Author: hilldong@yantaithriving.com

Tights are incredibly versatile, yet styling them can sometimes feel tricky.

“Tights offer affordable style while balancing both form and function,” says Elizabeth Kosich, certified image consultant and founder of Elizabeth Kosich Styling. “Most likely, you’re not using them to their full potential.”

“Tights also help extend the wearability of spring and summer pieces long past their typical season,” Kosich added. Stylist Christina Kroll agrees, noting her inspiration from Scandinavians: “Their motto is, ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.’ They excel at layering tights stylishly for winter.”

Here’s how to style tights to achieve any look you want—from elegant to edgy—while staying warm and comfortable.

Some Guidelines To Get Started

“The first rule of wearing tights is that there are no rules,” says Kosich. With so many colors, textures, and patterns, it’s fine to experiment and push boundaries. However, there is some helpful guidance to keep in mind.

One tip is to select tights that complement your outfit’s color palette. “If your dress is neutral, try bold-colored tights. For a vibrant dress, opt for a more subdued shade that grounds and balances the look,” Kosich advises.

Tights can set the tone for your look. “Subtle patterns, like textured polka dots or delicate lace, can elevate a simple dress, while fishnets add an edgier vibe,” says stylist Stephanie Venita Stimmler.

Experiment With Shorter Hemlines

“Tights let you experiment with shorter hemlines,” says Kosich, as they provide more coverage than bare legs. They allow you to wear a micro-mini or shorts, even if you usually avoid these styles or worry about staying warm in cooler weather.

“Keep mini skirts premium and sophisticated with materials like wool, suede, or leather,” she advises. “Pair them with tights in a statement color or a tone-on-tone shade to add texture and enhance the outfit’s composition.”

Stylist Cassidy Montalvo loves pairing tights with “baby doll style mini dresses and ballet flats—it’s a nod to the ’60s, yet still very feminine and chic.”

Make Tights A Focal Point

Tights were once an afterthought, but now they can be the centerpiece. “Use tights to create a focal point in your outfit by adding a pop of color, texture, or both,” says Kosich.

She suggests wearing printed tights—“think florals, python, or leopard”—to “add dimension to airy dresses.” Alternatively, “keep it minimalist with solid opaque tights in a vibrant jewel tone, paired with a monochromatic skirt,” she recommends.

Kroll recommends choosing skirts that “give room to show off” tights, as they “can ‘make’ an outfit, much like accessories such as purses and jewelry.”

Look For Luxe Tights

Kroll noted that Americans often avoid wool tights, fearing they’ll be too itchy. She recommends opting for merino wool tights, a winter staple in Scandinavia. Kroll prefers wool tights “that feel like a second skin and can be worn under anything.”

Merino wool is made with finer fibers that pull moisture away from your body, helping to prevent sweating and overheating.

Find The Right Neutral

Tights don’t always need to be a fashion statement—sometimes, they’re about staying warm and completing an outfit. “For a nude-colored tight, I recommend choosing an opaque style to ensure the color blends naturally and doesn’t stand out if it’s slightly off from your skin tone,” advises stylist Kendra Sharpe. Certified image consultant Amrita Harbajan adds that “fleece tights with flesh-colored lining” are perfect for very cold days.

You can stay neutral without opting for nude. “Shades like black, navy, and gray are versatile and pair well with many colors,” says Stimmler. Montalvo notes that neutral tights offer a “more professional, tailored look” and matching them to your shoes will make your legs appear longer.

Almost Any Shoe Goes With Tights, So Get Creative

Almost any shoe can be paired with tights. Kroll prefers high heels: “Pair a colorful heel with a muted tight, or vice versa—a muted heel with a colorful tight,” she advises. Another great option is low-cut boots, which “give space to show off flattering tights” and look “super chic” with skirts and sweaters.

Kosich recommends creating “juxtapositions that create balance” and are unexpected. “The more unusual the pairing, the more chic,” she says. For example, try “sneakers with micro fishnets or combat boots with semi-sheer florals.” If bold looks aren’t your style, she suggests more classic, yet chic combinations like “Mary Jane flats with oversized fishnets, velvet smoking slippers with back-seamed tights, or classic pumps with tone-on-tone pin dot hosiery.”

