How to Wear Leg Warmers

Co-authored by Elle Monus

Last Updated: December 27, 2023 Approved

Leg warmers were totally 80s, but now they're totally fashionable.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Elle Monus
Image Consultant

Expert Interview. 21 October 2021.} History has a tendency to repeat itself, and leg warmers are no exception.^{[2]
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Research source} Looking for some ideas on heating up those legs of yours? Look no further. You can learn how to pull these babies off, regardless of the decade you're in. All you need are some leg warmers and a little creativity!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Rockin' Leg Warmers Like It's 2017

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1
Wear leg warmers with flats and tights. If it's 40 degrees outside and you're just dying to wear that dress, leg warmers and leggings or footless tights are a great option. Black tights and black leg warmers are an understated, classic combination. It's like wearing boots, but much more comfortable!
- Make sure they're a little bit bunched, especially around the ankle. They shouldn't be so low they're dragging on the ground, but there should be overlap between your shoe and the leg warmer.
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Wear 'em with pumps. This one takes a bit more confidence, though it's a totally acceptable look. As long as your heels are on the understated side, leg warmers will look good. Stick to heels that are nude, brown, black, or gray.
- Leg warmers are a cozy look. If you're wearing stripper heels that glow-in-the-dark, leg warmers will look a bit out of place. Unless your leg warmers are glow-in-the-dark too, of course.
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Wear leg warmers with a skirt. This is the same concept as with a dress. Tights are only necessary if the weather requires it, though they can streamline the leg. If you have a skirt that's a little on the short side, leg warmers can make it more modest.^{[3]
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- Your shoe options are endless here. Flats, pumps, boots -- it's all good. Just keep the colors neutral yet varied!
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Wear 'em over skinny jeans.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Elle Monus
Image Consultant

Expert Interview. 21 October 2021.} ^{[5]
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Research source} You know those skinny jeans you have, but your pear shape makes you feel a little funny wearing them too often? Wear leg warmers over them! Problem immediately solved. Again, your footwear here can be anything. Anything but flip flops!
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Wear them peeking above your calf-high boots. For an extra textual touch (or a bit more warmth), wear them just peeking above your boots. Anywhere from 2-6 inches is good.^{[6]
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- Don't worry about matching colors. Unless you're wearing black, this will be hard to do. Different shades of brown and beige are totally fine. It'll just draw attention to your attention for detail!
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Wear them on top of your ankle boots. If the pants, skirt, or dress you're wearing don't go well with your calf-high boots, you can get a similar look with ankle boots and leg warmers. Just pull them a bit over the tops of your booties and scrunch 'em up!^{[7]
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Go totally urban. Wear them with Converse or Converse high tops for an urban look. No one said leg warmers had to be for dressed up occasions! You can wear them whenever you want!^{[8]
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- Fashion is, as of late, about intentional chaos.^{[6]
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  Research source} If it doesn't go together, in a way it...goes together. A quick Google search will verify this if you're skeptical. So if you're think you're not in line with current trends, just in being so, you are. Blowing your mind, huh?
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Rumple them up a little bit. Leg warmers are not meant to be stretched flat. You want them below your knee and appearing a bit loose. If you don't have them hidden by a boot, they should be about 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) from your knee, extending down to just above your heel.
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Stick to neutral colors. What makes leg warmers wearable after the millennium is their inconspicuousness. When they used to be neon yellow and pink, now they're mostly donned in browns, beiges, blacks, navies, and creams. While they don't have to be a color in your outfit necessarily, stick to neutrals that match everything.
- Leg warmers are a definite accessory and shouldn't really be a focal point. If your eye goes straight to your leg warmers, you're probably doing it wrong.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Rockin' Leg Warmers Like It's 1983

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1
Get leg warmers in neon colors and patterns. 1983 was awesome. If you weren't there, know that it was awesome. You could practically go hunting in your day clothes you were so brightly-colored.^{[9]
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Research source} Sunglasses were worn just so you could look at your friends' bright orange shoulder pads. Sadly the 80s are over, but you can bring them back with some bright plaid leg warmers!
- They can either be a solid, bright color or several colors in a pattern. As long as they can't be missed, you're good. Magenta, lemon yellow, magenta and lemon yellow in a paisley pattern -- don those bad boys like you're being paid by Cosmo.
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Wear those ell-dubs with matching fingerless gloves. Someone less in tune with fashion history would call this "overkill." But the 80s didn't have such a word in their vocabulary and fingerless gloves the same color and pattern as your legwarmers were a go-to look.^{[10]
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Research source} It's called "matching" and it never occurred to anyone 30 years ago that it could be a bad thing.
- Does your local leg warmer supply warehouse not have matching fingerless gloves? Well for one, shame on them. For two, looks like you're going to have to take matters into your own hands. Take out that sweater your grandma knitted you in 2007 and put it to good use. Turn the arms into leg warmers and whip up some palm warmers out of the shoulders. She'll be glad you did something with it.
- '83 was thirty years ago. If that fact makes you a little nauseated, you're not alone.
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Make sure your clothes are in the same color family. Are you rocking fuchsia leg warmers? Hope you can find some fuchsia tights, a fuchsia skirt, and a fuchsia top. You'll look like you're straight outta Olivia Newton John's "Physical" video.^{[11]
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Research source} You may not want to take this look to the gym, however.
- Modern day shopping outlets not keen on your 80s throwback? That's what wikiHow's "Dyeing Fabric" article is for! Clothes aren't magically grown out of thin air by elves, you know. Make something yourself!
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Pair 'em with your old school Nikes or Converse.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Elle Monus
Image Consultant

Expert Interview. 21 October 2021.} The 80s were a little less...put together than fashion is now. How do you think they birthed the grunge era? Because of this, wear your leg warmers with anything. Tennis shoes? Sure. Chucks? Sure. The question is: Are your legs cold? If the answer is yes, wear leg warmers.
- Most people are a little bit hipster, whatever that means. If you have any of that I-just-grabbed-this-out-of-my-closet-and-I-look-super attitude in you, leg warmers are a safe bet. If none of your outfit goes together, your leg warmers make sense. In other words, it's a crazy, mixed-up world, and you can't do it wrong. Leg warmers in the morning', leg warmers, in the evening', leg warmers at dinner time. You can definitely match them with any other accessory in your outfit.^{[13]
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  Elle Monus
  Image Consultant
  
  Expert Interview. 21 October 2021.}

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Question

How old is too old to wear leg warmers? I'm 55.

Heather Kenyon-Haff

Top Answerer

The modern legwarmer look is appropriate for adults, especially paired with boots.

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Can I wear leg warmers over my high boots?

Heather Kenyon-Haff

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Physically, this may be possible, but it is not the proper look. Legwarmers do not go over shoewear.

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Can I wear leg warmers with sandals?

Community Answer

No! Please don't do this. It would be like wearing socks with sandals, a big down jacket with shorts or flip flops in the rain, all of which are not ideal.

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Tips

If you want to be more edgy, put your leg warmers over leather leggings!^{[14]
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Elle Monus
Image Consultant

Expert Interview. 21 October 2021.}

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Don't be afraid to go for it. Not many people wear them these days, but if you like them, you may find yourself reigniting a trend from the 80's that could stick around for ages.

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Don't be afraid of looking weird. Be yourself and express your inner fashionista!

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