Should Christian Women Wear Leggings?
Recently, I asked the women in the chat room this question: “Would your husband say that leggings or yoga pants that don’t cover up the back and front side are immodest and if so, why?”
Hannah: “He’s okay with me wearing yoga pants as long as they are worn at home, but he wouldn’t allow me to wear them in public, long shirt or not. As far as leggings, he’s okay with me wearing leggings in public so long as there’s a long, baggy-style dress or shirt over them. He’s not a fan of the yoga pants.”
Amanda: “Mine thinks they are trashy in public. At home, when worn for him, he likes them quite a bit. Lol.”
Kelli: “Mine too!! He likes them at home but not for others to see ? If I wear them, I wear a long top. I have always been a modest dresser so I wouldn’t dare wear them any other way.”
Bethany: “Yes, mine loves them for his eyes only.”
Sarah: “Absolutely. Anytime I wear anything above the knee, or too tight pants/leggings, etc. hubby always lets me know and asks me to change. I’m very thankful he does this because sometimes I don’t even realize and he is helping me protect my modesty and my body so other men aren’t staring at it! And I don’t want them staring; it’s only for my husbands eyes. He also says we need to set an example and not look like the world.”
Heather: “I live with my husband and two single men. We just discussed leggings/yoga pants and they were all in agreement that they are immodest and decision making in the presence of a woman wearing them is difficult.”
Kayla: “Yes, my husband only ever complains about women wearing yoga pants and leggings and says you can see everything and it’s ridiculous.”
Verna: “Yes, he thinks they’re immodest because they show pretty much everything.”
Sarah: “My husband prefers me in skirts and dresses.”
Crystal: “My husband despises those pants. Our daughter has to wear shorts or a skirt over them.”
Diane: “A few years ago when women started wearing them my husband couldn’t believe it. He told me he doesn’t know where to look.”
Amy: “I’ve never owned either kind. Our daughter wears leggings maybe a few times a year under an above the knee dress or very long top. He doesn’t mind. She does occasionally wear leggings with a T-shirt to bed, and of course no one sees that outside our house, so again, that’s fine. We don’t really talk much about how other women dress, so I don’t know what he’d say if I asked him. And in our area, yoga pants have been so out of fashion for YEARS, so he wouldn’t have a clue what they are.”
Heather: “His answer: I’m old school. I absolutely think it’s immodest. Why? Well for one, it leaves zero to the imagination. You can see everything if you look. I look away. But like I said I’m old school.”
Jennifer: “My husband never said anything to me about leggings. (I only wear them around the house) but when our daughters hit puberty he banned them outside the home. Unless under a dress or skirt.”
Robin: “Yes, mine would. He says they show too much and are immodest. He also said he doesn’t need to know what kind of undies women are or aren’t wearing under them and also says some ladies just shouldn’t even be wearing them. He does allow them in the winter under our skirts for warmth.”
Rachel: “My husband also thinks leggings are immodest. Similar to a woman rolling out of bed and walking down the street in her pajamas, a little strange. I wear them at home in the privacy of our home, as I’m pregnant and they’re the most comfortable thing to wear.”
Bethany: “Yes, because you can see every detail. If I’m around the house in just leggings he enjoys it so he wouldn’t want other guys seeing that.”
Tiffany: “My husband LOVES me to wear them at home but I don’t think he would approve of anyone else seeing me in them. As is I only wear them to A-work out or B-sleep in.”
Terry: “My husband thinks that not only are immodest but also inappropriate without a long top or skirt or dress. They reveal every crease and crevice of a women’s private parts. I would never disrespect myself or my husband by wearing them in public unless they are under a knee length loose dress. My husband also thinks that dresses with spaghetti straps without something to cover the shoulders is immodest as well as low cut clothing with the breast falling out all over the place. He said he is uncomfortable talking to a lady that is barely clothed. ?”
Paulina: “Absolutely. It was always a major turn on for him.”
Sarah: “He says leggings and skinny jeans are immodest unless the shirt/dress covers the butt. I wear leggings in public occasionally but only with dresses or very oversized shirts.”