Sharpe advises that, while there are exceptions, “a closed-toe shoe of any kind is usually the best choice.”

We’re all embracing this perfect autumn weather and the layered outfits that come with it. To celebrate, let’s look at some chic fall outfits featuring tights. Sheer black pantyhose are always a safe choice, but there’s so much more to try. Even classic black tights can bring unexpected style to your look if you’re ready to experiment.

In 2023, Miu Miu made the visible pantyhose waistline under slip skirts a fashion statement, especially if paired with a tucked-in cardigan. But for 2024, the look is more relaxed. Across New York, preppy mini skirts with tights, often styled with Mary Janes or loafers, are everywhere. My feed is bursting with tights inspiration—from vibrant, playful styles in Lisbon to chic, elegant looks in Paris. Here’s a roundup of top tights outfits saved in my folder, along with everything you need to recreate them at home.

Tights are essential in royal ladies’ wardrobes. Moreover, they add elegance and style.

Although it’s not an official royal rule, the late Queen Elizabeth II reportedly preferred that royal women wear tights at formal events. Thus, this choice reflects her style preferences.

The Princess of Wales often wears nude stockings. In contrast, the Duchess of Sussex was seen wearing hosiery for the first time at a garden party for King Charles’ 70th birthday in 2018. This choice highlighted their individual styles.

Princess Anne frequently wears nude tights. However, during an investiture on Tuesday, she broke from tradition by choosing fashion-forward sheer tights. This change highlighted her stylish approach while awarding honors to sportsmen and writers.

The Princess Royal wore sheer tights under her military uniform, which included a gold and navy skirt suit. She paired the outfit with round-toe court shoes, adding a touch of elegance.

This season, the fashion set favors sheer tights, as noted by our stylish friends at HELLO! Fashion. They state, “Sexy sheer tights with delicate denier are back,” highlighting the trend’s resurgence.

Among the celebrities embracing this trend, HELLO! Fashion highlights Dakota Johnson, who elevated her look with sheer tights. She paired them with a fitted strapless mini dress and black Christian Louboutin stilettos. Additionally, Nicola Peltz styled sheer tights with a white ruched mini dress designed by her mother-in-law, Victoria Beckham.

 

Taylor Swift wears nude tights under all her Eras Tour costumes—two pairs, in fact, for added coverage and shine. Just a few years ago, sheer nylons might have seemed outdated. However, more and more women are now wearing them as a trendy accessory.

Wiz Wakefield, 30, owns around 14 pairs of black tights and wears them daily during winter. “I prefer them relatively sheer because thicker, darker tights don’t look as appealing,” says Wakefield, a talent acquisition professional in New York. “But I don’t want them so sheer that they look inappropriate.”

Tights are making a stylish comeback, with the market growing fast, especially among young women, after years of flat sales. Once just for modesty, tights have turned into statement pieces. Models, musicians, and Hollywood stars now wear tights as pants, and the trend is spreading. Now, a legacy brand that once led the pantyhose market aims to dominate this hosiery revival.

L’eggs, the go-to drugstore brand for women, is relaunching with a new line of shapewear tights made from recycled yarns. These tights come in colors like red and brown, plus trendy patterns like leopard and lace, all designed to attract younger shoppers.

Created by a Hanes executive, L’eggs launched in 1969, quickly becoming iconic for its unique plastic, egg-shaped packaging.

Sold in drugstores and supermarkets, L’eggs provided affordable, convenient pantyhose for women entering the workforce in the 1970s and ’80s. Long before “shapewear” was a term, L’eggs offered compression and control tops. By the mid-1980s, the brand’s revenue had reached nine figures.

In the 1990s, the barelegged trend took off. By the 2000s, pantyhose became a generational marker: while some older women wore them to work, most younger colleagues chose to go barelegged. Shapewear brands like Spanx and Skims, launched in 2000 and 2018, introduced more smoothing options, making control-top pantyhose feel outdated.

