7 Legging Trends That Feel Surprisingly Fresh in 2022
Whenever I stop and think about leggings, flashbacks from my high school wardrobe full of ankle-grazing, jersey leggings paired with Nike socks and Birkenstock sandals flood my brain. But recently, after seeing the way that fashion's finest have elevated the once über-casual silhouette, I've begun to rethink my former distaste for the style. In fact, I'm starting to come to terms with the fact that leggings might actually be cool again, especially the pairs I've spotted for autumn/winter 2022.
From split-hem styles paired with skinny-heeled boots to stirrup alternatives strapped to loafers, today's legging trends aren't even comparable to the ones we all frequented back in the mid-2010s. And to prove it to you, I rounded up all of the most impressive styles on the market right now. After a few scrolls, I think you'll come to agree with me that leggings are worthy of a second chance.
1. Split-Hem Leggings
One of my biggest qualms with the way leggings were worn back in the '10s was that they never looked quite right with heels—only sneakers or boots. With the buzzy split-hem look, though, there's no awkward space between the bottom of your leggings and the beginning of your shoes.
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The comfort of leggings with the easy elegance of tailored trousers.
2. Neutral Leggings
Black leggings are great and all, but you can only have so many pairs before they start to feel boring and redundant. That's where a neutral brown or tan pair comes in. They're equally versatile and comfy but won't look like every other pair of leggings in the world.
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Prepare to be the best dressed person in your Pilates class.
Girlfriend Collective's activewear is unmatched.
Uniqlo has a great selection of leggings in various colours and styles.
3. Stirrup Leggings
Once used for strictly practical purposes, stirrup leggings have recently become a favourite among the fashion crowd, with many securing the loops around luxury heels or with lug-soled loafers.
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How to make leggings look elegant 101.
4. Belted Leggings
Another fashion-favourite legging trend? Belted styles, which were really perfected by Istanbul-based brand Cult Form. The key to this style is an extra-high-waist silhouette, secured at the top with a belt that elevates your leggings with one easy clasp.
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They're giving '50s vibes.
5. Short Leggings
When the warm weather hits, nothing is quite as easy or stylish as a pair of bike shorts, be they paired with a matching workout top and sneakers or an oversized blazer and knee-high boots. (I'm biased toward the latter, but to each their own.)
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6. Legging Bodysuit
IMO, the fewer pieces I have to put on to make a 10/10 outfit, the better. So it's no wonder that I've fallen fast and hard for the legging-bodysuit trend, which needs nothing but knee-high boots or heels and a shacket or a blazer to take it from workout piece to event-ready ensemble.
Shop the trend:
It'd be a mistake to only wear this during a workout.
7. Leather Leggings
Once my least-favourite style of leggings, leather leggings are now at the top of my to-buy list. There's just something so luxurious about the way that the style is being dressed up in 2022 that I can't get out of my head.
Shop the trend:
Such a premium option.
Coming up: This Popular Shoe Trend Looks So Classic With Leggings
This post originally appeared on Who What Wear U.S.
Eliza Huber is a New York City–based fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and celebrity style. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 after almost four years on the fashion editorial team at Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a marketing degree from the University of Iowa. She has since launched two monthly columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled the likes of Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top trends from fashion month, season after season. Eliza now lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, running in Central Park, and scouring eBay for '90s Prada and '80s Yves Saint Laurent.
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