When are leggings no longer pants?

[Twoboos]

DD2 is 8 and in 3rd grade. She wants to wear leggings as pants. As in, with shirts that only goes to about her hips, not tunic length. We battle about this at least once a week.

I do not approve of leggings as pants. (And it looks like this is the issue that has firmly put me in the OLD camp. LOL.) I think once your past K or 1st, it's over, and leggings should be worn like tights - with something over them. Of course I go into school and see an endless number of girls wearing leggings as pants, so I get why DD thinks it's fine and I'm a PITA. And never mind in MS/HS or what I see when we go to the mall. UGH!!

So - is it just me - are leggings as pants OK with you? At what age would you put an end to wearing leggings as pants?

She skipped downstairs today with leggings on as pants, and I was too tired to deal and didn't want to start the day with a battle, but she knows perfectly well she isn't supposed to do it. I told her it's the last time ever. I really hate it and apparently am willing to fight it out (but just not this morning ;)).

[Mermanaid]

My 9 year old does this as well. I don't like it but have decided that it's not a battle I choose to fight so just let it go. I reason that as long as she is covered and dressed appropriately for the weather we are all good.

[MommyofAmaya]

I just had this battle this morning again with my 7yo. I won't let her go in public like that, but she can ride her bike or go in the backyard with leggings as pants. I won't budge on this and make her add a skirt (usually denim tiered skirt that matches everything). And I definitely don't identify as OLD. ;)

[jench]

I have this battle with my 4th grader still :( I'm not sure if other girls in her class are still doing this. She used to wear a lot of jean skirts or black skirts over them. The last straw came though when she started waiting until the last minute to "reveal" her outfit and then it's too late to change, so now I have taken to confiscating them unless she pulls out a tunic or skirt to wear with them (or shorts for sports). I had been letting her play outside at our house in leggings only, but I think I'll have to stop that too, to have less conflicting rules. She has plenty of yoga pants anyway!

[egoldber]

My 12 year old does this. I see girls wearing this look through MS and HS. As long as you can't see underwear through them, I don't personally think it's a big deal. And I'm old ;), so that's not it.

[Melaine]

I don't allow this either....actually I don't do this with any age. Leggings are not pants and it doesn't look good IMO regardless of age. I'm 31....and felt this way when I was very young too!

[sariana]

IMO leggings are not pants at any age. DD is only in K, but she never wears leggings as pants unless the shirt is a tunic. Then again, she only ever wants to wear dresses anyway.

[wendibird22]

It depends on how the leggings fit. DD1, 6yo, has several all cotton leggings from Carters and Kohls but her legs are so twig thin that you can actually grab loose material in the rear and leg of them. So technically leggings, but not tight at all. If they were approaching the form fittedness of tights then my rule would be longer shirt/tunic OR skirt on top.

DH teaches in MS and their dress code does not allow leggings with regular tshirts. Kids will be asked to change or sent home.

[egoldber]

DH teaches in MS and their dress code does not allow leggings with regular tshirts. Kids will be asked to change or sent home.

Really?! On an given day, they'd have to send home half the MS girls based on what I see at dropoff!!!

This kind of look is very popular, especially the flannel shirt with leggings.

http://www.abercrombiekids.com/shop/us/girls-a-and-f-looks-girls-styles-15
http://www.abercrombiekids.com/shop/us/girls-a-and-f-looks-girls-styles-21
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/bp-studded-leggings-juniors/3494501?origin=category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=2565&cm_sp=personalizedsort-_-browseresults-_-1_7_C

[essnce629]

This kind of look is very popular, especially the flannel shirt with leggings.

http://www.abercrombiekids.com/shop/us/girls-a-and-f-looks-girls-styles-15
http://www.abercrombiekids.com/shop/us/girls-a-and-f-looks-girls-styles-21
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/bp-studded-leggings-juniors/3494501?origin=category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=2565&cm_sp=personalizedsort-_-browseresults-_-1_7_C

I don't have a girl, but those looks don't seem as bad because the butt is mostly covered so it's ok. But at DS1's school there's at least one 4th (?) grade girl that regularly wears leggings with shirts that only hit the tops of her hips and I think it looks odd and wouldn't allow my DD to wear that. When the whole butt is exposed and you can see the entire outline of underwear then that is not appropriate to me, either at 4 years old or 14. But leggings with shirts that hit at mid-hip or longer then sure.

