How To Accessorize With Tights?

Answer 1

One of the highlights of dressing for fall and winter weather is the ability to use tights to bring color, warmth and texture to what might otherwise be a drab winter wardrobe. Of course, wearing socks and tights does not have to be limited to the cooler parts of the year. New, lightweight materials, particularly microfibers and cotton blends, make tights appropriate accessories at any time for women who want to show off their legs.

Tights are the most popular style of hosiery for most women. As office and professional wardrobes have become more casual in the last decade, many women have replaced itchy, easily damaged pantyhose with more durable and comfortable tights. Tights come in a wide variety of colors, materials, styles and price points. The right color of tights can either accentuate shapely legs or draw unwanted attention away from ankles, calves or thighs. Tights, though, work best with dresses and skirts that have linings. An unlined garment may require the use of a slip to keep it from riding up, particularly with thick or textured tights.

Most tights are made of wool, cotton, or polyester microfiber. Wool tights provide the most warmth and protection from damp weather, but are often much more expensive than tights made of other materials. Stores that sell wool tights often only carry a limited color selection. Finding wool tights in colors other than black, gray, navy and burgundy might be difficult. And, while the use of new washes and blends of merino wool have made wool tights more comfortable than ever, many women still find them uncomfortable and scratchy. Some European tight manufacturers have solved this problem by making wool and cotton hybrid tights. The outside wool layer protects your legs from cold, while the inner cotton layer soothes your skin. These tights can be difficult to find, though.

Cotton tights are among the most comfortable and breathable tights on the market, and are often available in a wide variety of colors. However, unless they are washed carefully, cotton tights can fade, and unless they are blended with a small amount of nylon or spandex, they will stretch out at the ankles or knees. Microfiber tights are easy to find and inexpensive. They hold their color well, and are often available in patterns. However, they are prone to holes and runs and are generally less durable than their wool and cotton counterparts.