Tammy: “Yes, my husband hates them. He says it’s no different than being naked with spray paint covering you. I don’t wear them or allow our daughter to wear them either.”
Markie: “Our rule is the shirt must cover our buns and front.”
In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.
1 Timothy 2:9
18 thoughts on “Should Christian Women Wear Leggings?”
Sometimes I think they forgot to put on their clothes! I see young women wearing those undershirts and leggings and think that’s what I’m wearing UNDER my clothing! (Not really the leggings, unless it is winter).
If it’s under a dress or skirt, it’s fine. But on their own, I’d look like an overstuffed sausage! ?
I love leggings. I always wear them under a dress and they are much more confortable and durable than nylons. My favorite outfit is dress with leggings and ballerinas. Very comfortable and pretty.
I also wear them in winter under my jeans. Our winters are windy and humid, so jeans alone are insufficient.
However I would never ever wear them on on their own….
I only wear them under my dresses which are long. They keep my legs warm in the winter.
I can’t believe Christian women are wearing these and calling them modest. So disappointing. I have some and love them – but as underclothing under a dress!!!
I treat them like stockings, cause that’s pretty much what they are, minus the foot! I think they look nice under knee-length dresses in the fall and winter, especially with boots. 🙂
My husband thinks they are fine as long as my rear is covered. Which it always is since I’m self-conscious about it. Also, because if csections anything tight resting on my scar hurts terribly. I actually wear them far up on my waist, as to not even press on it.
Not all leggings are thin and see through. The ones I buy, I “squat test” them. I’ve never had a see through problem. If they are see through, those are stockings, not leggings!
All in all, I think it’s a matter of the heart. And I think you should follow what your husband deems appropriate. 🙂
At one of our previous churches, a missionary couple was visiting. The kids were rude and gave a ‘don’t care’ attitude. And the wife turned up in leggings and an oversized shirt and the husband looked unhappy and exhausted. The whole family looked like they didn’t care about the roles or appearance. And I told my husband that it was based on that that I refused to support them financially. I was disgusted that the wife dressed in a way I felt was immodest and like she had taken no care in her appearance. A bad look when you are there to ask for financial backing or to update a church on your ministry. Save it for around the house, not for church.
If a gal calls herself a Christ follower – this verse comes to mind… ‘But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.’ Eph 5:3 Immodesty at its core is immorality.
Great to hear Godly views. I do not understand why a Christian woman wants to be on display.
My wife just returned from an IF Gathering event. Several attending teens from a local youth group showed up in leggings. None cared to covered their private parts. These girls looked like they left their skits at home. Apparently several of the IF speakers were dressed in skinny jeans and leggings themselves. Why should we expect our teens to dress modestly when Christian leaders give little if any thought to it. There is so much in the scriptures regarding this topic, are these women even reading the Bible?
Leggings with cut outs are now popular. These are lingerie. It is really sad that this is considered clothes. It’s underwear or lingerie people. What we need to do is make sure we pray for women esp Christian women because they are obviously in deception if they dress this way publicly. We must pray for them. Leggings and esp leggings with cut outs are so immodest and these women need prayer.
My husband doesn’t care if I wear them or not. He just cares about whether or not I’m covered to his liking. He prefers skirts and dresses, however if it’s super cold out or I’m just wanting to be comfortable he’s ok with me wearing either leggings or yoga pants. None are see through either. He wouldn’t let me wear those but my lulu lemons he’s fine with.
I agree! I wear leggings every year ands there are really elegant ways to wear dresses and skirts over them. I have a “below-the-knee” principle where anything I wear must always fall below the knee when I’m sitting. Makes it more comfortable and you worry less about what the view might be because you know it’s covered. Also I find that in summer, it can be hard to find modest skirts/ dresses that keep you cool without the fabric feeling like if you sneezed, it would rip… so I always wear a pair of undershorts preferably tailored to the colour of the skirt even in the worst of summer because I’m aware that a breeze could lift up, or wind could blow into your crevices highlighting them… etc… so I use the principal… a prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself…. don’t want to cause another person’s undue attention to be drawn to my private areas….
