Leggings today are obviously an essential to all of our wardrobes. No matter what age, demographic or lifestyle these days - for the most part we all own them and a lot of us live in them. Which is obviously because uhhhh well, duhhhh...they are super comfyyy and that is awesome.

Leggings are amazing, but they have also become a crutch to a lot of us and that is where they can concern me. Of course we want to be comfortable and not have to over think things every morning - so we end up throwing on leggings (or the very close alternative, yoga pants). We get stuck in this habit over and over again and in result don't feel as great as we could feel and miss out on a lot of opportunity of expressing ourselves *sounds cliche, but it's true....*.

The issue I find with leggings is how they end up being the "lazy" outfit option and since that is the attitude towards them, they live in a place of unintentional style and they are an afterthought.

Live is too short to be uncomfortable, but it is also too short to look like a slob.

I am allll about leggings and live in them myself and know it can be hard to pick regular ol' pants that ride up, fall down or squeeze right where you don't want them to, so my whole goal here is to not shame you for wearing leggings or tell you that they are bad - cus they are not - My whole point is to show you a new way to look at them and wear them so you can feel better through out your days, look better all while still being super comfy.

Here I am wearing the Elly Smock Top Tunic over high-rise faux leather Spanx leggings

9 TIPS TO LOOK MORE PUT TOGETHER WHEN WEARING LEGGINGS:

#1: LADIES, LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS, SERIOUSLY.

Okay, so as you can see by the title of this one, I do not believe that leggings are pants, cus they are NOT! Your butt nor crotch should ever show if you are wearing leggings (of course unless you are under the age of 4)!! It looks veryyy verryyyy unintentional, messy and like you just forgot to put on that last lil bit of your outfit. It honestly looks like a form of underwear to me. I know that when you type "leggings outfits" into Pinterest you are going to get the cutest lil leggings outfits with tiny girls wearing cropped or knotted tops and their little butts showing, and yea they look good...not it doesn't make sense in real life. It works for a cute IG photo or inspo on Pinterest but regular old leggings like shown below just doesn't work like you'd hope it would in the everyday world.

<<<

It looks like legit long johns lol..

Leggings are not the same as jeans or trousers or even workout pants, they are leggings and should be worn with tunic length tops and never with a blouse or something that only goes to your hip bones or shorter.

~ No matter how cute that booty is ~

If you want to show off that booty go for these alternatives and please please pleaseeee I beg you, stop showing your butt and crotch in leggings :)

> > > EXCEPTIONS:

#1 Athletic wear -

Athletic wear is a time to wear a tight fitted legging style pant! This is where it is appropriate to not worry about covering up the crotch and butt area as much!

Workout pants are made for this and are designed to show all of the lower body off.

Below shows an example of wearing workout leggings and not fully covering the butt/crotch. These look like workout pants and feel appropriate to show some booty off in. It feels very different than the image above.

#2 Leggings that look like pants - I am talking about the ones that are thick, have back pockets and seams that trick you into thinking you are wearing real pants, but they feel like leggings. It is hard to tell in this photo - but I have this exact pair, they are from Spanx and they are awesome. They look like legit trousers, but feel like leggings.

Jeggings are also a great alternative!

I don't let the waist band show on these below - When I front tuck (like in this photo) I usually puff the top out enough to cover the band as much as possible.

These are great though because they have legit pockets in the back and the front has faux pockets and don't sit super snug to the ankle area so they look like real pants.

#2 PAY ATTENTION TO HOW THEY FIT!

Leggings are also not sweatpants and should not fit like sweatpants. Baggy around the knees, bunched or pooled at the ankles, or if you are constantly feeling like they are falling down means they do not fit properly!

I only wear high-rise too. It is soooo comfortable and easier to wear.

If you want a more loose fitting bottom that is comfortable shoot for a jogger and avoid leggings.

Leggings are meant to be super fitted to your leg like a tight basically (faux pant leggings like above are a slight exception, but they are still positively snug). They should not be baggy anywhere or pool at the ankles. I have the pooling at the ankles issue since I am petite, and my solution is either to buy leggings that are cropped (cropped on tall girls means they will fit me perfectly) or I neatly roll them under so they look smooth and like they fit (it's a trick!!)

