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??

@StarlightLady

But you can wear leggings without a dress or a skirt, wearing tights without would be, lets say, “unusual”.

Yes, if you are going for a run, doing yoga or at the gym, leggings without a dress or skirt are an ideal choice. Working from home, they are also practical. As an item of clothing to wear in public when you are not exercising - it is a no from me, whatever you team them with. Unflattering and often a grim combination of both frumpy and revealing.

I’ve been called a skirt wearing feminist before, whatever one of those is but never frumpy and revealing! 🤔

StarlightLady I'm confused - I didn't call you anything of the sort. I've never seen you and have no idea who you are or what you look like.

I realise this is Style and Beauty. I have neither of these, so I wear whatever the heck I feel comfortable in. Within reason of course. No pyjamas in Tesco.

I have been known to wear a dress with leggings and happen to think it looks ok.

@Doghead

"Soooo... YOU’RE allowed to call others frumpy, but anyone who dares call a leggings-and-dress combo frumpy is wrong and talking tripe. Cool."

Seriously, have you seen some of the stuff posted on here? There was a thread the other day where someone asked whether a dress was acceptable for a wedding. It was truly awful......shapeless, made her look 2 sizes bigger and was something even my grandma wouldn't wear.....yet people were telling her it looked lovely.

Saw that. It made me realise MN is the wrong place to come for style advice, with the exception of a few, clearly very stylish, posters.

Why not tights OP?

@FunnyWonder

I realise this is Style and Beauty. I have neither of these, so I wear whatever the heck I feel comfortable in. Within reason of course. No pyjamas in Tesco.

I have been known to wear a dress with leggings and happen to think it looks ok.

So many people saying similar to this. "I wear what I like and feel comfortable in, I don't care what other people think". That's great for you, and I am happy to see so many women confident in their own style.

However, OP clearly does care if other people thinks she looks frumpy, that's why she started the thread, and leggings under summer dresses do look frumpy. The exceptions mentioned like shalwar kameez or similar styles, are not leggings and summer dresses, but items designed specifically to be paired together and compliment each other. I hate to say it but particularly on an older women who carry a little extra weight, it is a frumpy look, because it is so obviously not a choice made because you like the way the clothes look as an outfit, but to hide certain parts of your body.

It’s a typical look for me in late spring, honestly. I wear calf length (3/4?) leggings and ballet pumps. Works fine.

Frumpy is such a ridiculous word.

That is all.

@ElephantsNest

Men don’t have these dilemmas to anything like the same extent. Maybe we should all just wear what the fuck we want.

This /\ The Dalai Lama says “what other people think of me is none of my business”. Not only is this spot on, but most people won’t be thinking negative thoughts about us anyway as they are too wrapped-up in their own issues!

@peak2021

Why not tights OP?

Tights are nowhere near as comfy as leggings.

I wear nude fishnets with summer dresses to transition them. When its really hot I wear whatever feels ok.
I don't think leggings with dresses looks awful, go for it if you feel comfortable.

@HeadNorth - Apologies, ‘meant lighheartedly and l missed off the 😂. x 💋

@Spaceprincess

I wear nude fishnets with summer dresses to transition them. When its really hot I wear whatever feels ok. I don't think leggings with dresses looks awful, go for it if you feel comfortable.

Transition them to what?

I agree with @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie about the word 'frumpy'. It is ridiculous ... and completely subjective. It's right up there with 'mumsy'.

@FunnyWonder

I agree with *@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie about the word 'frumpy'. It is* ridiculous ... and completely subjective. It's right up there with 'mumsy'.

This thread is a perfect example of why it's so ridiculous.

Another phrase that is ridiculous is, 'On trend' which I never hear anywhere but on MN.

And 'mumsy' can just fuck off.

@BackyardDeckchair to full on summer when its too warm for leg coverings.

[quote Spaceprincess]@BackyardDeckchair to full on summer when its too warm for leg coverings.[/quote]
Ah, I see. Do they add any warmth at all? I'd have thought they'd be too cold for most April days.

I wear leggings and dresses all the time, and don't care much about being on trend. (I even like the odd White Stuff dress, can I admit that?)
I wear them with boots in the winter and flats/sandals in the summer, sometimes cropped leggings. I have a few knee length dresses as I like that length on me so just go without leggings on hot days and ignore my pasty chunky legs, no one else cares so why should I?
I'm a big fan of wear what you want. I dress for comfort due to health issues but also choose pretty dresses I feel good in. I can't wear jeans or other trousers, so why not leggings?

I wear leggings under dresses all the time in summer. I hate tights - I find them really uncomfortable and the thin ones ladder or rip so easily. Haven't worn them since I was a teenager. I don't care if other people think it's 'frumpy' - it's practical and comfortable for me. If you like the look, OP, then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of it.

You have to wonder if some posters have stumbled into the Style & Beauty board by accident, or have come on here deliberately to berate us for being so shallow as to care about err, Style, as opposed to their far worthier unstylish selves. If you don't give a toot about Style & Beauty, why are you on here?

@HeadNorth

You have to wonder if some posters have stumbled into the Style & Beauty board by accident, or have come on here deliberately to berate us for being so shallow as to care about err, Style, as opposed to their far worthier unstylish selves. If you don't give a toot about Style & Beauty, why are you on here?

The blessing and curse that is, 'Active Threads'.

I feel obliged to shout Snag Tights at you @Sparrowfeeder. I have their skin tone shorts on, they come quite long as I'm short so don't tend to ride up and solve chub rub.

@Thereoncewasahorridmama

I feel obliged to shout Snag Tights at you *@Sparrowfeeder*. I have their skin tone shorts on, they come quite long as I'm short so don't tend to ride up and solve chub rub.

I love Snag. Both their tights (as they actually fit and don’t move about, or roll down) and ‘chub rub’ shorts!

Yes it is frumpy.