Jeggings have become increasingly popular in recent years. They emerged during the early 2000s in response to the rise of skinny jeans. Since then, jeggings have become more and more popular. Before including them in your outfits, though, there are several things you need to know about jeggings.
What Are Jeggings?
Jeggings are trousers that feature the characteristics of both jeans and leggings. Based on their appearance alone, many people assume they are jeans. Jeggings are made of denim, and most of them feature the same light blue or indigo color as jeans. But jeans are hybrid trousers that feature characteristics of both jeans and leggings.
Like leggings, jeggings are form-fitting. They offer a snug fit that hugs your body when worn. This is because jeggings are made of a special type of denim. Known as stretch denim, it contains an elastic material. Stretch denim typically consists of about 98% cotton and 2% lycra, the latter of which is an elastic material. Stretch denim lives up to its namesake by featuring elastic, stretchy characteristics.
Common characteristics of jeggings include the following:
- Made of stretch denim
- Form-fitting
- Full length that completely covers the legs
- Standard denim pocket configuration
- Zipper or button fly
Jeggings vs Traditional Jeans: What’s the Difference?
Jeggings are still classified as jeans, but they aren’t necessarily the same as traditional jeans. Traditional jeans are available in both plain denim and stretch denim. Plain denim consists entirely of cotton. It’s still soft, but it doesn’t offer the same stretchy characteristics as stretch denim. Jeggings, on the other hand, are only available in stretch denim. Leggings are stretchy. To achieve a similar level of stretchiness, jeggings are made of stretch denim.
Traditional jeans may also fit differently than jeggings. Baggy jeans, for instance, are designed to fit loosely when worn. They typically feature wide leg openings that manifest in the form of a baggy fit. Jeggings, conversely, offer a tighter fit. They will hug your legs and lower body when worn.
Reasons to Wear Jeggings
Why should you wear jeggings exactly? They are versatile and can be worn in many different outfits. You can include them in most if not all of your casual outfits. Rather than wearing traditional jeans, you can wear jeggings. Jeggings are designed to look like jeans, so they support nearly all of the same outfits as jeans.
Like other form-fitting trousers, jeggings have a slimming effect when worn. They create the perception of a slimmer figure by contouring to the shape of your body when worn. You won’t get this same slimming effect with other, non-form-fitting trousers.
You can also wear jeggings when performing physical activities. Maybe you’re going jogging, or perhaps you’re doing yoga or pilates. Thanks to their form-fitting and stretchy characteristics, jeggings offer a comfortable form of activewear. You’ll be able to stretch and bend your body freely while wearing jeggings.
Jeggings double as loungewear as well. You can wear them outside the house, and you can wear them when lounging around inside the house. They are arguably more comfortable than traditional jeans. Jeggings are made of an elastic material mixed with cotton. The combination of these materials results in a superior level of comfort. As a result, jeggings double as loungewear. Thanks to their support level of comfort, you can wear jeggings as loungewear.
How to Choose Jeggings
When shopping for jeggings, you should consider the color. Most of them are available in the same light blue and indigo colors as traditional jeans. Some people prefer the soft and timeless appearance of light blue jeggings, whereas others prefer the bolder and more modern appearance of indigo jeggings. You can’t go wrong with either of these colors; just remember to choose jeggings in a color that matches the garments and accessories with which you intend to wear them.
As previously mentioned, jeggings are available in a zipper fly or button fly. Some people prefer a zipper fly, whereas others prefer a button fly. Regardless, you should consider the fly type when choosing jeggings.
Make sure the jeggings feature an elastic material in their construction. All jeggings are made of stretch denim, which contains some type of elastic material like lycra. If you come across a pair of trousers that don’t contain an elastic material in their construction, they aren’t true jeggings.
Don’t forget to choose jeggings in the right size. Since they are form-fitting, you’ll need to ensure they are the right size for your body. If they are just one or two sizes too small, you may not be able to wear them — at least not comfortably. How do you know whether a pair of jeggings are the right size for your body? You can always use a sizing chart when choosing a size, or you can order custom-sized jeggings. Custom-sized jeans, such as those sold here at MakeYourOwnJeans, are made using your own body measurements.
Tips on Wearing Jeggings
There’s really no wrong way to wear jeggings. They are comfortable, stylish trousers that offer characteristics of both jeans and leggings. With that said, you may want to wear a top that matches your jeggings.
You can wear just about any top with jeggings. T-shirts, polo shirts, button-up shirts, sweaters and even tank tops are all acceptable for jeggings. But the color or colors of your top should flow cohesively with that of your jeggings.
You should choose the right footwear when wearing jeggings. Because they are form-fitting, jeggings will emphasize your feet. The right footwear will ensure an attractive, cohesive outfit. You can wear boots, athletic shoes or even sandals with jeggings, but make sure they match you jeggings.
Even if they fit, you may want to accessorize your jeggings with a belt. A belt will define your waistline by introducing new colors and patterns to this area. Fortunately, jeggings support a belt. They are designed with belt loops mimicking the belt loops of traditional jeans.
