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Neutral tights for bright skirts

Sylvie

Veteran

Dear YLF,

I have three brightly colored pencil skirts that I want to wear throughout "winter". I don't need to worry about temperatures lower than 50 degrees, but I won't be comfortable going bare legged.

I can't bring myself to wear nude tights, because there is never a good match for my skin tone. If they are sheer enough that I can fake the color match, they won't be warm enough. Also, I think the look ages me.

I have some opaque black and grey tights but they look a little stark, especially with the red skirt. I think Angie has recommended sheer black tights as a neutral in the past.

So please share your favorite pair of sheer black, sheer charcoal or other neutral color tights for winter wear. I am hard on my tights and I need them to be strong enough to handle impatient tugs.

Thanks in advance!

Shopping

19 replies

Latest reply was from CocoLion

deb

Veteran

I am interested in this, also. Thanks for the post.

shiny

Veteran

I will stay tuned to this thread as well, as I need to stock up in this area too. My challenge is finding tights that aren't too enormous, since I'm 5' -- often the nicer brands, even in smallest size, wind up wayyyyyy to big, as in, I could pull them up over my breasts...

JR

Veteran

I am so out of it, I only recently discovered that nude pantyhose was considered dated. Of course, I go bare-legged all summer and wear pants all winter... But then apparently Kate Middleton is making sheer hose respectable again.

But I also would love to hear what other people have to say on this subject. I am developing a taste for pencil skirts.

JR

Veteran

Shiny, have you thought of trying the children's section? For tights, the extra curves shouldn't make too much difference. I'll have to ask my daughter how she handles it; she's the same height as you.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I am curious about the answer to this question, too. Wouldn't sheer black hose be just as thin as sheer nude hose? In which case they wouldn't be any warmer.

This is the reason I continue to buy BLACK skirts in winter even though black is not my best neutral! It's a vicious circle. Around here, it's almost impossible to get any other colour of tights except black! Although I did notice some grey ones in the Bay the other day when I was there.

kateykins

I just wear leggings instead. They are warmer and last much longer than tights. I finish the look with some tall boots and it works great for me. When it gets really cold I will layer my ColdGear Under Armour leggings underneath to keep me extra warm.

Anonymous

Yep, I have not been able to figure this one out either. I bought a pair of Oroblu fishnet tights at Nordies just yesterday. Let's see if they work.I don't do colored pantyhose, only black and greys for me.

Sylvie

Veteran

Glad I'm not the only one!

Suz: You're right that sheer black tights aren't necessarily going to be warmer than sheer nude tights. I just wanted to rule out super expensive, ultra sheer, super delicate nude tights which probably wouldn't show against my skin but would be too flimsy for my lifestyle and too cold. A "normal" pair of sheer black tights would probably be warmer and a little more robust.

Since I'm anti nude - it just feels like navy, grey, plum and black are the only reasonable colors to wear - but none of them look that good with bright colors.

Zap: I know Kari and Angie like their Oroblu fishnets. I hope they work out for you (me, I can't wear fishnets to work - a skirt is challenging enough for the environmental norm)

Katekins: I wear leggings with my dresses too sometimes (and then Angie told me tights would look better)

Right now, I mostly wear solid opaque tights like these:

http://www.hue.com/Legwear/Tig.....ghts-.aspx

I could try something like these:

http://www.hue.com/Legwear/She.....d-Toe.aspx

It feel like there is no good way to wear bright colored skirts and dresses when it's cold.

catgirl

Veteran

Teal? This confuses me too. I wear patterned wool tights like these:

http://www.sockdreams.com/prod.....het-tights

Echo

Veteran

IMO, tights are always opaque. Changing the colour of pantyhose doesn't make them tights - sheer means pantyhose to me, regardless of whether it is sheer black, sheer charcoal or sheer nude. I do think that sheer "off-black" hose are probably the most neutral to go with brighter colours. Otherwise, I bookend the black and make a bright skirt the focal point of the outfit with a black or otherwise dark top and black opaque tights.

velvetychocolate

Veteran

I highly recommend DKNY Luxe Opaque Tights...

I got some at Nordstrom last year, and they are like a cross between an opaque tight and a sheer hose. Warm enough for winter, but not the super-dark opaque 'tights' either. They are sheer-ish, in comparison to typical opaque tights, but thicker, warmer and better-performing than standard nylons/hose.

