A term coined by influential fashionistas, which is now being used as a part of daily speech amongst the denim-legging wearing public – that’s right, I’m referring to the tackily apt word merger between ‘jeans’ and ‘leggings’. A marriage made in Heaven maybe, if you are lucky enough to be a descendant of the Beckham or Brangelina gene-pool; or rich enough to have Madonna’s yoga trainer on speed dial; or even her prophet-able toy boy giving you a personal workout, creating a Madge-like fossil buttocks (Just for the record I am comparing her butt to a hard substance as opposed to an old sack of bones.) What I am trying to say is that aren’t leggings just leggings? I mean snakeskin leggings are not called sneggings, and you wouldn’t pop into your local high street store and ask if they sell sheggings instead of shiny leggings. Although I fear that these phrases will also catch on… and I wouldn’t recommend typing shegging into your search engine, especially if you are in front of your computer at work.

We digress from fashion to language and rather distasteful past times, and so I shall return to the subject in question – Are jeggings a smarter, and somewhat more socially accepted replacement for the jogging bottom, thus maybe joggings would be a more appropriate name? So you could argue that although jeggings are an ingenious adaptation of the average pair of leggings, providing us with an illusion of a skinny jean, that they are actually just aiding the lazy tracksuit wearer in their quest never to move away from an elasticated waistband. Whilst very important, I personally am not sure my vanity could compromise aesthetics over comfort.

I asked Scott Rogers, designer and founder of Oak Jeans, for his take on jeggings ‘Jeggings serve a purpose, but to be honest you can’t beat the real thing. I love working with denim and it looks great. At Oak Jeans we have a pair of stretch denims in a range of washes, they are skinny fit and have the benefit of a jean with the comfort and mobility of a legging.’

I hear you Scott – but what benefits do jeans have over leggings?
‘Jeans are stylish, durable garments that are structured enough to enhance the good bits and hide the bad. With skinny jeans in particular you can really dress them up or down for any occasion – they are definitely a wardrobe staple, and I certainly don’t think the jegging will replace them.’

Maybe so – but do you think jeans will ever be replaced, or fall off the fashion wagon?
‘There are so many washes and cuts available, that I think the only time jeans will go out of fashion is if we all start to wear space suits or something’

What do you mean ‘start to wear space suits’? I don mine every evening whilst watching Eastenders! (That’s a slight stretch of the truth – as Enders isn’t aired every evening.) So in Scott’s opinion it’s about style not fashion, and denim isn’t likely to be losing either in our lifetime.

Although styles of denims have evolved, I really can’t imagine the male of the species donning a pair of jeggings. After all, jeggings are simply faux-denim leggings, and I rarely see a lad sporting a pair of Lycra slacks unless in the aid of sport, ballet or to elicit shock-attention. Having said this, we are living in a metro-sexual world with an often-androgynous style. Guys love the skinny jeans, as much as the ladies – but the day I come home to my sexier-half wearing a pair of leggings as part of his daily ensemble – I will start to ask questions, after, of course belly-laughing until it hurts. But he certainly rocks a pair of skinny jeans!

Don’t get me wrong I do own a pair of jeggings – and it’s quite possible I have written this piece because I am so distraught by their creation. I could not contemplate the dismissal of denim in favour of what is essentially a fake pair of jeans – it’s a similar argument I pose to myself in front of my cringing reflection when weighing up the boob-job op. It’s not happening – I’m keeping my naturally swaying breasts in my plunge bra and I’m keeping my real jeans at the top of the pile in my wardrobe. So wear both – just favour your jeans, unless of course you can crack a nut between your thighs, and have a toned peach arse, then you should simple skip the jeggings and opt for the body paint, while the rest of us mere mortals stick to the forgiving structure of denim. Ultimately I think jeggings, leggings… and even ski-pants are more lounge-around home than strut-around town, especially if you have the choice of tightening, shaping and flattering your silhouette in a pair of great fitting jeans – I know what I would choose every time.

Support Jeans for Genes Day on Friday October 2nd www.jeansforgenes.com

Thanks to Scott for his expert opinion www.oakjeans.com