5 Fresh Ways to Wear Basic Black Leggings This Winter

There's a certain inevitability to black-legging outfits. Whether you're committed to the comfort of athleisure, secretly into stirrups, or just on your way to Pilates, we all end up out and about in our leggings sooner or later. The fashion set is no exception, and it's not just an American thing—from Paris to London, Lisbon to Amsterdam, I delight in seeing stylish people show up in my feed wearing genuinely off-duty outfits.

If you're looking for a little outfit inspo for how to style basic black leggings, you've come to the right place. And while some of the below looks are perfect for grabbing a coffee and hitting Trader Joe's after yoga, I promise at least two of these will have you surprised at just how polished a pair of leggings can be. It's all about the styling, so stay tuned for the details—then keep scrolling until the very end for 12 bonus pairs of leggings that editors love to shop.

To be clear, this would be great with black tailored trousers or even jeans, but Linda Tol's stirrup leggings make it feel much cooler. I'm here for how polished yet secretly comfortable it is—honestly, might have to re-create this for my next flight.

On-trend accessories—like square-toe flats and an oversize mock-croc bag—are easy upgrades if you want to feel a little more intentional than just sneakers and your go-to canvas tote. Perfect for an outfit that says, "Shall we grab lunch after yoga?"

A giant cable-knit is perfect with leggings, yet it's weirdly an outfit combo I've never tried. The trick is to make sure it's longer and chunkier than your average sweater, and add polished black accessories that make it all feel a bit luxe.

A shearling jacket and comfortable leggings make a great outfit for the winter, whether you're running to the store or the airport. And if you like your leggings to be as cozy as your outerwear, this top-rated fleece-lined style from Old Navy is about to be your new favorite thing.

This outfit is all of us IRL running errands at some point this season. I like the variation of the faded black leggings (I found a similar "washed black" colorway at Vuori, shopped out below), plus the addition of high socks paired with retro sneakers in an on-trend hue.

Shop more basic black leggings:

This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.