Who doesn’t LOVE the basic black leggings that we have all come to realize are the best things EVER made in clothing for moms, entrepreneurs and everything in between?
Sure, we’ve got colours and patterns we can choose from – especially on those more fun and creative days, but when it comes down to pure functionality in a wardrobe – those basic black leggings hit the mark again and again.
I need to add here, I’m talking about the true LEGGINGS that are meant to be worn as pants and are not see through, or yoga wear or anything else that isn’t quite meant for business or casual wear since they don’t REALLY offer full coverage.
I’m the last person around to tell you that clothing is the ONLY important thing in our lives, but I am aware enough to know, as a woman in business AND a mom, that smart, economical, sustainable and reliable clothing is a MUST. I recently had a full wardrobe breakdown with Patti Morrison – a local Stylist and I learned a lot about being practical, keeping only what I wear, and how I can create a full wardrobe with a few essential items. That blog post is coming soon – look for it, you’ll learn LOTS, I did!
One of the biggest things I learned is to only have one or two good pairs of leggings and one or two pairs of black straight leg pants in my closet to go with the many tops I have and that is all I need!
As timing and serendipity and all things fun like that would have it, I was also approached by Svelte Shapewear during this time to try one of their products and write about them. They offer shapewear clothing that gives you added support while also sporting the trendy looks. I usually frown upon anything that supports further body image issues in women, but I realized I could also view it more as a comfort thing when aiming to dress up. The typical yoga tights just do not cut it when you are out Networking and building business relationships – you need something a cut above that looks professional – and for me, if I can find professional looking WHILE feeling comfortable at the same time ( ie wearing leggings) then I am one happy working mommy!
These leggings are thicker material than your flimsy yoga pants or tights you can buy at H&M or Forever 21. The ones I chose are a cotton/spandex mix. They are a nice dark black when you order the black ones – and I mean TRUE black, not blue black, or grey black. They work with any black dress shirt you’ll have and they look professional. The shapewear panel is not what I expected. Initially I thought they would be like those control top pantyhose that can take a month to squish and shimmy and shake into. However, the panel was soft and didn’t choke me so that I felt like a sausage ready to burst. It was comfortable and actually added to my confidence since it kept everything in place with a gentle like ‘hug’ rather than a body twisting squeeze leaving me out of breath and feeling stupid for trying to force my body into an unrealistic shape.
What is great about this particular shapewear panel is it actually works to trim the profile while being very gentle about it. It’s not a HUGE corset type difference, but it is enough to give a much cleaner line when you wear tops over your leggings as the look requires. You can also choose from a variety of types of leggings (SEE BELOW)
All Svelte leggings come a with built-in waist panel to keep your silhouette looking smooth and stylishly dressed all day long.
I love these leggings and know they are going to be a fashion staple in my closet for both summer and winter and they go with everything. I can wear my boots in winter and my flip flops or sandals in summer. The comfortable waist panel with that extra little ‘hug’ around the waist gives a confident feel and amazing, put together, look.
If you’re someone ( like myself) who doesn’t spend a lot of time thinking about fashion, but also want to look good and more importantly, FEEL good, then a good solid pair of leggings is one of those ‘must haves’ in your closet – you can build outfits around that one item and have many different looks that will seamlessly travel through the Seasons with you too.
There is no doubt about it – leggings are the ‘angel food cake that tastes like devil’s food cake’ of the basic wardrobe functionality that you can dress up or dress down as needed. We all know this, we all have a pair ( or 10) of them in our closet – usually the only problem we face with leggings is finding a good solid pair that will service us for a long time rather than split, fade, pill or other frustrating low quality problems. After trying these Svelte leggings out, I would recommend getting a pair that matches your own personal style and functional need right away to complete your summer wardrobe, and then also have a great pair still looking and feeling good by winter.
Svelte also sells a variety of other clothing items to suite your style and needs. Pop on over to their website, pick a few items and let them know the Viking from Vancouver sent you!
This product is ‘Boat Rockin’ approved! Now, let’s get back to enjoying that summer sun!
