The 'Ewww' About Leggings

CEBU, Philippines - Leggings are one of the 10 essential outfits that a girl should have in her closet. Leggings are comfortable and versatile.

When I still had that extra baby bump (my euphemism for ventral fat), which lingered for years after I gave birth in 2007, I relied on four pairs of leggings (brown, black, gray, and olive) to mix with just a few items in the drawer that still fitted me. Flare pants would have been the best to flatter my shape and hide the flaws, considering that I have a rectangular body type or boyish figure.

But, with a baby that needed quick attention, I could not immediately change to plainclothes upon arriving home from work. The leggings provided comfort for both office attire (matched most of the time with empire-cut blouses to hide a bulging tummy) and as work clothes as I would get busy sanitizing the baby's feeding set, catching up with laundry, rearranging the ironed baby clothes in the designated section of the closet, changing nappies, massaging the little one with oil for a good night's sleep etcetera.

I used to arrive at the house at 9 p.m. Taps was at 11 p.m., and only then could I change to night clothes. Leggings came in very handy.

But not everyone looks good in leggings. And I must say that if celebrity stylist Liz Uy could just tour around Metro Cebu, she would surely be able to correct the many she'd catch in "funny emperor's clothes."

Incident  #1. A thin woman, estimated to be in her late fifties, was seen on Colon Street waiting for a jeepney. She wore brown leggings, her behind looking like sagging skin. She didn't have full-round buttocks that could hold the cloth in place, so it went hanging from her crotch like an overused sink towel.

Liz Uy advised, during the launch of her book "styLIZed: 10 Style Essentials" here recently, that "women should choose a legging that fits well, or it could look like sagging skin, kasi nga may binabagayan ang leggings."

Incident  #2. Senator Pia Cayetano was in town recently for the ceremonial gunning-up of an all-women run, obviously because she's a race buff. She was in pink tank top and sky-blue leggings that flatter her shape, exposing the butt shape and crotch. That flaunting of "assets" was forgivable, Liz points out, because the only way you can wear shirts above the leggings is when you're on a workout.

But what's proper is to wear a top that covers your butt and crotch, most especially if you're in the view of the public, in office, in holy places, to avoid looking like Richard Simmons (or young Rod Stewart, if I may add). Don't be the object of scrutiny. There is always a proper time to catch some attention, but not through this funny one. Anybody in "emperor's clothes" endangers herself to be questioned too for her mental stability.

Another tip from Liz Uy: Wear the right undergarments. So you can be forgiven if you have a hanging shirt on top of your leggings because you're on a sweat-out. But please invest in seamless underwear to avoid advertising those panty lines.

"Mix clothes together appropriately," the style icon further stressed. "Know well what's good for you according to your body type, where you are going or what event you are attending."  Liz also said that you don't really have to shop for branded clothes or to stock on so many items in your wardrobe.

The other essentials that we already have in our closet can be mixed and matched as many times as possible. These are the white V-neck shirt, little black dress, pair of slacks, a blazer, white button-down shirt, short pants, tank top, blue jeans, and a pencil skirt.

There are indeed a lot of practical style tips to learn from a professional stylist - to make us look okay, to save us from looking 'ewww'! Liz Uy's book is now available at National Book Store. (FREEMAN)