Are Leggings As Pants Ever Okay? 7 Celebrity Looks That Prove… Maybe

Date November 12, 2015

There’s no denying that leggings are the most comfortable items of clothing known to (wo)man. Seriously, if you’ve never taken your bra off and changed into a pair of leggings and a T-shirt immediately following a long day’s work, you should try it sometime. Also, are you even real?

Oft thin, transparent and hella tight, leggings worn as pants has long since been considered a faux pas. But recently, with the advent of Yeezy Season 1, it seems that that the look has been coming back into focus. Does that mean it’s ever okay? We’ll let you be the judge. But here we provide several examples of its best case scenario, should you have a hankering to test it out.

Here, we dole out tips inspired by celebs and street style stars wearing leggings as pants the right way.

1/7

leggings-as-pants-kendall-jenner

Yes, you can wear leggings at night and still look polished. Case in point: Kendall Jenner. Here she dons a leather pair with an oversized shirt and tailored coat, and we’re down with it.

2/7

leggings-as-pants-giovana-battaglia

Proportion is key. It’s simple: if you’re going to wear leggings then pair them with something that will at least cover your butt. This is very important for cotton leggings, which tend to be see-through.

3/7

leggings-as-pants-kim-kardashian

We know what you’re thinking: “How on earth did this picture of Kim Kardashian in a Yeezy leotard make the cut?” Okay, yes, it’s a bold outfit, but Kim makes it work by topping it off with a camo jacket that obscures the derrière region.

4/7

leggings-as-pants-ulyana-seergenko

If you’re not going to abide by the “proportion is key” rule, then you sure as hell better stick to the opacity rule. Shorter tops and jackets should only be worn if leggings are completely opaque. Consider materials like leather or velvet your BFF in these scenarios. You can thank us later.

5/7

leggings-as-pants-bella-hadid

Here, Bella Hadid elevates the look of her leggings with a long, tailored coat and polished pointed toe heels, a.k.a the quintessential Jenner/Hadid kit.

6/7

leggings-as-pants-margaret-zhang

Again, stick to proportion. We also love layers. Layer, layer, layer!

7/7

leggings-as-pants-olivia-palermo

Olivia Palermo has pretty much perfected the “leggings as pants” look without embarrassing herself since her days on The City. Her trick? Leather leggings are the only kind of leggings.