Is it frumpy to wear leggings under a dress..?

[MHA65]

I have a couple of nice summer shift dresses that I bought last year and then didnt really wear...they are slightly too short (Im in my early 50s and dont want to show too much lily white leg!) Can I wear them with leggings? This would get me around the blue white legs and being too short issues in one go! But no idea if this is considered acceptable! If not, what do older/larger women wear in the summer??

A lot of people seem to be getting highly offended by other people (like me) not liking the look of leggings with dresses, you really need to relax. I can guarantee that any look/style posted on this board would have some people love it, and some people who think its ghastly - that's the nature of fashion and why so many brands exist. OP asked for opinions and she got them, it was never going to be all positive.

Side note - that picture of Demi Lovato in those zebra leggings she's a stunning girl, and she might not look frumpy, but in my personal opinion it is a million miles from stylish. That photo is probably 10 years old and you can tell, I doubt Demi today would wear or defend that outfit.

I'm not at all offended by people not liking a look. But people have been quite offensive in their comments describing the look. Two different things.

I did it today because I was cold and my tights don’t cut it. Mini dress and DM’s so I think it was still ok. And I’m 40+

Embrace your imperfections or slap on some fake tab and get your legs out. Nothing worse than dress/legging combos.

I have ever liked the look - black really does not go with everything, and summer dresses by the nature of the material, colour and patterns are the least likely to go with black.

I’m not in the UK, so my thinking is, if it’s so cold you need leggings, you probably shouldn’t be in the dress. But I get that it’s different in the UK.

I have been wondering recently about the end of skinny jeans, and whether this might also mean the end of leggings, since they’re the same style.

Caveat: I know it’s not the actual end of skinny jeans and some people will always continue to wear them. But the heyday and complete dominance of skinnies as the only jean style is definitely over.

I don't care if it's fashionable. I couldn't be fashionable if I tried. As long as the dress is the right shape, it suits me. I'm size 8-10 after losing weight, and my legs are fine from mid-thigh down, but the tops of my thighs still rub. Cropped leggings stop that but I can still wear sandals, which I couldn't with tights. I occasionally wear shorts underneath, but I'm self-conscious about them being visible if I bend over or the wind blows, because they draw attention to the problem.

@TheVampiresWife most people’s outfits in general aren’t high fashion or street style, so why would a random group of posters on a forum’s outfits be? Of course there may be some, which is why I said “most” would not be.

Nobody told me leggings with a dress is bad. I do it every day.

@SisterAgatha

I did it today because I was cold and my tights don’t cut it. Mini dress and DM’s so I think it was still ok. And I’m 40+

That sounds like a good look to me 👍

I have ever liked the look - black really does not go with everything, and summer dresses by the nature of the material, colour and patterns are the least likely to go with black

Not all leggings are black. .

@RockingMyFiftiesNot

I have ever liked the look - black really does not go with everything, and summer dresses by the nature of the material, colour and patterns are the least likely to go with black

Not all leggings are black. .

True, but every time you see someone in a summer dress and leggings, they’re a jarring black.

Nope; mine are usually navy. I wear capri length leggings with lots of my summer dresses. I have a white/navy patterned shirt dress and I wear open toe high heeled navy courts with it.
Also a pale blue linen dress and flat shoes. I wear these to work and feel smart but having my ankles/feet not encased in tights feels cooler. I get many comments on how good I look, even from the sixth formers I teach. ( And no, they are not taking the piss!)

Your navy/ white combo sounds nice and a change from black leggings.

Great. Doesn’t negate the fact that most people wear black leggings, no matter what how well they actually go with the dress.

@SwimBaby

Your navy/ white combo sounds nice and a change from black leggings.

Thank you! I also have some white capri leggings which are cool with a cotton dress on holiday. The shape of my legs is fine but I have thread veins and don’t tan easily, except my feet, but I put a dollop of This Works perfect legs skin miracle on my lower legs and feel good 🙂

@SaturdayRocks

Great. Doesn’t negate the fact that most people wear black leggings, no matter what how well they actually go with the dress.

I don't know how on the one hand you are saying if it's too cold for the dress you shouldn't be wearing leggings - but that it might be different in the UK, but you're not in the UK, yet still are able to say that almost everyone who wears leggings with a summer dress wears black ones? Something doesn't add up there.

I used to live in the UK. Pretty much everyone who worked the dress + leggings look wore black leggings with dresses.

I don't think I've seen anyone in a summer dress and black leggings...certainly not recently. Maybe it's a regional thing 🤷‍♀️

I don't wear summer dresses. I wear black wrap dresses/lurexy 70s style short dresses, all with thick footless/cropped tights (usually black, sometimes leopard, burgundy or dark green) in summer and black leggings in winter.

Who cares what 'goes with' what. Wear what makes you happy, comfortable and confident. If occasionally that looks stylish, win-win. If it doesn't, and you're happy, who gives a flying one.

@SisterAgatha

I did it today because I was cold and my tights don’t cut it. Mini dress and DM’s so I think it was still ok. And I’m 40+

This sounds like such a good look (and I'm not just saying that because it's what I wear, too )

I'm 42 and I wear mid-calf (is that Capri?) leggings under above the knee skirts and dresses in spring and autumn and when I'm on my bike. And it looks awesome on me, in my opinion. Don't give a flying fuck if Mumsnet thinks otherwise, they can enjoy their cream cigarette pants and blazers and leave my style alone.

The irony of people coming onto the style and beauty board to tell others that they don't care whether they look stylish or not.
You do you hun.

@BlairWaldorfLovesShopping

The irony of people coming onto the style and beauty board to tell others that they don't care whether they look stylish or not. You do you hun.

Define 'stylish'?

To me, it means feeling and looking your best, for you. If you wear clothes that make you feel uncomfortable and unhappy, you'll look uncomfortable and unhappy, and that's never stylish. Nor is slavishly following fashion, or having no individuality in your look. 'Stylish' may well mean something different to you, and that's fair enough - I probably don't want to look like your definition, and you won't want to look like mine. But there's not a single, one size fits all definition.

There is nothing less stylish than someone self consciously wearing what they think they should wear instead of what they feel good in. So yeah. You do you is good advice here tbh.

I think you've missed my point @TheVampiresWife, people can define "stylish" however they like, but I don't understand why you would come onto a talk forum that has Style in the title to specifically say you don't care whether you are stylish or not (however you define it).

I don't go onto the dog owners board to state that I don't care about dogs.