Would you say something?

[Poptart4]

A friend of mine regularly wears leggings (2-3 times a week) that are seriously not flattering. I suspect they are too small for her as they are very tight and you can see every inch of cellulite on her bum and thighs. She might as well be naked they are that exposing.

I dont want to hurt her feelings but I've been thinking I should say something to her. If we were Bff's I'd have said something by now but we are not super close. More casual mates. What would you do?

YABU - say nothing
YANBU - Tell her

@NameChangedForThisFeb21

I mean I wouldn’t feel shocked or offended if someone wore gym leggings to the supermarket.

I am not shocked or offended by anything

But leggings are not trousers
most of the photos of your example show someone wearing something covering their bum!

They are underwear as in "designed to be worn under longer tops", tunics and whatever you like.

Technically you can wear tights as trousers too, no one is stopping you, but that doesn't mean they are not underwear. There was a fairly recent thread where half the posters found the idea of wearing knickers under leggings absolutely ridiculous

Hey, whatever, but really, not trousers...

So back to the original point, the friend does know what she looks like with them, so don't say anything.

I do wear gym leggings and sports bras, but I also cover up when I go to the supermarket or just.. out

I have read some weird things on MN in my time but leggings = underwear is the most ridiculous things I have seen for a long time.

Never seen leggings for sale in the lingerie department. They have always been in the clothing section because they are, funnily enough, clothes

@PhatPhanny

I pukl people up in the street if they're having a clothing mishap. My DC school is next to a fancy off and I have mentioned a few things to a couple of the girls there.

I walked home from school once with my skirt caught in my tights, showing everyone my backside, not one single person told me, I was so upset, I vowed to always tell someone if they were having a wardrobe malfunction or similar.

Ah, this reminds me of when a skirt of mine disagreed with my tights and rode up so badly my fulsome arse was displayed for all to laugh at see.

A lady kindly yelled at me from across the road (the full width of London Bridge) and did a very accurate mime so I knew what was going on. I was so grateful to her

OP as a pp suggested I might go for the "girl code alert - I can see your pants" technique.

I'd buy her a pair as a 'just because' present in a colour you know she loves as maybe it's also a £ issue. If they're the right size & decent fabric , they don't show every bump (darker colours ).

People usually wear long line T-shirts with leggings.

I bet you give smellies as gifts don't you?
This made me lol.

OP see through leggings is a completely different situation to cellulite. Cellulite is just a part of her body; she can’t do anything about it. If I was your friend I wouldn’t appreciate you pointing it out. BUT if it’s that the leggings are thin enough material to see underwear then I’d want to know.

If I were you I wouldn't say anything, over the past year my clothing standards have fallen and I wear my (thick mint velvet leggings) a lot but I am fully aware They are not the best look!

If you feel you absolutely have to say something, I'd go down the route pps have mentioned of making it about being able to see underwear rather than anything else.

If I were her I'd be far more mortified if you told me I looked awful instead!

@Womencanlift

I have read some weird things on MN in my time but leggings = underwear is the most ridiculous things I have seen for a long time.

Never seen leggings for sale in the lingerie department. They have always been in the clothing section because they are, funnily enough, clothes

Snap.

They very clearly aren’t underwear. Really ridiculous to suggest they are.

Strange breed, Mumsnetters.

A friend once helpfully told me that my jeans were threadbare on the thighs. She has a heart of gold and would never intentionally hurt me but she didn't know I wasn't even able to afford food at the time let alone new jeans. Don't say anything, she may well already know.

If the leggings have gone threadbare and see through, she might not realise. In this case I might say 'ooh, friend, your leggings are see through in this light. Do you want to tie my jacket round your waist? Its happened to me, so embarrassing.. ' I wouldn't point it out without offering the fix though or she might be very uncomfortable.
If the leggings are perfectly functional but you just think they're too tight I'd mind your own business. Some people like them like that.

@Womencanlift

I have read some weird things on MN in my time but leggings = underwear is the most ridiculous things I have seen for a long time.

Never seen leggings for sale in the lingerie department. They have always been in the clothing section because they are, funnily enough, clothes

whatever you say

but when you wear leggings instead of trousers, you just look like you forgot to put some clothes on!

And very few women have the body to get away with it, which makes it even worst.

Yes, yes but I have been waiting since page 1 to find out what a “fancy off” is. I MUST KNOW.