Leggings: Classy or Trashy?

Me and a close male friend of mine had a debate about the current "black leggings" trend.  He said he thinks leggings (or "stretch pants", as he referred to them as) make women look "cheap". He said he wants to see this trend gone in 2010.  My argument was that they can look cheap if they're not worn properly.  Also, I feel like everybody can't wear leggings.  They are not made for all shapes and body types.  Unfortunately, this trend has given everybody the impression that they can wear leggings, and that they can now be worn outside of the gym and in places where you are expected to "dress up".  I mean, you CAN, but you just have to know HOW to successfully pull it off.

I can vouch for myself and say that I do wear leggings and that they are very comfortable, especially on the weekends when i'm out running errands or shopping.

Angela Simmons looks cute and comfy in her leggings and flats.  Looks like she can possibly be out running errands or something.

Megan Fox looks cute and laid back in her leggings, t-shirt, and tall flat boots. 

Hillary Duff is dressed down in her leggings and flat sandals. 

Is "dressing down" the only acceptable way of wearing leggings? Or can they be worn dressed up with heels? 

I also have worn leggings out to the club and other places where I have to dress up. Here are some examples of the people wearing leggings to dressy events. And in my opinion, these people have successfully pulled off these looks:

Rihanna looks very classy in her liquid leggings.  She paired it with a blazer, long statement necklace, and black designer shades.  And let's not forget the Louis Vuitton Murakami Monogramouflage bag she's carrying.  This spells "classy" to me.

And here Rihanna is again sporting black liquid leggings with a cropped sweater, and black boots.  Again, I don't see anything wrong with this look.

Here she sports the look with a long, black top, cropped leather jacket, and tall boots that hit right below the knee.  Another cute look.

Halle Berry looks cute in her leggings paired with a long top, blazer, and pumps. Another "classy" look in my opinion.

Beyonce looked fly walking through the airport in her black stretch pants by Chanel, black top, cropped leather jacket and studded heels. I love her over-the-top necklace. Some may think the necklace is too much, but I think it really adds to the overall look.  Bey definitely nailed this look.

I'm kinda on the fence with this look. Some may argue that Bey's legs look too big in these leggings.  The short "tu-tu-ish" top draws more attention to her thighs.  Her boots are HOT though.

Beyonce wore these sequined leggings and a matching cropped, sequined jacket to a night on the town with hubby Jay-Z.  I think this outfit is very cute and I'm a huge fan of sequins.

And speaking of sequins, Supermodel Chanel Iman was spotted wearing sequined leggings. LOVE LOVE LOVE the boots and how she paired it with a long white tee and leather jacket.  This is a very cute and playful look.  Loving the pose as well.

Singer Monica wore black leggings on the red carpet.  She topped it off with a long-sleeved ruffled top. Her rocker-style hair cut gives it an edgy look.  This look works for me.

My favorite actress, Nia Long, wore an "all black everything" look which included some slightly see-through black leggings to the "This Is It" premiere.  I think the look is "classy" with a little bit of edginess to it.

Kim Kardashian paired black leggings with a long grey top, cropped blazer, and ankle boots. I think she successfully pulled this look off.

So what do you think? Do you think leggings are trashy no matter how they are worn? Or do you agree with me that they give off an aura of classiness if worn correctly?

I do, however, think that some people do make this trend look a little "trashy".  Here are some examples:

Former stripper Amber Rose, Kanye West's arm piece, wore this stretch cat suit while the two were out.  Now Amber Rose is what some people would consider "thick".  Because of her "thickness", wearing tight, form fitted outfits (like catsuits or leggings) can make her look "trashy".  I think she has a banging body, but at the same time I think this may be a bit much.  I don't know what type of event they are at, but from the looks of Mr West, it looks to be "black tie".  A cat suit is not "suitable" attire for a black tie event.

Here, she wears some metallic, black and gray leopard print leggings with combat boots, white tee, and a blazer.  And let's not forget the cigarette.  So what do you think? Is Ms Rose leaning more towards classy or trashy?

Here she has on some bright turquoise leggings, yellow t-shirt, florescent yellow and snake skin, strappy heels with a denim jacket.  And how can we miss the matching turquoise hair?  Oh and turquoise sunglasses.  Classy or Trashy?

Rapper Nicki Minaj wore some holely leggings to the BET Hip Hop Awards.  Like Amber Rose, Nicki Minaj is also considered to be "thick"

And here she is again at the same event.  Do you consider this look Classy or Trashy?

And one last picture of Miss Minaj at a recent event in Atlanta. She pairs black leggings with a corset and her usual "Barbie" make-up.  Does she look classy or trashy?