So we finally asked the big question, are they 'tights' or 'leggings'? :)
It seems when we started our activewear brand we just thoughts tights were gym tights...
And leggings were leggings - the casual pants you wore solo, under a dress, or with boots!
We thought others calling gym pants 'leggings' were koo koo ;)
But lately we had a conversation which led us to some research and 'oh oh' maybe we got it wrong?
Maybe many of us activewear brands got it 'wrong'?
Or did we?
It seems many activewear brands use the two words 'tights' and 'leggings' interchangeably when referring to training & athletic garments!
But if you go back in time, and you look at history, maybe gym tights really should be called leggings, eik! But honestly, we are still not entirely sure! Both names seem to represent many different garments over time.
Lets take a look...
This is a little of what we found...
In the 18th century leggings referred to cloth or leather wrapped around mens legs down to the ankle.
In the 19th century leggings referred to leather or wool leg wrapping for soldiers.
Leggings also referred to the leg clothing for infants, in which were made with a matching jacket. Cute! Legging & top sets even back then!
In the 60s the term leggings meant form fitting clothing for dancers, and then became more known with the growing popularity of aerobics in the 70s & 80s.
The term tights has been used in equestian circle reffering to riding tights being a close fitting riding pant often worn with riding boots.
Receiving some publicity around 2006, the basketballers Koby Bryant and his team mates began wearing 'athletic tights' under their shorts.
Pantyhose can also be known as tights but are a sheer translucent pants worn as under garments.
Supposedly in the UK they use the word tights for ALL panyhose or leggings, light or heavy weight.
Aghhhh we could go on but we wont. Let us just say, no wonder some of us are a little confused when it comes to calling them tights or leggings..! :)
It did get us thinking though, maybe we should create a new word for activewear leggings / activewear tights just to make it clear!
'Activeights'? Active-tights! Ok jokes, this is bad! :)
So maybe there is no correct term?
Therefore maybe it is understandable that many of us continue to use the two words 'tights' and 'leggings' interchangeably when referring to activewear garments!
So it is, we are going to stick with the name 'tights' for now. The name really doesn't matter does it, if our activewear is so loved & known to be the best right? :)
What ever you want to call them, our Ethical, Australian owned & Australian Designed Activewear label has you covered for premium quality, long lasting tights:
high waist tights / high waist leggings,
cropped tights / cropped leggings,
capri tights / capri leggings &
tight shorts / legging shorts! 😊
