Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

black leggings and sumer dresses - the way to go?

30 replies

zookeeper · 26/04/2011 11:23

Hi all. I love the short/knee length summer dresses that are around - what do you think of them with three quarter length black leggings? My legs are reasonably ok but I have pale celtic skin and they look a bit corned beefish. Fake tan doesn't seem to suit me.

OP posts:
Jumbs · 26/04/2011 11:39

yes, but maybe not black leggings? Think grey or other paler colours might be more summery and look nicer with lighter weight/coloured clothes.

nikki1978 · 26/04/2011 11:42

This is what I do as my legs are not my best feature currently. I think it looks nice. As for the colour of the leggings that depends on the dress I suppose although I hate marl grey leggings with a passion. Black suits everything.

Rosebud05 · 26/04/2011 11:45

I'm having just this dilemma - good legs but spend too much time bending over picking up children/something they've dropped/don't necessarily want to defuzz all the time.

Where's a good place to get 3/4 length leggings if you're about 5'4" size 8/10?

Original poster
zookeeper · 26/04/2011 11:53

thanks everyone - I'm off to defuzz my ankles then Grin. I hadn't thought of other colours but I will definitely try them.

OP posts:
apple99 · 26/04/2011 12:26

I do this, I have black, navy and grey leggings depending on what dress I am wearing. I prefer ankle length leggings but thats just me Smile

MamaLazarou · 26/04/2011 12:33

I don't understand the fashion for wearing leggings under summer dresses. It just looks uncomfortably sweaty and as though you're ashamed of your legs. Bare legs are much prettier, IMO.

fortyplus · 26/04/2011 12:33

I remember leggings the first time around...

...they were hideous then and they're hideous now! Don't kid yourselves Grin

MrsSeanBean · 26/04/2011 12:37

I don't think it works with really lightweight summery dresses; it may work OK with a medium weight chambray type fabric.

Otherwise, (subtle) fake tan (the wash off stuff I find handy as I am invariably usually too lazy / ill prepared to have exfoliated and applied the proper stuff the day before). Or just revel in lily-white legs.

tulpe · 26/04/2011 13:59

I wear leggings with summer dresses on cooler days only (when I can't face going back to jeans or trousers). I wear either navy, brown, slate grey or black and almost always ankle length. I find black is too harsh for most of my summer clothes though.

Rassy · 26/04/2011 14:17

Another vote here for full length leggings and dresses. I'm 5ft 3 and find that full length leggings make my legs look longer. I tried hoicking them to 3/4 length and my legs looked even shorter...Confused

Soups · 26/04/2011 16:16

I wear leggings with short dresses :)

SkinittingFluffyBunnyBonnets · 26/04/2011 16:20

mamalazerou Some of us ARE ashamed of our legs! Does that mean we shouldn't wear a nice dress? Hmm

olympialimpet · 26/04/2011 16:25

I love wearing full length and 3/4 length leggings with summer dresses, think it's a great look and no-one can convince me otherwise Smile

RtHonLadyEuphemiaOfCaledonia · 26/04/2011 16:33

Leggings are so much better now than in the 80s because of lycra.

I remember only being able to wear leggings for a few hours before they went all baggy at the knees! Grin

fuschiapink · 26/04/2011 16:36

mamalazerou - 'bare legs are much prettier, IMO' - you haven't seen my legs though! Grin

fuschiapink · 26/04/2011 16:39

i live in summer dresses and leggings btw.
like you op i hate wearing fake tan and really really like to keep my legs covered!

Rassy · 26/04/2011 16:43

I live in Scotland and you would rarely get to wear summer dresses with bare legs here in the summer...Grin

RtHonLadyEuphemiaOfCaledonia · 26/04/2011 16:45

Oh come on, Rassy, probably for one day ... two weeks ago ... Wink

Rassy · 26/04/2011 16:49

Unfortunately I missed that day Blush

TragicallyHip · 26/04/2011 16:51

With any dresses that are quite short or see through I wear short leggings. Always black, not really keen on coloured leggings.

stepawayfromthebiscuits · 26/04/2011 16:54

Oh yes! - I hate, hate, hate my legs, but with leggings (usually navy or grey (not marl!) I can wear dresses quite happily :). No inner thigh chafing, no worries about spider veins or bruises, or the fact that my legs take 100 years tan, and I can wear dresses that I would never normally look at! I even wear them with a denim skirt sometimes Shock

Insomnia11 · 26/04/2011 17:12

I put leggings under when I think the dress is a bit short or it's perhaps not quite warm enough to wear without leggings.

fresh · 26/04/2011 18:00

Was just pondering this today - I want to wear leggings under a brown linen dress but what colour? I have black, and pale grey (not marl) but don't think either will go. Could quite fancy something colourful and summery but haven't see anything but basic colours. Dress is sleeveless so will prob put bright cardi over top. Anyone seen any interesting leggings? Or should I just stick to black?

magso · 26/04/2011 18:21

I am short (8)and prefer either full length or half length ( just below the knee) leggins 3/4 just doesn't work for my proportions and I have knobbly knees to hide!. They are difficult to get - uniqlo had some last summer and I stocked up in the sale. I suppose the colour also depends on your colouring. I find mid blue grey and slate useful as I have blueishish skin. Do you think matching your cami (peeking from under stappy dress) to leggins an OK look? Cant decide.

MamaLazarou · 27/04/2011 13:23

"mamalazerou Some of us ARE ashamed of our legs! Does that mean we shouldn't wear a nice dress?"

No, just... maybe you could wear a slightly longer one if you haven't the legs for short skirts.

I am sure your legs are quite lovely and wouldn't have people pointing and shrieking in horror if you went around leggingless.