Here are a couple of links:

http://www.amazon.com/DKNY-Com.....B000HQEDCS

http://www.barenecessities.com.....=DKNY0A729

As you can see, they look a bit like sheer hose, but I can tell you they are better than regular hose - thicker, warmer and sturdier. They will eventually snag, but not nearly as quickly as regular hose do.

Give them a try - love these things! I looked on Nordstrom's site but I couldn't find them ...although I did buy a bunch of these at Nordstrom last year. Note: be sure you get the "Luxe" opaque tights and not the regular opaque tights in the DKNY brand. The ones that are called "luxe" look more like sheer-ish hose, but still perform almost as well as regular tights do.

Hope this helps

ETA: Don't worry about the 'control top' aspect - they are very comfortable.

shiny

Veteran

Oh.. okay. Maybe I misread the original question! Here is my strategy:

1 ) In general, I match my boots to the color of my tights/hose. To create a long lean look. So black boots go with black tights/hose; brown with brown; burgundy with burgundy.

2) Black sheers and/or black microfishnets can go with any boot color, because enough skin is showing through, it's subtle.

3) Same goes for nude microfishnets; enough of your skin shows through, no need to match because it "blends"...

4) You can always layer microfishnets over colored tights. I do this often with my wine/burgundy boots. If I can't find tights that match close enough, but are too purple, I just pop black microfishnets over and it tones it all down.

2) If it's too cold for pantyhose/microfishnets then wear TALL boots, with wool socks and everything. Then only a few inches of your skin is exposed.

That said I still need to find hose that aren't too long. Bane of my existence. I do like the Hue brand in general and have microfishnets going on 5 years old that have held up remarkably. Except for the nude pair I lent to my 14 year old niece at xmas time. She looked amazing in them. Returned them, sheepishly, with a major run. So I am looking to replace those.

Don't leave out patterned hose!!! If I'm wearing a black or gray dress with black boots, I like patterned hose because it breaks it all up and adds interest.

Scarlet

Veteran

Looks like Shiny has this covered. Check out the photos Greg just posted--there is a great one of a lady in a printed skirt with brown/red hose and booties. All kind of tonal.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

I have a purple and yellow pencil skirt. I have worn:

black lace tights
burgundy opaque tights
black
black sheer textured (polka dots)
nude double fishnets

I would also love to locate a pair of sheer textured grey tights, maybe in a geometric pattern like diamond. I do think they look better sans tights, but I cannot put them away completely in the Winter!

fashionista

Veteran

I love opaque tights.

deb

Veteran

Here is a site that explains the different density in tights. I also noticed the most sites now call pantyhose sheer tights.

http://www.mytights.com/us/hos.....formation/

I realize this does not answer your question Sylvie, but I figure once we get the answer we can choose how opaque or sheer we want to go.

harman

Member

I also like..

Sylvie

Veteran

Thanks ladies! I think I know what to look for now. I've had pretty good luck with Hue, so I'm going to see what they have available as wel as trying out VC's DKNY tights.

AG: Those tights are very pretty (and the skin show through will help keep it neutral)
Echo: I stand corrected. I've always used tights/hose/pantyhose interchangeably. Sheer off-black hose are a great idea - it will keep the look a little softer.
VC: THank you for the pointer to your tried and true pair. I will check them out. Also, thank you for warning me off confusing them with the non-Luxe type because I would have made that exact mistake.
Shiny: Thank you so much for sharing your strategy. I think my problem with #1 is that I wear bright skirts and bright shoes - so then I don't want bright tights to match the shoes. However, I could do black sheers and I like the layering idea.
Scarlet: That is a cool outfit and she is extending her leg line with brown shoes.
Jenava: Sheer textured grey tights! I will add a pair to my shopping list.
Deb: That link is very helpful. I think what I need are ultrasheer tights.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I like to buy tights and stockings at inexpensive stores like TJ Maxx or Ross or Wal*Mart or Target. That way I can figure out what works. You try on tights, and in my book they're no longer returnable. The first two retailers sell Hue. The second two have private labels but the George Wal*Mart label is quite good and even Made in the USA. I personally like semi=sheer black and grey patterned tights. The patterns (small) break up the opaque monotony of all black, which I really only wear under pants now.