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??

I do it - Capri length- and I know the style police disapprove but I am self conscious about my flabby thighs (mid 50’s) even with fake tan, and I dgaf

In fact I’m looking for some new ones - any tips?

I find tights really uncomfortable and always wear leggings with skirts and dresses. Never realised it was considered unacceptable but I'd rather be comfortable than care about what others think!

I’d endanger people’s retinas with the reflected glare from my pallid limbs should I venture out in a short dress without something on my lower half. I’m not crazy about the leggings look but have worn it. Jeans? Wide legged linen trews? Both can look great with a tunic.

I would because I'm always cold !
Also don't have to have remembered to shave
And dresses often feel too short too

I'm 30 if that makes any difference?

I'm wearing leggings with a dress right now

Any recommendations for Capri's to wear under dresses please?

Have you tried gradual tan moisturiser? I am not pale but my legs are! It always makes them look better and me feel better about them. I just put it on a couple of days in a row and that's enough for a subtle tan colour, for me anyway

Is the dress short enough to be called a tunic?

Probably worth noting that tunic and leggings is a bit infra dig too (I'm 51 and have Embraced My Inner Frump).

I'd say go for it but even up here in the Frozen Wastelands of the North it sometimes gets too hot for leggings, at which point only a long tiered skirt will do.

I do it for work over a dress if it's too short for tights; Im a secondary teacher so need to be reasonably modest. Anywhere else I wear tights or legs out.

I really like dresses over wide leg trousers. Looks floaty and comfortable and summery

It’s a look I’m fond of too.

I do this in the summer as I only wear very short, bum skimming dresses and it just wouldn't be practical or attractive if I went bare legged!!
I think it looks lovely with flip flops or sandals

I like it - comfy and I can wear my Birkenstock’s which wouldn’t work with tights obviously.

I’m a size 14 to 16 and am 52 and find midi dresses really flattering and also very cool for the summer months. I only got into to them last summer snd I received lots of compliments. Is that something you would try?
I really don’t like dresses and leggings, I think it looks like you are wearing too many clothes and also looks like you’d get really hot.
Could you shorten the dresses and make them tunic length or save the dresses for really hot days and go bare legged?

I am 53 and this is me at least 3 times a week.

It looks fine. It only looks frumpy if the dress is frumpy to start with.

Tunic dresses are really very unfashionable to begin with, if you don't want to expose your legs wear a midi or maxi dress. Wait tilm tunics are fashionable again then bare your legs.

Personally I'm quite happy to expose my white legs. I have pale skin, I don't see why I should have to hide it. I'm more concerned with being toned but that's for health reasons. And pale skin can look amazing.

Honestly do you notice other women’s bare legs when out and about and think “wow they’re pale/veiny/old”? If not then why would people do it to you? They’re way too busy worrying about themselves, as we all are.

I think if you’re not comfortable in these dresses anymore it would be better to buy some longer ones, rather than add leggings, as it is a bit of an “I’ve given up” look 😬

@BlairWaldorfLovesShopping I completely agree about it being a bit 'given up' as a look! Doesn't stop me wearing it when I can't be arsed to top up my tan

I'm wondering the same thing - have put on weight over lockdown and my summer dresses don't work on their own..... I am going to have to try this!

A lot of Muslim women already do this. As long as the dress suits you and is short (mid thigh or shorter) it looks ok.

That was me last summer, my short dresses became shorter because as I had put on weight. I went to H&M and bought 4 lovely midi dresses and then felt good all summer. I’m 52 and think it’s a good look for me, this year I’ve bought a couple of more expensive midi dresses because I now know the style works for me. I wear my dresses with trainers, flit flops, flats, wedges or going out sandals and I have a couple of different jackets that go with them.

This is current issue
I hate my legs ,all my dresses are knee length or shorter ,I’m a fat bird ,if I bend over with no leggings on ,everyone will see to the back of beyond ..
No a good look .
But I’m to old for leggings ,so no dresses for this year

Depends how it’s done, I think it can look fine. fashionmylegs.blogspot.com/2019/01/how-to-wear-leggings-under-dress.html?m=1

I'm glad other people do this, although I dont belong in style and beauty as I dont really have either of those attributes! I dont think MN approve of leggings at all.
On holiday I wore leggings under very short denim shorts, (and flip flops) as it was it was a bit chilly.

I mainly wear this only for flying to somewhere hotter where it is ideal to keep you warm in airport/ plane and easy to whip off leggings at other end.
However this year I may wear this at home if I can find suitable leggings to wear with my cotton jersey summer dresses since holiday abroad looking increasingly unlikely (Don’t care about 6 hour wait cheek by jowl
with hundreds of others in enormous airport queue myself as I’ll be immunised, but not keen to risk for teenagers).
Devotees of the bare leg in Scotland are few and far between and almost always under 20! I can’t remember more than five (spread out) days at most between May and September most years when bare legs would have been comfortable.