Leg warmer

Leg warmer

Leg warmers are coverings for the lower legs, similar to socks but thicker and generally footless. Leg warmers were originally dancewear worn by ballet and other classic dancers. Leg warmers are thought by some dancers to warm the lower calf, but no proof as to any benefit has been proven to the effect of leg warmers.

Construction

Traditionally knitted from pure wool, leg warmers are more typically made of cotton, synthetic fibers, or both. Some are made of other materials, such as chenille. Other leg warmers are made of wool, camel hair and Old English Sheep Dog hair.

Leg warmers can vary in length, though not in width, due to the material's stretchiness. They are commonly worn to just below the knee, though many dancers prefer it to extend to cover the lower parts of the thigh. Some leg warmers cover the entire foot; these warmers usually have a pad that grips the floor so the dancer does not slip - however this has been known to cause injury. Some leg warmers are particularly short and made of thinner material; these are also known as 'ankle warmers'.

As a fashion

In the early 1980s, leg warmers became a fad, and wearing them was fashionable among teenage girls. Their popularity was partly due to the influence of the films "Fame" and "Flashdance" and the concurrent aerobics craze. They were worn with leggings, jeans, and tights or as part of aerobic wear. However, they had retreated back into relative obscurity by 1989, although they are still used by dancers. [ [http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-leg-warmers.htm What are Leg Warmers? ] ]

Around 2004, leg warmers made a comeback and were once again worn as a fashion item. Reflecting changing tastes, they were usually designed in more toned-down colors than the loud, often fluorescent colors of the 1980s style. Worn to dress up casual fall and winter outfits, leg warmers are often worn over tights or leggings and matched with a short or long skirt, or worn over jeans. Leg warmers may be worn with almost any type of shoes–even flip flops–although they more often worn with boots or flats. Leg warmers are frequently worn in the rave scene.

Leg warmers worn as fashion pieces generally do not serve any other useful function. This is especially true of those who wear leg warmers 'scrunched' around the ankles. A new take on leg 'warmers' has been arm warmers and cleaves (arm warmers with an attached neck). These were first seen as a wider fashion piece in the fall of 2004.

References

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • leg-warmer — 1974, from LEG (Cf. leg) + agent noun from WARM (Cf. warm) (v.) …   Etymology dictionary

  • leg warmer — noun : a usually knitted covering for the leg * * * noun, pl ⋯ ers [count] : a warm covering of usually soft cloth that you wear on your leg * * * ˈleg warmer 7 [leg warmer leg warmers] noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • leg warmer — leg′ warm er n. clo a footless, stockinglike knitted covering for the leg • Etymology: 1970–75 …   From formal English to slang

  • leg warmer — /ˈlɛg wɔmə/ (say leg wawmuh) noun (usually plural) a knitted stocking covering the leg from ankle to the knee …  

  • leg warmer — noun Date: 1974 a usually knitted covering for the leg …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • leg-warmer — noun (C) a piece of clothing made from wool, which covers the lower part of your leg …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • leg warmer — noun A type of garment similar to a footless sock, which usually extends from below the knee to above the ankle …   Wiktionary

  • leg — n. & v. n. 1 a each of the limbs on which a person or animal walks and stands. b the part of this from the hip to the ankle. 2 a leg of an animal or bird as food. 3 an artificial leg (wooden leg). 4 a part of a garment covering a leg or part of a …   Useful english dictionary

  • warmer — noun a) Something that warms, such as a heater or a soup. b) A piece of clothing for warmth, such as a bodywarmer or leg warmer …   Wiktionary

  • Arm warmer — Arm warmers (or arm socks) are knitted sleeves worn on the arms. Usually worn by dancers to warm up their bodies before class, they have also become somewhat of a fashion item, appearing in the fall. These arm warmers are virtually identical in… …   Wikipedia

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