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Ask Angie: (and others) opaque tights

cobaltblue

Veteran

Dear Angie and all my stylish friends who dwell in chilly climes, I have a question for you about tights. I'm looking at opaque black fleece-lined tights and grey wool-blend tights on Zulily. I've always been able to get away with sheer hosiery in the winter but am not sure if I can still do that here in northern Indiana. So, can opaque hosiery be worn with style? Or will I need to wear pants when it's too cold for sheers? Might I want these tights to wear under trousers? I'm feeling totally clueless but know you can set me right!

Thanks,
Becky

Shopping

21 replies

Latest reply was from lyn67

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I am not a huge fan of black opaque tights, but they can be worn with style when the look is intentional and not an after thought - or "easy way out". To my eye, black opaque tights tend to work quite easily on ladies with black hair. It's natural bookending and counter balances the heaviness and harshness.

I have black fleece tights that I wear under jeans like long underwear, but actually, I MUCH prefer my proper long underwear from Uniqlo. It's warmer and more comfortable.

I also wear nude hose under pretty textured black hose for warmth.

cobaltblue

Veteran

Thank you so much, Angie. I fear that I'd look like I'm taking the easy way out, though my hair color approaches black in the winter months. I think I'll skip the opaque tights with skirts, then. That was my gut feeling, but I didn't want to skip the easy solution if there was a shortcut to stylishness I was missing.

Will check Uniqlo long underwear right away.

I had forgotten about your nude hose under textured hose trick. Thanks heaps for reminding me about that one!

unfrumped

Veteran

I am guilty of depending a lot on opaque black tights but I'm branching out this year to gray and to some patterned black ones. See Astrid's post today.
For cold weather I'd have to try Angie's trick of layering 2 pairs.
I have fleece-lined that I do wear under pants; got them before hearing about Uniglo so I might want to try those. Layering over warm tights or longjohns is a goal in order to wear my pants over more seasons. Occasionally I have lucked into a pair of very warm heavy wool trousers but that's been rare.

Sara L.

Veteran

I like opaque tights in the winter. They keep me warm and allow me to wear skirts and dresses instead of pants all the time. I usually wear them with tall boots so maybe that helps since it adds a different texture to the black.

Diana

Veteran

I do wear black opaque tights in winter with skirts, but to Angie's point, I have black hair. With black boots it makes a nice long leg line.

I also like the Uniqlo heattech leggings (I assume that's what Angie is talking about). I actually wear them as footless tights with skirts because the ones i have don't have seams. (I don't like the look of leggings seams under skirts...) They have proper tights versions too with feet but I found them to be too short.

ClaraT

Veteran

I know your post says you were looking at black and grey opaque tights, but Sally at her 'Already Pretty' blog often shows opaque colored tights, mostly with tall boots, in the winter. She wears a lot of skirts and lives in Minnesota (!), so some of her outfits/ideas might be inspirational when it gets cold out.

Beth

Veteran

Dear YLF, bless me for I have sinned. I wear black tights as a default option frequently. *hangs head*

I do prefer the look of patterned and textured tights and wear them often as well.

cobaltblue

Veteran

Beth, it looks like you are in excellent (and fab) company!

Sara and Diana, I can see how dark tights + dark boots would often look better with a skirt than would dark tights with low vamp shoes, say, and a skirt. Great food for thought.

Clara, I will check out Already Pretty again with that in mind.

Echo

Veteran

I don't think black tights in the winter are any more of a "default" option than are black pants for some people or skinny jeans. Like it was mentioned, they allow people to more comfortably wear dresses and skirts that they might otherwise not wear, and I think they expand the wardrobe. I wear them a lot, mainly because I do not like the look of bare legs in the winter, and I think I am too old for goofy coloured tights (although I will occasionally allow a deep plum pair to peek out between black boots and a black skirt or dress). Patterned hose don't work for me; it is too easy for me to mess up the way they lie when I pull them up in the restroom, and nude hose look, well, nude, which only works IMO for more formal occasions when there is snow.

FlorenceFearne

I wear opaque black tights all year, and I have no shame. When I wear a black skirt and black shoes, I love way black tights smooth the transition and create a long line. They also cover my leg tattoos, and they hide ingrown hairs, or legs in need of a shave, or any other thing you may not want on display. Likewise with grey opaques, which I wear less often only because it can be surprisingly tough to match different shades of grey.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I have sinned -- and worse yet, I have light hair.

What's a woman to do? I have tried Angie's layering of more sheer hose. It isn't comfortable for me and doesn't keep me warm.

My solution has been to wear a lot of ink blue or black in winter. So that my tights are bookended by my sweater or topper or whatever. And a black skirt or navy dress with black tights and black booties (with some textural interest, ideally) at least extends the leg line.

It's not ideal. But it also helps me deal with the difficulty of finding tall boots that fit. I can find dark booties and wear opaque navy or black hose. Bingo!

I swear this is one reason that black is so perennially popular in cities like Toronto, New York, Boston, London, and for all I know, Oslo, St. Petersburg, and Moscow.