For some women, nude nylons still feel out of place in modern wardrobes.

Anastasia Kenworthy, 30, a business development manager in New York, laughed when asked if she ever wears nude nylons. “Never,” she replied, noting that Taylor Swift is the only person she can think of who actually pulls them off.

“I associate them with grannies,” said Charlotte Jones, a 29-year-old project manager in London.

L’eggs is working to change that perception. Although its original egg packaging is displayed at the Museum of Modern Art, the brand’s owners aim for it to be more than just a style artifact.

Last year, Hanesbrands sold L’eggs to the private equity firm Windsong Global. CEO and chairman Bill Sweedler hired Cami Téllez as executive creative director and board advisor in January to modernize the brand. Téllez co-founded the underwear company Parade in 2019, which was acquired in 2023, and she left earlier this year. Known as a Gen-Z whisperer, she initially sent her brand’s colorful briefs to micro-influencers, turning their photos into social media flexes. Now, Téllez aims to introduce L’eggs to a younger audience.

The brand’s relaunch coincides with a pivotal moment for the tights market. According to the marketing research firm Circana, hosiery sales in the U.S. reached $1 billion in 2023, with an 18% increase this year so far. Notably, sales among 18- to 24-year-olds have surged by 76%.

Brands are noticing increased interest from a younger demographic. Nordstrom associate fashion director Linda Cui Zhang stated that colorful and patterned tights, along with knee-high stockings, have gained popularity among younger customers. They are drawn to creative styling, such as wearing socks over tights or pairing tights with sandals. In response to this demand, the department store has expanded its offerings to include a variety of textures, colors, and embellished styles.

Charlie Nichols, president of L’eggs, stated that to stay relevant, the company now refers to all its hosiery options as “tights” instead of “pantyhose.”

“One of the things we needed to do quickly is change the brand’s optics,” he said.

The brand’s first new offering, called 360 Contour tights, will be available in the coming weeks. These tights are designed to evoke modern shapewear rather than the control-top pantyhose of the past. Téllez, in collaboration with the design firm Family Office, designed all the packaging. “Each one is like its own piece of art,” she said. The new campaign imagery showcases women of various sizes, ages, and races, with some styled according to the no-pants trend, where tights are worn as bottoms.

Nichols noted that traditional nude, sheer tights continue to sell well, with sales on the rise. Téllez compared them to tinted moisturizer for your legs.

L’eggs is currently available in nearly 30,000 drugstores and grocery stores. It will debut in 1,800 Target locations next spring, along with Kohl’s and other smaller chains.

“Today, tights have evolved into a powerful form of self-expression in fashion, and we’re seeing them on the runway,” said Téllez, highlighting brands like Fendi, Miu Miu, and Sandy Liang. “We’re excited to continue bridging the gap between the runway and the streets more quickly.”

In May, Kendall Jenner and the legwear brand Calzedonia created buzz with a sizzling summer photoshoot. In these viral images, she flaunted a stunning satin green bikini, offering plenty of swimsuit style inspiration.

Now, this dynamic duo returns with another seasonal campaign. On October 24, Jenner celebrated the return of tights season by showcasing bold pairs from Calzedonia. If you haven’t embraced this daring hosiery trend yet, take Jenner’s advice: now is the perfect time to dive in!

Thursday was a busy day for Jenner. Alongside her cover story release with M Magazine, she shared Calzedonia close-ups with her 291 million Instagram followers.

For her holiday-inspired endorsement, Calzedonia’s brand ambassador modeled the 20 Denier Ultra Comfort Sheer Tights in black. She layered these sheer pantyhose under matching hot pants and a cherry red turtleneck. Next, the 818 founder accessorized with strappy black sandals, silver hoop earrings, and burgundy nails—three chic touches for upcoming festive events. Plus, her dark brown hair marked the surprising end of her month-long blonde era.

