leggings for the eco-concious

 Panelled Leggings by iheartnorwegianwood

Leggings. In or out for 2011?

Depends on who you are and where you live. To be frank, when you live in the Midwest and fall hits, it's hard to say no to a pair of comfy, cozy leggings. So, regardless of what the fashion gurus say, I'm sticking to my leggings like glue.

At the same time, I want to be fashion forward this fall. How should I go about wearing my leggings without crossing any bad-fashion lines? Also, how can I go about wearing my leggings in a way that doesn't harm the environment?

Bamboo Dreams Cropped Leggings by Yala

Answering the first question is easy. Here are a few rules to follow when wearing leggings this year.

1. Wear your leggings like pants but only if your top is long enough to cover your bum and is not tight fitting. Make sure it goes past the hip and wear something that is roomy like a tunic or sweater.

2. Wear them under a dress or skirt, so long as they are cropped or at a length that compliments the length of the skirt. If the leggings are long, make sure the skirt does not go past your knees unless you are going to wear high boots, in order to make the proportions work.

3. Wear ballet flats, ankle booties, or something that is flat. Avoid high heels unless they are pretty short.

4. Wear the right size! Don't squeeze into a size that is too small. They shouldn't create the "muffin top" look around your middle, or be baggy either. Sizes on leggings are deceptive and so go with what looks good.

Play around with your leggings to find some new looks for fall. There are a lot of ways to wear them that look great, as long as you get the proportions right!

Now, what about eco-friendly leggings?

Bamboo Leggings by DreamNation

 The answer to this question is a little harder. What may look like eco-concious clothing is often just a marketing ploy. Just seeing "organic" or "eco-friendly" on a label doesn't necessarily mean that the entire garment contains organic or eco-friendly materials.

It helps to be knowledgeable about how fibers and fabrics are made in order to make conscious decisions as consumers.

For instance, bamboo fabric has become the new eco-friendly "it" fabric in recent years. However, the chemicals used to make the fabric can cause headaches, fatigue, and nerve damage when workers are overexposed to them, and the chemicals can cause problems to the environment when factories have to dispose of them. As a consumer, you can read tags carefully and purchase bamboo clothing from companies that use fabric that is mechanically processed instead of processed with chemicals, such as REI.

Organic cotton is another new "eco-friendly" fabric that has been around for years. However, much of the organic cotton used in the USA is shipped from India or China, making as much of an impact on the environment as non-organic cotton grown in the USA. Also, a shirt labeled "organic" may not be 100% organic unless it is labeled as such. Try to buy your organic cotton clothing from local companies, and read your labels!

These are just a couple of different kinds of "eco-friendly" fabrics you may find being made into leggings. I'll share more research as I continue to post more blog posts. You can also look into Tencel, also known as Lycocell, or clothing made from hemp. Do research on the dyes used to make your clothing as they can often cause chemicals to leach into the environment as well.

Whatever you do, I always think the best option is to shop second-hand! Second-hand leggings are hard but not impossible to find. I might try to scope out a pair the next time I shop at my local thrift shop!