Put Some Pants On

Have you ever heard your parents reminisce about the ridiculous trends that they remember from their youth? As adults, we will be similarly scoffing when looking back on one in particular: leggings.

Trendiness is no excuse for absurdity. Leggings have become an everyday substitute for pants on college campuses nationwide causing onlookers to simply shake their heads in disbelief. Everywhere you look, you see this material (usually spandex, nylon, or polyester) smothering the thighs and buttocks of women like Cling Wrap revealing every wrinkle and curve on their lower-half. Sure, they’re comfortable. But so is my bathrobe.

Leggings, despite popular opinion, fall tremendously short of qualifying as pants. After all, isn’t the point of wearing pants to mask your naked body? It’s understandable to dress for comfort on campus, but there are many adequate alternatives that will keep you cozy and save you your dignity; stick to sweatpants ladies. The last thing that anyone would like to see on their morning walk to class is a full-frontal view of your anatomy to start off their day.

For students facing harsher winter conditions, it seems hardly worth making the fashion statement as a sacrifice for staying warm. Where is the utility in this choice of clothing? Regardless of how ridiculous you may think the pioneers of the 80’s looked wearing knee-high leg warmers, at least they are able to say that their style could serve a purpose. It’s simply hard to believe that anyone could be content walking in leggings for any distance outdoors in freezing temperatures, never mind the rain or snow.

Besides putting a damper on feminine empowerment, the only thing that this fashion seems to promote is the already low standards for women’s clothing that society continues to edge each year. There is quite a contradiction between demanding respect as a woman while wearing this attire; I mean, it doesn’t necessarily promote the feminist agenda. If attracting deviant stares from strangers is what this clothing aims to do, then by all means it has definitely been successful. But if you want to be seen as an esteemed individual, leave your leggings at home and put on your actual pants.