From military puttees to 'meggings': the evolution of the legging
In short: Leggings are often dismissed as modern athleisure, but their lineage stretches back centuries. They have served as essential military gear, protective wear for trappers, and even high-fashion statements for men. Today, they sit at the center of a bizarre cultural debate over whether they qualify as actual pants.
The history of leggings is a study in functional adaptation. In the 18th century, they were primarily men's wear made of cloth or leather, wrapped around the leg to the ankle. By the 19th century, they served diverse roles: infants wore them as part of a coordinated outfit, while soldiers and trappers used leather or wool wrappings for protection against the elements. In the military, these evolved into 'puttees'—strips of thick wool wrapped like bandages—before being replaced by canvas leggings with buckles and stirrups designed to keep mud and sand out of boots.
The modern silhouette emerged in the 1960s, drawing inspiration from the form-fitting attire of dancers. The 1970s and 1980s saw a massive surge in popularity fueled by the invention of Lycra and the rise of aerobics. This transition moved leggings from specialized athletic gear into streetwear. By the late 2010s, they became a staple of the 'athleisure' trend, where activewear is worn in casual, non-sporting settings. This evolution even reached the male fashion world, with 'meggings' appearing on runways in 2011 and K-pop idols adopting them as a stylistic choice.
Despite their ubiquity, leggings remain a point of cultural friction. A 2016 poll by Glamour found that 61% of readers believed they should only be worn as accessories under other garments, while Good Housekeeping argued they count as pants if they are opaque. This ambiguity has led to real-world restrictions: schools in California, Massachusetts, and Oklahoma have enforced dress codes against them, and a 2017 United Airlines incident saw children barred from a flight for wearing them. Critics often argue these restrictions are rooted in body shaming or 'slut shaming,' suggesting that the debate over leggings is as much about social policing as it is about fashion.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Leggings
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