The 1 Thing I Said I'd Never Do - and Now Do All The Time
When I look back on my early twenties one of the things that sticks out to me about myself is my love of absolutes. Everything was black or white. Grey existed of course, but usually not for me. I either liked something or I didn’t. I hated a certain song- or didn’t. It was as simple as that. I had an imaginary list of “nevers”. I would never do - insert whatever random thing you can think of. That was me. Now that I’m in my thirties I realize that a lot of those “nevers” have become “sometimes”, “maybes”, or “I’m just too tired to cares”. The list has gone out the window. I decided to list one of the “nevers” that existed on said list. Wearing leggings as pants.
This is a tough one for me to admit. I have been anti-leggings as pants for as long as I can remember. Every time I saw a woman casually wearing leggings with no workout accessories in sight it would send a shiver down my spine. "Why? Why would she do that? Doesn't she own actual pants?" It just looked so... wrong. And then one fateful day last winter, I was getting ready to go out to the movies with my brother. It was freezing outside and I was not looking forward to having to heap on layers upon layers. I had pulled on a pair of fleece-lined leggings and I had decided to wear a long length shirt and one of my thick long cardigans. And then it hit me. I could just be done. I didn’t have to add a pair of pants to this - I would be wearing snow boots and a down coat. Who would ever know? And so my hypocrisy was born. Because I went to the movies wearing just leggings that day. And I loved it. It was so comfy. And when I went to the bathroom and got a look at myself in the mirror? It was cute! I felt incredibly torn and guilty...and then promptly repeated the same outfit the next day when I went out for lunch.
That was my gateway weekend. Because after that? Leggings! Leggings everywhere! I wore them to grocery shop (bending down was so easy now- no pesky jean buttons and zippers in the way), I wore them to nights out with the girls. It was an endless parade of leggings. But this was winter, and everything would be different when the weather warmed up. The leggings would go back in the closet then. Oh, the lies we tell ourselves. Because nope. They did not. I started casually shopping for long length shirts and tanks that would compliment the leggings while keeping my butt and “problem areas” hidden from view. I went on nice walks in the park in leggings, I ran few errands. Was I self-conscious? Sometimes. But most of the time I was fine.
Cut to nearly a year later and I have now amassed quite the wardrobe of leggings. I've even ventured out into the "suede legging and faux leather legging" arena. Right now, guess what I'm wearing? Leggings. Black faux suede with lace up ankles. I've paired them with a long length loose plaid shirt, my favorite black blazer and black flat ankle boots. Issa look! One thing I will stand by to this day even now that I am a proud leggings as pants believer - do a butt check before you leave the house. Please. For all that is holy. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen women walking down the street in leggings that are clearly see-through at the back and their thongs or Victoria’s Secret Pink underwear peeking through the thin fabric. That still gives me shivers...
Today's lewk...
What is the one fashion rule you've done away with? Let me know in the comments!