Whenever I see a woman (or a man) on full display in a pair of leggings, I always think the same thing: “Nice underwear, I mean, ‘pants’!”
Everyone is talking about how leggings put it all on show for adults of the opposite sex, but we forget that our extremely impressionable children are watching, too.
I think it’s just part of the new(ish) attitude of selfishness that we see so much now – more and more people are wearing underclothes as outerwear, drugging in public, relieving themselves in public, and refusing to bathe because “MY comfort is all that matters – if you don’t like it, don’t look at (or smell!) me!!” (even though that can become quite difficult when we share sidewalks, buses, trains, eateries, and offices!)
Bottom line is, we were warned that “in the last days, people will be lovers of themselves, … boastful, proud, … unholy, without love, … without self-control, … conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1-4 NIV). We are instructed to not even keep company with people who behave in such ways … so why would we ever choose to dress in a way that is conceited, prideful, and may disrespect ourselves and others?
Remember that people need our love and prayers, not our judgment; as that is reserved for God alone.
Be thankful that you have clothes to cover up with and remember that others may not have the money and choices in dress that you do (leggings are an extremely inexpensive alternative for many).
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless and keep you all!
Awesome post you shared here. Thanks for sharing such a great information about why should christian women wear leggings.
Well, as adults go, two of the things that separate us from children are these:
1. Our decisions affect other people
2. We are partially responsible for how it affects them, given current circumstances.
E.g.: Suppose a man **speaks** and comes off flirty to women. But he has no intentions to do wrong; he’s just doing it because he’s always done it. That could lead some women on. But he doesn’t care. Why? Because on what a lot of worldy women say–it’s their choice– that means that if women get turned on, and then let down, that’s their problem.
In reality, that man would be very insensitive, immature, and selfish. The main difference is that he’s using words, while the woman who dresses provocatively may not depend on that, she depends on her appearance.
So ladies, my gentle exhortation is this: look beautiful, be the way God wants you to be, but remember that in our current circumstances where half of guys *currently* use porn and hollywood actresses/singers kind of look like them, be different. Be loving. Take into account how your choices either add to the problem or make the world a better, more wholesome, more loving place.
Your judgement of this missionary family is wholly unjust, and I want to gently and firmly admonish your as a sister in Christ. Modesty is one thing— harshly coming to conclusions about a missionary family after only one meeting is altogether a different story. Especially if you didn’t at least have a meaningful conversation with the wife. How long have they been raising support? Missionaries on furlough generally have to travel A LOT. They often have to stay in other people’s homes for months on end, they live out of suitcases, they have to deal with different weather than what they’re used to in the foreign country where they do ministry. They frequently have to bear with uncomfortable situations that most of us would not be able to tolerate. The children—on top of already adjusting to living in a foreign country—now have to adjust to the counter-culture-shock of visiting the USA. Missionaries are scrutinized, they’re held to extremely high standards. When they’re raising support, they have to deal with jet lag, weakened immune systems, and hectic schedules.
Do you know the exact reason why she was wearing leggings? There could be so many reasons. Do you know their children closely enough to know why they were being rude that day? Even well-trained missionary children have carnal moments, they too need the salvation and sanctification of Jesus Christ.
I hope you will extend more grace and mercy to missionaries in the future, even when they don’t seem up-to-par. I hope you will base your decision to support them financially (or not) on PRAYER and the leading of the Holy Spirit, instead of outward observations.
I will add that perhaps you know this missionary family really well, perhaps there was more to your story. Perhaps you have been a missionary yourself and know the rigors thereof. Nonetheless, it was not the spirit of Christ that led you to view the wife and children with such a critical eye. Surely you would not want to be criticized like that during a difficult or weak moment?
Thank you for reading! May this challenge us each to remain humble and pure internally as we seek to reflect this inner purity with modest clothing. <3