Pantyhose-tights Advice

fashion tights skirt dress high heels

 Pantyhose-tights Advice

I do feel pantyhose can be aging but let’s be real, they are often necessary! The key to pulling them off is to wear an ultrasheer that is a nude shade that closely matches the color of your skin. Donna Karan makes some excellent sheer nude shades. If you are in between shades, choose the darker, but really nude should look “nude”.

A great alternative is a nude colored fishnet. These look terrific. Wolford makes a great one.

One final point, never wear pantyhose with a strappy sandal or mule!

As for when is a women too old to wear tights, I’d say never. Black or dark brown tights look great in the fall and winter, but come Spring/Summer I would suggest switching to no hose or nude hose.

My thoughts on knee highs with pants?  Don’t do it is my first reaction. However, I hate to say the word “never”…so here’s what I suggest. It all really depends on the shoe and pants and how dressy you are going.

If you are wearing:

• jeans and flats – no socks or hose
• jeans and heels or sandals – no socks or hose
• jeans and a loafer.  Thin dress socks are good but in a dark color. (no white ones)  Barefoot O.K. Do not wear knee highs.
• Khakis. (same rules as for jeans…however do not wear heels or dress shoes with khakis) Never hose with khakis.
• Dress Pants.- If wearing closed toed pumps or flats you can wear knee highs or hose or go barefoot. If wearing “peep toed” heels or flats no hose. If wearing any type of sandal or mule, no hose.

Sheer or Opaque, what type of pantyhose to wear with what?

There’s no doubt that all black hosiery is created equal. There are ton’s of weights and textures to legwear these days, and it certainly does not stop at basic black. However, at a certain age, your pantyhose wardrobe should stop at crazy colors and exaggerated textures… just sayin’.

What legwear you choose to wear really has more to do with the styling of your outfit and the weight of its fabric.  But, as an overall guide, the length of your skirt is the best gauge for how heavy or sheer your hose should be.

The shorter your skirt, the darker and more matte your tights look best, like the pair  pictured above.  Opt for a very opaque pair that you cannot see any skin through to create a long and solid leg line in balance with your barely-there skirt.

Opaque tights that have some visibility through them look best with dresses closer to your knee or below. Usually, the denier (weight) for these is semi-opaque.

Very sheer hose looks best at night or with a simple LBD and sexy pumps. You may even want to try some lights textured hose, like a pin dot for some drama.

The midi hemline that’s making a return appearance, honestly looks best when work with boots in the winter or platforms in the warmer months to create a more slid base to balance the longer hemline.

Thick to thin, there’s a legwear style for you…

Tips to wearing tights properly

Tips to wearing tights properly. Today, tights come in all wonderful shades, types and material. Getting the right pair for your look is important.

Known as tights or in the America as pantyhose, most forms cover the waist to the tips of your toes, hence their name tights.

Whether worn for work to great nights out, tights offer a great combination of keeping your legs warm while giving them a great look finish. Getting the right tight look for your social occasion can sometime cause a conundrum.

We have put together some tips to help you choose the tights that suit you. We also look at ways you can maintain their look for future wear.

Experiment with different colours

Tights that are brightly coloured can really enhance the finish to any outfit. If you decide on tights that are not black, always make sure the rest of your look is neutral.

Match your outfit with the same colour as your tights for a head-to-toe monochromatic look. Bear in mind that if you go bold with your tights colour, attention will be drawn to your legs.

Know when to wear opaque

Remember, the shorter your hemline, the more opaque your tights need to be. By choosing to wear thicker tights, you’ll not only visually elongate your tights but also minimise the risk of showing an inevitable run.

The fashion term for the opaqueness of tights is known as a “denier” number. The greater the number, the more opaque the tights are.

In general, opaque tights have a denier of 40 or more. A denier of less than 30 is going to be sheer. Sheer tights are ok when pairing with knee-high boots that show a sliver of leg

Always check for damages

You can’t afford any embarrassing moments. You want your chosen outfit to look sophisticated at all times. It’s always important to do a quick minute once over check on your tights before wear.

You need to know they are in good shape.Before wearing, scan them closely for any unsightly runs or holes. If you see even the smallest snag or rip then ditch them for a new pair. A damaged pair of tights can lead to unwanted attention. Play it safe.

Pair them well

Here’s a good rule of thumb to remember. Always match your tights to the colour of your shoes, or to the dominant colour of the outfit you’re wearing. This will ensure that you that great put-together look.

How to stop that dreaded run

The next time you get a run or hole in your tights, simply spray it with hairspray. This harden the edges and prevent it from widening. You can also coat the edges with clear nail polish, which will have the same effect.

Wash them wisely

Most of you know that the best way to clean your tights is by hand. Remember, the more wear and tear you put on the fibres, the more likely they are to run.

