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No, Leggings Aren’t Just for Lounging

Five ways to dress them up with polished separates.

Fashion
black leggings
Graphic:
Stacey Toth

The act of wearing loungewear from head to toe entails that your clothing appears as just that: loungewear. However, if you disguise one-off loungewear items with more sophisticated separates, you'll find that you no longer look underdressed. As black leggings, a staple already under contention as to whether or not they merit the label "pants," are so casual, they require something extra polished in nature to elevate them to daywear—a blazer, a loafer, an oxford shirt, etc. We've rounded up five fresh ways to style your leggings, and we promise, you won't look like you're ready to work out.


Cropped Jacket + Ballet Flat

black leggings

Right photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@jennymwalton

Keep everything streamlined with the continuation of the black hue of your leggings into a black blazer—buttoned all the way up. A simple yet classic pair of nude flats won't disrupt your lines, while tortoise sunglasses tie a brown leather bag in with your black ensemble.

Shop the Look:

Square Toe Ballerina

Mansur Gavriel
$395

Georgia Bag

Wandler
$825


White Jacket + Dad Sandals

black leggings

Right photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@brooketestoni

Diverge from dark hues by contrasting leggings with a crisp white jacket. Adding a pair of chunky dad sandals to your figure-hugging leggings and boxy outerwear gives you an interesting range of proportions.

Shop the Look:

Silver Thread Earrings

Completed Works
$265


Striped Shirt + Trench + Flip-Flops

black leggings

Right photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@nicolewarne

A polished striped shirt goes with anything—including a pair of split-hem leggings. The slinky separates peek out from beneath a boxy black trench, and a pair of flip-flops keeps everyone on their toes.

Shop the Look:

Marguerite Black

Marie Laffont
$590


Turtleneck + Miniskirt + Pumps

black leggings

Right photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@toteme

We promise styling leggings under dresses and skirts is going to witness a major resurgence soon—once your eye can adjust to it in 2021. We love the simple styling from a previous Totême show of a black turtleneck and stirrup leggings that creates a pseudo-catsuit.

Shop the Look:

Ballet Legging

Live the Process
$120

Lydia Pumps

Vagabond
$210


Fitted Blazer + Loafers

black leggings

Right photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@camillecharriere

Though stirrup leggings are often styled with heels, loafers still provide the necessary shoe shape minus the discomfort. The loafers also soften the sleek black leather and pant combination by adding a boyish touch.

Shop the Look:

Silver Thread Earrings

Completed Works
$265
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