Leggings as pants

July 12, 2019 6:28 AM

I would like to purchase some leggings that I plan to wear as pants. Questions within.

So this is a bold move for me, a masculine spectrum AFAB person. But, inspired by various transmasculine people who incorporate more "girl" items into their wardrobes and by my observation that leggings actually seem to be a breathable pants option for summer, I am determined to give them a try. (Looking for breathable summer pants is the worst.)

These leggings will be pants. I will be wearing them with longer lightweight shirts but not with tunic-length shirts.

I feel that this calls for relatively robust leggings. They should be available in XL/XXL depending on how they fit. I think I'm going to prefer dark colors. I'm not really looking for gym leggings.

Because I do not generally buy women's clothing, I have basically zero idea what options are available, so explain in small words. What do you recommend?

posted by Frowner to Shopping (18 answers total)

I like the leggings at Torrid--they're pretty thick so I'm not too self-conscious when I'm wearing them. Check the size charts; they're a plus-size store (10-26 I think) so a size 2 is like a 2x.
posted by leesh at 6:32 AM on July 12, 2019 [2 favorites]

I sometimes wear "Dress Pant Sweatpants" from Betabrand, and they have a line for women called "Dress Pant Yoga Paints" that seem to be the same type of thing. Very durable, and nobody's ever clocked mine for sweatpants due to the great styling.
posted by xingcat at 7:01 AM on July 12, 2019 [2 favorites]

Torrid is a good call. I've also been happy with Old Navy's leggings, which are a bit cheaper, sturdy and comfortable and available in plain dark colors. (Specifically, the jersey ones have been sturdy for me - I can't speak to the jeggings or whatever's happening in their athletic leggings offerings.) I wear them in plus sizes, which have relatively few options, but it looks as if their straight sizes have a bunch of colors/prints, so depending where you fall in their sizing you may have a bunch of options and/or be able to try things on in-store.

If you decide that you love the leggings lifestyle, I have heard friends speak very fondly of SweetLegs as a good option for a wide range of colors and prints. Might not be a "go try things on" option unless you're in Canada.
posted by Stacey at 7:05 AM on July 12, 2019

Ponte is a kind of heavy knit fabric that makes great “pants-weight” leggings without losing the stretch.

Jeggings aren’t necessarily denim; sometimes it just means they have wee pockets.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 7:08 AM on July 12, 2019 [3 favorites]

I would second looking for ponte leggings. I've seen them at various places; I bought a pair I like from Ann Taylor (a year or two ago) or I've seen them on Amazon, but I haven't bought from there. Ponte is good because it tends to be thick/firm enough to hold stuff in & not show everything.
posted by kochenta at 7:27 AM on July 12, 2019

If you're good with jeggings, I've found Hue's to be very sturdy. I do often get cheapo pairs from Amazon (the No Nonsense brand), which are nice and lightweight but wear out quickly.
posted by pised at 7:30 AM on July 12, 2019 [1 favorite]

Daily ritual on Amazon has good leggings in the ponte style.
posted by oflinkey at 7:50 AM on July 12, 2019

I'm not a leggings person, but if you want robust construction and sizing that works well for larger people, Lands End is generally reliable. They have a bunch of styles of leggings here.
posted by LizardBreath at 7:52 AM on July 12, 2019 [2 favorites]

These leggings from ELOQUII are my holy grail of pants-leggings. They're a bit heavier weight than I like to wear in the humid summer, but they're robust as all get-out.
posted by quatsch at 8:01 AM on July 12, 2019

I am seconding rather be jorting's recommendation for Uniqlo leggings. I have several pairs that are in regular circulation, and they hold up marvelously for daily wear. I wear them with a belt (they have loops), because otherwise they creep down during the day.

If there isn't a store near you, you can get them online -- with a discount when you sign up (and look out for those sales, too).
posted by vickyverky at 8:35 AM on July 12, 2019

I'm a big fan of Amazon's Core 10 "Build Your Own" leggings. You can customize the length, waist style, and inseam. The quality is fantastic -- it's that heavier, thicker blend that makes these perfect to wear as pants.
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:06 AM on July 12, 2019

Uniqlo’s Ultra Stretch Jeans are pretty much just leggings (but with pockets!). I’ve worn them rock climbing and they did not feel restrictive at all. Plus they haven’t gotten baggy anywhere after two years of heavy use.
posted by BeHereNow at 9:17 AM on July 12, 2019

A small caution - I might be buying the wrong type of leggings (super cheap ones) but mine are all exactly the opposite of breathable pants for summer, if it's warm at all. They're only breathable in comparison to something like skinny-fit denim. Loose pants are much much better and skirt/dress is a massive improvement past that, though you might not be comfortable going that far.
posted by randomnity at 9:25 AM on July 12, 2019 [6 favorites]

Not a product rec but just a “checking before you buy” thing - if you want to be sure your underwear isn’t visible through them, don’t just look in the mirror - bend over in them and get someone else to check from behind. The fabric gets more see-through when stretched by eg. bending over. I’ve run many a race behind someone who didn’t realise that even just the stretch from putting them on has rendered their seemingly opaque leggings semi see-through, and that’s true for regular leggings as well as gym leggings (FWIW, I’d probably second randomnity that leggings don’t feel like breathable summer wear to me, especially in a thickness that’s going to guarantee good coverage, but try them, ymmv).
posted by penguin pie at 10:40 AM on July 12, 2019 [2 favorites]

(no recommendations re: leggings, but give linen pants a try if you're looking for breathability)
posted by trig at 11:08 AM on July 12, 2019 [5 favorites]

I buy several pairs of Walmart jeggings each year, and I feel like they're a good compromise between leggings and pants. They are not super durable/high quality but at a ~$13.00-15.00 price point that's not to be expected. At XL/XXL you are on the cusp between the regular size line (branded Time & Tru) and the plus line (branded Terra & Sky). They are definitely heavier than what you might think of as leggings, but light and breathable enough for summer wear. The back pockets are functional and roomy enough for a cell phone, they have belt loops so you can switch them up with a tucked in shirt and belt, or wear them more legging-y style with an untucked shirt.
posted by drlith at 11:38 AM on July 12, 2019 [1 favorite]

Universal Standard has good quality thick leggings in a wide variety of sizes.
posted by museum nerd at 12:04 PM on July 12, 2019

Torrid's leggings are great "as pants" options. They are super comfy, available in many colors and patterns including nerdy ones like Harry Potter and Star Wars, reasonably priced and often on sale, and thick enough to not show your undies through.
posted by oblique red at 1:57 PM on July 17, 2019