In true supermodel fashion, the red-on-black look was just one of three luxe outfits for Calzedonia. For the next photo, Jenner switched to another pair of sheer tights, this time adorned with polka dots. Thanks to Calzedonia’s Sheer Polka-Dot Tights, her mod black bodysuit with a mock neck and long sleeves took on a surprisingly retro feel. Slingback pumps and chunky hoop earrings enhanced the timeless vibes.

For the final shot, Jenner embraced the burgundy color craze in Calzedonia’s 20 Denier Ultra Comfort Sheer Tights. Following other A-list fans of this rich shade—Zendaya, Kate Middleton, and Jenna Ortega, to name a few—she paired her opaque tights with a matching cropped leather jacket. To keep the focus on her monochromatic outfit, Jenner chose minimal accents, including pointy patent pumps and mini gold huggie earrings.

Just like her red carpet looks, Jenner collaborated with her longtime stylist, Dani Michelle, on these enviable ensembles. “Stockings are my favorite accessory for fall—I always feel they elevate any outfit and polish the leg,” Michelle said in a press release. “Tights were big the last two seasons, and they aren’t going away anytime soon!” If you need help curating a tights-inspired outfit this fall and winter, Michelle recommends pairing them with a mini skirt and a turtleneck. “There’s something about the covered yet exposed look that feels so crisp and confident,” she adds.

On Oct. 20, Julia Fox turned heads with an edgy monochrome outfit at the Rome Film Festival photocall for “The Trainer,” a dark comedy she stars in.

Julia Fox showcased her skill in mixing and matching materials with her all-black ensemble. Though the color was consistent, she played with different fabrics for each piece. The actress and model paired a knee-length leather skirt with a longer sheer overlay, cut out in front and elegantly trailing along the floor.

She layered a sheer turtleneck under a classic peak-lapel blazer, adding depth to the look. Her platinum blonde hair provided a striking contrast to the dark ensemble.

Fox completed the black-on-black look with opaque tights and classic black pumps, showing a chic way to style tights with heels. Her shoes, featuring a pointed toe and a slim ankle strap, added a touch of timeless, understated glamour.

Fox is celebrated for her bold fashion choices. In April, while promoting her show “OMG Fashun,” she made a statement in New York by wearing an oversized black Sho Konishi blazer and briefs, opting to go without pants.

Victoria Beckham’s style is truly timeless. The British singer-turned-fashion designer combines refined minimalism with modern elegance in a seamless way.

Victoria Beckham effortlessly blends sleek, tailored silhouettes, sophisticated color palettes, and classic designs with a modern twist. She skillfully combines the latest trends with timeless elements, showcasing her evolution from pop star to fashion icon.

The 50-year-old shared a throwback photo on Instagram for Kim Kardashian’s birthday. Her outfit showed just how timeless and stylish black lace tights remain.

Victoria Beckham posted a stylish shot from her Paris Fashion Week SS24 afterparty, featuring Kim Kardashian, Vetements’ creative director Guram Gvasalia, and former British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful. Victoria embraced the ‘no trousers’ trend, wearing a black blazer over black lace monogrammed tights from her own brand. While this look is one of 2024’s hottest hosiery trends, her approval shows just how timeless it truly is.

“Black dresses paired with patterned black tights create a unique and interesting look,” Kristina Falke, international PR Director of hosiery brand Falke, shared with H! Fashion. “When it comes to patterns and bright colors, it’s best to start with the tights and then choose your outfit. But with a black dress, anything works.”

Kim also jumped on the trend in 2023, wearing a pair of nude tights with a black lace overlay, giving the illusion she was wearing no pants (celebrities love the ‘no trousers’ trend).

Before the style became a cool-girl trend in 2023, Bella Hadid brought goth glam to the 2022 Met Gala. She wore a custom Burberry look by Riccardo Tisci, featuring a leather and chiffon corset dress paired with black patterned lace tights, fitting the “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” theme perfectly.

Whether you want to elevate an everyday blazer or enhance a special occasion outfit, patterned lace tights are the perfect, timeless choice.

 

With Cowboy Boots

Cowboy boots are the hottest accessory this year. To style them, pair with black tights, a mini dress, and a grey blazer for a chic look!

