Rachel Responds

Ladies, say no to leggings

By Rachel Woodman

October 18, 2012

Since the inception of this column I’ve been asked multiple times to dedicate a column to a specific hated fashion trend: chicks wearing leggings as pants.

Some of you may have gotten out of the shower this morning, tunes blasting and took a while to get dressed because you were too busy dancing.

Being a boss in and out of your shower is your business. Being naked, or half-naked, in these instances is your prerogative.

It’s just a relationship between you, your loofah, stuffed bear and (if you dare) mirror.

Being half-naked on campus? That’s another story. I’m pointing the finger at you, leggings lasses.

Leggings are skin-tight, thin, crevice-baring, skin-showing, abominations to women of class. Leggings are tights with the feet chopped off and some think this means leggings qualify as pants. Guess again.

Leggings are not pants. Please take a moment to re-read the previous sentence. Leggings are not pants, you look ridiculous, everyone stares at you and it’s not because you have a badonk that won’t stop.

It’s because we all can’t believe you think it’s acceptable.

Now, I’m not knocking wearing leggings under dresses. Even long t-shirts that could double as a dress, in some social circles, are fine with me. If your butt is covered, cool.
But footwear does not count. Wearing boots with your leggings does not make seeing every nook and cranny of your nether-regions suddenly okay.

Maybe you have a great backside and maybe that backside should be featured in magazines. Maybe every man on campus thinks you’re rad and every women has a gigantic Jenna Marbles Level 3 crush on you.

You may have a perfect body, but you still look half-naked when those inexpensive, comfy leggings ride up your body showing off all the goodies in the candy store. And no one’s buying.

So what to wear when you must be comfy and lazy and show off that badonkadonk? How about a yoga-pants compromise?

Let’s face it, all of us own yoga pants and almost none of us have gone to yoga. They’re comfy and look less lazy than regular sweatpants. But if you are going to wear them be sure to commit to looking lazy.

You’re definitely not going to get a job offer looking like you never changed after your workout or that you just skipped the shower this morning. However, the rest of the campus community will thank you for not being half-naked.

Other trends that my readers abhor are: Crocs, UGG boots, see-through shirts, saggy pants, wearing sweatpants shoved into UGG boots, socks and sandals, not dressing sensibly for winter and articles of clothing that say “swag.”

All of these trends are controversial with good reason. Some place comfort over class and others are simply trashy.

I will never understand Crocs, UGG boots, or Affliction and Ed Hardy gear. But because these styles don’t make anyone look naked I won’t rant about them.

Now see-through shirts and wearing mini skirts in winter is simply ridiculous. Distressed shirts, lace shirts, and other see-through clothing can be cute when paired with a bright-colored tank top.

Wearing see-through shirts with brightly colored bras is just classless. Wearing sexy summer clothes in the winter is just going to result in a full-body cold.

Those of you who value comfort over class must withstand a little judgement from the rest of the community. It’s common knowledge to dress for the job you want. Dressing head to toe in cotton won’t accomplish that goal.

Wearing a sweatshirt with sweatpants shoved into UGG boots does make you look unwashed and lazy. If being comfortable means that much to you then don your cotton goods after a healthy round of shower dancing. Just leave the leggings in your closet.

Rachel Woodman is a senior majoring in marketing communications and minoring in journalism. She loves to work hard, play hard, and use clichés! Look for her Facebook page “Rachel Responds” and email her your questions or topic ideas to QuestionsForRachel@live.com.