'Athleisure Look' Consumers Spotlighted
Controversy Over 'Sexuality' Surrounding Leggings
Experts Say "Clothing Is Also a Form of Self-Expression"
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "Isn't it an individual's freedom to wear whatever I want?" "Even if leggings are comfortable, isn't it inappropriate to wear them as everyday clothes?"
As the number of home training enthusiasts increases, sales of leggings have also surged, sparking intense controversy. Opinions clash between those who say wearing leggings, a type of sportswear, as everyday clothes is a personal freedom and those who argue it appears embarrassing and provocative to others. Experts have expressed that clothing is also a form of self-expression and should be understood.
Recently, athleisure looks, which can be used both as sportswear and everyday wear, have gained popularity.
Athleisure is a portmanteau of 'Athletic' and 'Leisure,' referring to lightweight sportswear that blurs the line between workout clothes and casual wear. Typical examples include leggings and yoga wear.
With the rising popularity of athleisure, the market size for leggings is also expanding. According to Gmarket on the 19th, sales of bottoms including leggings, yoga wear, and Pilates wear increased by approximately 391% over the past month, from the 18th of last month to the 17th of this month.
The issue lies in the controversy over the 'provocativeness' of leggings. Although they do not expose skin, leggings reveal body shape, leading to criticism that they are inappropriate as everyday wear.
Office worker A (28) opposed wearing leggings as everyday clothes, saying, "One should wear clothes appropriate to the time and place."
He said, "It's fine to wear them when exercising. But isn't it inappropriate to wear such clothes regularly?" He added, "Many people wear leggings these days, and every time I see them, I feel extremely embarrassed."
He continued, "I don't know where to look. You can't just think about your own comfort. Consideration for others is also necessary," and asked, "Is it possible to go to school or work wearing leggings? If not, then they are not everyday clothes. Please wear them only when exercising."
On the other hand, office worker B (27) said he could not understand the controversy over provocativeness.
He said, "What does it matter what others wear? They just wear leggings for comfort, so I don't understand why this is a topic of debate."
He added, "Clothing is also a means of expressing one's personality. I don't know why leggings are held to such a strict standard."
Overall, attitudes toward athleisure are generally positive. According to a survey conducted by market research firm Embrain Trend Monitor in February targeting 1,000 men and women aged 15 to 64 nationwide, 74.8% of respondents said, "Sportswear is an important means of expressing individuality."
In particular, athleisure received many positive responses such as being △active (65.1%, multiple answers allowed) △comfortable (60.5%) △free (53.8%) and △functional (44.9%).
However, the controversy over the provocativeness of leggings is not new.
In October last year, a man who secretly filmed a woman's lower body wearing leggings on a bus was acquitted in an appellate court, causing a stir. The court reasoned that leggings are used as everyday clothes and it is difficult to definitively say they caused sexual shame.
The appellate court stated in its ruling, "Leggings are used beyond sportswear as everyday clothes, and the victim also traveled on public transportation dressed this way," adding, "A young woman wearing leggings cannot be considered an object of sexual desire simply because of her attire."
The controversy over leggings has also arisen in other countries. In September 2018, Kenosha High School in Wisconsin, USA, caused an uproar after sending a female student home for wearing leggings to school.
Meanwhile, a mother raising four sons contributed an article to a university newspaper in Indiana, USA, arguing that female students should not wear leggings.
She said, "I recently had the opportunity to visit a college campus with my children, and many female students wore leggings, so I didn't know where to look."
She continued, "It's really hard for male students to ignore female students' leggings attire," and said, "For the sake of mothers raising boys, next time you go shopping, buy jeans instead of leggings."
When this news became known, some women posted photos of themselves wearing leggings on social networking services (SNS), expressing pride in wearing leggings.
Experts emphasized that clothing is closely related to self-expression and should be understood. Attorney Noh Younghee of Gangnam Law Firm appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyunjung's News Show' and said about leggings fashion, "The important thing is that wearing clothes is a form of freedom of self-expression, so it should be recognized to some extent."
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