Leggings Are Having a Moment—But Can They Actually Be Chic?

Like it or not, leggings—often deemed one of the worst trends of the 2010s—are clearly having a moment. (These are not to be mistaken for tights, either: Leggings cut off at the ankle!). Though they trace as far back as the 14th century, leggings first became really popular back in the late 1950s, when chemist Joseph Shivers created the first Lycra pair. Come the ’80s, leggings got a little more edgy, like the shiny black pair that Olivia Newton-John wears with a moto jacket in Grease. Saucy! It’s during the 2010s, however, that leggings evolved to become a popular wardrobe staple: People began wearing them as full-on pants, in all sorts of treatments, from wild leopard styles to American Apparel disco pants.

The mid-2010s are when athleisure really blew up too, which led to leggings, hoodies, and fleece jackets becoming a practical everyday uniform. And they never really went away. Is it still a comfy and cozy look? Yes. A cutting-edge fashion choice? Not quite. This season, however, designers are aiming to pull off the latter, styling them in ways that are way more refined. At Saint Laurent, discreet black leggings were layered underneath a power-shouldered evening coat, while Ferragamo showed cream leggings paired with a puff-shouldered jacket. Both looks feel surprisingly sleek and polished. 

Turns out, there is a clear formula to pulling off this new elevated leggings look. It’s not so much about making the leggings a focal point of the outfit, rather a finishing touch that keeps the ensemble’s silhouette streamlined. Back in February, model Gigi Hadid nailed this approach in New York by wearing skintight leather leggings (very 2010s of her) with a bulky bomber coat and slouchy boots. It’s the runway-approved way to wear them—countering the tight feel of leggings with a roomier jacket or top. In fact, the modern way to wear leggings is to barely notice them at all: They should fade into the background of the rest of your outfit. That’s what sets today’s leggings apart from those of the 2010s.