When to Wear Different Styles of Tights

It’s winter which means wearing skirts and dresses can get chilly. Here are my favorite kinds of tights to wear all fall and winter, and what styles work best! 

Do you wear tights during the fall and winter? Although it doesn’t get too freezing in Dallas, I still like having my legs warm for church and other occasions. There are a lot of styles, thicknesses, and colors of tights, so here is a breakdown of what tights to wear and when!

Different Styles of Tights

1. BLACK OPAQUE TIGHTS

• I wear these the most often during the winter when I need extra warmth. Black opaque tights can make your outfit feel bottom heavy, so you want to make sure you balance the rest of the outfit with a heavier coat or jacket on top, a darker color on top, or thicker sweater.
• I recommend THESE BLACK OPAQUE TIGHTS. If you need extra warmth, try THESE FLEECE LINED ONES.

Here are some examples:

SIMILAR BURGUNDY CABLE KNIT SWEATER | SEWING TUTORIAL FOR SKIRT HERE (SHOP A SIMILAR SKIRT HERE) | BLACK HUNTER BOOTS | BLACK TIGHTS

SIMILAR PURPLE  COAT | BLACK RUFFLE HEM MERRICK WHITE COLLECTION DRESS | BLACK TIGHTS | BLACK DRESSY BLOCK HEEL BOOTS 

SIMILAR STRIPED TURTLENECK | SIMILAR RED DRESS | BLACK TIGHTS | KAREN WALKER SUNGLASSES | SIMILAR BLACK PATENT LEATHER HEELS

You can see with each of these outfits that there is something that helps balance the black tights.

• With the first outfit, the bold skirt and thick knit sweater balances the tights.
• In the second outfit, the heavy coat with a bold pattern helps balance the dark tights.
• For the third outfit, a bold colored dress and print combination balances the outfit.

You may notice that I only wore black shoes with these outfits. You can wear other colors of shoes with black tights, but make sure they help hold the outfit balance rather than throwing it off with a high contrasting shoe color or print. I’d do a leopard print or red shoe for a bold option, or you could do gray or even dark brown. Play around it with – it’ll depend on your outfit!

2. TRANSLUCENT BLACK NYLONS

• I wear translucent tights when I want more warmth but don’t want the bottom heavy feel of an opaque tight.
• Here’s an example of when I’ll wear a translucent tight:
  • If my outfit is lighter in color or has a lightweight fabric and the heavy dark tight will feel like too much, I choose a translucent tight (patterned or plain).
  • If the outfit is already solid black and I want to break it up with a lighter color, I’ll choose a translucent tight (patterned or plain).
• I prefer a printed tight (I own a pair with subtle dots) because it adds some fun and personality, and feels a little more youthful. But you could wear a solid sheer tight without a pattern to any of these outfits.
• If it’s too cold for sheer tights, try THESE FAKE TRANSLUCENT FLEECE-LINE TIGHTS. They’re lined with lighter colored fleece so they look like your skin underneath but they’re super warm.

Here are some examples:

MERRICK WHITE COLLECTION DRESS | SHEER DOT TIGHTS | BLACK PATENT LEATHER HEELS

AMAZON COAT | AMAZON SWEATER DRESS | AMAZON SHEER DOTTED TIGHTS | BLACK PATENT LEATHER HEELS | AMAZON BELT

Can you do colored tights?

• Yes, of course! If that’s your style, go for it. I’d steer away from the bright fuchsias and cobalts of the early 2000’s, but try navy or burgundy or dark gray for something unexpected but still classy.

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