Tuesday, October 2, 2007

The Great Legging Debate

Ok, it is 7:08 here, and I'm up blogging. I'm always up at this time, but usually I'm doing my strippercise and eating mass quantities of yogurt. Not typing missives on my super loud keyboard that will probably wake up every child within a 100 yards. So why am I up patiently tapping away? Because I want to know what you, my loyal readers, think about leggings. And footless tights. Because they're basically the same--the second is just a marketing ploy for people who have bad coke flashbacks about the 80's (note: can one have a coke flashback? Probably need to get Lohan on this one.) ANYWAY, I am going to admit here that I absolutely, wholeheartedly love them. In fact, I think I'm going to wear them today with a red shirtdress and gold flats. I think they are fresh, cute, and stylish. And I would sell away a child to have this outfit (and have it look good on me):

I adore that. Absolutely love it. You can't tell from this picture, but the necklace is actually this bomb diggity fleur de lis, and if you know me in real life, you know that I'm a big fan of Marie Antoinette (not the movie--the historical figure) and all things vaguely French revolution. So this outfit is perfect for me on many stands. That said, it would probably make me look like a potato. A potato that's been left in the bin too long and has those really long stalks coming out of it. And when I buy an outfit, I tend to think, "If this makes me look like produce, I'm not all about it." So this is most likely out. But I still love it, and part of that is because of the leggings.

However, on the flip side of this argument are these lovely outfits my mother used to buy me at the Parks Belk in Norton that were basically comprised of hugely floral printed cotton leggings with an enormous, heavy cotton cabeled turtleneck sweater with matching rose print. I had two of them, and they were the first things that I got out of the junior's department. I thought they were the most damn fashionable things in the world. I wore them to a dance competition in Nashville, and walked around with a look of smug superiority that clearly said, "All you bitches better STEP." Interestingly enough, they were pretty much the same premise as this outfit that I love now. It leaves me in a bit of an fashionable existential quandry: Leggings--should they be or not be? Isn't that the question?

So what do you think? Do you heart the footless tights? Or do you despise them? Feel free to rant/rave or just show your blatant love for me either in an email or in the comments.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

No, I don't like leggings. There's the 80's flashback thing, of course, but there's more to it. You see, most of the time, they hit mid calf. This is a difficult length to wear anyway--it visually shortens the leg, without much good coming of it. Even just below the knee is often unwise, because these are not merely capris, but capris made out of black skintight spandex. Understand: I love skintight spandex (i.e. tights) with dresses over, but not in capri-lengths--would it be so hard to commit to full tights? The outfit in the photograph is darling until you get to the knees (although I might look potatolike as well--but the necklace is fantastic anyway!)--then it's just confused.

(Thus, my attempt at a polite ranty thing. "Gee, lady, tell us how you really feel.")

Anonymous said...

I do not like leggings or tights, regardless of the length. I think the only people they look good on are (very) tall and stick thin women (the ones who are usually shown wearing them).
I think if a woman has some curves, especially around the hip area this outfit no longer looks stylish and "young".
It's just my opinion :-) I was not old enough to dress myself in the 80's so this opinion is totally unbiased :-).

Alison at Wardrobe Oxygen said...

You know I totally sported them last year... but I don't think I will this year. If I had a different job and longer slimmer legs I may do it with funky jersey tops draping from a shoulder and fabulous flats and lots of kohl liner so I would look hipster in my suburban home... but I work for government and military peeps and my social life consists of the local Chinese restaurant and a Netflix queue so I shall say no... for moi.

Unknown said...

I want to hate them because the last time they were in fashion I was pregnant so, in my mind, they are kind of tied up with maternity wear. Having said that, I have long legs, they do suit me, really I'd be daft not to wear them.

And before people who are more petite start to hate me, just remember, I look like a prat in anything short and floaty, where as you look feminine and stylish.

Anonymous said...

Well, I got long thin legs and a gut so I will NOT be wearing them, thank you very much!

Southern Belle said...

OK!!! I get it!!! You guys hate leggings!!! If I ever did decide to rock the top outfit, I would do it with full on tights and heels to detract attention from my chubs. But no leggings. Got it.

He he.