Leggings as Pants - In School

[MERUNCC13]

I can understand where that principal was coming from; but from the prospective of someone who works at a school with a uniform (girls can wear skirts as long as it is in navy blue or kakhi) having a pair of leggings underneigh the skirt means that they can play outside and not worry about showing off their underwear (as long as the leggings are in navy blue or black - no patterns are allowed!).

[cabbagegirl28]

I can understand where that principal was coming from; but from the prospective of someone who works at a school with a uniform (girls can wear skirts as long as it is in navy blue or kakhi) having a pair of leggings underneigh the skirt means that they can play outside and not worry about showing off their underwear (as long as the leggings are in navy blue or black - no patterns are allowed!).

I wear shorts under my skirts/dresses when it's windy. Would that be an option as long as it fit the colors?

[baglady]

I can understand where that principal was coming from; but from the prospective of someone who works at a school with a uniform (girls can wear skirts as long as it is in navy blue or kakhi) having a pair of leggings underneigh the skirt means that they can play outside and not worry about showing off their underwear (as long as the leggings are in navy blue or black - no patterns are allowed!).

I wear shorts under my skirts/dresses when it's windy. Would that be an option as long as it fit the colors?

I don't see why not! The issue appears to be leggings as pants rather than leggings as under-skirt wear, so shorts under a skirt would fall in the same category. I have several dancer friends who wear bike shorts under their dance skirts or dresses for modesty and/or warmth.

It seems to me like a fairly simple proposition to have a dress code that requires leggings only be worn with something that covers the butt. When I was a teen we had far more convoluted dress codes for "civies days" at my uniform school.

I'm 53 and thrilled that leggings are back in style. In a weird way they are actually slimming on my fat bod -- as long as I wear them with tops that are at, or close to, knee length.

[mbbored]

When my DD was very little, the leggings really were just slim-fitting knit pants. They weren't undergarments.

I want to find pants like that for me now, and I can't. DD wants to find pants like that and can't.

Land's End Starfish collection.  They have both slim fit pants and leggings.  And ungodly comfortable.

Good to know! They were actually on my "purchase these pretty soon" list. I'll move them up higher.

Check out ponte fabric. Ann Taylor makes some nice pants in ponte which is thicker than most knits and is a lot more flattering.

[CatFanatic]

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

I don't think any of those, regardless of what they are called, are appropriate for a school or work setting without a skirt or long shirt over them covering one's butt.  Some of them are perfectly acceptable as evning wear, but not for school in my opinion.  I'd be fine with a principal banning all leggings.  They are banned in many schools here and there is no outcry.

I completely agree with you.  None of then would be acceptable wear at my DDs highschool.

I agree too. In all honesty, I wouldn't classify any of these as pants.

[DaisyG]

I agree with other posters in that leggings are ok as trousers as long as they're not see through or so tight you can see a panty-line. I think that women's leggings are generally designed to be too tight or too thin for this but I often wear leggings under a skirt or dress and find it more comfortable than tights. On the other hand, my niece is 5 and her leggings look like trousers that are a little tighter on the legs but are opaque and about as tight around the top as her other trousers and show no more off so I think she's fine wearing them instead of trousers.

[LadyJaneinMD]

I agree with other posters in that leggings are ok as trousers as long as they're not see through or so tight you can see a panty-line. I think that women's leggings are generally designed to be too tight or too thin for this but I often wear leggings under a skirt or dress and find it more comfortable than tights. On the other hand, my niece is 5 and her leggings look like trousers that are a little tighter on the legs but are opaque and about as tight around the top as her other trousers and show no more off so I think she's fine wearing them instead of trousers.

I don't understand this obsession with panty lines.  As my mother used to say, 'At least they know you're wearing them!'    Personally panty lines don't bother me.  When I can tell the style and brand and color of your panties, then the pants are too tight or see-thru.   But if I just see the lines, that's all right.  I don't care.   Same with bra-lines.  Lines happen.

[TurtleDove]

I don't understand this obsession with panty lines.  As my mother used to say, 'At least they know you're wearing them!'    Personally panty lines don't bother me.  When I can tell the style and brand and color of your panties, then the pants are too tight or see-thru.   But if I just see the lines, that's all right.  I don't care.   Same with bra-lines.  Lines happen.

I am the opposite.  I think panylines look trashy, and I almost always go commando to prevent them - I doubt anyone thinks anything about whether I am wearing panties or not because there is no reason to be thinking about them because there are no visible lines.  Same with bra lines - I would imagine it is more difficult for some body types, but I would be mortified if I had visible bulges above or below my bra on my back.  I check every outfit 360 every day!

[RebeccainGA]

I know when I was in HS I wore, nearly every day, stirrup pants or 'leggings' - but those were ones that were the slim cut cousin of a yoga pant. Leggings today are often more akin to the footless tights my dance friends were always wearing. I think the dividing line, fashion wise, is if you have to gather and stretch them to put them on (like pantyhose) they are an undergarment. If you could wear pantyhose WITH the pants, and have room between them and the pants, then they are an outer garment.

