Leggings can be an extremely comfortable piece of clothing to wear throughout the year. Here are all the tips you need on how to wear leggings over 40.
What are leggings?
Before we get onto how to wear leggings, what exactly are they? Leggings are thicker than tights so they are nice and warm and give good coverage for your legs.
Generally skin tight, leggings tend to end at your mid calf or ankle. They’re stretchy so you don’t need any fastenings to get into them. And, depending on the style and material, you can wear leggings for everything from exercising to a night out.
So, exactly how should you wear leggings so they also look good? And which leggings should you buy?
In this updated article with new shopping options, I will give you lots of guidelines on how to wear leggings over 40, 50 and beyond and where you can buy the best leggings online.
You will also find a capsule wardrobe of the best leggings as well as tops, sweaters, coats, dresses, shoes and accessories to wear with them.
How to wear leggings so you look stylish?
Leggings are a great transitional option for spring and summer as you can wear underneath dresses or tunics, meaning you can continue wearing your favorite summer dresses even if the weather is still a little cool.
In my opinion, you should not wear leggings like normal trousers.
I would not do that at any age, but it certainly does not look very classy when you are over 40.
As they reveal all curves of your legs, I feel it is much nicer to wear leggings as a supportive element for the rest of your clothes, rather than as a main garment.
Find out our top picks for the best tummy control leggings.
What are the best leggings to buy?
You will want to make sure that your leggings are thick enough and have a good stretch, yet are still firm enough to give your legs a great shape.
For that reason, it’s wise to invest in a good pair.
Ponte leggings (a hybrid of leggings and pants) are also a good choice.
If you like even thicker leggings, you may consider jeggings or elasticated skinny jeans. I would steer clear of shiny or sheer leggings.
Leather or faux leather leggings are great for an edgier look and can be easily ‘softened’ with a silk tunic.
Melanie (above) shows off a perfect look for spring by wearing a tunic over burgundy leggings with neutral booties.
Get her look with this similar pair of leggings and wear with this exact tunic top from Free People, booties from Steve Madden, earrings from Nickel & Suede, and necklace from Etsy.
If the weather is still cold where you are, you can read our article on the best winter leggings for women over 40.
Some great brands for leggings include:
It can be tricky to find a pair of leggings which give great coverage, aren’t see-thru and don’t lose their shape. Below are some of my favorite brands as well as recommendations from 40+ Style readers.
1. Zella live-in leggings
Zella live-in leggings have consistently good reviews. -These look just as good for everyday wear or for a workout.
2. Satina high-waisted leggings
Satina leggings come in several colors so you could always opt for a softer hue for summer if you already have black leggings in your closet. They have a high waist (making them perfect for hiding your belly)
3. Stella Carakasi
Have you discovered the Stella Carakasi brand yet? These leggings are my personal favorites. I own their second nature capris and ready to wear leggings.
They are firm and high-wasted, thick but not too thick and they keep their color and stretch, wash after wash.
You’ll also see I often wear asymmetrical tops from the same brand. Take a look at the best asymmetrical tops and dresses.
Second Nature capris – Ready to Wear leggings
4. NYDJ
NYDJ are well known for creating jeans for curves rather than for teenage girls. They also have a range of flattering leggings.
5. Eileen Fisher
Eileen Fisher is well known for classic and timeless styles that you can wear year-upon-year. So it’s no surprise, you’ll find the brand features some classic leggings and jeggings.
5. Lyssé
Lyssé prides itself on offering foundational wardrobe essentials. After all, every great wardrobe starts with good foundations! You can read more about this idea in how to create the ultimate capsule wardrobe.
Leggings make a good foundation because of their versatility. You can wear under so many different items of clothing in so many different ways. Read on for outfit ideas as well as a capsule wardrobe based on leggings.
6. Sweaty Betty
If you are looking for leggings for a workout, Sweaty Betty is a good brand to try. Many of Sweaty Betty’s leggings have bum-sculpting technology included.
What to consider when choosing leggings
Now that you’re thinking about the legging brands to look for, what else should you consider?
Jeanne (above) wears a dress with a beautiful print and keeps her legs warm with leggings.
Check out this printed midi dress that you can pair with these similar leggings, shoes, earrings and cuff.
Below are some factors to consider when choosing a new pair of leggings for yourself:
Length
Just as with skirt hem lengths, or the arm lengths on your tops, there are a number of legging lengths you could opt for.
Your leggings could end just below your knees, at your calves or ankles or they could be full-length.
Choose ankle or full length to tuck into booties, or a shorter length for your summer sandals.
For an extra flattering look, opt for leggings which hit your legs at their slimmest point.
Fabric
By their very nature, leggings come in stretchy fabric so you can pull them on without any fasteners. Usually, they have a mix of lycra and cotton, but you could choose from all sorts of materials such as a leather look or denim depending on whether you are opting for a casual or evening look.
Color
Black leggings are clearly a complete classic that will go with everything you own. They are the perfect addition to a capsule wardrobe.
But you could also think about white for summer, or add some color or pattern to your outfit. However, if you do opt for colored leggings, you may wish to keep the rest of your outfit more subtle.
