Love 'em or hate 'em, it's hard to deny that leggings are totally passable as pants when styled properly. Of course, no bottoms — leggings or otherwise — are going to look spectacular when paired with an old, ripped T-shirt and house slippers. But if you know how to style them with the right tops, shoes, and accessories, nobody will even notice that you're wearing leggings.
With fall officially here, now's the time to make sure you know how to wear all the pants in your wardrobe, leggings included. With the appropriate seasonal staples on hand, they'll be just as valuable the next few months as your favorite jeans and booties.
Click on to see how it's done.
The unexpected layering piece you need for fall is a sheer long-sleeved top — throw it under a bomber to make your look feel trend-forward, not a sloppy fallback. Top the outfit off with celeb-approved accessories, like a dad hat and oversized sunglasses, for an errand-running ensemble that still looks like you made the effort.
Who What Wear x Target Bomber Jacket, $39.90, available at Target; Universal Standard Thames Fog Dress, $80, available at Universal Standard; Simply Be Performance Full-length Leggings, $39.49, available at Simply Be; Harding Lane for Opening Ceremony Unicorn Hat, $40, available at Opening Ceremony; Le Specs Ottoman, $119, available at Le Specs.
Hoodies are now acceptable anywhere, not just laying around the house. Invest in a good "fashion sweatshirt" and throw it on with some paneled leggings. Then, a combat boot and metallic accessories finish the look. Hello, athleisure pro.
Joseph & Stacey Lucky Pleats Shopper Bag, $318, available at W Concept; Mango Elastic Panels Ankle Boots, $79.99, available at Mango; No Ka'Oi Kina Leggings, $230, available at Net-A-Porter; Off-White Chateau Hoodie, $405.40, available at Farfetch; Topshop Hoop and Chain Mismatch Earrings, $6, available at Topshop.
Not convinced by the whole dress-over-pants thing? Wearing a shirtdress and leggings is a great way to ease into this styling trick. Keep it casual with your favorite white sneaker and a mini backpack.
Missguided Tie Waist Striped Shirt Dress, $40, available at Missguided; Eloquii Miracle Flawless Faux Leather Moto Leggings, $79.90, available at Eloquii; Nike Air Force 1 Flyknit Low, $160, available at Nike; Zara Faux Fur Finish Backpack, $49.90, available at Zara.
It's usually a bummer when fall rolls around and you can't wear tanks anymore. When the temps drop, it's just about layering them over a graphic long-sleeved T-shirt. Keep this skater vibe going with a slip-on sneaker and some leggings that have a track-stripe detail. Finish the outfit with a sporty duffle-style bag.
ASOS Curve Leggings with Contrast Binding, $26, available at ASOS; Carhartt WIP L/S State T-shirt, $58, available at Carhartt; Who What Wear x Target Lace Cami, $22.99, available at Target; Finery Elwood Luxury Leather Trainer, $125, available at Finery; Kara Black Pebble Leather Duffel, $475, available at Kara.
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