You just bought a new mini skirt and can’t wait to show it off, but it feels a bit too revealing for a casual fall Tuesday. While tights might seem like the go-to option, street-style icon Chloe King recommends sheer knee-high socks instead (or stockings, as my grandmother would say).
King, a luxury retail expert famous for her appearances in Fashion Week street style round-ups, has become a leading figure in the knee socks trend. She’s styled sheer hosiery with mini shorts and jackets worn as dresses. While she’s tried pairing them with masculine brogue loafers, she admits that wearing super high heels is way more fun.
“As hemlines have gotten shorter and shorter in recent seasons,”—cue the runway models and celebrities flaunting micro mini skirts, hot pants, and sometimes no pants at all—“adding knee-high socks to mini shorts or a jacket-as-dress helps balance all the exposed skin,” she says. “Plus, the sheer-to-skin gradient adds a fresh texture to the outfit and is a more surprising choice than tights.” Who would have thought nylon stockings would be trending in 2024!
Sheer knee-highs are an unexpected choice, which is exactly why they pair so well with a short, seductive hemline. “There’s something wonderfully puzzling about adding a knee sock to an outfit,” King says. “The sheer nylon brings both sex appeal and a touch of grandpa’s closet—it’s that ‘ugly cool’ that Prada nails so perfectly!” A styling move that feels so wrong, yet somehow becomes completely right.
King has perfected the art of balancing an awkward outfit with a truly great one. She has an instinct for adding the perfect finishing touch to make an outfit pop, whether it’s a quirky hat or a pair of dangly cherry earrings. Remember the brooch trend from last season’s New York Fashion Week street style? King’s oversized red rosette pin was one of the first hints that the accessory was making a comeback.
All this to say, King knows exactly how to elevate a look—and if this trendsetter suggests adding sheer knee socks to your wardrobe, it’s fashion advice you won’t want to ignore.
But King isn’t the only one using knee-skimming pantyhose as a smart styling trick. While reviewing the latest Fashion Month street style, I spotted knee-high black fishnets in New York, sheer white nylons in London, and gauzy stockings in Paris, all paired with stunning platform heels.
On the runways as well as city sidewalks, Christian Dior’s models rarely step out in a chic mini skirt or tailored pleated shorts without sheer black stockings to complete the look. The same is true for Cecilie Bahnsen, though the Danish designer prefers knee-high tights with her signature girlish puffball dresses. King also highlights Simone Rocha: “While I usually lean towards classic black sheer, the thigh-high nude hosiery at their Spring ’25 show has me rethinking new shades and proportions.”
I’m also a fan of knee-length stockings and own a pair of sheer black ones that I bought on a whim from Amazon last August for layering in the fall. Since then, I’ve discovered they pair beautifully with tailored Bermuda shorts for a fall work outfit, and a leg-slit maxi skirt is a fun way to showcase a sheer calf. When I feel drawn to darker, edgier style inspirations and want to reconnect with my Tumblr roots, I turn on “Knee Socks” by the Arctic Monkeys and slip into my own pair with lug-sole black boots.
Take it from King, myself, or a recent runway model: sheer knee socks are an unexpected trend for fall 2024 that’s definitely worth trying. They add a playful touch to any outfit and could unlock a new, more fun aspect of your personal style. Or, at the very least, they serve as a great reminder to give your grandma—a true sheer pantyhose muse—a call!
