Our final chapter in the leggings saga comes around as another opinion on the controversial topic is brought up. We present the conclusion of the leggings debate.

Let’s consider for a moment the plight of teenage girls.

As cooler weather rolls around, addressing the question of what to wear becomes even more difficult. Due to some way our society has evolved, teenage girls have three basic options of bottoms to don: jeans, sweatpants or leggings. Ah, leggings.

To figure out why leggings are an appealing choice to a large number of girls, we must consider the problems with the other options.
We’ll start with the easier of the two. Sweatpants. I’m not sure if anyone has seen sweatpants, but they don’t provide the best image. Baggy, bulky and unflattering, there are only so many days a week your typical girl can wear sweatpants before being dubbed a slob. Besides, in the KHS classrooms, which typically range from Arctic temperatures to Sub-Saharan climates, the sweatshirt/ sweatpants combo is ill-advised when it comes to body heat regulation.

Then come jeans. If any administrator or school board member who had part in changing the dress code to ban leggings has ever spent a day in an average teenage girl’s skinny jeans, I applaud them. However, I’ll venture so far as to say that hasn’t happened. In that case, I’ll provide a little insight as to what an uncomfortable experience this can be.

Putting on these jeans requires a bit more energy than most overworked teenagers have at 6:45 a.m. The process includes some jumping and wriggling while pulling up on the belt loops and more often than not results in giving up and reverting to sweatpants, the problems of which we’ve discussed. If you do manage to get the jeans on, you’re in for a day of uncomfortable rubbing and stiffness.
So now that we understand why both jeans and sweatpants are so unsavory, the appeal of leggings should become more apparent. Leggings are a perfect compromise. They are a perfect staple for slightly dressier outfits, comfortable and easy to get on and off. They provide warmth and breathability and are an all-around versatile piece.

The main arguments against leggings have come from concerns that they are inappropriate for a school environment. In what way? They cover all skin. They’re fitted, but so are jeans. Jeans are actually outfitted with pocket designs to accentuate the body. Leggings are no less tight than their acceptable counterpart, yoga pants, but provide countless more wardrobe options. The only difference? Leggings are fitted through the ankle, accentuating the ever-distracting body part, calves. After all, teenage boys tend to fixate on calves.

The school district policy reads, “leggings may be worn if they are covered with shorts, skirt or tunic of the appropriate length,” but I urge administrators to make leggings acceptable by themselves. Besides, who wears tunics anymore, anyway?