What are leggings?
Leggings are tight-fitting undergarments similar to stockings, minus the feet and ultra thin, sheer fabric.They vary in length, texture, style, and pattern. The length of leggings can fall right below the knee, mid-calf, or even go down to the ankles. Most people have a fallacy that leggings are not flattering to the body. However, if they are paired with with the right top, shoes, and accessories, they can be flattering to all body types!
One of the most important rules to remember while dressing yourself in leggings is that they are NOT pants. Because leggings are much thinner than pants, the top that you are pairing with them has to hit the hip or lower. Anything shorter can skew your proportions.However, if a top is too long, your torso will appear longer than your legs… so try your best to find a happy medium.
Leggings are extremely versatile and can be worn in any season! For Spring and Summer, these undergarments can be worn with gladiator sandals or patent leather flats. For Fall and Winter, boots of any kind (I personally recommend Uggs or Steve Madden) look really fashionable!
I find that the best quality leggings can be purchased from American Apparel (americanapparel.net). Start off your wardrobe with a simple black pair like these:
Hourglass: In order to accent curves, layer the leggings with a minidress and add a belt around the waist to cinch. This look can be worn with a knee boot, ankle boot, or a chunky high heel. Also, this outfit can be paired with a knit sweater if it’s chilly outside. To get an idea of what this looks like, take a peek at the photo below!
Athletic: Show off your athletic figure by pairing mid calf or full length leggings with a body hugging dress or a mini skirt. Ankle boots or a chunky heel would give just the right height and accentuate the toned calves.
Petite: Appear taller by wearing high-heeled ankle boots with leggings. Overall, this will give your legs an elongated look. Pair this with a mini jumper dress and a knee-length coat!
Plus-size: To create a slimming look, pair leggings with a knit tunic or chunky-knit cardigan (any top that hits below the hip is ideal), ankle boots, a long knit scarf, and a tote bag!
Average: Any one of the looks above would work perfectly! Here are some of my personal favs!
My personal style: During my trip to New York City a few weeks ago, I wore a BCBGENERATION oversized pullover in marled brûlée (similar to burgundy)with a pair of DKNY black leggings and Steve Madden black suede ankle boots with a 2 inch heel to add a little bit of height! To make the outfit a bit more interesting I added a black criss-cross bandeau from LF and wore it under my V-neck BCBGENERATION sweater. To purchase the sweater click the link below!
tori mazzeo 