How do you deal with "leggings are not pants"???

[StantonHyde]

I love uniforms and I like dress codes, I really do. BUT they have to be equally enforced. The bottom line is that it is harder for boys to be out of compliance--they don't make sexy/tight boys clothes!!--they are all baggy. On the flip side, boys should be watched for baggy pants that show their underpants or tank tops (if that's the rule for girls too). My son wears navy "khakis" and a polo shirt to school every day. DD wears a skirt, dress shirt and a tie/blazer every day but Friday. (they go to different schools with different dress codes) They both live without wearing leggings or sweats or yoga pants or hoodies etc. I don't get to dress like that at work either.

Some schools are asinine. (I live in Utah, land of bizarre and unequally enforced dress codes....) And girls are not a distraction. But a smart dress code based on professional dress/work place dress codes is a good idea. And don't think parents know what their kids wear to school. I am constantly amazed when friends tell me where they used to stash clothes to change into on the way to/from school!!!

[robinsmommy]

I guess I am left wondering what the big deal is with leggings. You can wear jeggings or modern jeans so tight that there is very little difference between them and reasonably thick leggings. Heck, I saw girls wearing 100% cotton jeans skin tight when I was in junior high, before the era of spandex in jeans. The only time I ever thought "leggings" were an issue was a woman in her 20's who was wearing what were essentially footless tights with a T-shirt - and the tights were not opaque - underwear was clearly visible, as was her skin when she walked around and tights stretched. I talked with DD about that as a fashion mistake to avoid later. Are yoga pants any different than leggings, then? Not really, to me.

Are they going to start saying that all butts need to be covered by a top, including male ones?

Um, should boys then be required to wear something fitted or a cup under sweats/sports pants, so their manly bits are less noticeable? Because it seems like that is what they are trying to avoid with girls - bottoms and female bits being "too visible". That or they are legislating against VPL, which is inane.

I know what is coming to mind for me are the legal discussions of whether it is possible to rape a woman who wears tight jeans - and that has always come across as a "she was asking for it with her apparel" excuse, that it is a woman's responsibility not to tempt men by wearing revealing clothing.

For the record, DD wears thicker "leggings" with most any top, so long as her stomach is covered. Ah, the politics of clothing.

[rlu]

Can't speak for the specific school, but when I have heard of similar rules at other schools it has been due to gang clothing.


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Yep, this.

eta: Same one color top and bottom is not allowed (adding for clarity)

[pinkmomagain]

I guess I am left wondering what the big deal is with leggings. You can wear jeggings or modern jeans so tight that there is very little difference between them and reasonably thick leggings. Heck, I saw girls wearing 100% cotton jeans skin tight when I was in junior high, before the era of spandex in jeans. The only time I ever thought "leggings" were an issue was a woman in her 20's who was wearing what were essentially footless tights with a T-shirt - and the tights were not opaque - underwear was clearly visible, as was her skin when she walked around and tights stretched. I talked with DD about that as a fashion mistake to avoid later. Are yoga pants any different than leggings, then? Not really, to me.

I agree with this. Just don't get why it's such a big deal.

[Philly Mom]

I agree with this. Just don't get why it's such a big deal.

I agree. Not a battle I care about but I also wear yoga pants all the time and have no intent to work out.


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[Globetrotter]

I don't like the way it looks, but it's a question of choosing my battles. However, I hate the baggy pants with underwear showing even more!

[calebsmama03]

I hate leggings as pants! DN (18) is always wearing them and it bugs me. In our house, little girls can wear leggings with whatever but once they start to develop beyond looking like a "little girl" then the tush must be covered. DD is still very much little p, even at 10, so she wears Naartjie leggings with longer shirts but her entire rear isn't necessarily covered. I'm ok with that, but I have my other clothing hang ups (like zero Justice will ever enter my house nor be placed upon her body, no matter how "chaste" the particular item might look, because I have issues with the way they market and sexualize little girls; and no bikini bathing suits) and rules that most tween families would find overzealous (no gum and no soda) so I say you just enforce it like any other rule. Each family has their own rules and you have to follow them. Pick out some tops you deem appropriate with her and hopefully she will stop making an issue of it.

[Twoboos]

So I don't view it as yoga pants, jeggings or tight jeans. IMO, leggings look like footless tights. And if you're wearing them with a short/non-tunic top, to me it looks like you are wearing tights and a shirt. Especially if they are cheap leggings and you can see underwear through them! (Oops reading back I see robinsmommy covered this issue.) DD2 has one pair that are capri length and looser, I'd love to find more of those but it doesn't seem possible. And I was able to score nice, very thick leggings from ON last year, sized up and they were perfectly acceptable. Luckily they had them again this year but DD1 is at the end of the line with those with her height/weight. (Seamed Jersey leggings, on sale $10/$13 depending on color.)

I personally wear yoga pants and leggings but I try to keep my upper thighs (and therefor my butt) covered since this is a "trouble zone" for me LOL.

I think I do need go get her some longer shirts. DD1 tried to go out to brunch yesterday with the same deal, leggings and shirt pulled down. Nope sent her back to change. She just rolled her eyes a bit but didn't fight me on it, thank goodness.

Thanks for all the ideas/thoughts!

[StantonHyde]

So does she have shirts she can wear with leggings? Because that could solve the problem. I just bought DD a bunch of longer shirts--she is very happy.

[maestramommy]

Well, that particular argument wouldn't work for me because my girls have been wearing leggings as pants for forever. They have just fit incredibly loose until recently, so to me, it's like yoga pants (mine are pretty loose fitting). What I tell them is, once the leggings are tight they can only be worn under a skirt or dress, because no one wants to see your underwear through your leggings. They are pretty sensitive about the underwear thing so that they get. It's hard though because none of them like jeans. DD1 is finally wearing some HMD jeans because they are loose fitting and have cool embroidery on the legs. The issue with jeans I think is that they are more constricting and my kids like to do stunts on the monkey bars, and so they're clothes can't get in the way at all. DD2 has one pair of jeans but I she only wears them once in a while.