I recently had a chance to read the heartfelt and interesting blog post by Veronica Partridge “Why I Chose To No Longer Wear Leggings”. I’ve read it again a few times since the original reading, as well. The huge amount of feedback that has been surrounding her decision to “no longer wear thin, form-fitting yoga pants or leggings in public” really got me thinking.
She’s a mom. I’m a mom. She wants to be a positive role model for her daughter. I want to be a positive role model for my boys. She’s a Christian. I’m a Catholic. She has a husband who thinks it’s hard not to look at women wearing leggings. I have a husband who also feels similarly about women in leggings and yoga pants. So, I see where she may be coming from. However similar we may be, though, there are some reasons why I chose to KEEP wearing leggings and yoga pants, even after reading her blog post.
(Disclaimer- Just as I always keep it real on MY blog, these are MY own reasons for continuing to wear yoga pants and leggings. It really doesn’t bother me what you wear, what yo’ mama wears, or what the beautiful Veronica Partridge wears. These are MY reasons for staying comfy and continuing to rock my favorite piece of clothing.)
1. It’s not my job to stop the male race from checking out women in yoga pants. AND just because a woman wears yoga pants doesn’t mean that every guy is checking you out. I actually think it’s pretty presumptive to assume that when you’re wearing leggings that men are just following behind you, drooling and having lustful thoughts. Hey, I know you’re looking at me in the picture above, thinking, “Wow, that lady pushing that huge double stroller is a total foxy mama in those leggings.” (sarcasm – cue the laughter)
Um, no. Not really. Here’s how it would go in my brain if I saw me, “Wow, that lady looks like she threw on her most comfortable leggings since she was going to be pushing around her two kids in that heavy, humongous double wide stroller at the zoo today.” Which brings me to my next point…
2. What else am I going to wear? To the zoo, park, play dates, preschool drop-off? Seriously. I wake up. I change and dress my two little boys. Then, feed them breakfast. After that I clean all of the spilled/thrown food off of the floor. Two mornings per week my older son goes to preschool. Other mornings we go to various activities. Do you think I have a ton of time to spend coordinating my “look” for the day before we have to head out the door and hop in the car? Nope. If I throw on some yoga pants or leggings and a t-shirt does that make me less of a mom? Definitely not. If I don’t want to ruin my nice clothes while cleaning food, poop, and playing in dirt with my kiddos does that make me a bad example as a woman? I think not.
Also, I am a semi-dedicated gym goer. If you read my story of losing nearly 100 pounds last year, then you know that most of my days have been spent in workout clothes. What exactly does one wear to the gym if you cannot wear leggings/yoga pants/gym appropriate attire to workout? A modest gym skirt Jo-Anna Duggar style? Don’t get me wrong, I definitely do respect her awesome ability to lift 145-pounds in the weight room. That takes some serious skills, girl. I also respect her religious views on modesty which have led her to wear a skirt to the gym. But, I think wearing a skirt is more dangerous to my klutzy health than wearing some yoga pants to workout. If you know me, you know I would trip over that skirt and slam my face onto the floor in 2 seconds flat. Leggings don’t really have the ability to get in the way like that.
In all seriousness, I love clothes and dressing nicely. There’s a time and place for everything, so you obviously wouldn’t see me at a business meeting in yoga pants. I totally admire other moms who have it all together and come to preschool drop-off, play dates, and the park dressed to the nines…but I’m generally rocking some yoga pants and ready to run after two very energetic little boys. Please excuse me while I save the sky high heels and cute jeans for date night with my husband instead.
3. “I also want to set the best example of how to dress for my daughter. I want her to know, her value is not in the way her body looks or how she dresses, but in the character and personality God has given her.” (Quote from Veronica’s blog post)
Ok, I wholeheartedly agree with you here, Veronica. Which is why I will keep wearing leggings. My sons are being raised to know that it is OK for a woman to wear whatever she wants and it is their job to STILL respect her anyway, both body and mind. They can’t blame someone else for their thoughts or actions. Further, regardless of what a woman (or man) decides to clothe their own body in, my boys will still know that God wants them to respect all humans, and not assume things about them based on what’s on the outside.