For instance, I'd say in this picture, the first two looks are fine but the 2nd two are not (unless you're running or working out at the gym).
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/879601/thumbs/o-LEGGINGS-AS-PANTS-facebook.jpg

[ha98ed14]

DD is 6, and I make her "cover her rump." I will let her wear short skirts with her leggings. If she was not wearing leggings, then I would not let her wear some of her shorter skirts. Can you compromise and get some mini skirts to cover her backside?

The part I cannot stand is seeing the shadow of the butt crack. That's just a no no in my world. Short shirt with leggings is ok, but no shadow of the butt cheeks in this family! Her daddy likes my policy.

[essnce629]

Ha, ha, this is funny! These are the rules I follow.

Leggings As Pants? The Good & The Bad
http://www.sincerelytrulyscrumptiousxoxo.com/2012/03/leggings-as-pants-good-bad.html

[BabyBearsMom]

If it was my choice, I would never put leggings with a short shirt. But it is not a battle that I would choose to fight. Of course my DD1 will only wear dresses so it isn't an issue for us right now. But, I have a general rule that so long as the clothing fits, is clean, is weather appropriate and she can do all of the thngs she needs to be able to do in it (i.e. no princess dresses to gymnastics class), then I do not fight it.

[crl]

I would not choose leggings as pants at any age. But I also wouldn't fight that battle. I would make sure to only buy leggings of thick material to help with the modesty issue and then I would declare it a style question and not fight it, not even in middle or high school. I haven't btdt yet, but I remember some of what I wore in h.s. and my mom just let me do it and I think that was totally the right call. (I plan to be this way about hair too, but piercings and tats are a whole different ball game in my book.)

Catherine

[jenmcadams]

At my DDs private middle school (that has a relatively lax dress code) this would be against dress code. I think jeggings (with pockets are ok), but leggings require longer tops. DD knows several girls who have gotten "infractions" for this!

[carolinacool]

This is one of those styles that depends on your shape. If you are flat in the back :ROTFLMAO:, not really a big deal. If you are in the Big Behind Club (as I am), I would encourage you to rethink leggings in public with no long shirt. Please rethink. Although, this is more for high school/grown women and less toward 8-year-old girls.

[egoldber]

Ha, apparently our dress code leaves a lot up to interpretation!


All students are expected to dress appropriately for a K-12 educational environment. Any clothing that interferes with or disrupts the educational environment is unacceptable. Clothing with language or images that are vulgar, discriminatory, or obscene, or clothing that promotes illegal or violent conduct, such as gang symbols, the unlawful use of weapons, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or drug paraphernalia, or clothing that contains threats is prohibited. (See chapter II.A.2.l. for additional information regarding gangrelated clothing.) Clothing should fit, be neat and clean, and conform to standards of safety, good taste, and decency. Clothing that exposes cleavage, private parts, the midriff, or undergarments, or that is otherwise sexually provocative, is prohibited.

Examples of prohibited clothing include, but are not limited to: sagging or low-cut pants, low-cut necklines that show cleavage, tube tops, halter tops, backless blouses or blouses with only ties in the back, studded belts, chain belts, clothing constructed of seethrough materials, and head coverings unless required for religious or medical purposes.

[Neatfreak]

I personally don't think that leggings are ever pants and meant to be worn stand-alone, but right now I can see how they're falling into a grey area because of jeggings and other skinny trouser options, like skinny ponte pants ...

