Legging-Gate

The world is once again atwitter with something a blogger has to say. This time it’s an Oregon mom and her decision to abstain from leggings. Frankly, I don’t see what the fuss is about.

Partridge says at the very beginning of her blog post that she’s not trying to tell anyone else what to do. This is her story behind her choice. She is a Christian woman blogging about her life as a wife and mother and her relationship with God. No one should be surprised that modesty matters to this woman.

Her husband says what other men have been saying for years. Yes, certain individuals will stare regardless and Partridges acknowledges she can’t control that. She is just adjusting her wardrobe decisions so that she’s more comfortable.

I’m a liberal feminist but I kind of agree with her. I have always found the leggings as pants trend tacky because I'm not interested in your secret Victoria. There are some details I don't want or need about random women shopping at Trader Joe's. 

I have a pair of fleece lined leggings that are one step away from tights. Very little is left to the imagination. My personal rule is that if I’m wearing leggings, I must be able to cover up any potential camel toe.

Yoga pants can be better than leggings but it depends on the fit. Again, I tend to wear longer shirts when I’m rocking my track or yoga pants. It’s a more flattering cut for me and it’s what I’m comfortable with. Partridge isn’t deliberately shaming anyone and neither am I. We both have opinions on this trend and have adjusted our wardrobe accordingly.

It’s not just Partridge feeling the backlash about tamer wardrobe decisions. Taylor Swift embraces crop tops and shows a bit of stomach and everyone is clamoring about her belly button. It’s a bigger deal that Taylor Swift isn’t flashing more skin than Ariana Grande’s disinterest in performing in pants. How about we do a news story about why women choosing a bit of modesty is such a big frakking deal?

The feminist issue that comes into play is respecting women's decisions about their bodies. Both Partridge and I agree on this particular issue for somewhat different reasons but I understand her reasons and respect them. 

It's her body and her choice and she has not presented this in any other way. If you feel judged or shamed by what she or I are saying, that says more about you and your own insecurities than it does about us.