How should men’s leggings fit?

I have been wearing leggings for fashion and fitness for a while now and I have thought about this topic a lot. How should men’s leggings or leggings of any kind for that matter fit? I think the overall answer to that question is deeply personal but I also think plenty of folks are actually interested in this topic based on the emails and DMs I receive.

Fit forms function

That was a fun alliteration. But generally, I think this is where the answer lies. What are you doing in your leggings matters to the question of how they “should” fit.

When I pull on running tights and head out the door for a run or workout I really want a second-skin kind of fit. If as I move and perform my athletic activity I am constantly adjusting my tights they don’t fit me well for that particular function. However the same is true when I layer a sweater, scarf, and jacket with leggings. If I am uncomfortable and constantly readjusting my leggings I lose confidence in the look and I feel like my clothing is betraying me.

If your leggings are constantly ridding down - they don’t fit.

Here’s the deal. Leggings need to stay put on your body. In fashion or in athletics if you are always fidgetting with your clothing it is distracting - it hurts your performance, confidence, and aesthetic. Leggings that are always falling down are the worst.

The trouble is that everybody has different body shapes and what works for me may not work for you. Manufacturers can make up for this by building more anatomically correct leggings with better materials and silicone inlays with drawstrings and cover a lot more terrain. But those are very athletic.

What I find is that my athletic cut leggings fit great but my fashionable leggings leave a lot to be desired in the fit department. I would have to go through a lot of trial and error and money purchasing and returning leggings in order to find fashionable leggings that fit. I don’t have that kind of patience. Instead, I usually add a belt to my fashionable leggings and hold them up that way. It works for me. It may also work for you.

Leggings should be form-fitting

I know this seems obvious but if they are baggy and saggy then in my opinion the leggings don’t fit. A little extra material behind the knee or at the ankle is fine but if you aren’t filling out the leggings simply size down.

At the same time if you are overstretching the material they are too tight. Certain fabrics will actually change color and texture when overstretched and that can hurt the look. They may become see-through when overstretched and you’ll notice that you can’t stop thinking about how damn tight they are.

Leggings are meant to hug and hold the body but if they are too tight they may look off and they certainly won’t be as comfortable. Leggings that are too tight hinder your movement and you’ll likely walk through them faster with the pressure you are putting on the seams.

Leggings can be “peachy”

Here’s where things become more opinionated. There are times when my leggings get all up in my business. not just defining my butt but defining each cheek. They are the right size but the way they are constructed means they get pulled into my crack and they stay there. I am not talking about ruched leggings. But I have leggings that really define my bum. With certain styles and during certain activities I don’t mind this. In fact, I even enjoy it. But other times I don’t need all that definition, so to speak.

I have noticed that one of my big preferences around leggings can cause this peachiness. I like my leggings to have good solid contact with my inseam all the way up to my crotch. I don’t like it when there is a gap or a space in the crotch. I like leggings all the way up, and I like them to stay up. That’s my comfort zone - I find the gap annoying.

If I wear leggings that don’t have a gusset in the crotch - they can make their way up and into my butt. As far as a feeling and comfortable factor are concerned I don’t really mind or care but I do think that there is a time and a place for such a fit and other times less so.

Size matters

For the above issues, sizing can really help to fix issues surrounding fit. For example, loose or baggy leggings are clearly just too big. Often time leggings that want to constantly ride down are probably too small. The fabric is overstretched and pulling down. Similarly, leggings that are too small tend to become more peachy than leggings that are sized up.

Oftentimes you can wear multiple sizes from a manufacturer and this is what makes fitting your leggings tricky. For example, I generally wear either a size small or a size medium from Nike. in women’s leggings, I usually wear between a medium and a large. There are benefits to each size. Although as a general rule I think sizing up offers a better fit - usually.

Fitting your leggings is personal

Honestly, there are a bazillion body shapes out there. There’s no right or wrong way to wear clothing. Developing your comfort system and fit will take time and it will evolve over time.

When I first started wearing leggings I really wanted a tight and small fit. Now I want the hug and fit of leggings but a bit more give and stretch in the material - my tastes become better informed with experience and I tweaked how I wanted my leggings to fit.

That is ultimately what makes leggings so much fun for fashion. With a change in sizing and materials, you can have a lot of variety in fit and function.