~ DO NOT ROLL LEGGINGS OUT LIKE YOU WOULD JEANS. ALWAYS ROLL UNDER! ~

If you have a trusty seamstress - bring them to her/him. Remember that stretchy material can shrink more once it is cut and hemmed so make sure you don't have her/him cut off too much cus then they can end up being too short.

Here you can see that the leggings are too long and bunched at the bottom. When you put on boots or even sneakers this will end up looking sloppy

#3 BLACK, BLACK, BLACK

Some of you might roll your eyes here and even hate me a little.. but patterned leggings or having maroon, green, grey, navy, purple, pink ect is not doing anything but adding more noise to your closet and your outfit. Keep it simple! Keep it neutral. If you love wearing tones or colors that feel like the season, an example being maroon - then utilize that color somewhere else in the outfit and NOT the leggigns. You will look so much more polished and sophisticated and it will make your life SO much easier!

Now there are of course always exceptions here - Maybe you want an all white look or you found an awesome army green moto legging or your style is just bold enough that you rock bright red leggings.

It really depends on your style, BUT that being said - don't feel like you have to have every color in the rainbow. Stick to black and only venture out into color or pattern when it is next level amazing. Otherwise - don't complicate things more for yourself by adding another annoying detail you have to navigate in the morning.

The leggings don't need to be what speaks in your outfit - they are essentially a base layer, the same way a camisole is. Keeping leggings in the neutral category will make your style more pulled together.

It simply just makes life easier. Stick to blacks and mix it up with the next tip below!

#4 BRING IN TEXTURE WITH THE LEGGINGS

This moto style is really flattering (usually) and bring interesting detail to your over all look.

Try not to wear all the same texture within your outfit. That can sometimes feel like pjs or lounge wear and not in like a cool chic way.

A faux leather, suede, corduroy ect. can really level up your outfit without compromising comfort. Try to shoot for quality here. They will fit better and flatter you more, plus they will last longer and make you cherish them more!

Here she is wearing such a simple and comfy outfit, but all of the different textures really create a chic look. Here she is wearing faux leather leggings and it really makes this look cool in an effortless way.

#5 INVEST IN QUALITY INSTEAD

Faded, sheer (not on purpose sheer), pily leggings are never a cute look.

It looks messy and can ruin an outfit.

I know we are able to get leggings at Target for $12.99 (or less I am sure) but they honestly won't hold up. They also fade quickly and are often see-through and that cheapens your outfit quickly.

Look for thick, high-rise leggings with very strong - double stitched seams. The single seam that you pull and you can see through is a sign of low quality/cheapness

Finding a good quality pair that looks jet black, and that you can't see your skin through is the only way to go.

Quality leggings also tend to fit better - which is obviously more flattering and comfortable.

It is better to have 2 pairs of leggings than to have 15 pair that don't fit well, are faded, pily or just not right.

#6 SKIP THE LAZY LOOK

Going for an all over athletic look is one thing - but the basic girl/lazy look isn't doing anything for you and yea it's comfy, but so are a lot of things...so why look like you don't care about yourself when you can be just as comfortable in something else.

I donno, that might sound harsh but I honestly think that it takes just as much effort to look lazy as it does to just pick up an over-sized sweater instead of that old sweatshirt. If it isn't just as easy for you then you are probably having a bigger closet/wardrobe issue and your wardrobe probably needs some TLC and some intentional developing, call me up girl ;) ;)

If you don't feel like being "OUTFITTY" then go for an all over athletic or "outdoorsy" feel and go with athletic leggings (not regular leggings, but like legit yoga/workout leggings that are made for activity or at least made to look like it haha) and then dress from there.

Here she has a relaxed looking going but it doesn't feel messy. This is because it all fits well, is all within a neutral color palette. The hair being done and the leather bag make it chic but even if she had her hair pulled back it would work cus it is just sharp and intentional feeling

If you want to feel casual without feeling like Sporty Spice or look like you are about to hike a mountain then look for comfy alternatives in your wardrobe that are more thoughtful and feel just as cozy for you. Swap out the "I went here" sweatshirt for an oversized sweater and mules or all white (clean) sneakers.

If you are insisting on sweatshirts go for a more intentional version. Pair with a more style forward sweatshirt that has interesting details and throw a leather jacket, blazer or jean jacket over it to make the look feel more finished.