However, if time is against you, sling your tights in a mesh laundry bag and wash them on a delicate cycle. This will help stop snagging in the washing machine.

Candid amateur pantyhose legs 17

fashion tights skirt dress high heels

 Ever been nosy about hosiery (you know, the what’s what and when to wear it)? Good! We’ve compiled the official guide to all things legwear—from sheer hose to heavy tights and the dos and don’ts that define them.

 Leggings vs. tights: Though sometimes similar in appearance, leggings and tights are not the same. Those spandex heroes we call leggings might be what we reach for on weekends but don’t belong beneath flirty frocks and skirts. Instead, opt for tights, which come in an array of colors (neutrals like black, navy and charcoal are essential for cooler weather) and even prints (hello polka dot!) that play up a put-together look when the weather prevents you from going bare-legged.

 Pantyhose: The more sheer and lightweight counterpart to tights is the reigning champion at concealing anything you don’t want to show off on your legs. The best part? They’ll lend clever coverage that’s less detectable and won’t distract from your look.

SO IS PANTYHOSE STILL IN STYLE?

Yes! Many among us aren’t so quick to embrace the change of seasons that brings about those leg-exposing skirts and dresses. The solution? Pantyhose can be a great way to smooth over those gams. Look for styles that are as light and neutral-looking as possible, avoiding any versions with opaqueness, white undertones or shimmer. Also look for quality versions with reinforced toe-boxes.

 tylist Tip: Keep in mind pantyhose is most appropriate with dressier styles (think of tights with a houndstooth wool skirt in the fall or opaque hose with a wrap dress for a spring event) and definitely not to be paired with sandals or open-toed footwear.

LEG-CONSCIOUS ALTERNATIVES

Having a handle on hosiery doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll want to reach for it at every opportunity—and that’s okay! Hosiery alternatives like maxi and midi length skirts remove the need to add coverage to your legs; plus, they’re super-easy to style. Wide-leg palazzo pants, gauchos and culottes also channel breezy vibes without showing too much leg.

My amateur pantyhose model Natasa

fashion tights skirt dress high heels

If your legs are cold put a pair of stockings on

For goodness sakes, if your legs are cold put some tights or stockings on.  Frostbite isn’t worth being trendy.  Besides, with all the options that expand past a classic pair of nude nylons, if trend is important, you can wear a pair of opaque tights.  In fact, they even make fleece lined tights now and companies, like Uniqlo, make tights that hold in heat and keep you warm.
I feel about wearing stockings like I do breastfeeding an infant– while there may be a lot of outside pressure to breastfeed a mother has to make her own decision.  The same goes for wearing stockings.

How to choose a stockings and tights color

Let’s start with classic nylons and stockings.  While it is okay to have an emergency drugstore pair, if you don’t want you legs to look like they are made of wood, go for better quality.  If you are looking for ultra-sheer, Falke makes hard-to-see stockings.  Other brands that are very sheer are Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Wolford.

When it comes to color I’d stick to opaque tights, unless you are purchasing black sheers and, in this case, I’d go for an off-black over a true black, which is slightly lighter and more leg flattering.  I don’t think there is a woman on the planet who needs to own a white pair of stockings, just like I don’t think there is a woman on the planet who needs to own a  white bra.  So you can cross that color off your list.

Moving into colored tights, right now they are very trendy.  To choose color, what I would suggest is that you look at the predominant colors in your wardrobe.  For example, my wardrobe is brown and grey based so I have several pairs of brown and grey tights.  Having no reason for black tights I don’t own any. You can never go wrong with neutral tights.

Moving into colors beyond basic neutrals, this is where you can make a fashion statement, however, I still suggest proceeding with caution because once you move into color you’re creating a focal point with your tights.  If your legs are heavy or short, stick with darker and richer tights, like eggplant, burgundy, navy and hunter green.  If you want to make more of a statement you can go for brighter colors but be sure you know which shoes you’ll wear with them.  This is why sticking with richer, opaque tights shades are the best way to go as these richer colors will work better with a dark pair of shoes.  If your tights are too light or bright your leg won’t look as seamless in them, because a break between your feet and legs will be created, which can potentially make your legs look shorter and heavier.

My favorite tights brand is Spanx Tight-End shaping tights in their high-waist style.  I like them for a few reasons.  First, these tights are basically indestructible.  I have had one pair for several years and I have actually put them in the dryer and they’ve held up. Secondly, I like the high-waist feature because they create a seamless line over my tummy.  When tights are too short an unflattering bulge can get created over the waistline of the tights.  With Spanx Tight-End high-waist tights you get the tights and shapewar in one.  I like efficiency and I don’t like wasting money on anything that falls apart after one wear