Are white tights dated?

Gigi

Do you think white (or cream) tights are dated? Every time I put a pair on, I feel like it's so eighties or something. (Unless I have the wrong decade....) Anyway, I feel like they're dated somehow.

Is this just me, or do other people feel this way?

If you feel like they're dated, what do you wear if you want a light-colored leg? Nude pantyhose?

11 years ago

Dressing

35 replies

Latest reply was from Gigi

Diana

Veteran

I'm not sure about dated but I don't wear them because they feel very childish to me. Like, I wore them with my Easter dresses as a little girl, so I have a hard time seeing them as sophisticated.

I do not wear light colored hosiery at all aside from nude.

11 years ago

(website)

Veteran

ditto Diana - child like.

11 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Yeah, I bought a pair this winter to wear with a gray and white striped sweaterdress, and when I put them on, they just looked really little-girl-ish. I ended up opting for black since I didn't have a gray the right shade.

I might have a pair of nude pantyhose somewhere, I'm not sure, but if I do I never wear them. If I want light I just go bare-legged, and if it's too cold for that I wear pants!

11 years ago

Golden

Veteran

I think so, I wouldn't wear them...too childlike or costume. I wear black opaque tights, fishnets (black or nude) or bare legs with Sally Hansen leg makeup sprayed on. It is amazing for pasty white legs such as mine.

11 years ago

April

Veteran

To me they still suggest a nurse's uniform, In fact, I think I had to wear them with my candy-striper's uniform, back when I was 14. If you're thinking that sounds like an awfully long time ago, you are 100% correct.

11 years ago

rabbit

Veteran

I recently bought some pale tights (kind of an ice blue/green) on a whim and to try wearing with winter white outfits. I think they can work in a quirky way with the right outfit, but they need to be intentional, they don't work as a default neutral I don't think.

When I've had creme tights/hose before I always ended up finding something better to wear instead of them so I wouldn't go with pure white myself again. But it you are going full on tonal with white shoes, they might be really dramatic sometimes. Or you might look like a bride or nurse, depends I think if the other clothing items are edgy, as opposed to feminine, it might help.

11 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

I haven't seen any worn( by adults) in ages. I gear skirts or dress for cold weather around what will look good with black or gray tights.( navy would also work). I found a dark gray to be surprisingly useful this winter. It can be hard to winterize light colored dresses unless there is something about them that can look intentional with dark tights.

11 years ago

(website)

Veteran

Forgot to mention that I got some Hue textured leggings in a color called Cork for my 'light legwear' hole. They are almost more like pants with the cargo pockets and seaming. (Not me in the pic - eBay photo!)

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11 years ago

Echo

Veteran

In rare, rare instances, I could see cable-knit white tights working with an all-white winter outfit, but that would take exactly the right pieces. Pairing white tights with anything else definitely strikes either a nurse or little girl chord.

I think nude hose are fine (truly nude, not "suntan") for when you want or need more coverage, or when the occasion demands you don't have bare legs. Otherwise, nude fishnets bridge the seasonal gap pretty well.

11 years ago

Anonymous

I feel they are not in style right now. I'd wear nude stockings or nude micro fishnets.

11 years ago

karymk

Veteran

White tights are one of those things that is so out you could make them IN again. Why not be a trendsetter?

11 years ago

Adelfa

Veteran

I recently saw someone--wasn't it one of Inge's bloggers? I forget--wearing sheer white hose with little white dots. Similar to the black dotted ones that are so common. They looked wonderful. I can also imagine white or cream tights in a pattern like herringbone looking cool. I have been wearing taupe semi-sheer patterned tights this winter when I wanted a lighter look. The pattern is pictured below in black--they come in taupe but I couldn't find a pic.

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11 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

I didn't know you could still buy white/cream tights. I have some taupe opaques that I haven't worn in ages (15 or more years?) because I no longer have the taupe dress or whatever that I bought them for. Can you find looks on Pinterest? If so, how do they look to your eye, and is it similar to what you have in mind? If nothing is there, you have your answer, too.

FWIW, I have yellow-gold, avocado green, coral, orange opaques that I wear some in spring because it's time for color and they were probably on sale. Not a look that most people like, but Sal on the Already Pretty blog rocks colored tights so it gives me courage. Don't recall ever seeing her in cream/white tights, tho'.

11 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

I'm glad to know this isn't just in my head. I do think that there was a time in the eighties when adults did wear them, or at least teenagers. But I don't recall seeing them on adults for many years.

DonnaF, I don't know if you can still buy them. I have a pair in my dresser from [mumble] years ago. I have my eyes out for a pair of fun colored tights, like you mentioned. Haven't found one that trips all my happy triggers yet, though.

It sounds like some nude microfishnets might be what the doctor ordered here. I run cold, so I need something to wear on my legs most days if I'm wearing a skirt, and sometimes a person gets really tired of black and gray tights, even with patterns. And sometimes you want some contrast with a dark skirt.

11 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

FWIW microfishnet color can be *off* just like regular hose and seems to come in fewer colors! I bought a pair a Kohl's quite awhile ago and when I put them on last Easter they made my legs look a yucky gray. Fortunately Kohl's now has a generous return policy and by a miracle I had saved the receipt. They haven't been sold on nordstrom.com for quite awhile; don't know about the store.

11 years ago

Adelfa

Veteran

Seconding DonnaF's point about color on nude microfishnets. I got some that were a highly recommended brand--forget what it was--and they were sort of orange on me. I kept trying to wear them and was relieved when I put a finger through them while putting them on.

11 years ago

fuzzylogic

Veteran

I haven't worn white/cream tights since childhood.

I predominantly wear nude stockings or black opaque tights, although I have worn grey patterned tights in the past.

I do like kaymk's suggestion- perhaps it is time for a revival!! Hmmm, what to pair them with? Leather for contrast, punk style!

11 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

Fuzzylogic, you can be the trendsetter! I am so not a trendsetter. I already am very short and with urchinlike features, so I don't think I'm the one to make white tights edgy—on me, their childlikeness will be emphasized! Yikes! Unless maybe I wore them with the Valentino Rockstuds...hmmm...

11 years ago

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

One of my coworkers wear cream/white lace tights with her rather sophisticated skirts and blouses. She looks quite fab, in fact. It can be done, but an opaque white leg is hard to pull off.

11 years ago

Inge

(website)

Moderator

Good memory, Adelfa! I immediately thought of Mary, a blogger we featured recently too:
http://youlookfab.com/2014/02/.....ppy-twist/

Outfit, 5, the Winter white outfit. I thought the look was very elegant and lovely. And I definitely think you could wear subtle white patterned hosiery like this, Gigi. I do think it looks best with white, cream or light-coloured bottoms, if that makes sense.

11 years ago

retailgirl

Veteran

I seldom wear skirts, but if I am wearing a skirt that won't go with black tights or hose, I do wear sheer cream or a very light beige, rather than nude. And I've thought about micro fishnets, but when I've worn fishnets in the past, they have been uncomfortable on my foot. I think the light colored sheers look fine, I've worn them for years, I like to think I follow my own personal style ethic!

11 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

I loved the look of white (cream really) tights or stockings back in the day. I especially liked them at holiday time with a black outfit and dressy black shoes. I have to contain myself and not wear it now. It does seem late 80s or maybe 90s. Hey, if I think it's out, it's probably ready to come back in!

11 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Not at all. We featured white tights on a recent outfit blogger on YLF:

http://youlookfab.com/2014/02/.....ppy-twist/

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11 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Reading this thread has made me realize I have a poison eye for white tights. I also get the little girl or Nurse Ratched associations. I don't even do colored ones anymore, although I had fun with patterned and colored tights a few years ago.

That said, I think the right person with the right style can make them work. I just think it's difficult to pull off well.

11 years ago

Susie

Veteran

The sheer hose on blogger Mary look lovely with that outfit. I agree with the others that white tights would look very childlike. I'm really not a fan of colored tights at all.

11 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

Back in the late 80s, I remember wearing off-white sheer panty hose instead of nude. That was the standard color for a while. Maybe it was just an L.A. thing as I can't seem to find any photos on the internet.

Am I insane or does anybody else remember that?

11 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

I remember wearing white tights in the 80s, even into the 90s. But they do dominate the visual field. I think it's easier to do in winter or if they're sheer like the girl has on in Angie's post above.

11 years ago

rabbit

Veteran

Just chiming in that I'm really liking the patterned/sheer white tights idea with the right skirt, hmmm... maybe I can find some I like.

11 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I used to wear off white / cream hose instead of nude, too, but that was also because nude was always too dark and orangey on me and the off white was actually the closest to my skin tone!

I like the look of the blogger that Angie posted - but I think y'all are right that the sheerness makes a big difference, as does the micro fishnet or a similar pattern. Makes it look more intentional, not like you're just wearing tights with your skirt/dress because it's cold.

11 years ago

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