Leggings!

My late Dad was in the fashion trade all his working life. He used to say ‘the hot weather certainly brings them out’ if he saw people showing off more than he thought was decent. His other saying was ‘didn’t they look in the mirror before they came out?’ I admit to being a fan of leggings with a tunic top that covers the lumps and bumps but I can’t think what he would have made of them!

I wear leggings a lot of the time, particularly in summer. I am a size 12 but would not dream of wearing them with a short top. I always wear a tunic type top. Leggings can look quite smart. I have a couple of smart skater type dresses that I wear with lace trimmed leggings and high heels. But I too have seen people who make me cringe. Leggings so stretched to the limit that underwear is clearly visible, and worn with short tops. Recently i saw a very large lady wearing leggings so thin and see through that her very small thong was clearly visible. Peoples heads were turning as she passed. She was walking alongside her (presumably) boyfriend or husband. You would think he would have said something to her.

And if the 'fat people' dont care what they look like,why on earth should we? That seems very rude you know?(no im only a size 16,not 'very' fat.but it seems rude to comment on others.) They might not like what you wear either,but dont say so..just saying..

I agree that sometimes the cheaper, thinner leggings become almost transparent when stretched over a very large backside. Couple that with a thong underneath and it's positively indecent, especially from behind! My mum would've said, "Like two boys fighting in a sack!" I think a lot of people forget to check their back view before leaving the house! Of course it might be that they simply don't care and just go for comfort.

In the immortal words of Robert Burns:
"O wad some Power the giftie gie us, to see oursels as ithers see us."

Even with Tunic tops I can't wear leggings, I have short spindly legs. I look ridiculous. I do sometimes wonder if some people look in the mirror before they go out. We had a full length mirror beside the front door so you could check you didn't look ridiculous before you left.

I wear black leggings year round but always with a long tunic top or wrap dress. I do not have the figure to carry off a short t shirt and skimpy leggings look??‍♀️

I remember seeing a youngish woman wearing a pair of black leggings and a tee shirt and she obviously had not looked in a mirror before leaving home because I could clearly see her thong and her tattoos....awful. I felt so sorry for her, but perhaps she didn't mind? But good quality leggings worn with a long tunic so that one's derriere is covered should be OK. But not for me - I prefer skinny jeans and a tunic.

Well said, GagaJo! I thought we were trying to move on from the days of body shaming. What's it got to do with anyone else what someone wants to wear? I'm short and fat and if I want to wear leggings, then I bloody well will! I have a health condition which means I can't wear anything with a fixed waistband, so it's comfort first every time for me. I sometimes see larger girls or women wearing things I wouldn't dare to - but good on them! Wear whatever you want - life's too short to worry about what others might think.

Some people have nothing else to worry about.....

I quite agree. Fat women should not be wearing leggings.
Or if they do, at least wear a long top.

I think they just don’t care what they look like.

I've only gone as far as wearing jeggings that are thicker and always with at least a hip length top
Leggings are fine - really comfortable apparently, but if over a size 14, should be worn with a tunic top or as one of my friends does, with a dress.
I think they are worn because they can be really comfortable and because of this, some people just sling anything else on with them.
Worst ones I have ever seen were on a young girl, they were white, very tight and so thin that you could see the colour of her knickers - they weren't white or nude colour either!
Oh, and the part you don't want to see "down below" is apparently a "camel toe" !!!!!

How can you not understand Rowantree that cleavage is considered acceptable but public display of genitals is not. (camel toe)?

Yes, it has to said that leggings look better with long tops.

I wear jeggings which are a half-way house and don't think they look too bad. In this heat it's dresses which are cooler than separates.

Of course we shouldn't criticise others for their clothing choices. Many of us try to make an effort to look smart and reasonable.

I can’t believe this posting !!! I have always said that women are their own worst enemies - how condescending to comment on the physical appearance of another woman - we need to support rather than attack - there’s enough of that in our patriarchal society

I have seen the same.... Do their family not tell them?

I'm a big lass and I wear leggings with long tops, long T shirts and longer length jumpers. I don't care what anyone thinks.

There's too much going on in the world to be worrying and commenting on what other people wear, if they are happy leave them be.

My DD is overweight, body like a beach ball, but long slim legs. Like me, though for different reasons, she has no waist and skirts are really not flattering. She lives in leggings and trousers. With loose fitting, but never baggy tops in all kinds of colours and designs.

annep1, your daughter sounds like mine, and mine wears bright colourful clothes, goes swimming a lot, so wears a swimming costume and never lets her weight limit her life in any way, encourage your DD to do the same. I think hiding under baggy black clothes draws attention to people's size, rather than allowing them to to hide it (and themselves?).

I am chubby - and there will be no 'fat shaming' from me. But I agree with OP- and often wonder why some young women (and not so young) who are overweight (like me) choose to wear things that make it so much more obvious and in 'everyone's face'. I do wear leggings sometimes, with a long top or short dress.

I have always worn leggings, initially when I was travelling to sports hall where I played badminton several times a week, continued to wear them with tunic tops as I got older.
Leggings are convenient and comfortable for my tummy after the needlework I have had done on it.

Agnurse you haven't worn trousers since you got married. Just wondering why you made that decision.
It's not the camel toe thing- its wearing leggings that cling to our bum and show the outline of pants. It just doesn't look nice. I personally dont think showing too much cleavage is flattering either. Nor are very tight trousers on men where you can see their bits defined. And why would anyone want to walk around in public stark naked?
I don't think its right though to make fatter people feel bad. My daughter is quite big and only feels comfortable in black loose clothes.

Sounds great Rowantree!!

All I have to say on the matter is please make sure they are thick enough.....one of my sons girlfriends always wore thin ones and nothing was left to the imagination!

GagaJo you spoke the words I wanted to say.
We are surely not going to sink into 'fat-shaming', are we? You might have personal feelings about what looks good, but that's your personal opinion only and it doesn't make it right.
My mother used to mutter 'Wibble wobble, wibble wobble, jelly on a plate...' when she saw a woman wearing trousers. It irritated me as a teenager and I resent the legacy it left me. I am still struggling to emerge from the self-conscious body hater I was. Nobody should judge what anyone else chooses to wear. There are things I wouldn't wear - either from lack of confidence or because I don't think they are 'me' - but that's that.

By implying that 'down there' is visible, I assume it's meant the awful term 'camel toe'? While I wouldn't like mine on display, it strikes me as odd that we can display breast cleavages but labia are taboo. H'mmmm....

As I said on another thread, I recently went to the Green Gathering festival for the second year running. It is the ONLY place I can wear what the hell I like without feeling judged. I could walk around stark bollock naked with a sandwich on my head and no one would bat an eyelid. Being there was a real treat in that respect - not feeling judged. No one staring, no one making snide comments or sniggering. Instead, friendliness, acceptance, compliments, kindness and a sense of shared humanity.

Makes yer think....

Only rarely wear leggings, usually black with a tunic top. They are actually quite slimming as I have quite thin legs but need the bum and belly hidden away! They need to be worn with short (or long ) boots though, as otherwise my feet look huge next to my skinny ankles!

I never wear tight or short tops. They just make me look awful!!

Jeans with a longer loose T shirt are also not so bad.

IMHO leggings should never be worn as regular pants. Way too tight.

I see nothing wrong with wearing them under a dress or skirt. I do this myself. I only wear dresses and skirts since I've been married (personal choice) and my leggings help keep me warm in winter.

Annodomini that is bad. Do people not use mirrors. I always look when I dress.