Leggings!

About a month ago, I spent four days at the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in Washington DC, I was there because the Schomburg Center had a booth in the exhibit hall.  This was my first time attending, and on the whole the conference appears to offer the following things to attendees (and crasher)s: 

• Opportunities to attend sessions and lectures on topics that relate to the state of Black America(ns)
• A chance to rub elbows with "somebodies" and "wanna be somebodies"
• Tons of people watching/glaring/ogling
• Shopping for Black art, Black books, Black Sorority & Fraternity stuff...basically anything Black-related
• PARTYING...PARTYING...PARTYING

I'll say, I was out of the loop when it came to partying and though I was there with two colleagues, essentially I was there solo.  I didn't feel comfortable staying out too late by myself.  But I did make a trip to one party.  If I'm able to go next year, I'm definitely bringing someone with me and I'm going to hit up some more.  But seeing as the title of this post is LEGGINGS, let me take some time to explain this.

In the exhibition hall, a little way across from the Schomburg booth there were a group of ladies selling wrap dresses.  Throughout the duration of the conference these women changed outfits at least ten times a day.  They would start off in a wrap dress, then change to a jacket and matching head wrap combo, then put on a different wrap dress...then sashay a little bit to draw an audience.  It was fascinating.  I asked one of the women the cost of these dresses, because while I didn't like the print all of the time, it was cool that the dress could be worn in many different ways.  She told me the prices ranged from $135 - $255!!!  Umm...the dresses were cool, but not at all worth that much.  My colleague and I thought, they must be silk.  So I decided I was going to go up and feel the fabric. 

As I approached the racks one of the women who was staffing their booth said, "That top is bad!"  I thanked her. Then she said, "But why don't you have on leggings with it?!?!"  Now, I've never worn leggings, and I'm a fundraiser representing a Library, leggings are NOT appropriate.  But I said, "Oh, I don't wear leggings, I've got big legs and I don't think I can pull it off.  I feel uncomfortable."  She proceeded to lift up the skirt of her wrap dress to show me her legs, which, of course, were in leggings.  She was a Plus-sized lady, though I would say, my legs might have been larger and more curvy. Another woman overheard our conversation and said, "With your size, you feel uncomfortable?"  I smiled, and said, "Well maybe," felt the dresses' fabric, which most certainly wasn't silk, and moved on.

But I began to think, why not try wearing this outfit with leggings.  What will it be like?  So I resolved that I would purchase some leggings and trying wearing them with this "bad" jacket.

At the CBC standing next to the Wilbourne Sister's mannequin.

While I was in DC, after my obligation to staff the Schomburg booth was completed, I took a stroll to Forever 21 to purchase my leggings.  Let me just say that finding leggings is not a simple process.  You have to determine which thickness is needed, whether hardware, like zippers or studs, are wanted, or, if given the fall and their popularity, jeggings should be purchased instead.  Also while I was searching for the right leggings, I started noticing how many women, from ordinary shoppers to Forever 21 employees, were wearing them.  I got a little stealth and took some photographs.

What I hope you also can see is that many of these women are not what I would call "petite."  So I guess I shouldn't have been feeling uncomfortable.

After going up and down the three floors of the store, I settled on three styles to try on. They ranged in price from $8.99 to $18.99, and later I tried on a pair of jeggings for $23.99. In the fitting room I did an underwear test.  If I bent over, could someone see my underwear (the color, not he pantie line) through the legging.  If they could, then those leggings were OUT!  Needless to say, the cheapest pair was a little too thin...more like tights. So I left with a pair of $14.99 leggings with zippers by the ankles.  And jeggings, while these were the thickest of them all, which is good, they also were the tightest -- they were cutting off the circulation in my calves!

A week or so later, I took a trip to Virginia Beach with Nicole and her two best friends from high school. I told Nicole that I was going to use the time in VA to wear the leggings with that jacket.  On our last evening there, we decided to go out to dinner and eventually settled on a seafood buffet. Perfect!  My jacket wasn't really casual, but the leggings were. So, a seafood buffet (a casual dining experience with not so cheap foods), was ideal. ha!  Of course I'm thinking too much about this now, and wasn't thinking at all about it in this way then. Basically, all I cared about was whether I looked like a fool and if my booty didn't look ridiculous.  Nicole said she could see the line of my pantie, but I smoothed it out and pressed on. hahaha

So you be the judge! Was the lady at the CBC correct?  Does this jacket look better with leggings.  Should leggings be my pant of choice going forward?

The one thing I can say with certainty, is that the next time I go to a buffet, I will wear leggings.  My stomach expanded and I didn't have to unbutton my pants.  The jacket felt more snug around the waist, but those leggings felt great!  hahaha