For years I avoided leggings like the plague. Like many women, the last thing I wanted to do was draw attention to my hip and thigh area. I thought that anything with a tapered leg would just bring attention to how wide my hips and thighs are—in relation to my calves and ankles, anyway. I’m all about using yoga fashion to accentuate the body parts I feel good about, but I think I got this one wrong.

Not only do boot cut yoga pants tend to make petite people look like they’re swimming in Spandex—and make it harder for your teacher to see your alignment—they also make already-short legs look even shorter. Add to this the extra hassle of taking a new pair of pants to get it hemmed and it’s almost enough make me a total leggings convert.

Hemming isn’t necessary for leggings—even if they’re way too long! Here are three adorable ways I’ve found to make leggings even more flattering (and more versatile) on a petite frame-and they utilize the most current yoga fashion trends!

Photo by Seniju

I Gathered That! — DIY Gathered Leggings

I Am Beyond Gathered Leggings

Most yoga fashion line includes a pair of gathered leggings. (I love these by Beyond Yoga because they’re soft, squishy, and super flattering.) But if you’re on the shorter side, you can just as easily buy a regular length pair of leggings and simply use your fingers near the ankle to make the gathers where you want them, and Voila!

(Just to clarify, my suggestion is for gathered leggings that are pant length–if you try to do it to the capri length (so it looks like the picture) they WILL slide down and drive you crazy the whole time you practice!

Wear Too-Long Yoga Leggings Over the Heel

Kathryn Budig rocks a long legging

Is it a sock? Is it a leg warmer? Are those stirrup pants? No! It’s just a yoga legging that’s a few inches inches too long hooked over the curve of the heel! It’s great for cooler weather, keeps your leggings in place, and leaves most of the foot exposed to provide plenty of traction and feedback from the floor.

See also Interview with Yoga Teacher & Style Icon Kathryn Budig

Wear Yoga Leggings Outside the Studio

Zobha’s legging look for Spring 2011

One of my favorite things about having yoga leggings is that they are so versatile! You can easily get away with wearing them under a skirt or dress in your everyday life, too—and no one will even question if you’re on your way to or from the yoga studio. That means more bang for your buck and more creative mixing and matching options.  For me, that’s a win-win.

BONUS: Find a Brand That Comes in Short Length

Salar Legging by Fabletics

Update 2016: When I first wrote this post in the early days of the Spoiled Yogi blog, there weren’t nearly as many options as there are today for great quality yoga clothes. Now, everybody seems to be wearing yoga clothes everywhere—even if they’ve never set foot in a yoga class. (I can’t say I blame them, though, because.. YOGA PANTS!.. so comfy.) Anyway, lots of the major brands (Lululemon, Athleta, etc.) offer free hemming for short girls. (YAAAAASSS!) Other brands, like my beloved Fabletics, come in a variety of inseams lengths right off the bat. If you’re a shorty like me, you can just order the Short length and be done with it, saving yourself heaps of time (and money, too, because Fabletics is super affordable compared to the bigger brands.) Right now I’m obsessed with the Salar legging in Wildflower—so cute! But don’t take my word for it. Try it for yourself, and get your first outfit for only $25! (And, yes, friends, those ARE affiliate links, so if you sign up or order using them, you’ll be supporting Spoiled Yogi, and all the work I do here. Don’t worry, I only recommend high-quality things that I know you’ll love as much as I do. Thanks!)

What’s your favorite way to wear yoga leggings?

Read more …
What Not to Wear: Yoga Mamas
What Not to Wear: Yoga Goddesses
Fashion Forward Yoga Backward?