…and that’s all for me today, ladies and gents. If you need me, I’ll be at the park with my kids…wearing my best yoga pants and sneakers, proudly representing all of the other Yoga-Pants-Wearing-Mamas out there.
Loved it! Well said!
Thank you, Blanca! 🙂 xo
I enjoyed reading your perspective, I’m in the same boat as you here. Leggings forever!
Thank you my fashionable friend, Jheanell. Rock those leggings, mama! xo
Girl, I’m with you 100%! I don’t know what I would do without my yoga pants/leggings – it is my go to for everything. Run to Target? Probably in my yoga pants – I need to be comfortable when I shop!
Yes! I once wrote an article on my facebook page in defense of yoga pants, so I feel you! 🙂 Matter of fact, I’m wearing them now! 😀 lol, and I have a more than a little weight to lose, so I find it helps me be more active (and more flexible!) when I wear them. Yoga pants are awesome. Dudes should be taught that it’s okay to appreciate God’s artistry in a shapely figure, but not to be creepers with entitlement issues! 🙂
Love!
Melissa,
I could not agree more. I live in my leggins . With 6 kids I am ALWAYS on the run. No complaining I love it. But my life is all about comfort. I loved reading your view it was perfectly said :0)
Um… what’s wrong with people checking us moms out? Biologically, most men are programmed to be attracted to women. Do we have to look frumpy and asexual just because we are married and/or have kids? Can’t we still feel attractive, even if that attraction may garner attention from males? So, you see a random guy checking you out in your leggings. Smile, nod, and say to yourself “Score! I’ve still got it!” If it is truly about religion, we were created to experience attraction, right? By creating some facade that is entirely unattractive, I kinda feel like we are denying our biological purpose in this world (which is to procreate).
I love this! If yoga pants are wrong I don’t want to be right 🙂 I just can’t understand why people pick one thing and draw a line in the sand about it.
I don’t have any children to run after but the comfort of leggings is wonderful you can dress them up or dress them down. Personally I really don’t care who looks at me at me women who are afraid their husbands are going to be looking at other women because they are wearing leggings are insecure with themselves or have had a prob in the past with that husband straying so don’t try to blame your prob with your husband looking at other women on leggings. Men will look no matter what your wearing
amen!! Oh boy, this whole “debate” bugs me. Wear what you want. If you feel bad about leggings, then great. But not all of us do. I live in leggings and yoga pants. I work from home, and when we leave, it’s for the gym, the store, the park, church or to eat out. Those last two I tend to get more dressed up for. But the first ones? I’m not going to change my yoga pants or leggings! Haha. Plus, aren’t most people’s jeans just about as tight as leggings??
Very eloquently written, from one yoga pant wearing mama to another!
We all have our reasons. Mine is health and lost of my shape. I can wear my sweat shirts with them and be comfortable and look neat. As you might guess, I’m 80 but I dress not so tradional as to not looking comfortable and neat in my new body shape
I believe that a person should continue to wear what they want, no one should start a ban on what we wear because that takes away our “FREEDOM” which we have fought so hard for in this country.
“My sons are being raised to know that it is OK for a woman to wear whatever she wants and it is their job to STILL respect her anyway, both body and mind. They can’t blame someone else for their thoughts or actions. Further, regardless of what a woman (or man) decides to clothe their own body in, my boys will still know that God wants them to respect all humans, and not assume things about them based on what’s on the outside.” Spot on. Thank you.
I couldn’t agree more! That’s what we should be teaching our kids!
My girls go to an all girls school. On days where they don’t have to wear their school uniforms, one item of clothing they are forbidden from wearing is leggings…the other…short shorts. Apparently it makes the male teachers uncomfortable…
AMEN SISTER! I even have dressy yoga pants, casual yoga pants… I have them for every occassion! I hope you had a great day at the zoo – maybe we can meet there some time and frolic in the sprinklers… or let the kids frolic! LOL
Hi! Melissa I strongly agree with you! Although leggings have been criticizied by people but I believe that in the end it doesnot matter what matters is your comfort level..