While we refute the idea that leggings shouldn’t be worn beyond the confines of one’s own apartment, the age-old question of what to wear with leggings remains. On the one hand, you could go the athleisure route and pair them with sneakers and a sporty bomber, or on the other, you could dress them up for brunch or even work (yes, really) with some strategic layering.
They may not qualify as pants, per se, but they can sub in for skinny jeans on certain occasions when comfort is key—say, when getting on a five-hour flight, or running out of the house on a chilly Friday morning. For fall, you can’t go wrong layering a cozy, oversized sweater over a pair of black leggings, whether they’re leather, waxed cotton, or basic stretch spandex. Mesh-paneled styles have more of an athletic feel, so you may want to stick to wearing those on weekends with hoodies, bombers, and tees (even crop tops if you want to crib Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner‘s look).
As far as footwear, ankle boots and sneakers are both easy options, or you could reach for high-heel sandals or pumps if you’re aiming for a dressier vibe.
Below, see 15 outfit ideas you can steal to wear your leggings out of the house this season.
A version of this article was originally published in August 2013.
Pair with a Printed Sweater
The funkier and brighter the sweater, the better.
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Timur Emek/Getty Images
Pair it with a Black Coat
If you have leggings that stand out on their own, like the one pictured here, keep the rest of the outfit pretty minimal.
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Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images
Pair with a Long Coat
Throw on some sneakers for a more laid-back look.
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Christian Vierig/Getty Images
Pair with Combat Boots
Opt for an all-black ensemble.
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Getty Images
Pair with Pumps
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My Curves and Curls
Pair with an Oversized Sweater
The white Converse add a nice touch.
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Getty Images
Pair with a Long, Vintage Tee
Gigi Hadid pulls off this layered look perfectly.
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WENN
Pair with a Colorful Jacket
A pop of color is always on-trend.
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Getty Images
Pair with a Cropped Sweater
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's rocking the athleisure look.
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WENN
Pair with Long Boots
The scarf, the long jacket, and the boots: We're all about this look.
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Getty Images
Pair with a Jean Jacket
Kylie Jenner keeps the outfit mostly monochromatic and tops it all off with a white jacket.
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WENN
Pair with an Extra Long Jacket
The longer the jacket and layers, the more you're able to minimize the fact you're wearing leggings.
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Getty Images
Pair with Sneakers
Where can we get Kendall Jenner's print jacket?
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WENN
Pair with a Bomber Jacket
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Nadia Aboulhosn
Pair it with Bright Kicks
Olivia Palermo isn't afraid to mix textures, prints, and colors.
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WENN
