Fashion Masochist: Men’s Leggings

Over the past few years, menswear has gotten consistently slimmer: skinny ties, then suits, then jeans. Now designers like Prada and Jean Paul Gaultier are applying the final squeeze, as men’s leggings (meggings, perhaps?) show up in their fall lines. Some feature stirrups, some are paired with gladiator-style tunics. All are shamelessly tight.

The Experience They came from the men’s section at American Apparel, but my size-small black leggings are labeled Classic Girl Spandex. Oh, well. At an agile 5 foot 7 and 135 pounds, I can wriggle into anything. Not that I frequently do so: My everyday look is more schlub than studied—usually I just throw on whatever’s clean and comfy. But friends tell me I should flaunt my wiry physique, so I consider this a crash course.

The leggings are thicker and longer than traditional women’s styles, and remarkably stretchy; on the hanger, they resemble sweatpants for a four-year-old. When I try them on, there’s trouble: I can’t sport boxers underneath or I’ll risk looking as if I’m still potty training, and I haven’t owned tighty whities since middle school. In desperation, I borrow a pair of my girlfriend’s bikini-style red panties, which turn out to be alarmingly comfortable. I also tote around a messenger bag, to compensate for the leggings’ lack of pockets.