I get to go old school with this reference. Basically male and female circulation systems act differently in cold weather. Men tend to keep blood flowing to all their extremities in cold weather, women tend to keep your core temperature consistent and reduce the flow of blood to extremities.
So men don't feel as cold, but they're burning more energy, and their core temperature can dip more. Women feel colder, but they're core temperature is more stable, and doesn't dip as much.
In real life we experienced this as women are often colder in the same environment men are comfortable in. Because of physiological differences in blood flow during cold weather events.
So legs stockings are both an effort to keep the body warmer, be fashionable, and maybe do some body shaping. But you're more likely to see them in the winter, in colder climates.
Anecdotal data: in Southeast Asia I never see leggings, even in " winter ". In Japan I see leggings all the time.
I can't stand the feeling of loose things around my legs like pants. They either have to be tight like leggings, or free flowing like skirts/dresses/baggy shorts.
Everyone says being warm but I only wear them out of comfort. I walk a lot to travel cause I don't own a car and leggings are comfy for walking in. I even wear them during the summer.
Fashion aesthetics, either by choice or as part of a uniform/etiquette. They are practical in winter as they are warm. Also prevent chafing on people without a thigh gap. They help shape legs and lower belly too.
I only wear sports leggings occasionally for exercise, so I can't really represent the view of women wearing leggings as pants in everyday life, but I guess the main reason is that they're very comfortable (unless they're shapewear). I would compare their comfort level to sweatpants.
Why not? This is also a genuine question. What is puzzling you about girls wearing leggings? Are you wondering why they don't wear jeans or some other kind of pants instead? If yes, the answer might be: a) fashion changes all the time and this is in now and b) leggings are usually made of very stretchy fabrics, which makes them much more comfortable than form-fitting trousers made of more traditional textiles.
Our clothes are often made of thinner material than yours. Ever look at the difference in the thread weight of a man's tshirt vs a woman's tshirt? The same honestly goes for pants. Plus, leggings and tights give us the benefit of a layer that can be worn not just under pants but under dresses, shorts, skirts etc especially in colder months.
As a man—the worst way to begin any post on a question about women—I have to plug the comfort of leggings.
I got some Under Armour compression leggings to wear when walking in cold weather (for warmth, the other main reason I see in here for these things), to wear under my shorts (or jeans if it’s cold enough). They are remarkably comfortable. I kind of look forward to the autumn and winter months when I get to wear them.
(Also because I’m fat, to get ones that fit my waist they’re LONG, so they cover half my feet as well. It’s almost like wearing footy pajamas. I love them.)
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