My early days of motherhood were a blur of sleepless nights and unanswered days. I often wore the same raggedy clothes around my home with no concept of when they were last washed. With a baby who spit, pooped and peed all over me, my fashion was not top of mind.

Despite how little I cared about my wardrobe in the comfort of home, when I did manage to venture outdoors, I always put on “real” pants. And by pants, I do not mean leggings. It did not matter how exhausted I felt or how gross I looked, I made a statement which said, I will try and look like a put together human. It could be a plain t-shirt and jeans, but it was something. It was clothes.

Leggings were not something you wore out in public.

I resisted leggings for many years because I felt they were the one clothing item left to take me over the edge to utter hot mess. Sure, I wasn’t the picture of style before, but at least I took a little pride in myself.

I never thought I would be the mom who wears leggings 90% of her week.

I have changed.

Six years into raising humans, I have come to embrace the stretchy goodness of leggings and have accepted them as a staple of my wardrobe. I realize nobody cares what I wear while shopping for milk and eggs, and I might as well be comfortable.

You may still swear off leggings, standing firm in your belief that leggings are not pants. I respect your conviction, but speaking from experience, you will have to face the inevitability that leggings will take over your life.

The path toward leggings acceptance is fraught with questions about your identity, emotional turmoil and wonder about life’s purpose. You will go through these stages until you emerge happy and ready to love leggings.

The Five Stages Of Leggings

Denial

You see other moms wearing leggings at Target, at school — at your cousin’s wedding — and you swear you will never do that no matter how much you know deep down they are the best things ever and would make your life so much easier.

Anger

One day, when you are feeling bloated like a balloon, you will try on every pair of pants you own, and curse them for being so unforgiving. You now view all those happy legging-wearing women with a mix of disdain and envy. How dare they go through life smiling and unfettered by pants with no elastic waistband?

Bargaining

Okay, maybe, leggings are fine for a trip to the supermarket, you tell yourself. But, only the supermarket, you would never wear them to lunch or to a school meeting. You agree to join your friend’s LuLaroe Facebook group; just for browsing, of course.

Sadness

You don’t know who you are anymore and suddenly all your clothes are terrible. Is there even a point in getting dressed?

Acceptance

You need to run some errands, so you reach into your drawer, and without thinking much, grab a basic pair of black leggings and put them on. You leave your house, and realize the world still spins, and nobody judges you for wanting a little comfort. You even get a few knowing smiles from other moms. You start buying enough leggings to last a lifetime — you even purchase the fancy ones which you can wear out to dinner. You now live in leggings and all is wonderful.

For the fashionistas among us, I respect your attempt to avoid leggings as a wardrobe staple. When you are ready to join the dark side, we will run to you (because our movement will be unfettered), and welcome you with open arms.