Leggings For Women
If you refuse to wear leggings for some reason, or just don’t like to wear them outside the gym- you’re missing out on a lot. A LOT! Not only are they insanely comfortable, they’re extremely versatile, flattering and can be styled with a variety of outfits round-the-calendar. Their stretch, silhouette, and nod to athleticism is not only extremely flattering on every body type but is also in tune with the latest hot trend of Athleisure and Sports Luxe. You can dress them up or down, with your western or ethnic outfits. You can take them from an all-night Netflix binge to your college the next morning, from running errands in the supermarket to your boardroom meeting, from a sweaty workout to a first date. The possibilities are endless. The key is to opt for the perfect material of the leggings and strategically plan the other elements of your outfit and you’re good to go! If all this seems a little too confusing, don’t worry. We present to you, our extremely comprehensive and inclusive guide to styling leggings the right way, including outfit ideas for various occasions and our favorite recommendations at the end.
Leggings have literally been around for centuries( think Renaissance times). During those times leggings were worn by both men and women for the purpose of keeping the legs warm and protected. Enter the 1960s- with Lycra being invented, leggings were mass manufactured in many different colors and styles. Aerobics and dance studios were a huge rage and leggings were an integral part. It was the 80s when leggings finally made their way from the dance studios to the street style. Stars like Mary Tyler Moore, Audrey Hepburn, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper helped popularise leggings and influenced the dressing styles of thousands of women.
Cut to now, due to trends like athleisure and sports luxe, leggings have taken a centre stage in the fashion industry. It was evident in the designs of huge names in fashion like Stella McCartney, Max Mara, Giambattista Valli and Balenciaga in the recent Spring Summer collection. Huge stars like Ashley Graham, Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Kendall Jenner, Selena Gomez among others have been spotted rocking the leggings trend.
Now that leggings are finally recognised, designers all over the world have reinvented them in different materials, prints, textures and styles. With leggings being made in fabrics like velvet, fleece, leatherette, faux leather, cotton blend, satin etc in a variety of prints and textures, you have endless options to choose from to give your closet an extensive leggings makeover. Limeroad features a huge and all encompassing collections of leggings, available in a variety of prints, textures and fabrics at amazing prices, which you should definitely check out to shop a pair or two!
Types
On the basis of length, leggings are categorized in three different styles:
Ankle Length
- The most essential item in your closet, ankle length leggings are the most versatile and comfortable bottom wear ever! You can pair them with almost anything, be it your favorite kurti, a crisp white button down, an oversized sweatshirt, a smart blazer, a cute tank top or underneath a sheer skirt. Ankle length leggings complete the outfit in a way that no other bottomwear can. It hugs your curves in the right places, elongate your figure and make you look sleek and polished while keeping you extremely comfy the whole time! Doesn’t that sound like a dream? There are some basic ankle length leggings that you absolutely ought to have: blacks and nudes in the comfortable cotton fabric. We recommend these black cotton leggings by American Elm and nude leggings by Comix. They are extremely versatile and will work with pretty much every color in your wardrobe. You can obviously take a step further and invest in the extremely chic and stylish black leather leggings and some cute printed leggings to add a little variety to your wardrobe.
Mid-Calf or Capri
: these leggings sit between your knees and ankles. They can be styled to look extremely cute or sporty. They’re perfect for all your workout sessions, be it running, cycling, yoga or pilates. You can pair them in your everyday apparels with ease as they’re very comfy and cute. Pair them with an oversized shirt for a hot and sweaty day, or wear them with a kaftan on the beach.
Knee Length
: As the name suggests, these leggings sit just underneath your knees. Again, perfect for sports and workout sessions and for chilling at home.
Trends
Now let’s look at the more popular avatars of leggings:
Jeggings
: A hybrid of jeans and leggings, jeggings came into the markets a few years ago and instantly became a fashion favorite. It provided the best of both worlds- the stretch, silhouette and comfort of leggings and the structure and appearance of the jeans. The more popular styles of jeggings included the one with a high waist and pockets-which gave them a more structured, pant-like appearance. They’re perfect for when you do not want to wear the thick, rigid denim but still want the feel. Pair them with ankle length boots, blouse and blazers for a chic formal look.
Treggings
: Just when you thought you had it all figured out, you come across something called treggings. Yet another hybrid product, treggings are the mix of trousers and leggings. The perfect middle ground between the stretchy, comfy leggings and the thick, structured trousers- treggings are a godsend. They are made with a thicker material and a pant-like cut, which do amazing things for your figure while keeping you absolutely comfortable. Introduced at the stores of H&M and Zara, treggings were a huge hit. Pair them with blazers and heels for a stylish yet work appropriate look, or pair them with sweaters, oversized denim jackets and boots for a chic street style look.
Leather
: leather leggings have long been associated with rocker-chic and the cool girl style. We have all been enthralled by them at some point of our lives due to the whole intense badass vibes they channel. Well now that athleisure is hitting the streets, here’s your chance to rock a pair of leather leggings on a normal day. Pair black leather leggings with a bodysuit, oversized denim jacket and red high heels for a supremely fashionable and sultry look.
Printed
: Printed leggings are the cutest things ever. Pair them with a basic, neutral outfit and they’ll instantly elevate the look. Now that you have so many options available in printed leggings, it’s absolutely essential that you include a pair or two in your leggings collection. From the cute flowery print, to the sultry animal print and the trendy stripes, whip out a pair to add pizzazz to your outfit.
Metallic
: Metallic leggings are the thing you need to own if you’re into holographic looks. The super sexy and shiny metallic leggings give your outfit a celestial twist. The one thing you need to practice while rocking a pair of metallic leggings is moderation. Do not go overboard with the rest of your look lest you wanna look like a robot from a sci-fi movie. Pair it with neutral colors and thick textures to make sure that the shiny surface of the leggings balances it all out. Whip them out when you are feeling down and let them do all the talking.
Lace
: For the feminine and delicate part of you, lace leggings are a perfect bottomwear. They’re perfect for fancier, dressier occasions or when you just want to add a little something to your look. Pair them with long sweaters and boots to add a fancy twist to an otherwise basic outfit.
Outfit Ideas
Casual Street Style Looks: The most sought-after trend in 2018 is the street style trend. Let’s look at the few ways you can spice up your street style with some leggings. Pair these black side striped leggings by Finesse with a black cropped sweatshirt and white trainers for a stylish and comfortable street style look. Style these basic black cotton leggings by American Elm with a white fitted crop top, an oversized denim jacket and trainers for a chic workout cum street look. A classic street style look would be to pair your basic black leggings with a white t-shirt or a black graphic t-shirt with sandals. You really can’t go wrong with this.
For a more dressier look, pair these black nylon leggings by Trasa with a sparkly black crop top, long black overcoat and red heels. This look is absolutely fierce, stylish and comfortable in equal terms.
Style these grey cut out cotton leggings by Finesse with a red top, denim jacket and silver pumps for a chic work appropriate look.
For a hot night out look, pair leather leggings with a white lace blouse and ankle booties.
Pair these dark grey printed leggings by Flur with a button down and espadrilles for a classy day out outfit.
This maroon cotton churidar leggings by Sohniye is perfect for all your ethnic apparels.
Pair this printed leggings by Iniya with your neutral outfits to add a beautiful twist to your look!
This is not all. Check out Limeroad’s amazing collection of leggings available at a variety of prints, patterns, colors and textures to find your ideal pair of leggings and give your wardrobe a stylish makeover now!