[♥ms.pacman♥]

IMO leggings are not pants at any age.
:yeahthat: this is one of my pet peeves. i dno't care if they are black, leggings are not meant to display your butt to everyone. i see adults in grocery store as worst offenders.

i do let dd wear leggings as pants sometimes, but a) she's 2 and b she's still in a diaper and c) it's only because the tunic top/playdress or whatever that went with it is too short now (she is relatively tall has a long torso). i think by the time she's 5 or so and big enough to go to school i will not allow it, just like we will not allow daisy duke -short shorts, or pajamas to be worn to school unless it's pajama day or something..

[wendibird22]

Really?! On an given day, they'd have to send home half the MS girls based on what I see at dropoff!!!

This kind of look is very popular, especially the flannel shirt with leggings.

http://www.abercrombiekids.com/shop/us/girls-a-and-f-looks-girls-styles-15
http://www.abercrombiekids.com/shop/us/girls-a-and-f-looks-girls-styles-21
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/bp-studded-leggings-juniors/3494501?origin=category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=2565&cm_sp=personalizedsort-_-browseresults-_-1_7_C

Yep. DH showed me the email from the principal to parents about the matter. DH said, I totally agreed, that he didn't want any part of deciding whose leggings were too tight or whose shirt was too short. Cause who wants some male teacher making that judgement about their tween/teen daughter. And I agree with PP that body type does make a difference unfortunately. The same pair of leggings on my behind is definitely going to show VPL that won't on some tiny person's behind.

[123LuckyMom]

I'm another no leggings as pants at any age. I don't think it ever looks cute, but judging from our preschool, I'm in the minority. DD (19 months) has a few pairs of leggings. One pair is worn with a tunic. The others are all for under dresses in cold weather. I don't know if this is a hill I'd want to die on, but if it was really important to me, and my DD continued to break the rules, I'd take all the leggings away. If they're not in her closet, she can't wear them as pants. If she gets cold in a dress, she can wear tights. I might consider keeping the leggings in my closet and doling them out when I approve.

My DS chooses what he wants to wear each day, and it's never a problem, because his uber controlling mother refuses to let clothing into the house that she doesn't want him to wear. I also put away unseasonal clothes to avoid that temptation. If he gets a clothing item I don't love, it becomes PJs. He has some really tacky "pjs", but that's totally fine with me!

[mommy111]

No leggings as panta. It was a battle here until grandma intervened....grandmas are magic

[LaverneWelch]

My cousin too wear leggings as pants. as they find legging more comfortable and easy to carry off every where.

[marie]

Are we talking comfy, cotton leggings? Then both of my DDs wear them as pants with regular length shirts. Recently, I've noticed that DD1's HA unders cause VPL in some of her leggings (those super-thick corduroy-like ones from Gymbo) but she's 10 and the longer she doesn't care about VPL, the better. She's super confident and comfortable in what she's wearing. I'm not messing with that.

As long as they aren't see-through, I don't see the problem...

[Nooknookmom]

ALL our 6yo will wear are leggings. She has new jeans with tags on them. She's a teeny little thing wih stick legs so most of the leggings are baggy.

I don't have an issue with leggings, until maybe middle school and then I would prefer a longer shirt with the leggings. I don't remember our 18 yo wearing them in MS...she did in HS but with longer tops and boots. I wear em too as pants-comfy cozy! Whatever doesn't bug my c section scar wins.

[khalloc]

I let DD wear leggings as pants. I think they look better with a longer shirt that covers your butt. So if I was going to pick out her outfit, I would pick on a shirt that covers her butt to go with leggings. Its cold up here though and DD usually has fairly thick leggings in the winter. Like Gap ones that are pretty thick. She also doesnt fill them out 100% and they arent painted on her. Its not a battle I am going to fight. She looks OK and is dressed and covered.

I dont wear leggings because I dont really have the body for it.

[ZeeBaby]

Leggings are not pants. We haven't really had this battle yet, but it would be a battle. Leggings are to be worn under other things and not alone.