This season’s hottest accessory among fashion’s cool girls is a pair of bright red tights. Amidst barely-there hosiery and warm wool tights, red stands out. Red has a rich fashion history, with red nails, lips, and shoes all being iconic attention-grabbers. The “tomato girl summer” trend in 2023 further showcased this vibrant hue online.
Now, it’s time for bright red legwear to take the spotlight.
Street stylists have been spotted adopting the trend at various fashion weeks. In February, Chloë Sevigny, known as “the It girl to end all It girls,” wore a full red outfit with hose while staring down the camera on the cover of British Vogue.
Many embrace the power of red by using vermilion nylons to create a seamless monochrome look. For a pro tip, opt for a short hem to show off your legs or wear darker colors on top for a bold contrast. Unlike hosiery designed to cover skin discreetly, bright tights highlight the legs and add a pop of color to simple outfits.
This trend started in high fashion with Valentino’s spring 2023 runway, known for their signature red. It continued with fall 2023 collections from Jacquemus and Dolce & Gabbana. The trend persisted into spring 2024 looks from Givenchy and Burberry, proving its staying power.
Red tights boast a formidable fashion pedigree dating back well before recent runways. In the sixties, mod styles embraced this accessory, while Princess Diana of Wales elegantly paired red hosiery with matching skirt suits on multiple occasions. Even Liza Minnelli famously sported a pair of red tights in the early ’70s while performing “Liza with a Z.
Fashionistas with an eye on recent history may remember red tights as an iconic piece in Blair Waldorf’s wardrobe, the Upper-East-Side elite from the CW’s “Gossip Girl,” or as a beloved staple in the early-aughts “indie sleaze” fashion scene.
Fashionistas in the 2020s have declared it’s time to bring back the trend. Personally, we’re more than ready to paint the town red.