Why I Wear Leggings… And I’m Damn Proud of It

I know it’s not necessarily a new issue, but it has gotten closer to home for me in recent weeks. The issue of who should or should not wear leggings and if they should be worn at all.

Only little girls under the age of 5 should wear leggings.

Adult women should never wear leggings.

Those are pajamas and should never be worn outside of the house.

Look at their a**es in those; they’re disgusting.

Look in a mirror!

Why would anyone wear something so unflattering?

And the list goes on.

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Updated picture: Still rocking my leggings!

I have many thoughts that immediately come to mind, such as “This is what people choose to debate about when millions of people are starving, dying, fighting, living unclothed, being murdered, being raped…?” And the list goes on again. My next thoughts then become, “Who are you to tell anyone what to wear? Who are you to take pictures of people, without their knowledge or consent, and post it on the internet for faceless cronies to ridicule and mock?” Those people who you believe look unattractive in leggings are not disgusting. You are.

I, like millions of people around the world who wear leggings, like how they feel. They’re soft, they move with the body, and they somehow don’t feel constrictive. Whether someone is petite, average, or large, leggings present a real opportunity to feel comfortable and hopefully look good. Or at the very least, feel good about yourself.

As someone who has struggled with weight issues her entire life and still struggles to feel comfortable in certain clothing, I love that I can put on a pair of leggings and feel good about myself. I love that my husband can look me up and down and be attracted to me. I love that I look and feel my thinnest in a pair of leggings. I love that I can wear a tighter shirt and not see a muffin top; or I can wear a larger shirt and not look like a bag lady. That’s because leggings help smooth out some of the natural rolls and bulges.

Let’s also not forget that leggings, like any other article of clothing, can be colorful and filled with unique opportunities to dress up an outfit. Or they can be basic and take the wearer from a casual work environment to a night out on the town. Leggings are versatile and give people options.

Leggings are comfortable (check), versatile (check), professional (check), attractive (check), for any age (check), and any other reason you need to look good and feel good about yourself (check!). Don’t let anyone tell you that you are too old, too fat, too thin, to “whatever” to wear leggings or any other piece of clothing you want. Don’t harm others, physically or verbally, and I think you’re okay in my book no matter what you wear.

P.S. To those who ridicule, mock, and take pictures of people in leggings or any type of “questionable” clothing, you are in the wrong. Instead of taking a photo of a woman whose underwear can be seen through her pants, politely and quietly point out what might be an embarrassing situation for her. Do not take a picture of it and post it on the internet for billions of people to see. That is wrong, and if it happened to you, I’m sure you would be the first to cry out that your personal space and rights were violated. Think before you press that button.