Sales & Shopping

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• November 11, 2008
• Shopping Roundup

Second Skin

15 new leggings make a street-wise statement. By Christene Barberich & Piera Gelardi

From left: Spring looks from Gareth Pugh, Iceburg, Threeasfour, A.F. Vandervorst, all via Style.com.

Leggings may well get a bad rap …but those were the "activewear" pack-of-two styles of yesteryear. Or moreso, LAST year. Everyone's most comfortable tights have recently undergone a makeover, one we've been watching blossom since summer. With fashion's recent love affair with all things hosiery, leggings, too, have come into their own. And the spring shows offered designer-style leggings a 'plenty, from sharp graphic prints (Viktor & Rolf) to stencil-like designs and cutouts (Givenchy and Rodarte). Some were even wilder, and of course we have Alexander McQueen to thank for that.

But despite all the fanfare, we still really want leggings we can wear (you know, that won't wear us). So we've gathered a solid lineup of styles that build on the basics principles of La Legging adding to that structure, texture, pattern, and embellishments. Yes, there are, gasp, black leggings in our mix. But admit it, what could be a better winter staple than Daryl K's totally perfect stirrup leggings? Not much.

From left: Eairth Organic Cotton Manobo Leggings, $155, available at Oak; Les Chiffoniers PVC Leggings, $405, available at Net-A-Porter; Silence & Noise Lace Leggings, $34, available at Urban Outfitters.

From left: Sass & Bide Rats Leggings, $176, available at Revolve Clothing and Net-A-Porter; Rag & Bone Stripe Leggings, $265, available at La Garçonne; Costume Dept Abstract Check Leggings, $37, available at Revolve Clothing.

From left: Manish Arora Eagle Leggings, $248, available at Oak; WPQ Grey Argyle Leggings, $81, available at Pixie Market; Daryl K Seamed Contour Leggings in Black, $341, available at Revolve Clothing.