With a Turtleneck Dress

I love turtleneck dresses for fall and winter! Keep your outfit simple by pairing black tights with a turtleneck dress and adding silver accessories for a stylish touch.

With Some Patterns

PSA: Your tights don’t have to be plain! Spice up your outfit by opting for floral-patterned tights for a fun twist!

With Your Summer Slip Dress

You can wear your summer dresses in winter by adding extra layers! Try black tights with a white slip dress and a warm leather jacket for a cozy look.

With a Floral Dress

Florals aren’t just for spring! Style your black tights with a floral dress and boots for a perfect cold-weather outfit.

With Some Loafers

Pair a mini dress and black tights with cute loafers. For bonus points, add adorable socks with bows for an extra touch!

The fall season started mild, but cooler temperatures are coming soon. Be ready for the weather shift! How can you prepare for those unpredictable changes? One word: tights!

I wasn’t always a fan of tights, especially after wearing them with school uniforms as a kid. That resentment stuck with me for a while! But over the years, my appreciation for tights has grown. They’re such a versatile piece that offers so much style flexibility in the colder months. Black tights, especially, are a neutral go-to that can be paired with almost anything. Whether opaque, sheer, fishnet, or patterned, black tights are a must-have for any wardrobe!

If you’ve got dresses in your closet you want to wear this fall and winter, let me show you how to style them with black tights. Below, you’ll find inspiration pictures and shoppable links to try these looks yourself! We’ll explore outfits with black tights, paired with different shoes, jackets, and fun accessories. Get ready to rock those fall dresses in style!

With a Blazer

Style sheer black tights with a white button-up dress, kitten heels, and an oversized blazer for a chic and sophisticated look. It’s a perfect combo for a polished fall outfit!

With a Bomber Jacket

Stay warm this winter by pairing black tights with a mini dress, a bomber jacket, and stylish black booties. It’s a cozy yet trendy look for colder days!

With an Undershirt

Layer a black and white striped shirt under a sleeveless black dress for a stylish look. Finish it off with black tights and ankle boots for a chic and easy outfit!

With a Sweater Dress

Bella Hadid always delivers cute outfit inspiration. She rocked a cozy sweater dress with black tights and knee-high combat boots—an effortlessly stylish look that’s easy to recreate!

With a Fitted Blazer Dress

A sleek pair of black tights pairs perfectly with a fitted blazer dress. Complete the outfit with comfortable heels for a polished, stylish look!

With a Denim Dress

A denim dress is a perfect choice for fall and winter. Pair it with opaque black tights and a thick belt for a trendy, seasonal look!

With a Tiered Mini Dress

For a night out, wear black tights with a tiered mini dress, sling-back heels, and a chic little black bag. It’s a stylish ensemble that’s sure to turn heads!

Sabrina Elba embodies a polished, minimal style that many aspire to recreate. If you follow her on Instagram, you’ve likely seen her almost-daily outfit posts that showcase this trend-led aesthetic.

Her wardrobe features luxurious oversized tailoring, stylish basics, and stunning evening dresses. Plus, her accessory game is on point. Think coveted designer bags and sparkling jewelry that shines like a disco ball. No matter the occasion, she always nails her look.

What’s the secret to her sartorial success? She embraces risks. For instance, in her latest social media post, she shared photos and a video showcasing a daring see-through Saint Laurent mini dress, elevating the trend of naked dressing.

The dress is part of the Saint Laurent womenswear autumn/winter 2024 collection, featuring several see-through designs. Made from nude-colored, completely transparent fabric, it resembles a pair of tights. This effect is heightened by the folded-over band neckline and the exposed seam down the center, both echoing the waistband of tights.

Sabrina went braless in the daring dress but paired it with nude high-waisted knickers. To complete her look, she added tights, a thin black leather waist belt, and maroon peep-toe heels, mirroring the runway model. Instead of the skull cap and choker scarf, she embraced her curly bob and accessorized with gold interlocking hoop earrings.

Sabrina’s followers loved the look, flooding the comments section with praise: