By Anna Matson, staff writer
It seems that these days people can’t seem to agree on whether leggings are actually pants or not. There are reasons on both sides that support their opinions; however, some of their points are debatable.
Let’s begin with why leggings are pants. They are made of fabric and their purpose is to cover your legs and private region, which is what pants are. There are many leggings made to be used as exercise pants since it is more comfortable due to the fabric being made of a thicker, nylolycra blend. Those are typically made of the thicker fabric so they are an opaque neutral color with some bright design. The bright color(s) are to ensure safety of the person wearing them if they choose to go for a run at night in an area where cars drive. So for athletic purposes that specific type of leggings would be considered pants. In that case, they are similar to sweatpants and yoga pants.
Now, for the refuting argument. The history of leggings explains why they aren’t pants since they were originally made for other purposes. During different time periods men and women are seen wearing leggings but in a much different way than you see most girls wear them now. Men often wore leggings called chaps made of leather when riding horses to prevent wear of their other clothing. Women and men have both worn them for warmth underneath pants in colder climates. Older forms of leggings did not cover the private region! Instead they were two separate clothing items often worn with a dress or pants. Leggings were originally sold in stores near the women’s lingerie and nylons for a
reason; leggings were meant to be a thicker, warmer version of nylons for fashion purposes so women can wear dresses and skirts in colder weather. Also, considering many leggings – other than the exercise one’s mentioned earlier – are see through, they aren’t pants. If someone can see the you are wearing underwear, or if you’re not wearing any at all, then they are not pants.
So the disagreement can reach a compromise based off of history, facts, and basic social fashion standards: Athletic leggings or leggings that are opaque or thick fabric can be worn and considered pants, however leggings that are transparent allowing you – and everyone else – to see your underwear and much more through them should not be worn or considered pants.