The Skinny on being Pro-jeggings

Published in: Marist College's school newspaper, "The Circle"

It has always been known to women that one must get through pain to get beauty, and live without comfort for fashion. Thankfully, a new creation has progressed fashion into what I believe is in the right direction. Jeggings are a new style of pants that essentially combines leggings with a jean. The idea of a jegging is kind of true brilliance. What girl loves squeezing into her skinny jeans? A simple legging gives off the idea of working out and comfort, with the right to go out at night in a pair with the right top and jacket. A jegging stands as having the standard uniform of a jean and yet the ease of a legging, while being able to grace them casually and couturly.

Girls have been found being a bit hesitant to jeggings due to how tight and snug the pants can be, and how comfortable a girl is with her body. Just like a legging, a jegging can potentially show every nook and cranny of a girl’s leg, so whether a girl is willing to show their legs off can be the deciding factor of whether or not to like them.

Jeggings are spotted on college campuses not just on fashion students, but anyone who seeks the positives of this great pair of pants. “They’re comfortable, yet stylish. Perfect for any outfit,” junior and fashion minor Yasin Binda said. Communication major Chanel Vitale said, “Jeggings are as comfortable as sweatpants and as classy as jeans.”

Jeggings have also been seen all over Fashion Week in Milan, on many celebrities and even in retail stores at any local mall. Brands like BCBG and Citizens of Humanity carry pairs of jeggings, as well as stores like American Eagle, Abercrombie and Fitch, Forever 21 and TJ Maxx. Celebrities like Christina Aguilera, Lauren Conrad, Jessica Alba and Beyoncé have been seen wearing them, both casually during the day and out at night.

Jeggings have also become a dynamic part of both women’s and men’s fashion after the forward pant suggestions shown in Milan during Fashion Week. I guess the idea of “meggings” (man-jeggings) have left an influence on designers, that many Ready to Wear Spring 2011 lines in Milan carried man-jeggings as well. The male models are shown wearing tight pants that are made of denim and some donning funky patterns. A man jegging just seems wrong. Hugging places that don’t need to be, shouldn’t be done on a man. If a style can seem risky on a woman, then usually the risk would be even worse on a man. Just like some fashion trends and pieces work only on certain people who can pull it off, and I’m sure the meggings are the same for most men.

Other than transforming into “meggings,” jeggings has also been altered into maternity wear. Jeggings have the comfort that every pregnant woman needs, and still lets the women be stylish. Certain maternity jeggings also have a full piece of fabric that will cover their belly so the elastic isn’t at their waist. These jeggings seem to be fully functional for anyone willing to try them.

Remember while wearing jeggings is that the elasticity in the jeggings should make every consumer wear them as a legging. Since leggings are sometimes for work out, and certain people wear them wrongfully and exposing wrongful areas, the same shouldn’t be done with jeggings. Long t-shirts and tunics are worn best with jeggings to cover the unwanted areas that should never be exposed in the public eye. A consumer of jeggings must also remember that these new pants do not fit like jeans and do not fit like leggings, so trying on a pair will make your views completely different on the style. Junior Kaitlin Travers said, “The quality of the jeggings has to be considered when purchasing the item, just as you would with jeans. Not all jeggings are created equal. A pair from Nordstrom’s will be a better pair than from Forever 21, due to what it is made of, and the price will be compensated, but so will be the quality. You can’t just pick your size and go to the register. It is something you must try on and treat like a good pair of jeans.”

My first experience with a jegging happened in a fitting room of Macy’s in the Poughkeepsie Galleria. Trying on my first pair of jeggings wasn’t quite as intimidating as I thought, and as I stepped out of the fitting room to show my roommate, one of the best characteristics we noticed was how easily you can move and kick in a pair of jeggings. The feeling of a pair of jeggings seems like a cool breeze next to my tight and structured skinny jeans. Having that freedom should make any girl, or even a man, want to dare to step into any fitting room and try on their first pair of jeggings.