Tights, Tights, Tights
It is indeed fall and it seems to have come out of nowhere here in Chicago. One day I was spilling my 
entire lunch on my white jeans en route to work, the next day I had to rock full-body insulation. I have mixed feelings about the cold weather, but I do love fall and all the festivities that come with it. I also love covering up a bit; sweaters, hats and gloves are fun! For those of you who do not know me in real life, you must know that I wear tights a lot. I probably own 40 pairs (that’s a lie, I own more) and I wear each and every pair of them. I wear them 3 seasons out of the year and have probably been doing so since 7th grade. During that style breakthrough year in 7th grade I used to wear gingham and leopard print tights with my little Doc Martens and I even owned purple fishnets (I am certain I thought I was So Sweet.)
Fast forward 18 years to modern day Chicago where I have been people watching on the train every morning, I realize that a lot of the ladies are a little confused with the tights scene, so I thought I would pull together a quick Do and Don’t list to clear some things up. I also spotted the Kate Spade shots included in this post and felt inspired. These looks are right up my alley. They are short, sweet and professional. Sadly Kate is a little above the Budget Retro price limit so at the end of the post I will offer some affordable brands.
Budget Retro Says Do:
1. Layer tights–if the ones you have aren’t thick enough then double them up! You can also layer fishnets over tights for a textured look.
2. Use black tights to winterize a summer dress. That yellow dress can hang in the fall, just toss on a turtleneck and tights and you are on your way.
3. Wear textured or colored tights to make a black or neutral outfit pop. The Kate Spade red tights are a perfect example.
4. Wear tights under dress slacks to give you a smooth silhouette.
Budget Retro Says Do Not:
1. Mistake sheer nylons for tights (we should not be able to see that you haven’t gotten a pedicure since August!)
2. Wear footless tights unless you are a dancer (sorry this may offend some, but they make a lot of really pretty girls look short and stout and it makes me sad.)
3. I won’t say Do Not, but be cautious with patterned tights. They need to be accompanied by a very polished outfit and you need to rock them with an ounce (or more) of confidence!
4. Mistake tights for leggings. Tights are meant to accompany an outfit–they are not meant to be the outfit.
I have tried every type of texture, brand, size (sometimes I buy tall tights even though I am only 5’2 so that they are opaque from hip to toe)–with 18 years of trial and error I have found a few favorites that I will recommend.
Hue tights are amazing and they offer every color. I just found the Merona Luxury Opaque Tights at Target a month ago and they are so thick and lovely–they should last all winter and they were only $10 (They do not have them on the site yet.) The Assets tights, from the maker of Spanx are amazing for form fitting clothing (although be careful about length…the Spanx portion of these are a little long and I think my cubemates saw this while I typed away at my desk. Gross!)
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There is a place for footless tights, though — and that is in boots! As a long-legged type I have a lot of trouble with the crotch creep, footless tights totally prevent it. I agree, if you can see the ankle, not so good, but in boots (or socks long enough to cover the gap) it makes things so much more comfortable.
*shudder* I have seen so many times when tights are mistaken for leggings…it’s awful. Way to get the message out! I love wearing tights and I love this post.
Great post! Couldn’t agree more with the “don’t mistake tights as leggings” advice. Please ladies, listen to her!
I have never understood the point of footless tights. I am also not tall like Sarah who commented earlier so maybe that’s why!
I am totally on your side with the footless tights… The only people who look half way decent in them are the super-slim with “legs up to their armpits” (as my mom says).
We shorter gals are better off avoiding them (unless they’re tucked into boots: as Sarah pointed out).
A gal at work read the post and directed me to this site. How funny! And yes, Sarah…I totally agree, that if the ankle is not visible you are in the clear.
http://tightsarenotpants.com/manifesto
I just bought these great brown fishnets from spanx and I love them: http://glammed.blogspot.com/2009/10/hello-autumn.html
[...] you remember this post? The infamous “tights” post where I was fawning over Kate Spade dresses? Well guess [...]