Leggings and Tights

I like to do a lot of yoga and often find myself struck by the differences in attire for men and women.  Pretty much universally, women wear leggings and men wear shorts or sweatpants. I am curious how this all came about?  Leggings and tights make perfect sense to me – they stretch with your movements, and they help your muscles stay warm and flexible.  Shorts and baggy sweatpants, on the other hand, can bunch-up and get in the way. I think something similar can be said of swimwear – the common expectations are that women wear something form-fitting and men something baggy.

To me none of this makes sense.  I like wearing form-fitting clothes!  I swim laps to keep fit, and nothing is worse than baggy swim shorts – and nothing better than a nice swim brief.  I’ve liked wearing tights and leggings for a long time. Back when I was a kid I’d play dress-up and try on my mom’s tights and pantyhose.  This didn’t last long as I grew older, but when I became more athletic and started cross-country skiing and running, I found I really enjoyed wearing form-fitting tights in the winter – they are great for supporting your movement and keeping your legs warm!

For women, leggings today are high fashion and no longer just for the yoga studio.  I for one would like to see more legging options for men! I haven’t gotten to the point in which I will wear leggings out in public, but often wear them around the house.  Like many other form-fitting clothes, that can make me feel really good about myself. I find a good quality fabric that fits snuggly makes you more aware of your body which in turn can result in more confidence and pride (and encourage you to work out a bit more!).

I won’t tell a lie, even as an adult my interest in wearing nice tights and leggings has led me to try some products made for women.  The styles available to women still far exceed those readily available and acceptable for men – thigh highs, fishnets, etc. – but at the end of the day, however, this isn’t what I want.  I want tights and leggings made for men, with a man’s body shape in mind.  And I want leggings or tights that work well for both the gym and a night out!  I want something that feels right for my body, and is practical, comfortable, useful, and sexy!

What do you all think?