What to wear with leggings?
So, now that you have a few ideas for the best legging brands to choose, what should you wear with them?
Leggings look best with longer tops and tunics. Short dresses can also look great with leggings.
So, if you do own a shorter dress that you have pushed to the back of your wardrobe, you could always try it with leggings before you decide to donate it.
Leggings work best when they act as a base for your other clothes. If you want to wear shorter tops I would recommend wearing jeans and other pants.
Find out some of our top recommendation for jeans.
The best tunics to wear with leggings
Judith (above) wears a fun tunic sweater.
Get these similar long sweater tunic, leggings and boots to steal her look.
Leggings look better with longer tops. You still want to make sure that you create enough structure in your outfit though.
You can do that through the right tunics and longer asymmetrical tops.
The latter especially create flattering vertical lines and add a bit of extra style to your look.
NIC+ZOE asymmetrical tank top – AL MC tunic – Karen Kane animal print tunic top – ATM Anthony Thomas Melillo t-shirt dress
Wear leggings with a long shirt
Because a long shirt covers up your bottom and thighs, you can afford to go a little bit edgy with your leggings. You could opt for a pair in leather or faux leather.
All of these shirts would look great with a pair of faux leather or coated leggings.
Krista (above) opts for classic plaid with shiny leggings and sneakers.
Get her look with these similar leggings, shirt and slip-on sneakers.
beachlunchlounge stripe blouse – Rails cotton shirt – Frank & Eileen linen shirt – Stella Carakasi tunic
Short dresses to wear over leggings
Instead of designated tunics you can also wear a short dress over your leggings.
An asymmetrical dress or draped dress will make a real statement.
If you have pushed a shorter dress to the back of your closet before you don’t feel confident about the length, it could be time to get it back out and try it with leggings.
Kylie (above) wears a tunic dress/top with her jeggings.
Get her dress from Bohemian Traders (available in white) and pair it with similar jeggings, sneakers and sunglasses.
Caslon pocket t-shirt dress – Fraiche by J shift dress – Significant Other wrap minidress – Sam Edelman flutter sleeve dress
Longer dresses
It can be tricky to wear a longer dress with leggings because you need to think more carefully about the proportions of your outfit. A great way to make sure you get it right is to wear a dress with a slit in it so you show off a little leg (or at least a little legging!).
Katie (above) looks beautiful in her floral dress and leggings.
You can get her dress from Topshop and wear it with this similar pair of leggings, coat, booties and sunglasses.
Tommy Bahama stripe cover-up shirtdress – Karen Kane shirtdress – All in Favor midi dress – Rails dress
Layer your leggings with a cardigan or sweater
Leggings are definitely your friend when it comes to layering.
They look great worn under long tops and ponchos with ankle booties.
If you’re heading out for a walk or to run errands, slinging a lightweight coat over a pair of leggings, together with a long-line tunic, can be a stylish option
Or, rather than wearing a coat, as you are likely to be heading into spring, you could try teaming your leggings with a cozy knit?
When choosing a sweater to go with your leggings, opt for a long-line version which will cover up your bottom.
If that is an area of your body you are confident about, you could always wear a pair of skinny jeans and a shorter sweater.
Jenny (above) styles her leggings with a classic striped Breton top and coat.
Recreate her look with this similar pair of leggings, cardigan, striped top and boots.
Bobeau asymmetrical hem top – Halogen long cardigan – Barefoot Dreams cardigan – La Fiorentina longline mesh vest
Lightweight cover-ups
Given that many of you are heading into spring and summer, another way to wear your leggings could be with a lighter-weight cover-up.
That way, you can still take advantage of flattering layers while staying cool.
Tommy Bahama stripe poncho – Angie pom cardigan – Tommy Bahama shimmer long cardigan – Treasure & Bond high/low cardigan
Leggings look great with jackets and long coats
Long cardigans can create lovely vertical lines which can help to elongate your figure.
But you can always wear a longer coat to keep you warm. How lovely would the plaid jacket look with a sweater, leggings and booties?
Another idea is to wear a longer top or short dress over your leggings and then to layer a moto or denim jacket over it.
Abi (above) covers her leather leggings with a neutral coat.
Recreate her look with this similar faux leather leggings, sweater, coat, handbag and sneakers.
Blank NYC suede moto jacket – BB Dakota stud moto jacket – KUT from the Kloth denim jacket – BB Dakota trench coat
In general, your ideal garments to combine with leggings include:
- Tunics
- Asymmetric tops and tunics
- Short dresses
- Knit dresses
- Long knitted sweaters
- Longer asymmetrical pieces
- Long cardigans
- Big wide sweaters
- Sweater dresses
Shoes to wear with leggings
As you will see from all the examples in this article you can wear a wide variety of shoes with your leggings.
I feel that open vamp shoes look the best as they will further lengthen your leg line.
But, with cooler weather, you can definitely wear your leggings with closed toe versions such as booties, sneakers and knee-high boots.
Greetje (above)
Check out this silk dress option from Nanushka that you can wear with this similar pair of leggings and booties.
