knew this sounded familiar.

Earlier there was a big kerfuffle at a Utah college that has an honor code that covers dress code. 
Basically, a student wore a dress that ended just above the knee, with boots and a pair of leggings. Another student gave her a note stating that her outfit was too provocative. The problem was that the honor code said dresses had to be to the knee, but didn't say anything about leggings.

As far as I know, the college still hasn't come out firmly for/against leggings, with or without a skirt.

CBS Article

[BeagleMommy]

At DS's high school the dress code forbade leggings, thigh-high stockings and any clothes more than one size too large/small.

I don't like the  leggings as pants (and I mean the leggings that are really sheer tights).  So says the woman who sported neon pink leggings under an oversized "Frankie Say Relax" T-shirt in high school.  Ahhh, the 1980s.

[acicularis]

I don't get how leggings *with* a skirt or dress would be especially provocative. Seems that since more skin is covered, it would be less provocative.

Just realized that not only did I send my 12 year old to school in jeggings, but my 9 year old is wearing a short skort with leggings (and some adorable pink knee socks with owls on them.  ) So by some people's standards my girls are inappropriately dressed. Not seeing it, myself.