The Only Way to Wear Leggings in 2016

If there’s one trend that’s reigned supreme all season—especially in the celeb world—it’s leggings. Seriously. Turn to just about every major street style star (cue Kendall Jenner and Hailey Baldwin) and you're bound to spot a cool pair of the stretchy pants. When it comes to styling your favorite pair, you can of course wear them however feels most comfortable. But there’s actually an art to pulling off the look in the best, most forward way possible.

Below, we rounded up the dos and don’ts of wearing leggings in 2016. You may already be following some of these rules, but you may learn something new as well.

Keep scrolling to discover more and check out cool celebrity leggings looks. Then shop some of our favorite pairs of the moment too.

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Keep your legging ensemble current by pairing yours with on-trend finds like a crop top and bomber jacket. This is the simplest way to ensure your ensemble is on point.

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(Image credit: Splash News)

On Hailey Baldwin: Saint Laurent SL 87 Sunglasses ($182), Two-Tone Bomber Jacket ($2590), and tote; Lululemon leggings; Acne Triple Sneakers ($500).

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We love an athleisure-inspired, casual look with leggings (cue bomber jacket), but don’t be afraid to dress up your favorite pair for a more formal event like how Selena did here with heels and a blouse.

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(Image credit: Splash News)

On Selena Gomez: Alice + Olivia Lolita Drop Hem Buttondown With Piping ($298) and leggings; Barrie Glamour poncho; Soebedar Shania Pumps ($557).

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While ankle boots and heels work with leggings, many celebs choose sneakers for a more laid-back vibe.

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On Gigi Hadid: VFiles bomber; Koral pullover; Versace tote; Lululemon Tight Stuff Tight Leggings ($148); Vans Love Me, Love Me Not Sk8-Hi Slim Sneakers ($85).

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Sporty? Great—pair your leggings with an athletic-esque bomber. Not so much? Don’t worry about it; you can easily dress up leggings with a sweater and a vest.

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(Image credit: Splash News)

On Kendall Jenner: Saint Laurent Classic 59mm Aviator Sunglasses ($385); Givenchy Lucreza Holdall Bag ($2364); Sandro boots.

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While a classic, opaque black pair is always a safe best, the more athletic styles with ribbed details (like the celeb-favorite styles from Alo Yoga) are cool and forward, too.

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(Image credit: Splash News)

On Bella Hadid: Fear of God Ruched-Sleeve Bomber Jacket ($1095); Givenchy tote; Alo Moto Leggings ($110); Nike sneakers.

Shop leggings:

What is your favorite way to wear leggings? Let us know in the comments below!

Market Director

Bobby Schuessler is a fashion editor with over a decade of editorial experience covering shopping, style, and beauty. He's spent over seven years at Who What Wear, currently leading the market team to deliver highly covetable and convertible content. He creates data-driven shopping guides featuring top retailers like Nordstrom, Shopbop, and Net-a-Porter and is at the forefront of Who What Wear's shopping tentpole strategies, including Amazon Prime Day. He also works on branded content initiatives and appears on camera in video and shopping livestream franchises. He has also worked across a variety of other media brands and fashion retailers like Refinery29, PureWow, Men's Health, and Gilt covering commerce, trend reporting, women's and men's fashion, home, and lifestyle.