I've tried coloured tights and while this is a fun and funky look that appeals to me on others, it is not my style.

So black, navy, taupe, grey -- these are my fallbacks. My only option is not wearing skirts or dresses. And I love skirts and dresses.

I do, in fact, wear far more trousers than skirts and dresses in winter, for this very reason.

I will wear sheer hose in winter for an evening event where I am moving from car to venue, or perhaps only walking five to ten blocks and then going indoors. But to wear them for longer is just not possible.

Carla

Veteran

If it wasn't for thick black and grey opaque hose I don't think I could wear skirts and dresses for half the year. I do the long line thing with black shoes, hose, and skirt, or pick up black and grey in the outfit. Also, wear with boots.

Like others have posted...this is probably way more common in lands of ice and snow.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yes. When I lived in Vancouver (near Seattle) I did not have to resort to this. I could have managed less opaque hose for a much longer portion of the year.

I think this is partly what I actually shudder when I see bloggers posting skirt looks with pumps and bare legs from places like New York in the winter. To me it is just insane. If they were in Florida, okay. But not from a climate like mine. It's just not wearable. And when I see a fur jacket or puffer thrown into the mix I just want to scream.

cobaltblue

Veteran

And the opaque tights wearers pull into the lead! This is giving me a lot to consider. I certainly have no interest in freezing my legs off, and I'd hate to skip wearing skirts all winter. I'm trying to put my limited funds in the right place in dressing for this new climate and very much appreciate the advice of those of you who live in a similar place!

Carla and Suz, I don't think brightly colored tights would be my thing, either.

I think I'll go ahead and try some dark tights; if they push me into frumpy territory, I'll just use them for
layering under pants!

Adelfa

Veteran

Kate Spade said in one of her books that she wears skirts all through the New York winters and never wears any kind of hosiery. I can't even stand to do this in a Central California winter. I wear plain and patterned tights in black, brown, and gray.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

I'm completely with Suz. Without black or other dark neutral colored tights (in wool), there's no way for me to wear skirts and dresses in the midst of winter. Oslo is definitely too cold for sheer hose between Oct/Nov and March/April.

Jeanie

Veteran

Another vote here for black tights to get through the midwest winters. I also have burgundy and gray. Suz summed it up well. Cuddleduds or something silky works better under pants, though, because the silkiness helps the pants drape and not snag on tights.

dakotacheryl

Veteran

Another fan of opaque tights in the colder months. Love the look with a pencil skirt and boots, shooties etc.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I'm glad I'm not the only sinner. I really, really wish I could "lighten" up a bit more with my winter wardrobe. But it's truly difficult, because of the tights issue.

Kate Spade probably moves from a limo to her destination. That is the only thing I can think of. To go with bare legs in winter in New York is sort of like going without gloves.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

No one has to feel shameful about wearing black opaque tights.

I'm not going to back down though, and I have the same opinion every year. They can look wonderfully fashionable, or just the opposite - a little dowdy and very harsh - which to my eye is not attractive. Effective execution that shows intentional styling and a well put together outfit is vitally important when it comes to black opaque tights.

I am never a fan of being cold. I have zero tolerance for it. I would rather be too hot than too cold. I don't understand how people wear what they do at NYFW in Feb when I am layered to the hilt with thermals plus a very warm sleeping bag puffer - and only just managing outside in sub-zero temps. I seldom entertain skirts and dresses in cold Winters for this reason. Wool trousers with long underwear are so much warmer on my body.

lyn67

Veteran

Hi, Becky! I am blonde and no contrast complexion, but wear a lot of black in winter. The trick is, to bookend it, as much as possible, but I usually do a column of (dark)colours, in my outfits, too. Very intentional my winter daydresses/skirts have all
-black in them (for ex. bl&grey or brown animals, bl&red sripes, bl, chock brown and burnt orange dots, white and black geometrical patterns, stripes),
-are just plain dark colours(charcoal and black, grey, reds),
-are colour blocked with some black
-have some textures like suede, or a crochett knitt (so I can layer under some other color, usually purple, or some sparkle black lurex)
so they will all work well with black(chock brown) opaques, and my dark or light boots/booties that I have each kind in black, chock brown, and taupe, smooth or suede leather.
I like lengthening my leg line using same colour of an opaque tights like my boots/booties but in case of my taupe booties, I don't mind contrasting with black opaques, too.
Then I have some black & grey waistcoats different textures and cuts, and a fur one-and also some black belts which I layer on these dresses/outfits with skirts, a lot.
I really love skirts and dresses and wear them all the time through out the winter like said above, even when it's freezing, with my dark brown and black opaques, with my black trenchcoat, woolcoat and puffer. But then, I put a printed scarf near my face, add red or texturred tweed gloves, patent/quilted black or mustard/grey bag for more interest and color.
ony,, to be honest, I also have to say, I mostly drive my car and only walk a few blocks to and back of any of my destinations--so I bear witn my skirts/dresses and opaques quite well all winter, and wear jeans or pants only a few times per season.
Hope this helps:-)