Let’s get one thing straight. Leggings are not pants. They aren’t meant to be pants. They should not be worn as pants (no matter what the fashion mags are saying). They are not pants.

Yesterday I was at the mall and ended up walking behind a handful of girls. Each one had on a pair of leggings, and each mistakenly was under the impression they had on pants. It’s not a pretty site to be stuck behind a group like that.

Don’t get me wrong - I love leggings. But they are meant to be an outfit accent not a main article of clothing.

Leggings, pants and tights are all different fashion pieces. As such, they each have a specific use and while the lines can tend to blur occasionally on these items it’s important to keep these clothing items separate.

Leggings go great under skirts and dresses. They cover our legs and often add a funky color or design to a basic outfit. Also, if you happen to live in one of the cold portions of the world, they are great to wear as an extra layer under your pants.

A blogger I love believes leggings are pants and should be worn as such. After all, she says, leggings have two legs, a waist, and cover a large amount of our legs. With that logic, tights and nylons could be pants as well. I don’t think anyone wants to see someone walking down the street in just nylons and a shirt.

Leggings are not pants because they do not offer any structure or support. They are always skin-tight and form-fitting. And to be honest, in leggings it is possible for everyone to see every little bodily nuance we have. They do nothing to flatter our figure, re-proportion our silhouette or compliment our natural beauty. When worn alone we might as well announce to the world that our bottom half is the most important part and invite others to take a look. (Um… no thanks.)

Additionally, the nature of leggings means the material is thin and stretchy. After a couple wears and a few washes they are suddenly thin and see through in parts – another reason not to wear them as pants.

On the other hand, pants are a clothing item unto themselves. They don’t require another item layered over them. If we know how to shop, we can buy pants that flatter our figure and help us look more proportionate.