Earth open toe bootie – Fly London wedge sandal – Steve Madden sneaker – Tory Burch flat sandal
Accessories to wear with leggings
Of course, anything goes when you are choosing accessories to wear with your leggings.
But generally, leggings invite a casual look, so you could opt for scarves and crossbody bags rather than anything too formal.
COACH crossbody bag – Hobo crossbody bag – Quay Australia aviator sunglasses – Echo stripe scarf – Brixton straw fedora – Dean Davidson hoop earrings – Vince Camuto cuff – Sole Society tassel pendant necklace – Sole Society layered necklace
Catherine (above) perfectly teams her leggings and tunic with a matching scarf.
Steal her look with this similar leggings, long tunic top, booties, handbag, scarf and sunglasses.
For which body type would leggings be suitable?
If you follow some of the guidelines above, all body types will be able to wear leggings.
If you have very thick calves though I would recommend you wear skinny jeans so the pants skim over your calves and will make them look slimmer. Make sure your leggings don’t end at the widest point of your legs.
Wide legged pants are also an option or you could wear leggings with nice knee-high boots.
Leggings can work especially well for the apple body type.
Your long tunic or top covers your belly and the leggings show off your fantastic legs.
You could never tell that Anja does have a tummy from these images (below).
Although women with the pear body shape can wear leggings as well, it is important that they choose a top with sufficient length over them.
How to wear leggings in summer and for travel
In case you are heading on vacation soon, below are a few travel looks with leggings.
Here is how I wore black and white leggings on a recent holiday. Tunic by Stella Carakasi.
Above is when I wore a white long tunic over a pair of capri leggings.
Leggings with asymmetrical tunics
I especially love asymmetric tunics and tops as they create an interesting silhouette and lengthen you through additional vertical lines.
Here is how I recently wore a super asymmetrical black top with white over-the-knee skinnies and a high / low tunic with very stretchy skinnies.
Also take a look at the best asymmetrical tops and dresses.
What not to wear with leggings over 40
I’ve spoken a lot about what TO wear with leggings, but what are some of the things to avoid?
- Avoid any tops that are higher than mid-thigh
- Don’t wear tops that are too tight
- Avoid animal prints (unless you are opting for skinny jeans instead of leggings) and disco fabrics for your leggings and remember that the classier the top, the better leggings will look.
- The luxury fabric of silk, wool or cashmere will create a great contrast with the comfortable jersey leggings.
What is the ideal length of your leggings
You can never go wrong with full-length leggings. These elongate and will make your legs appear longer.
Ankle-high leggings can also look sexy especially with heels or booties.
Hayley (above) opts for an ankle-length leggings to pair with sneakers, and a long coat to give her body an elongated look.
Recreate her look with these similar bow blouse, leggings, coat, sneakers, handbag, sunglasses and head scarf.
If you are short though, mid-calf and short leggings should be worn with caution as they will make you look smaller.
Here is a look with an asymmetrical tunic and draped leggings which are available in many colors.
Another length I like in warmer weather is just below the knee. These Second Nature Capri leggings from Stella Carakasi (below) are super fab.
Not too thin and very stretchy and comfortable. They are also great for tucking in your tummy.
I have these leggings in various colors and also use them for working out and yoga!
As you may have seen from the images above, it is great to wear a shoe in the same color as your leggings as it elongates your legs even further.
Tall flat boots can work really well with leggings, but short booties and ballet flats can work equally good.
For more info on what kind of shoes to wear with what pants check out this article.
What about jeggings and skinny jeans?
I’m also a big fan of looser fitting leggings, jeggings or skinny jeans.
Above is a look I wore to travel in. Also take a look at travel outfits for women over 40.
These will not show every curve in your legs, but will provide nice vertical lines and make your legs look long and slim.
Depending on the kind of jeggings and skinny jeans you choose, your tops can be shorter for these pants although, just like leggings, they will also look good with longer tops.
They can be a great asset for any wardrobe of women over 40.
Skinny jeans are usually a bit thicker and roomier so can be worn with shorter tops.
Be sure to wear the right underwear though, so there is no clear VPL (visible panty line). (Featured below are myself and Greetje).
Dayle (below) wears a black column outfit with a pair of skinny jeans and adds a pop of color with her scarf.
Check out this similar cardigan, jeans, booties and scarf.
Below is another look featuring my asymmetrical top.
A capsule wardrobe with 9 ways to wear your leggings
Of course, there are so many ways you could put together the leggings, tops, sweaters, dresses, shoes and accessories to create many, many outfits. But here are 9 outfits to get your started.
Let me know which of these outfits you would wear.
Read our ultimate guide to creating a capsule wardrobe that works best for you.
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I hope you got some more clarity on how to wear leggings! What do you think? Do you like wearing leggings and how do you usually wear leggings?
Continue reading:
- The Best Tummy ControlJeans To Give You A Smoother Look
- The Best Pants And Skirts To Fit And Hide Your Belly
- 14 Sure-Fire Ways To Hide Your Belly With The Right Clothes
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Feature image by Katie
The post How to wear leggings over 40 – a complete guide with the best leggings and tops and shoes to wear with them appeared first on 40+ Style.
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