Jeggings. They’re back

About a year ago, I opened a copy of Vogue Australia to read about the “latest” in pants … jeggings.  Not jeans, not leggings.  Jeggings.  I wrote a blog post about it and promptly bought a black pair from Country Road.

And I wore them.  A lot.  And lots of other people bought the same pants.  Lots of others tried to buy some … and they missed out.

Since that time, a lot of other clothing brands have included jeggings in their winter collections.  Unfortunately some looked a little more on the leggings side of jeggings for my liking.

What the Country Road jeggings (which were actually called skinny stretch jeans) had on the side of style was that they actually zipped up and included back pockets.  So they looked like jeans.

See, I come from the viewpoint that LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS.  Leggings should only be worn as you would wear a pair of tights.  Not with a short top revealing your butt and bits.

Jeggings, however, like my Country Road pair, can be styled as you would skinny jeans.  Unlike traditional skinny jeans, these are actually comfortable and easy to get on. And if you’re blessed with curves, as I am, then they actually fit.  You might even go down a size when buying them.

By now you’re probably wondering why I’m banging on about a pair of pants I bought 12 months ago, thinking isn’t she all smug, with her perfect jeggings that we all missed out on. WELL, get excited, because a recent late-night browsing on Country Road, lead to me discovering there is a new-season jegging in town.

This autumn-winter 2011, the Country Road skinny stretch jean is still $99 but it’s in a new colour – dark grey. (Obviously the new black)

Country Road skinny stretch jean $99

This year's jeggings with asymetric long tank $79.95 and Aia lace-up bootie $199

THE jeggings with bomber jacket $199; stone print tunic $129 and Aia lace-up bootie $199

Ok, just a couple of things to remember if embracing the jeggings look this season:

1.  DO wear with ballet flats.  Or flats with a pointy toe.  The effect is an elongated leg.  We love that.

2.  DO wear with heels.  I like a platformed pump.  If you have an ankle boot or bootie in the same colour as the pants, this also lengthens the legs.

3.   DO wear with a tunic-style or longer top.  Add shape with a cropped jacket.  This balances out the look. On me, this combo sucessfully disguises my child-bearing hips.

So, jeggings, are you for or against?

POST UPDATE:  Due to peer group pressure, I pulled on my last year’s jeggings in the Queensland humidity for a photo.  The reason - to show you that I’m not size 10 but still happy to wear my Country Road skinny stretch jeans (in this case with a Morrison dress, which I wear as a long tee).

Me in my Country Road "jeggings" with a Morrison dress worn as a tee. Ballet flats from Witchery

This post is part of the Independent Fashion Bloggers’ Network’s weekly Links a la Mode group link up.

Links à la Mode: January 27th

• Alternations Needed Petite Body Tips Are Usually Bunk: Find Out Your Real Body Shape
• Styling You Jeggings: For or Against?
• Ruby-Eyed Okapi How The Media Tells Us How to Look Through the Lies of Photoshop
• Melina Bee 8 Tips on How to Leave Great Comments
• Love Brown Sugar The Great Debate: Do Skinny Girls Have More Fun?
• Fashionwrites On the Controversial Debate on Fashion and Ethnicity
• Peachy Keen A Week with No Pants
• Full Time Fabulous The 10 Commandments of Building a Loyal Blog Readership
• FOTW A Controversial Take on Burberry’s SS/11 Campaign
• Independent Fashion Bloggers: Proezna Schouler speaks at IFB Evolving Influence
• The Haute Hoosier One Man Admits His (Sartorial) Man Crush
• A Perfect Midnight What’s In a (Blog) Name
• The New Professional Walking the Halls, Not the Streets: Can Tall Boots & Skirts Work for the Office?
• The Demoiselles What Does it Mean to Be Labeled – And Does it Matter?
• Brunette Blogging Privacy and Blogging
• 260 Days No Repeats Can the Stripe Trend Work for Any Body Type?
• Makeup and Jeans Girl Orange Lipstick for All? 5 Tips to Make It Work
• Holier than Now Crossing the Line: The Cross Jewelry Trend – Offensive or Innocent?
• Dress with Courage Androgyny, Prada, and Taylor Swift: My Relationship with Perfume
• Analogue Chic No More Mugshots: How to Look Better in Profile Pics
• Over 50 Feeling 40 Is Fashion Over 50 More Fun?

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