Here is an effortless outfit that is all about comfort, but she doesn't look like she just rolled out of bed. The over-sized sweater covers just enough booty and crotch and the little camel colored booties make the outfit feel finished. She could layer over this with a puffer vest, jean jacket, leather jacket or even a long jacket and it would make it look even better!

# 7 NO PANTY LINES.

I talk about panty lines constantly...I am sorry if you are sick of hearing it..

It is just one of the most common issues I see out in the world, and not just with leggings but just in general. With leggings it just gets worse.

Panty lines confuse me - they look super uncomfortable and I don't understand how people don't feel them. It also makes clothes fit SO MUCH BETTER when the underwear underneath is considered and not creating weird lines.

There are literally tons and tons of underwear options out there. You don't have to wear thongs or be uncomfortable if you don't want to - but the granny panty look showing through has got to go.

Here are just two options! A quick google search can get you pretty much anything you need (Search for seamless underwear).

I personally like the ones that are light weight and when the stretch isn't too thick or rigid and have no hems! I tend to find those dig in and give me lines anyways - so I avoid them.

I like underwear that floats over the hips and curves and does not dig at all!

When you shop for underwear try to find ones that don't have hems around the leg holes. Even for thongs I won't even think about buying the thongs that have like a band or elastic-i-ness area in the back. ekkk. Look for something that will glide over the body and not pull or dig anywhere.

ahhhhhhh... just a Lululemon butt showing us the way hahaha jk jk..kinda

I like sticking to all cotton at home (Calvin Klein is my favorite for at home wearing) and for sleeping but out in the world I wear something seamless (and if I don't you'd never know cus I will hide it sooo hard).

Here is a Bikini seamless example > Bikini style

Here is a thong seamless example > Thong style

Here is a variety of options > Bikini + High rise options

*All cotton thongs are an option too! You can find ones that have a silky band around the hems instead of elastic or rolled over hem

Okayyyy so if you are like ya ya ya, I am still going to rock the granny panties no matter what..

Soooo, I would suggest working your outfits around that. Don't wear things that cling to your butt or hip area or have high side slits that will show un-flattering lines. Shoot for layers and thicker tunics that wont any of it...or just wear the seamless underwear and be done with it.

#8 IT'S ALL IN THE SHOES

For leggings looks you can make an outfit feel super polished and pulled together based on all of the things we have talked about, but the shoes can really change up an outfit instantly!

Sneakers bring the outfit down to earth for a more relaxed vibe

If you are going for a relaxed look - shoot for sneakers that are clean! Dirty sneakers that used to be white make an outfit instantly feel immature and cheap..not matter how cheap they were or if they are Gucci - just keep them clean > > >

Over-the-knee boots create a sultry, sexy sleek look. Imagine how different this would look if she paired it with sneakers or Uggs. This is a perfect example of how the shoes transform the outfit.

Adding a brownish/cognac colored boot with a contrasting sock can be a really clever way to melt the leggings and boots together in an intentional way. It also adds a touch of personal style to it!

Ankle boots with a little bit of skin showing can be cute. Be mindful of bunching into the boots though. Do some pulling or tugging or folding under if you need so it looks clean like it does here and not messy.

#9 LAYER IT UP!

Layers can make a HUGE HUGE difference in your leggings looks.

Whether you have a top that is just a tad too short and you need to create the illusion of things looking longer and covering the crotch/butt area - layers are the trick to it all.

< < < As you can see in this photo. She is wearing a relaxed fit white button down. It isn't super short or quite a tunic so her butt might not be all the way covered back there, but it doesn't matter because she thoughtfully layered a vest over it so it works.

She also kept the color palette simple and neutral so that nothing conflicted or became too fussy.

Here is another example of making a too short top feel longer by adding a longer layer over it all. I wouldn't personally wear a top this short still, but it is working for this look

This look is great because she kept the whole base black and then wore a contrasting sweater over top which made the whole look feel complete. This is super comfy and a great layered alternative to the lazy look we discussed earlier.

Thanks so much for reading and I hope this helped! Now you are ready for the rest of fall and all of winter!

Let me know if you have any questions or tag me on IG or FB if any of these tips made a difference for you!!

XOXO

Georgia Caroline // RUBA RUBA