I just think that the long sleeves by contrast heighten the bareness of the legs.
This summer I took a dance class where I wore low-back long-sleeved shiny lyvra leotards with either leggings or sheer black tights. One woman commented favorably. But the teacher asked me to stop because she was so distracted by my "package" when I wore a purple leo, she called it a "purple codpiece." She prefers her men dance students to wear only leggings and to go bare-chested. So I complied with this, to please her, because I really liked her, but otherwise I have a strong preference for leotards.
Bare legs in yoga class works well for me, because it helps me to do the Tree pose better, where you have to stand on one foot and plant the sole of the other foot into the opposite inner thigh. Skin on skin gives better stability, won't slip.
I haven't yet dared to go out on the street in nothing but a leotard... but I have walked on the street in (a) a low-back unitard exposed above the waist, worn with sweat pants; (b) tight unitard or leggings exposed below the waist, worn with a sweat shirt or jacket. The latter is how I often go shopping in the wintertime. By now this look ought to be fairly well accepted for men with an active lifestyle.
I'm not gay, but gays are OK by me. There's a gay couple in my yoga class, but they're your basic normal all-American whitebread guys who wear shorts & T-shirts to class, not eccentrics like me. They have not shown the least glimmer of interest in me and my sensuous, showoffy lycra leotards. To each his own, live and let live.
>Hey Emma ...>what is you initial reaction to guys in leos and tights? As a guy, I like to wear them. I have yet to build the nerve/confidence to wear outside my apartment. If I didn't feel that I would be arrested or mocked, I would wear them to a yoga or pilates class.>Tights and leos are great; and they are comfortable. I certainly understand why gals like to wear them.>And to address one of your questions, though I like to crossdress, I am certainly not gay.>John.[/i]