The TikTok leggings legs trend, also known as the #leggingslegs challenge, refers to a viral social media trend that emerged in 2022 where people, primarily women, show off their legs and bodies in tight leggings.
The trend aims to promote body positivity and self-confidence regardless of body type.
The phrase, which is blocked from search on TikTok, caught on as a description of the “perfect” or “ideal” size and shape of legs for wearing leggings, promoting what experts say can be an unhealthy body image.
It appears to be a new spin on the internet-fueled “thigh gap” craze from around 2013, in which young women and teens pursued an elusive and possibly dangerous goal of being slender enough for their thighs not to touch when standing with their feet together.
The widely criticised term “legging legs” began going viral on the platform after it was used to refer to the idea that only those with long, thin legs should wear the tight-fitting, bottoms – with no cellulite, hip dips or short legs allowed.
Now, TikTok has deleted the hashtag #legginglegs and, instead, it has been replaced with information about eating disorders or disordered eating.
What are “legging legs”?
According to social media, “legging legs” are legs that are deemed desirable and socially acceptable in leggings.
Predictably, this aesthetic is confined to long, very slim legs, with a gap between the thighs and zero cellulite.
For the majority of women, such images are not achievable, realistic or healthy – and positioning such images as desirable has been met with anger and frustration by many users.
How did the trend start?
The trend began by users who met this beauty standard simply posting images of themselves on social media (predominantly TikTok) wearing leggings and tagging their post using the hashtag #legginglegs.
What has the backlash been?
The backlash to the trend has largely been swift and overwhelming.
Fitness trainer Rebecca McKenzie wrote: “It’s giving glorified eating disorder vibes.
Do we understand that there are women and young girls online that wear leggings every single day, that now feel that they can’t wear them, because they don’t have ‘legging legs’?
If you see this video and you have one of those videos up I suggest you take it down. For your own mental health and for all females that are going to come across these videos.”
