Even if you’re only mildly interested in fashion, you’re certainly aware of one of the industry’s most polarizing debates: Do leggings count as pants? We’ve seen the style staple everywhere from the pilates studio to the runway, but the fashion world remains divided. While some trend-conscious women are totally down for this buttonless, zipper-free, Spandex-y goodness, others think leggings don’t belong anywhere outside the walls of your local Equinox. It’s a question that stirs up a lot of sartorial commotion.
To officially settle the conundrum, we’re kicking the question over to our European counterparts: the French girls. As physical embodiments of one of the most sought-after style aesthetics, it’s fair to consider these women authorities on all things fashion. We talked to everyone from a yoga influencer to a published author to help us decide whether or not it’s time to retire those trusty leggings from our regular outfit rotations. You’ll want a pen to write this all down because we didn’t just gain solid fashion insight, we got some seriously helpful styling tips straight from the pros.
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Meet Aude Sarkamari, a French-Iranian blogger and founder of the lifestyle and fashion blog My Name Is Odd. Whether she’s out around town in Paris — her home of 30 years — or sharing Persian traditions with her followers, you’ll rarely catch Sarkamari in leggings. Instead, she goes for tights layered under a skirt or a classic pair of jeans.
Leggings, Sarkamari says, should be reserved for yoga class. And even then, she keeps it simple: “[My leggings] are very basic, black and cotton only. I style them with a classic t-shirt or a sweatshirt if it’s cold.”
Aude Sarkamari
Vanessa Grall, author of Don’t Be A Tourist in Paris: The Messy Nessy Chic Guide, has amassed an impressive following for her blog which uncovers the best-kept secrets of France’s capital. But one thing that’s not so secret at all, she says, is the feeling French girls share towards leggings: “I asked a few of my French girlfriends and we all agreed: Nowhere except at the gym.”
As an alternative, Grall suggests a skirt paired with opaque tights. But if you simply can’t part with your leggings, she cites Audrey Hepburn’s style in Funny Face for outfit inspiration. Wear a top that covers your backside and avoid materials that turn sheer when worn.
Vanessa Grall
Clotilde Chaumet is a Paris-based yoga master and indoor cycling coach. Because she’s, quite literally, always on the move, Chaumet often rocks leggings from day to night. Don’t be surprised to spot her around the city with a vintage coat styled over her favorite pair (always black, always Nike).
“I wouldn’t wear leggings to a formal event because I like to get dressed up, and leggings mean ‘work’ to me,” she explains. “Other than that, leggings are appropriate pretty much all the time.”
As far as an alternative to leggings, Chaumet recommends a good track pant (she’s even created her own line of them).
Clotilde Chaumet
Plus-size French influencer Gaëlle Prudencio is recognized as a leader in France’s body positive movement. She’s also the creator of #FrenchCurves, a social campaign bringing together about 50 bloggers that are a size 42 and over.
As a fan of athleisure, leggings are a wardrobe essential for Prudencio — whether she’s heading to the gym or going to a party. “For going out, I like faux-leather leggings with a cute t-shirt, an African-print kimono, and sneakers," she says. And while several of the women we spoke to suggested opaque tights instead, Prudencio makes an important point: This alternative item is not always easy to find for curvier women.
Gaëlle Prudencio
Ok, so Aisling Greally might not technically be French, but she knows Paris as well as the natives. She’s an Irish photographer, writer, and digital brand consultant who has been living in Paris for many years. Her bilingual blog, TrésorParisien, is a careful observation of all things French style and culture.
According to Greally, leggings are an excellent sartorial choice for “la vie parisienne” because they’re versatile, easy to wear, and even easier to pack. “In the right fabric,” she says, “they can be styled with trainers, ballerina flats or boots by day, and with a heel by night.”
Aisling Greally
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Source: Refinery29 – Amanda Randone