Ok, so this is debatable. I had a little chat with the girls and there was a 50/50 split on opinions! It
started off with the all too familiar jeans versus leggings conversation and evolved in to a heated
discussion on how leggings should be worn and whether they do in fact make your legs look thinner.
Me being me, I was sitting there vigorously taking notes, as I thought that this could be a great blog
topic to share with you all and there were some quite interesting suggestions at hand.
Where to start?
Jeans vs Leggings
Firstly, we have to make the comparison. The general consensus was that the darker your jeans, the
slimmer your legs look. We had mixed feelings on preferences, as those of us with fuller figures and
curves felt that leggings were more flattering, whilst those of us who are more lean and slim felt that
jeans gave us a better shape.
Do you even want to make your legs look thinner?!
If so, here are some tips on how to choose the right leggings to do so.
- A bit of a no brainer but – the darker the shade, the smaller the surface area will look (in this case your thighs!). Opt for deeper shades of burgundy and navy blue if you need a change from black, to create the illusion of a thinner silhouette.
- If you want to be more playful or bold with the style of your leggings and find single colours a bit
mundane, then I definitely recommend selecting prints and graphics like our leopard leggings. Prints are fantastic but be careful to avoid patterns with negative space as these will make your legs look larger. If the print is dense and curved it will create a slimming and elongating effect. - Be wary of the fabric of the leggings. Cheaper, thin materials will not provide enough support in
areas where required. Ensure the thickness is right and there is enough elastane to create a
figure-hugging look. Bandit Bee was initially born because our founder was bored of her leggings going see-through. So decided she would try and make her own! After months of testing several products, she found the perfect material mix in our classic bee bums, NO MORE SEE-THROUGH LEGGINGS and NO MORE WORRYING ABOUT WHAT PANTS TO WEAR!! - My choice is always a pair of high waisted leggings like all our athleisure pants – I love that they cinch in at the waist and create a firmer-looking bum and thigh area!
- Compression pants are a fantastic option too. A good quality pair is guaranteed to give you a
thinner looking frame, from the waist all the way to your ankles.
Styling tips
Now you’ve chosen the right pair of leggings to complement your figure, styling them is essential! Here
are some ideas and ways that my friends and I wear ours.
- If you’re conscious of your waist and thigh area, I would recommend pairing your leggings with a long top. Whether it’s an oversized sweater or a long jacket in the winter, or a silk shirt or short dress in the summer, it will deter the focus from those areas whilst drawing more attention to your legs. If you opt for an oversized top, be sure to wear a belt in order to avoid looking shapeless.
- As we established, darker colours tend to be particularly slimming but can be boring, so jazz them up with a bright coloured or bold printed top. This will also attract more attention to the top part of your body as opposed to your legs.
- I always used to make the error of wearing cropped leggings. Full-length leggings are the way to go – as they will make your legs look longer whereas shorter ones draw attention to visible skin areas and can tend to make them look wider.
- Heels! Yes, high heeled shoes and leggings will make your legs look thinner for sure.
So, in conclusion, wearing leggings neither makes your legs look thinner or bigger – you just need to
style them correctly to suit your body shape!
