KAYLA DRAKE | A&E Editor

If you want to reach enlightenment stop wearing leggings.

Okay that was dramatic, but I want to challenge all my women readers out there to take one week, just one week, off from wearing leggings, yoga pants and spandex.

I believe that as a society women have grown too dependant on leggings as a clothing option and consequently, we have accepted the repercussions.

The repercussions being the decline in fashion, a growing trend that more revealing equals more sexy and has lead to more comparison in women.

First, the decline in fashion. Instead of finding a bridge between fashion and comfort, women have traded in fashion completely for comfort. People do not dress up anymore. The current culture is “athleisure,” especially in college, students prefer to dress down. According to Slice Intelligence, a company who researches digital commerce, leggings sales went up 38 percent from 2016 – 2017, while denim is not seeing anything near that increase in sales. It is official, wearing workout clothing to work, school and while going out has become a mass movement.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Leggings are stooping below fashion standards and cutting women off from exploring new trends because we have become too dependent on them.[/perfectpullquote]

Fashion is constantly evolving as an industry. Ripped jeans, tracksuits, sideboob and fishnet tights under jeans, all seemed like they would never ever be in style, but they are. But while some things are in style, it does not necessarily mean they should be worn. Take “mud-distressed” jeans for instance. Fashion creativity is stifled when women only wear leggings.

Fashion Professor Chajuana Trawick said in an email that while leggings do represent an evolution in style, from work-out gear to everyday fashion, she does not think they add to fashion.

“[L]eggings take away from fashion, and should be worn as an accessory item or undergarment such as panty hose or tights and not as standalone bottoms,” she said.

Leggings are stooping below fashion standards and cutting women off from exploring new trends because we have become too dependent on them.

When women go out to Main Street on weekends they assume “the more I show my body, the more appealing I am,” which is a sad thought. The existent culture relies on women wearing tight clothing to feel cuter, or sexier, or maybe even more worthy for some. Leggings, now mesh leggings, reinforce the idea that men value women more for their body than their intellect.

I guess I am old fashioned, but have you ever heard of the quote “save a little for the imagination”? I grew up with my dad telling me that before every dance I went to during high school. I grew up before the advent of leggings. The saying made an impression on me, because I believe that leggings are too revealing.

Leggings have put social pressure on all body types to wear spandex. Then women compare body types to other women: big butt, small butt, thigh gap, “thunder” thighs, hips, no hips, tiny waist, wide waist. Maybe you do not consider it social pressure, but would you really be wearing leggings if every one of your friends wasn’t?

I’m not an extremist. I am not denying leggings are comfortable and an easy fashion crutch. I am not saying I do not wear leggings while working out, but I do believe that for everyday dress we can do better, ladies. Part of discovering oneself is experimenting with different styles and looks. Leggings are reinforcing conformity and laziness in fashion. Don’t let leggings hinder your enlightenment as a woman.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Don’t let leggings hinder your enlightenment as a woman.[/perfectpullquote]