so whats the difference between leggings, jeggings, tight jeans & yoga pants? At least they're butts aren't hanging out of their shorts! Pick your battles people!

Anonymous-
I have to agree with you on this one. I've seen much worse in this and other countries that can be worn by even younger girls. I don't think yoga pants pose a big issue, but I will say I'm not a parent (yet) and may feel differently if I had a daughter.

Yep, you got it! Force them to wear baggy/looser clothing and all then they will stop attracting boys' attention.......
Amazing that these females don't realize that they need to control inappropriate behavior by their classmates by choosing different clothing! The boys can't be held responsible for forcing unwanted attention on the girls, they are constantly provoked! You'd think the girls would have learned that by now!

Yoga pants are to kids today as sweatpants and leggings were to kids before yoga pants came to town. We cannot legislate to poor parenting. My kids wear yoga pants 2-3 times per week. They fit well, they look good and they are TOTALLY in good taste. I wear yoga pants in public on the weekends. This is a ridiculous argument. Outlawing spaghetti strapped tanks tops, I understand. Sweatpants with writing on the butt – inappropriate. But don’t even think about taking away comfy pants from girls. Unless you’re also going to outlaw low riding jeans on boys.

I'm hopin Jim and Amy aren't in the same household, or we've really started something here ;)

I actually had to google " yoga pants." I guess that means I am old.

I was in school once and I would look at girls who wore yoga pants. And jeans. And shorts. And skirts. And dresses. And sweatpants. And baggy sweatshirts.

I think the most important thing is for parents to have discussions with their kids about clothing and how they present themselves to others and how others may react. Years ago, wearing a dress that showed the ankles was considered too sexy, and as we know in Saudi Arabia, showing one's face can also be considered deplorable. The only rules for guys is to basically not go shirtless. I can't imagine being a woman and having to figure out how every little thing I do with my clothes, hair, and makeup might be perceived by others.

We have to be careful we don't move into, "Well, she was asking for it. She was wearing a short skirt!" territory.

Seriously, folks? We have kids being bullied everyday in school while teachers, administrators, and other kids turn a deaf ear. Tackle those issues with the same amount of vehemence you give to yoga pants. Shameful.

"I'm all for allowing girls to wear what they wish ..." NO you are not. You are all for censoring what they wear, so at least admit it. Let the girls wear what they wish. These are the years when they learn the "social lessons". Risks can, must, and will be taken. Blue-noses should stay out of it. My wife wore a pair of white hot pants in 1973. That is one of the reasons we are still happily married in 2012.

I Agree with Amy and Joan. Yoga pants are tasteful if worn correctly. This is a parents job. What about sagging pants! I don't want to look at you underwear. Once again a parents Job. I would not allow my 2 boys to sag their pants. and my daughter wears yoga's to school and they are excepted as pants for her high school job.I feel just as Joan does that we need to focus on Bulling and classroom sizes so all kids will be able to read and write. What is this world coming too???

Seriously?? If a girl is attractive, it doesn't matter what she wears, she will still get attention from the opposite sex. Girls have enough problems with self esteem, if they are comfortable and confident wearing yoga pants no matter what their body size, let them wear them.

I thought this post was tongue-in-cheek. I really can't believe that comfortable, athletic, work-out wear is on someone's "inappropriate" list. I sniff a big whiff of sexism here. Boys wear their sweatpants and athletic garb, but girls cannot? And don't even get me started on the" blame the victim" track here. It's the girl's fault because the boys look? My daughter is a figure skater. She has a thin, lean body and has a very hard time finding jeans to fit and doesn't own a pair of sweatpants because by the time she finds ones that fit in the length, they are all about 6 inches too big in the the waist. Yoga pants provide a great option for her. Most brands are well made and there is simply no comparison to pajamas. There is nothing promiscuous about them.

Good Lord! Yoga pants are unacceptable to wear....mmmm....I just turned 50 and I wear yoga pants. Maybe Jay doesn't realize that some yoga pants look just like dress pants but are far more comfortable to wear. I gotta agree with Joan, with all the other issues students, teachers, administrators and parents have to worry about and concentrate on yoga pants certainly aren't one of them.

Yoga pants, leggings, jeggings? All acceptable attire as far as I'm concerned. My 17 year old wore them throughout high school--and she's a freshman in an Ivy League college now. They didn't impair her intelligence, drive, performance, or ability to interact with young men in a non-sexualized way. If anyone sees a problem with the attire, I think they need to look at the problem as being theirs.

Like fashion guru Tim Gunn would say, "Are these pants or tights?" If you have to ask the question then wear a pair of tasteful jeans instead. I say the same for a pair of yoga pants. Leave the yoga pants to the studio!

What a sexist and ridiculous letter this is. Maybe the should covers their bodies in tarp so that the boys can focus better? Or maybe the girls shouldn't be allowed in class with boys? Careful, or we will head down a very slippery slope. I sure hope you do not have any daughters sir because you clearly lack respect for women.

Oh for goodness gracious! If a boy is attracted to a girl it's not because of her yoga pants. Yoga pants are a wonderful piece of clothing. If you've never wore a pair...try a pair. We should be thankful that our girls don't have their pants hanging down under their butts. I have two beautiful daughters who are very active in sports and excel academically... they wear yoga pants....and life is good :) In this day and age we really have to choose our battles....and this isn't one of them.
From a mom of 4 great kids....take a deep breath and enjoy your day. (Maybe stop looking at the girls in their yoga pants)

Yoga pants are so hot!!!

I totally agree with Teresa. Once you start banning yoga pants, etc. you will be on that slippery slope. For example, take New York banning large sugary drinks in restaurants---really? What's next??

If you are so concerned with what kids wear, advocate for uniforms. If you start picking and choosing, it just comes down to how restrictive or conservative (in terms of dress, not politics) your school board is, and that is not a good approach, particularly since it often seems to restrict mostly what girls wear in an asinine attempt to prevent boys from "being bad" without addressing underlying issues. Have some basic rules (yes, you do need to wear clothing) and let kids (with parents guidance) wear what they want. Or go with uniforms for all.

Would it be acceptable for kids to wear body paint to school? I think not... which is not too far from what *some* "Yoga" pants present.

This is an extreme example, but a great reason that public schools need to go to sensible uniforms. Kids have enough peer pressure as it is, without having to worry so much about their bodies and how they look compared to "sporty spice" girl.

Save the Yoga pants for personal time, outside of school.

What a dim wit. A girl can wear a burlap sack and young men will still act like crazy, hormone driven zombies. We as Men, especially young men, can not help it. It's called human nature. Parents, when you were a kid, do you think you acted any different? When I was young, the girls clothing was just as tight as the Yoga pants. So, please give them a break. Yes, I have two daughters and one likes to wear yoga pants. It is her choice, I trust her, and I want her to be who God intended her to be, not what I want her to be. If you want to worry about something, worry about kids test score, worry about a moron School Board Leader who wants to revisit the decision to build a second High School, and worry your childs future in America.

Grow up Dave, body paint?? Look up a picture of any Minnesota girls volleyball team pictures..now those shorts should be banned...instead they are mandated by the Minnesota State High School League. Many yoga pants have a boot cut leg bottom and they are not "catsuits" Leggings were worse...more opaque. Yoga pants are a less constructed dress pant.

This author should be happy that the girls are going to school and not staying home. I am glad the PJ phase is finally gone. Pick your battles. My daughter earns her own money (has to wear black bottoms to work and YES they're yoga pants, her shirt covers up the logo on the waistband) and she doesn't dress in a provocative manner so she is capable of picking out her own clothing. She's a year off of adulthood (18) when she will be at an age that her parents can't do anything officially.

Does the author have a high school son or daughter? I say relax.....fashion is just coming back around... in the 80's we wore legging and tight, tight jeans.......it's no different.

@ Barbara...I remember wearing the tight designer jeans, off the shoulder ripped necked sweatshirt...leggings with leg warmers, satin pants....yeah...Yoga Pants are so BADDDDD!

If schools wish to ban yoga pants because they are too informal, that's one thing. But to say the should be banned because girls wear them to draw the attention of boys to their genitals (referred to in the article as "areas fathers would not mention by name") is just plain disturbing. I have a teenage boy & the thought that one of his girl friends might be wearing yoga pants to prompt (for lack of a better word) him or his friends to look at her genitals is preposterous, at best. In fact, I'll go as far as to say my son would look for about as long as it took to be grossed-out. That's not to say he isn't attracted to the female body, but instead that he definitely wouldn't want to date or hang out with a girl who thinks showing her genitals is acceptable, much less attractive, in public. Further, I just don't think girls are interested in showing "it" off. Boobs? Yes. Genitals? I don't think so.

I am an 18 year old girl and I wear yoga pants because a: they are comfy b: they still work as bottoms not "hoochie pants" and c: I am too lazy to wear anything else. Those are the reasons. Not to call attention to my "area". the author has put WAY to much thought into this and needs to take a look back and not be such a sexist pig.

Yoga pants started in 2011...? It was tight black leggings in my day. And at least it covers everything. I think she has more problems with the yoga part. Don't want that hippie talk influencing your children.

This is absolutely ridiculous, Jay Corn is not about girls wearing what they want, but about limiting their clothing choices to what he sees fit. I wear yoga pants to school along with many others and it is not in the dress code where my school has a strict one. Yoga pants are very similar to sweat pants, skinny jeans, and jeggings which most schools allow. There is nothing wrong with yoga pants, and they will continue to grown and be worn to schools as I will not stop wearing them for the oppressing opinion of Jay Corn.

Interesting that everyone here who is pro-yoga pants seems to think that everyone who is anti-yoga pants is some sort of oppressive, sexist pig. But in reality we all have a "that's too tight" or "that's too short" or "that's too revealing" meter in our heads (at least I hope we all do when we're talking about teens), and it's just a matter of degree that we don't agree on.

No Corey. I don't think the anti-yoga pants men are a sexist pigs...just the guy that wrote this article. HE said that the girls are wearing them to draw boys' attention to their genital area. That is a sexist statement...girls are wearing yoga pants because they want attention? And he is not writing anything on the BOYS attire .... like the sagging bottom pants that they wear or the sleeveless tee...shirts being worn as an outer shirt instead of its purpose as an undershirt.

And good grief I am not a feminist by any stretch of the imagination.

The presentation of yoga pants varies greatly. I can understand the arguement because many girls walk around with VS yoga pants and just a tank top. That gives the pants a bad look & are certainly not appropriate when worn like that. When I wear yoga pants I wear them with a hoodie and sneakers. Theyre so comfortable and quick for gym days and days that youre rushing out the door. And they dont look the least bit sexually attractive when worn that way.

How do you know they're trying to attract boys? It might be for the sake of comfort. If parents let their kids wear yoga pants, why cant the school?

my school will never allow yoga pants. they say everyone can see your panty line. well stop lookin at our butts and you wont see it!

I searched this topic after a second "discussion" in our household this morning with our middle school-aged daughter and found this thread. While I didn't read ALL the comments, the majority of the ones I did read, from oldest to newer, seemed to communicate the responsibility of parents communicating and educating teens. SO IMPORTANT. Everyone's definition of acceptability is different though, which causes confusion. We would have no problem with our daughter wearing yoga pants or even leggings in a way that I my husband and I and our daughter deem appropriate. (Our definition for factual purposes would be: with a shirt that covers the obvious curves and underwear lines and shapes that it is scientifically proven teenage boys are tempted to look at.) Unfortunately, as in any situation with peer involvement and majority rule, our definition doesn't line up with how the majority is wearing them according to our daughter. The fact is this. Girls at her middle school, of various sizes, are wearing tight leggings/and or yoga pants, some from Victoria Secret Pink, some with thong underwear (obvious by either the tightness or the fact it sticks up above the waistband), they may wear a sweatshirt, however it is not a long baggy one. It is short, sitting at the waist or slightly below at best.

Sorry if this seemed really long. Just wanted to give a first hand experience. By the way, we live in a fairly small town in the midwest :)

Good luck parenting everyone!

Hey everyone I have just read through every comment on this page it was a journey. I do not wish to insult anyone on this page, nor do I think I am better then anyone. All I wish is that everyone reads what I think. Let me start, I am a 15 year old boy who decided to research what parents of girls, who decide to wear these yoga pants thought. While I was reading I saw that many thought "they should be banned!" and then many said "It's there choice". I believe in it's there choice, no I am not a father, nor do I plan on being one anytime soon. This is just my opinion on this subject. Many girls at my school wear these yoga pants and I think that many of them wear them because they are comfortable and I think many of them wear them because they want to attract the boy's attention. I have to be honest they get my attention, not wanting to sound like a pig, and I hope I don't sound like one, but didn't you guys and girls feel the same way when you where my age? Wanting to get the boy of your dream's? And guys wanting to look at the girl of your dreams? At my school there is a beautiful girl and she gets my attention by her looks. Her face and her hair she is amazing, do I like it when she wears yoga pants? Yes, but when boys see a, not so attractive girl in yoga pants that doesnt make them attracted to them. I feel girls should be able to wear whatever they want to. Hope everyone has a great day. Thought I might give you guys a kids opinion on this.

Im a 14 year old girl and I wear yoga pants to school. There is honestly nothing wrong with it and your insane if you think that. Girls get comfortable at school because when we are sitting and switches classes for 7 hours we dont want to be in ugly uncomfortable stiff clothing. There are girls at school who wear skirts high enough to see what they've got and shorts with holes in the butt. So honey, I dont think yoga pants are the problem. Its stuffed up people like you.

Let's just face the facts that parents/adults are never going to always accept or appreciate youth trends and fashion. That's certainly part of why it's trendy at this age.
If you have issues with trendy apparel of the moment, put your kid in a school with a uniform. Most importantly, teach your kids to respect others NO MATTER WHAT CLOTHES THEY WEAR.
I may think yoga pants are tacky, but it's not my place to tell anybody what they should or shouldn't wear, and it doesn't affect me, so it doesn't matter. If you're lucky you may be able to raise a child with fashion taste you agree with (but don't count on it)!

Thank god women are so oblivious to this issue! If you wear yoga pants we WILL check out your butts!
Thank you.

If you wear yoga pants I'm going to look I'm a guy

Fat girls in yoga pants that's gross

How come when a guy wears such clothing, it is okay but when girls start to wear it, they get in trouble and the clothing gets banned?

So now it's an issue if women wear long pants? It's tiring enough hearing crap about wearing skirts or shorts too short, but now there's a debate over long pants? Women are independent people and have the freedom to wear what they desire. Everyone has an ass and it's not like men don't know that already. Currently at the age of 17, I do know of men's raging hormones and uncontrollable desires, but I don't see why women have to suffer for the sake of men. At least we're covering up our asses rather than having it hanging out of our pants.

You sound stupid. Yoga pants are CLOTHES. People spend $40 on a pair, kids should have more than a right to wear them to school. They do no harm, at least they're showing up to school!!! I think the teachers and faculty need to worry less about yoga pants and more about the kids getting bullied, depressed, missing school, not doing their work. They're focusing on all the wrong things, their priorities are jacked. And yours must be too if you think something is wrong with yoga pants. My girls wear them all the time, I even bought myself a pair. They're great! If my child is showing up to school, I'll let her show up comfy. Theirs a difference between wearing something absurd and wearing something thats the same as jeans but a different material. You are all tripping for no reason, take a second to reevaluate yourself, take a couple breaths, and sit down.

As far as I'm concerned, your article is completely wrong. What's the issue if girls wear yoga pant to school? Many women can even wear them to work. Girls feel comport able and secure in yoga pants. Why would you want to take this away from young girls? When you have issues with bullying and slacking off in school you should be dealing with that before you worry about yoga pants. Not to mention, there is no difference between yoga pants and leggings/tight jeans. Many high school girls wear clothing that is way less appropriate. Have you ever heard or booty shorts or short shorts? At least your butt is inside yoga pants. Many girls wear yoga pants for comfort rather than sexual attention and the girls who wear them for sexual attention would find other inappropriate clothes. Further more, yoga pants mean high school girls can be comfortable but still look/feel good about themselves. Next time: think before u write!

Why is it that males can wear their pants where they are exposing what type of underware they are wearing and females are being critized for something that completely covers their lower body? If you do research on where the low pants for men came from, you will discover that it came from prison. If you wore your pants low it meant that you were available. If you want to address appropriate clothing then this needs to be addressed as well.

As a student in high school, I can understand why someone would want to ban them. Our school did a couple weeks ago. We are still allowed yoga pants for PE and the actual yoga class, but not for regular wear. I personally agree, when I'm in the locker room I despise the girls who wear yoga pants, because there is usually no underwear underneath, and they are the type to wander the room. I don't see the point in writing on the butt, I don't find it that distracting, nor are any guys at school attracted by it.

And please, tight jeans are nothing new. Tight Rolled Jeans, or pegged jeans, were in during the '80s, and don't tell me nobody did that. Besides, what trends did your parents not approve of, flapping?

Have Schools ever thought that its not the tight clothes? It's the boys minds! If your gonna band yoga pants by then yuu might as well band all clothes and make everyone wear 3 turtle necks and 5 pairs of pants! Not every family has the income to buy all their kids pairs of jeans for everyday and yoga pants are on average cheaper than other types of pants. An average pair of jeans are $35! There gonna ban yoga pants but cheerleaders can still wear there little skirts too school? Hypocrites.

Most of YOU are clueless. Haven't you thought it's not what teachers/admins "think" of the clothing itself? It's the fact that (some) PARENTS don't teach what's appropriate and what's not. I'll tell you why schools are banning “yoga” pants, and it has little to do with them being "sexy." It has to do with the fact that (some) PARENTS don't monitor the fact that girls are replacing yoga pants with tights, which are very see--through. It's the fact that the girl wearing the tights also wears a shirt that barely meets the waist. Add to that the fact that the person wearing that outfit is also wearing a very visible hot pink thong. THEN, add to that that another student has taken a picture of that young lady and posted it on the Internet. THEN the parents and students get mad and say other kids are bullying....so the school has to discipline the kid who took the picture AND address "bullying." People, teachers just want to teach. They don't want to police clothing; they expect that the parents do that. Needless to say, that's not always happening, so then the schools have to step in and be the "bad guys."

I am a 17 year old in high school and yoga pants are banned there.I really don't get it.yoga pants are SO comfortable & I wear them all the time. My boyfriend likes them a lot too, but I don't wear them because I'm trying 2 attract men like come on now.its the comfort and I love the way I look in them.

To begin, I am an 18 year old girl in high school and enjoy a gothic style of clothing. So I would like to first state the pros (or case and "evidence" of the yoga pants). It seems that they are worn for 1) comfort, 2) to raise their self esteem, and 3) to attract attention. However, they 1) attract the wrong kind of attention, 2) are distracting, 3) can insinuate a false opinion, 4) should fall under the legging category based on how they hug the skin. True boys will look no matter what you wear but that doesn't mean you have to help them out. From the ones I see at school, they are more of a legging and shouldn't be classified as an actual pant, if they are worn for actuall yoga, then how they but the skin is welcome and help fulfill a purpose. If clothing was worn over their parts, it would be fine, however this is rarely the case. On a side note and in a different category, 1) this thread is about yoga pants and not on how distracted the school board is, 2) I also feel that boys need to cover up their parts as well, but, again, this thread is about the absurdity or functionality of yoga pants, 3) while the shortness of volleyball shorts may be a bit much, this thread is for yoga pants in schools, not "uniforms" on the courts! All in all, I feel responsibly dressed, yoga pants work well as a legging, but not on their own as pants. Please cover up.

There is one simple solution to the sometimes questionable attire of the students... require a uniform. It need not be something uncomfortable to wear... a polo shirt and khakis for boys, and a dress below at the knees or below for the girls.

This would also encourage the kids to dress more appropriately when they get older. As it is now, many people traveling by plane/at the terminal in the airport dress like they are bedraggled refugees from some third world country.

Well said. There are plenty of more modest clothing that is just as comfortable if not more so. Just today at the Sheetz I saw 3 girls wearing these pants and you could see every crack, every pivet, every fatty dent, and it was all in ones face. Even the cashier was grossed out. Completely inappropriate. Yes, parents *you* are in the wrong for arguing that it is for "comfort." Please. Perhaps uniforms are necessary since parents have no clue.

I am sorry. Is it more comfortable than a dress? Perhaps, girls in this country are too comfortable with showing off their bodies. They really should not be that comfortable. I blame the parents, and I can see why from the people writing in response to this article. We are not thinking. I substitute teach and it amazes me that the girls are wearing these. You can see through some. The do not hide much. And the guys talk about them incessantly. Stop pulling the wool over your eyes. They do not hold any purpose, except to garner attention or tow the line of current teen fashion. And fashion hardly makes it right. Of course, guys would prefer bikinis. We are not going to outlaw them because they have a place, i.e. the swimming pool. I think Yoga Pants have a place too. Girls have the right to wear what they want. But school is not the place for this behavior. Leave it at the mall. Leave it at home. School is a learning environment. Somewhere along the line, we got so self-absorbed. We forgot its purpose. If boys are distracted, it is their own fault and their parent's fault. If girls are immodest, it is their own fault and their parent's fault. Let's not kid ourselves, you let our kids run the roost, and we pay for it. A selfish, self-seeking, and harmful generation is being raised and it amazes me.

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TJ if your 50 years old and wear leggings your safe! I am all for it let the teens show of what God gave them, school is too long anyways.

Seriously, she said "I'm 50 and I wear leggings" I can't believe she thinks a 14 y/o and her are drawing in as much attention in HS or anywhere. Sorry guys had get it out of my system. One word of advice, please people stop stressing about insignificant issues. Deep down we all know what banning it from schools is the right thong to do. Some people are just too stupid too understand why.