Recently, there has been a lot of discussion online about yoga pants. One side will say that yoga pants are a great innovation and another side will say that they are inappropriate and should not be worn in public.
The critics are right in one sense. They are inappropriate to wear in public, however, they can be quite flattering. Why, well they were designed to.
The origins of yoga pants is actually quite old, made by Inuit people in Alaska and used for hunting purposes. Well, maybe not actually used for hunting. Quite often, the pants were worn as underwear.
Eventually, these pants, or smocks as they were originally called in America, made their way to the States. It was when yoga became popular that they became an important part of some people’s workout regime.
The rise of yoga pants
Yoga became popular in the 1950s and 60s. There were a number of schools of yoga at the time and people attached themselves to this or that school. In 1976 it was suggested that yoga pants should be worn.
The could then be seen as a proper discipline in and of itself, because they were no longer just worn for exercise.
Now, when we think of yoga pants we think of stretchy, stretchy pants. These are designed to strengthen the abs and to make the stomach look flatter.
They also come in many different colours and styles, so there is something for everyone.
The critics
There are a few problems. Firstly, yoga pants are not appropriate for many workplaces. There are situations in which they are appropriate but if your work requires you to be in the office during normal hours, then, sorry, yoga pants are not appropriate.
The other problem, which is not often spoken about and is seldom addressed, is their appropriateness to wear in public.
Yoga pants should not, in my opinion, be worn in public. It is a problem especially with women.
Yes, women do wear yoga pants, as you have seen. Yes, women do wear crop tops and tight and sexy pants. And yes, women do try and attract attention because they are half naked.
However, wearing yoga pants in public invites attention. It invites reactions. It invites people to judge. Those reactions can be positive or negative.
Let me explain. When people see a woman wearing yoga pants, they are reminded of women they see at the gym.They are reminded of women who have no respect for other people or for authority. For many people, these images are not what they expected to see in the workplace.
Furthermore, why is it a problem?
Do you remember the saying “what goes around comes around”?. If you are a woman who wears yoga pants, you are open to the same kind of attention.
Likewise if you are a man. A lot of those comments seen in public are from men. Men feel that they are the correct gender to judge women for what they choose to wear.
Finally, the fact is that yoga pants, while they are useful, are not suitable to wear in public.
You do not have to wear them, but I do not see why anyone else should judge you for wearing them.
So, wear yoga pants if want to, just be careful what you wear next.