Leggings 101: How to Look Your Best In Them - Women Campus
Formerly a loungewear staple, leggings have been making their way into the upscale fashion scene. It’s not uncommon to see A-list celebrities flaunting their fabulousness on a magazine cover wearing them. You can find them with studs, zippers and lace, in every color and fabric imaginable. What’s even better is that they are a fashion chameleon piece that can be worn casually in the daytime and transformed into a sexy night-on-the town outfit. Sometimes it can be hard to decide when it’s appropriate to wear leggings, or even how to wear them correctly, and actually have them be flattering, but HC has got you covered.
How To Wear Leggings For Your Body Type
If you want tummy, butt and thigh control:
Try Sassybax shapewear leggings. They were developed by Amanda Horan Kennedy, a model turned actress turned women’s psychotherapist, also referred to as The Glamour Shrink. And she does just that, helping women overcome self-consciousness of their problem spots by developing a legging that provides ultimate control of the tummy, thighs and butt.
“I wanted to help women find their own glamour,” says Amanda. “Leggings are a great trend when worn correctly. Try not to wear half-calf leggings unless you have very long legs. The color cut-off causes the calf to look much wider than it is. Stick to ankle leggings, as they are slimming and elongate the legs.”
You can find Amanda’s leggings for $68.
Don’t want to spring for this pair? For extra slimness with any legging, “Try wearing… black leggings with a black boot. Then to create a pop of color, go with a bright accessory or shirt,” explains Amanda. “My favorite way to wear leggings is with a tunic top or flowy blouse. And please people, unless you are a string bean, your shirt should always hit AT LEAST an inch below your butt cheeks if you wear leggings as pants,” says Lindsay Albanese, stylist to celebrity Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky, a contributing editor for Life and Style Magazine and a judge on Oxygen’s “Hair Battle Spectacular.”
For shorter, petite girls:
Try wearing your leggings to the ankle, with a pair of heels. Since the common goal with petite girls is to make the legs look longer, this will do the trick! Stick with darker colors to emphasize the lean, sleek look.
Here Kim Kardashian rocks edgy leggings in New York for Fashion Week. She pulls it off by wearing a simple top and blazer with sexy heels.
Try her look by wearing Rhinestone Motorcycle Leggings found in Macy’s. They’re from the Material Girl clothing line by Madonna, and only $13!
“Studs and zippers on leggings are trendy, subtle details that make the basic legging more interesting,” says Albanese. Details on leggings tend to maximize rather than minimize, but this is something you can afford if you are petite.
For tall girls:
Lucky for you, you can pull off the half-calf leggings without a problem, whereas shorter girls have to watch out for the color contrast creating a wider leg. This type of legging goes well with casual outfits like an oversized shirt, and is perfect for the daytime-casual look! This is especially convenient given that normal leggings might sometimes be short on you, anyway.
Albanese suggests, “…pair leggings with dresses that may be too short for daywear, which make them more appropriate and easier to run around and work in.”
Forever 21 has super cute cropped leggings, at an amazing $7.50! These can be worn through the day and then paired with some long boots when going out at night.
No matter what size or shape you are, leggings are a proven way to put the finishing touch on any outfit. Just be sure to follow these easy tricks and tips that flatter your figure, and you will surely be turning heads left and right!
Sources
Lindsay Albanese, stylist to celebrity Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky, a contributing editor for Life and Style Magazine and a judge on Oxygen’s “Hair Battle Spectacular”
Amanda Horan Kennedy, The Glamour Shrink
