The Day I Went Pantless

{by Caitlin Muir}

 You read that right, pantless.

Not Lady Gaga pantless, where you go out in public wearing nothing but some cute underwear and a bedazzled t-shirt. Pantless as in wearing those cute black leggings as pants.

I’m not a sweatpant girl. I’ve never gotten into the fad of velour running suits. But leggings and a tunic top are my go-to pieces. There’s something about the feel of soft leggings on my skin that makes me feel good.

But the question remained – was it modest?

My parents said no, my roommate was slightly amused, and I wasn’t sure.

So in the name of science, I went pantless for a day. Instead of wearing a long tunic top, I paired it with a top that hit halfway down my bum. 

I’m not going to lie, I was a little uncomfortable.

I was even more uncomfortable when a man started following me around at the store. When I went to another rack to look at clothes, he followed to the next rack behind me where he could get a clear view of my rear.

So not cool.

I thought about turning around and yelling at him for staring. But instead, I walked away. After all, I could hardly blame him for being a man and reacting how any hot blooded male would.

I can’t show off my female body and then get mad when male biology kicks in. And I had to ask myself the question – would I have been more comfortable with the attention had he been younger and far more attractive?

Men are attracted to the physical. Just like females are attracted to the emotional. That’s just how we’re wired.

I do believe that modesty is more about your heart than your hemlines. I’ve seen women covered head to toe in fabric and act more provocatively than women hanging out on the beach in their swimsuits.

So I don’t think that I’m being legalistic, judgmental, or out of line to say that you should keep your bum covered.

There’s nothing classy about seeing someone’s rear.  Really.

How you dress influences the people you attract. During my pantless day, I was treated far differently than I am any other day of the week. I was oogled. I was followed by creepy men. I was ignored by salespeople. I got funny looks from little kids. I was embarrassed and kept tugging on my shirt to make it a little bit longer.

People don’t treat you with respect when you look like you forgot to get dressed.

Leggings are leggings. Not pants. When you are at home, wear them however you want. But when you’re out in public, realize that people will judge your character by the way you present yourself.

If I don’t want to be treated like a sex object, I don’t want to give men the idea that my body is for oogling.

There are plenty of classy ways to wear leggings. Try out some of these combos and let me know what you think.

·      Leggings + Long Oxford Shirt + Big, Messy Hair (Writing at home)

·      Leggings + Tanktop + Long Duster + Belt (Running Errands)

·      Leggings +Tunic Top + Knee High Boots (Date night!)

·      Leggings + Sweater-Dress  (Church, School, anywhere)

·      Colored Leggings + Summer Dress + Cardigan + Flats + Scarve (So very BoHo. Parties!)

·      Leggings + Tailored Shorts + White Shirt (Add Oxford shoes and thick black glasses and you’ve transformed into a very stylish hipster)

Also, here’s a little tip. Leggings with high heels show off your legs like no ones business. It also makes it look far less classy. Try pairing them with flat boots if you are wearing them with a shorter top.

What’s your favorite leggings combo? 


(image credit: creative commons)