For schools, I'd say they had to have a minimum of 1/2 inch of extra fabric on the sides that didn't require stretching to measure. That would also cut out the skin tight jeans, but I'm seeing no real loss - the friends I had in HS who wore them spent more time thinking about how uncomfortable they were than about class.

Undergarment style ones, under a skirt or long tunic? Huzzah, no more flashing underpants in the wind!
Undergarment style ones, with a short top? Um, can you put on some clothes, please? I think you forgot your pants this morning.

[Giggity]

I don't understand this obsession with panty lines.  As my mother used to say, 'At least they know you're wearing them!'    Personally panty lines don't bother me.  When I can tell the style and brand and color of your panties, then the pants are too tight or see-thru.   But if I just see the lines, that's all right.  I don't care.   Same with bra-lines.  Lines happen.

If your clothes fit right, lines don't happen.

[Jones]

I don't understand this obsession with panty lines.  As my mother used to say, 'At least they know you're wearing them!'    Personally panty lines don't bother me.  When I can tell the style and brand and color of your panties, then the pants are too tight or see-thru.   But if I just see the lines, that's all right.  I don't care.   Same with bra-lines.  Lines happen.

I am the opposite.  I think panylines look trashy, and I almost always go commando to prevent them - I doubt anyone thinks anything about whether I am wearing panties or not because there is no reason to be thinking about them because there are no visible lines.  Same with bra lines - I would imagine it is more difficult for some body types, but I would be mortified if I had visible bulges above or below my bra on my back.  I check every outfit 360 every day!

I feel the same, but rather than going commando I wear something like this. Most of my bras don't have bulges; I try to keep up on my changing body and therefore have a variety of bra types and sizes.

[Horace]

I don't understand this obsession with panty lines.  As my mother used to say, 'At least they know you're wearing them!'    Personally panty lines don't bother me.  When I can tell the style and brand and color of your panties, then the pants are too tight or see-thru.   But if I just see the lines, that's all right.  I don't care.   Same with bra-lines.  Lines happen.

I am the opposite.  I think panylines look trashy, and I almost always go commando to prevent them - I doubt anyone thinks anything about whether I am wearing panties or not because there is no reason to be thinking about them because there are no visible lines.  Same with bra lines - I would imagine it is more difficult for some body types, but I would be mortified if I had visible bulges above or below my bra on my back.  I check every outfit 360 every day!

I actually think that it's trashy to go out in public not wearing underwear especially when there is underwear out there that exists specifically to help hide obvious lines.  I wouldn't feel like I was properly covered and would be very self-conscious if I were to go commando.  I know that if I had to choose between wearing underwear that gave slight lines or going commando I would rather have underwear that showed slightly.  Don't get me wrong; I don't like being able to see the pattern or colour of someone's underwear but I'd rather see a line or two than see someone's skin because they were going commando and their clothing shifted position.

[TurtleDove]

I actually think that it's trashy to go out in public not wearing underwear especially when there is underwear out there that exists specifically to help hide obvious lines.  I wouldn't feel like I was properly covered and would be very self-conscious if I were to go commando.  I know that if I had to choose between wearing underwear that gave slight lines or going commando I would rather have underwear that showed slightly.  Don't get me wrong; I don't like being able to see the pattern or colour of someone's underwear but I'd rather see a line or two than see someone's skin because they were going commando and their clothing shifted position.

I am fully covered, and you don't ever see any skin.  I make certain my clothing is appropriate to the situation and fits me well.  Unless I tell people, they would have no idea I am not wearing anything beneath my pants.

[Yvaine]

I actually think that it's trashy to go out in public not wearing underwear especially when there is underwear out there that exists specifically to help hide obvious lines.  I wouldn't feel like I was properly covered and would be very self-conscious if I were to go commando.  I know that if I had to choose between wearing underwear that gave slight lines or going commando I would rather have underwear that showed slightly.  Don't get me wrong; I don't like being able to see the pattern or colour of someone's underwear but I'd rather see a line or two than see someone's skin because they were going commando and their clothing shifted position.

I am fully covered, and you don't ever see any skin.  I make certain my clothing is appropriate to the situation and fits me well.  Unless I tell people, they would have no idea I am not wearing anything beneath my pants.

Honestly, I think it's a bit TMI that you told us here! 

[Horace]

I actually think that it's trashy to go out in public not wearing underwear especially when there is underwear out there that exists specifically to help hide obvious lines.  I wouldn't feel like I was properly covered and would be very self-conscious if I were to go commando.  I know that if I had to choose between wearing underwear that gave slight lines or going commando I would rather have underwear that showed slightly.  Don't get me wrong; I don't like being able to see the pattern or colour of someone's underwear but I'd rather see a line or two than see someone's skin because they were going commando and their clothing shifted position.

I am fully covered, and you don't ever see any skin.  I make certain my clothing is appropriate to the situation and fits me well.  Unless I tell people, they would have no idea I am not wearing anything beneath my pants.

I'm sure you do make sure your clothing fits but unfortunately I've seen far too much skin in my time where people have gone commando.  I would much rather see their pants than their bottom.  Just like you don't like panty lines, I don't like seeing skin.