What summer dresses can I wear with leggings?

[TrinityForce]

Things that don't look weird with them!

I just discovered I love dresses but hate my legs, so don't want to wear them without leggings... The only ones I have are winter dresses so look OK with them, but I'm worried about summer dresses looking 'off' with leggings...

help please?

Sorry woolly I didn't mean to be snippy. But i do hate the notion that perhaps fashion or style should only be available to some who fit some invisible 'rules'. It's all subjective and that's how it should be really. There have been some really deliberately insulting comments made on this thread and it's just not nice.

Vixo has hit the nail on the head for me. Leggings under dresses are practical. They mean you can chase after toddlers, crawl under tables, go up climbing frames, etc. Therefore you could wear a nice dress to places you wouldn't usually.

However, IMO, dresses and leggings scream just that - "mumsy." They don't look stylish, they look comfortable. IMO, black leggings kill the look of a nice dress. Even worse when teamed with black ballet pumps or - worse still - sparkly pumps. I'm saying this because this is S&B. People can of course wear whatever they like but if they're posting on S&B I can presume they want genuine opinions on style.

Which is where this thread has got confused - half of us are saying they don't look stylish and make legs look thicker, while the other half are saying "yes, but they're comfortable." Which is also right.

I wore dresses with leggings when I was pregnant. Haven't and wouldn't since. It can work in a Fat face/ white stuff/ Joules sort of way, but as I would never wear stuff from there, leggings and dresses aren't for me.

IMO a nice summery dress works with bare legs and sandals/flats (not good with high heels). Perfect for the office, shopping, a walk, day out, whatever. If I'm going to soft play I wouldn't team the dress with leggings, as my short and muscular legs swathed in black would kill the look. I'd wear skinnies or straight-leg jeans instead.

Sorry that was long, and far too much effort to go to for a debate on leggings!

Oops, just to clarify - summer dresses are great with high heels, it's ME that isn't good with heels!
Just can't walk in them....

I don't think I look frumpy or mumsy! One of my fave outfits is black slash neck ballet top full midi skirt black footless tights and vintage type strappy heels

I wear knee length tunics/dresses with leggings a lot. I have a job that involves working with small children and leggings stop me flashing anything and also cover up when I haven't had time to shave my legs.

I would like to wear slightly shorter dresses/tunics but at 5' 3'' and a half most of them come to just above my knees.

Depends where you're going. Toddler group, the yes leggings are fine, even great with a short denim dress and some converse (but not black leggings- marl or navy)

Lunch at a smart restaurant then ditch the leggings.

Wouldn't wear with anything short only knee or longer

The S&B board is often pretty nasty - do some of you not remember the bag threads. Now they were nasty. At least no-one has been told to buy a bench on this thread

Leggings do scream practical to me - not that there is anything wrong with that.

But soon it will be time for the white jeans/white linen trousers threads and they're always so much fun too

I think the dresses Noddy posted are ruined by the leggings. And the gorgeous Warehouse dress isn't short .

It's not a look I like at all - I always think it makes the wearer look self conscious and think bare legs (regardless of size / veins etc) look far better. When I see the dress / leggings look I think 'committ to the dress!'

But people want to wear them! I don't think Helena Christensen looks practical or frumpy just elegant. I wouldn't wear leggings with tunics as it's not my look but this is a thread asking for ideas for someone who does!

Noddy your post is exactly what I mean! You have been able to say that its not your look (nor mine) without telling anyone that they look stupid or what is 'acceptable'. It's a shame some others couldn't do the same.

I'm a dress and leggings lover, and proud of it. And I was out last night with lots of stylish ladies, wearing a fitted Louche silky dress, which comes to mid-thigh, leggings and ankle boots, and the stylish ladies said I looked great. So yah boo sucks to the haters.

I am an hourglass, so find it difficult to find trousers that a) fit, and b) don't cut off my circulation when I sit down for any length of time. I have shitty feet, that need support, that like ankle boots, which go much better with tights or leggings than trousers. I have flabby legs, with knees like uncooked croissants, that cannot be seen. People point and laugh. But encased in leggings or thick tights they are OK. Ish. Tights fall down, and/or give me fanny rot.

Thus, after much trial and error, the dress and leggings look fulfils most of my criteria for clothing - comfy, looks pretty good, covers the worst bits, brings out the best bits. I'd imagine that's why it's popular, and why the OP wanted helpful suggestions about dresses.

They do tend to make the wearer look self conscious, as if they're trying to hide their legs - but obviously the harsh black leggings just draw attention even more.

My sister, for example, is very overweight and lives in tunics and leggings because she thinks they hide her tummy and bum. I think that a longer dress and no leggings would look far better but I would never tell her so (unless she asked!)

I don't believe when people say they don't care what others think of their fashion choices.

A discussion forum where people talk about what they think about style and beauty products, trends and finds is an odd place to hang out if you're not interested in other people's opinions.

Helena BC is not my definition of elegant or stylish. I've rarely seen her and thought she looks good.

And Running echoes my thoughts exactly.

Single I think the Helena mentioned is Helena Christensen.

Burnished I agree with your point but the OP wasn't asking if people liked the look really, more for ideas on dresses. Some people just chimed in like she was suggesting battering puppies in the street.

Dressed to please herself, obviously.

always wear dresses with leggings in the office.

my legs are too hairy (despite constant hair removal) and the air con is too cold for them to be public!

And I think she is very stylish so it is just opinion.

I don't wear leggings with anything short. I haven't got the thighs any more and leggings don't hide that. My rule is that if I wouldn't wear something with tights. then I don't wear it with leggings either. So it's knee length or just below for me which is why I really like those links from Noddy.

I don't wear tea dresses either but I quite like leggings with something like a tube or a pencil skirt or a shift dress - something a bit more structured. The leggings kind of tone down the smartness.

I agree that black can be too harsh and it's the same with black opaques. I prefer grey.

That comment want really directed at the op wil. I agree. She wasn't asking if it was ok to wear leggings.

I hereby confirm that Herbaceous is very stylish indeed as evident from her outfit last night, dress, leggings, ankle boots and all