I have found that, as we get older, we are not always as keen on showing our bare legs as we once were—I definitely count myself among this group. We are not necessarily against showing the shape of our leg—just the skin (especially above the knee)—and so leggings and tights have become a popular wardrobe item. (And, if you are not in this group and love showing your legs, more power to you and I’m very envious!)
The problem is that as the weather gets warmer, leggings can feel hot. But with coverage imperative, long pants do not always feel like a much better option. Is there a way to wear leggings in the summer without expiring from the heat?
The answer to the question above is yes, leggings can be a summer ‘do’ –it’s a matter of knowing how to choose the right ones and style them well.
Before you give up and move north to cooler climates, here are 7 options to consider and with which to experiment:
1. Choose a Lighter Colored Legging. This seems like an obvious solution, but…hmmmm… sometimes that works and sometimes you can feel like an Easter egg, especially if you are wearing a lighter color on top. It’s not impossible, just a little tricky. And if your best colors are generally dark and rich tones and you dress head to toe in a light color (other than maybe a lovely summer white) you will look and feel washed out or ungrounded.
See more options HERE.
1. What about White? White comes to mind as a perfect summer solution, but is it really? The starkness of white is sometimes a bit glaring and overpowering and white can be very unforgiving (I’m sure we have all had this experience) and can feel sheer even when it is opaque—particularly on our legs. Since light colors draw more focus than dark colors, white legs will get lots of attention perhaps defeating your purpose of drawing focus away from your legs. I once got rid of a pair of white pants because they showed every lump and bump—I can only imagine what would happen with white leggings! If you do choose white, look for:
Soft white rather than a stark white so the focus doesn’t just go to the brightness of the white on your legs.
Try this ‘stone’ color legging:
Heavier fabric so you feel less exposed.
The perfect top. Pair them with a tunic that is below mid-thigh so there is less white to be seen and possibly (if you don’t mind showing skin on your calf) choose a white capri. That way very little white is actually visible, but you still have some coverage on your legs.
Pair it with something like this:
Or this
See many more examples of lighter colored (and white) leggings as well as tops to go with them HERE.
3. Go Shorter. Choose a darker colored legging but have it be a capri so less skin is covered, but that extra foot or so of skin showing helps you feel cooler.
4. Change Your Shoes. Keep the legging the traditional length (and it can still be a dark neutral), but change your shoes—wear a ballet flat or pump (something open on the top of your foot to extend your leg line) in place of a boot or bootie. See more about this in a recent blog post.
5. Fabric Matters. As the temperatures rise, cotton leggings will feel more comfortable than a heavy microfiber legging that keeps the warmth in (those are great in the winter…not so much in the heat and humidity).
One of my favorites:
6. Choose a Slim Leg Pant Instead of a Legging. It will let the air circulate a bit at the bottom, but will still have a similar sleek line to that of a legging. Make sure the opening at the hem is still fairly sleek to the leg to keep your leg line long and allow you to wear a more flowing top without feeling overwhelmed by too much fabric.
Or a slim capri:
7. Have Fun! Why not choose a pattern? Here’s Jane wearing a fabulous print with a pretty tunic. The legging is fairly lightweight, but the darker print gives her plenty of coverage and the lightweight of the fabric keeps them from feeling too hot.
Find a link to that pair of leggings (and other fun patterns) HERE.
Yes, it would lovely if we all felt comfortable going bare legged, but some of us don’t. Finding viable options for feeling stylish as the weather turns warmer and staying reasonably cool is important and leggings offer a great way of doing this.
* * *
A Note About the Clothes: All of the garments pictured here (and in the catalogue) are vegan (made from fabrics that did not harm any animals). Please note that I am passionate about ending animal suffering and choosing cruelty-free clothing is just one aspect of a vegan lifestyle. If you have any questions about being vegan please let me know. I am happy to help and will answer any questions with kindness and compassion.
Some of the affiliate links may generate commissions for Total Image Consultants which helps support the time spent creating these very specific recommendations.
