Leggings are any of several sorts of fitted clothing to cover the legs. Originally leggings were two separate garments, one for each leg. In contemporary usage, leggings refers to tight, form-fitting trousers that extend from the waist to the ankles.

In the United States, they are sometimes referred to as tights. However, the two words are not synonymous as the word tights refers to opaque pantyhose. Modern leggings are typically made from a blend of lycra, and either nylon, cotton, or a cotton-polyester blend.

However, leggings can also be made from wool, silk, and various synthetic fabrics as well. Leggings in various forms and under various names have been worn for warmth and protection by both men and women throughout the centuries. The separate hose worn by men in Europe from the 14th to 16th centuries (the Renaissance period) were a form of leggings, as are the trews of the Scottish Highlands.

Separate leggings of buckskin leather were worn by some Native Americans; These were adopted by some Long Hunters, French fur trappers, and later by mountain men. They are the leatherstockings of James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales. The Buckskins, however were mostly a dull grey brain-tan, not the bright, glossy vegetable tanned leather we so commonly see today.

It was also common for leggings to be made of light wool.

Similar to 0 things you like: