The Coolest Tunics To Wear With Leggings

Leggings are here to stay—they are a classic in the casual outfit category—perfect for hanging around the house, perfect for running errands, and perfect for working out at the gym.   There is nothing like a great pair of leggings.  I especially love the tunic and leggings combination, the silhouette is great, its super comfortable and flatters all figure types.  

Leggings are also super easy and fun to style and a great option in fall and winter—perhaps that’s why they remain so popular.  One of my favorite ways to style leggings is with tunics. I took a little time to figure out which tunics to wear with leggings—for an up-to-date look.  While tunics and leggings are a wardrobe staple, the look can get old if you don’t update occasionally. 

I couldn’t find a tunic like the one in my photo, but this one is very close-the color is almost identical, the color works with black or tan–and I am loving Spanx faux suede leggings. The come in several colors, which I love. Some of you asked for more low heel booties–here they are–super comfortable and right on trend this year–plus, not too hard on the pocket book!

When shopping for tunic tops, one of the most important things is choosing the right length for your height and body type.  Tunics look best when they fall just below the widest part of our hip-though depending on your height, longer tunics look really great.  Tunics are a great layering piece, and are super versatile.  You can do a little front tuck into a pair of skinny jeans—or flairs—flairs are what I am wearing now—clearly your tunic top can be worn with pants, and jeans as well as leggings making them a super versatile wardrobe staple.

You can even layer a shorter tunic over a long shirt or a long sleeve top and you have several casual outfits to enjoy with just a few high quality pieces.  I love collecting different tunic styles, including solid colors (my favorite) or classic stripes.  I also play with longer length and shorter tunics to create variety in my wardrobe.

If you haven’t updated your tunic and leggings collection, now is the perfect time.  I have a variety of tips for you today, as well as several other posts I’ve written on styling leggings, boots and sweaters.  It’s all right here at your finger tips.

Can you wear regular pants with a tunic?  

In short, the answer is yes.  However, if the pants have belt loops or pleats in the front, or pockets in the back, you may want to rethink the pants—hight waist leggings give a much smoother look—and that’s one of the reasons tunics and leggings are a perfect pair.  That said, if you have smooth top pants, they will look very nice with a tunic.

How long should a tunic be?

A tunic should fall just below the widest part of your hips.  This makes for the most flattering silhouette  avoid too short a top.  While shorter tops can elongate the leg, they can also direct the eye to the crotch area, or create a boxy looking silhouette.  Be sure to take into account your height and shape when choosing a tunic.

Can I wear a short dress as a tunic?

Yes, short dresses can sometimes be worn as a tunic—you may have to play with the length to make sure looks right.  Using a dress as a tunic can be a great way to wear a dress you love but might feel is a little too short.

Tunics can be made of a variety of fabrics, and textures, as well as many styles, so there is something for absolutely everyone.  

Best Tunic Tops:  I love styling a long shirt—especially a button up, with a cute sweater vest- long sweaters are also an excellent choice for a leggings outfit.  Tunic tops come in a variety of shapes and styles.  Be sure to try on many to find your favorites. 

Best Leggings:  I am always willing to spend a little more to get high quality when it comes to leggings.  I love classic black leggings, but am very excited about this year’s trends-you can read about them below.  I go for high quality leggings you can read about my favorite brands here.  I am going for high waisted leggings right now, and have some with slash pockets as well as some that are plain.  

Current Trends:  Shorter tops layered over a longer blouse is one of the hottest tunic trends this season, and best of all, you probably have a long blouse or top in your closet.  Simply look for a sweater vest or a tunic to wear over it.  Layering various lengths is also really hot—think the edgy street kind of style.

In leggings this season, faux leather and suede are super hot and top of my list to be added to my wardrobe.  Mixing textures and fabrics is also a really hot trend—and again, you probably have pieces you can mix together to create this type of look.

Ski chalet style knits, and sweater vests are also popular classics you will see—and again you may even have in your closet.  I love bulky knits and various knit designs.

This Season’s Best Footwear to wear with tunics and leggings:  This year’s trending footwear include white trainers for those of you looking for a comfortable flat, booties/ ankle boots—especially those with a waffle sole—hiking style boots  or knee high boots.  

As stated earlier, this year we are seeing a lot of ski chalet style, which includes the lace up hiking boots.  If you would like more details on boots, be sure to read this post.

What to retire:

Each year, I either retire or just don’t unpack pieces that are no longer on trend.  If I love the item, simply leave it packed for another year, but if my taste has changed, or the item looks dated, I set it in the donate pile.  You can read about my strategy for managing a seasonal wardrobe here.  I save a lot of money by carefully evaluating my wardrobe each season and shopping strategically.

A few things you might want to set aside this year are—skinny jeans, ballet flats, tops or bottoms with large floral prints.  My over the knee boots are sitting this season out as well.

As always, make sure your tunics and leggings are in good shape and fit properly.  I personally prefer leggings in solid colors, with neutral colors being an excellent choice.  This allows you and the tunic to take center stage.

Styling Tips

A few things to keep in mind..

1. Try belting your tunic for a great change. The belt will provide a waistline and more interest to your outfit.
2. Freshen your collection regularly-leggings take a lot of wear and tear and tops can become dated.
3. Layering pieces such as adding a short jacket over a longer tunic is a great look.
4. Try different textures such as faux leather leggings to avoid the “I just came from the gym” look.

On my must have list:

As I am still building my fall and winter wardrobe, I still have a few things on my list.  I have two pair of really great fitting  pair of jeans, and piles of sweaters and jackets.  But I am a little thin in the legging department, and am especially keen to pick up a pair of suede leggings from Spanx as well as a pair of their new flair pants. I also plan to get more faux leather leggings as I wore my Spanx faux leather legging all season long last year. 

High on my list, oversized knit tunics, especially with the ski chalet style detail, long sweaters and a long sweater vest.  

I hope this post has inspired you to find a pair of great leggings, and a few comfortable tunics to enjoy—they make such a great comfortable outfit.  Let me know your favorite tunic style and where you like to get your leggings.  

More on styling leggings:

Styling Faux Leather Leggings

How to Style Leggings for Women Over 50

Leggings For Women Over 50? We say Of Course, Here’s How!