Can you wear leggings after 40 or 50 or beyond?
Here is a fashion question that we keep getting:
These leggings are too bold to be classy...
Hi Confused in Cleveland,
Wearing leggings after 40 is one of those questions that is not a “one size fits all” answer.
Check out some of the past posts we’ve done on this tricky topic!
The short answer is, you’re never too old for leggings, but you have to put them with the right outfits, shoes, etc….
It sounds like your tunic sweater with boots and leggings works just fine, but here are some more ideas and pictures of real women over 40 in leggings to help inspire you!
One more note… we just read in the NY Times Style section that this fall that wild print pantyhose like these will be popular! We know some of you will have fun with them, while others may frown upon them. Personally, they’re way to loud for us- more like a costume than a fashion look. Glam gals need to be classy, not flashy.
What are your thoughts? Would you wear leggings like these? Are we being stuffy?
Not a look for me.
If it’s cool enough I think I need my legs covered up, why would I leave my feet bare?
It cuts my legs off and makes me look shorter than I already am.
It makes me think of ballet dancers, a lovely thought, but I’m 40+ and never was a ballet dancer anyway….
I have seen this look well done by women my age but they won’t have to worry about competition from me!
Oh how funny. I just bought some today! I’m pairing them with a nice just above the knee tunic type dress and ballet flats. I feel pretty good about the look.
Hi Ginger,
You have a great point about it “cutting your leg off”… It does have the potential to do that! I love that you appreciate the look, but don’t want to join in!!! Good for you for sticking with your gut and doing what you feel is right for you!!!
One note… don’t forget you can still wear leggings with tall or short boots. If you were to try the tall boots and leggings look, it can actually really be quite flattering on most and actually elongate your leg, hide thick ankles and with the thigh high boot, it would even cover any thickness of knees!
HI Stacey,
Great to hear your tying this! Sounds like you have the right combo going… One great thing about leggings is, there are so many short dresses out there for the younger set, that we can add a pair of legging to and feel good about going out. Why miss out just because our legs might be showing a little age or we just want to look age appropriate. With leggings we can have it all!!!
Leggings? A big NOT for me. Are they really fashionable for anyone over say 24 – - – ever? I’m sorry to be so critical but the ones in this photo look like something a clown would wear. Seriously.
Check out what a REAL 50+ year old looks like in jeggings and shooties, and see what you think! I think it was successful!
http://www.fashionoverfifty.blogspot.com/2010/09/by-campfire.html
Hi Paula,
Thanks for sharing. You have great legs and figure and pull this look off very well.
Hi Kelly,
Did you manage to go to the link where we have some pictures of real women in leggings? We understand many women not wanting to wear this look, but many still can at any age.
We like the darker and solid colors best, however this fall we are going to be seeing lots of textures and colors that will be fun too! Thanks goodness we all don’t wear the same thing or have the same style..the world would surely be a boring place!
I did look at the other photos but leggings still just make me cringe. I agree, I’m glad too that we don’t all have the same taste. I just figured this site is a place to post your true opinions so there it went! And maybe many do not dress for the opposite sex, but I have to wonder, have you ever met a man who said “Wow, I really love to see a woman in leggings.”?
Hi Kelly,
YES!!! Thanks so much for your honest comments and we love chatting about this with you! Yes, we have some some wow women in leggings and we will try to find some photos.. we have also seen some, ” Oh No.. why did you wear this”. We should do a poll and ask some men about how they feel about leggings! We agree many women do want to dress for men..this could be a fashion turn off… we need to get more info on this! How fun!!! Thanks for all your questions and input!
I wouldn’t wear these leggings at any age! heehee! But I’m glad to have the info on leggings. I have a straight black skirt that I want to wear my boots with and I guess I need leggings so that my knees will be covered. Any ideas on this? I’ll go look at your link, too! Thanks!
Hi Lavender Dreams,
Yes, when wearing a skirt and boots it will usually look best when you pair them with dark opaque tights or leggings. This is going to be especially popular this fall.
We are already seeing ads for a lot patterned hose, too! Beware of the hose with vertical stripes. If you have thin legs you will be fine, however anyone with curvy legs will probably not be happy when they try to wear them. The stripes will mold to the contour of the leg and you could end up looking like you are wearing a road map of the tour de France!
Thanks! I guess I need to look for tights to wear with this outfit! Leggings don’t usually have feet! heehee! ♥
Great to see the posts, thanks for visiting my blog–visuals always help!
I like the new leggings – no more shiny spandex! I also like the theory of a Jegging (jean-legging) but haven’t found any that fit me quite yet – I’m nearly 6 feet tall and mostly leg, so that’s a bit of a challenge.
I do have some black leggings that I wear with boots (short or tall) and a longer sweater – like one of the looks on your page. I find that they look best on a toned leg – a woman who works out regularly usually has beautiful shape to her legs and that makes a legging more attractive.
The wild patterns are just not me – I prefer to show off my ‘wild side’ with jewelry or color!
I’ve worn leggings for years, but only for warmth under pants or longer skirts. I did wear them with short dresses, like JoJami does in her photo, about 10 years ago (wow, I can’t believe it’s been that long). When it’s cool enough to wear leggings here, it’s really winter time. Otherwise, it’s way too warm them.
Hue has some very cute leggings/jeggings in corduroy-like stretchy fabric in fun colors like teal, olive, and camel (and of course, black) that I saw at Nordstrom. I bought brown and olive to wear under skirts and with boots.
Unless you have a body like Elle Macpherson (or similar) then I would say, don’t even go there. I’ve seen 40+ legs stuffed into leggings and it resembled a sack of rabbits trying to fight their way out of sausage skin (with all the lumps and bumps)
I didn’t do it in the 80′s when I had the body for it. They just always seemed to make my leg look shorter. I agree with the comments that they can cut your leg off.
i wear cognac colored corduroy leggings with cream lacey tunic top with skinny belt(s)..and top it with a leather moto jacket…I’m 46 years old 5 feet and 100 lbs…
I find leggings to be a godsend. I never liked the look of tights for myself, too covered up, and pantyhose are so old-fashioned and stuffy. Bare legs is no longer an option. Leggings… the perfect edgy alternative, flattering, can be well done. I wear mine with a shortish shift dress (sleeves, of course). The dress is black and white (black at the hem). With black leggings and a pair of black heels, it’s an easy outfit that gets compliments from men and women. And I believe it’s age appropriate. I’m 58.
I’m 46 and just bought a great pair if knee high black boots that i want to wear with black leggings, but i’m having mixed emotions about it because of my age, HELP!!
Hi Kelly,
You should be fine as long as you put them with the right outfits. We have several articles on this topic, just look up knee high boots on our search bar and follow the tips!
Good luck!!s
Leggings look great with a long-enough top or dress on just about everyone, every age. For the over 40 (okay over 50) crowd, now we don’t have to worry about our dented-up legs showing (All those skinned knees and boo-boos from our youth don’t look that good at this time of life). Nylons are completely not an option, so hooray for leggings!
I’m a leggings-with-boots kind of girl. Comfortable yet dressy at the same time.
But I’ll leave the ones with prints to the younger ladies. I don’t need to break up a nice line down the body that I get with the black ones.