7 Styling Mistakes You Need to Avoid When Wearing Tights

Tights are garments designed to cover the toes and legs and go up to the waist. They come in different styles, such as opaque, sheer, footless, and even various patterns. Tights are typically worn under other clothing like short skirts, dresses, and shorts to keep legs warm. But they also serve as a stylish accessory. Tights can help make the wearer’s legs appear longer and slimmer and complement their look.

While there are both practical and aesthetic benefits to wearing tights, some women find styling the garment a bit challenging. Like everything else, tights have to be worn correctly if they are to have a positive impact on your comfort and overall look. While there’s plenty of room for you to get creative, there are some basic style rules that you should follow. Here are seven styling mistakes you must avoid when wearing tights.

Wearing Tights with Long Hemlines

One of the most common questions many women ask about wearing tights is how long or short their hemlines should be. Ideally, tights are worn under clothing that ends above the knee. Wearing tights under a maxi or midi skirt may look awkward because your bottom garments are already covering most of your legs. 

If you want to wear tights, make sure to show the pair off by wearing skirts or dresses with short hemlines. If you still want to cover your legs, wear a pair of knee-high boots with your short clothes. This stylish combination will show just enough of your legs while providing you with the coverage you need.

Failing to Create a Balanced Look

Putting together the perfect outfit is all about creating a balanced look. This means that the top and bottom parts of your body appear to have equal proportions, which is considered the ideal figure. For example, if you wear a sleeveless minidress with opaque tights, the hosiery can make your legs look heavy when compared to your exposed arms. Instead, you should wear a pair of sheer tights with a sleeveless dress.

One example of a balanced-looking outfit is a blazer dress with semi-opaque tights and chunky loafers. The structured, boxy look of the blazer dress matches with the chunky footwear, creating the appearance of equal weight on the top and bottom of your body.

Wearing Only Black Tights

Black tights are classics, thanks to their versatility and neutral hue. However, it isn’t your only option. Tights are available in plenty of fun and vibrant colors that make your outfit stand out. Wearing a pair of brightly colored tights can also help add more character to a neutral outfit. For instance, you can make a black dress more interesting by wearing green tights with it. 

Another way to style colorful tights is to match them with the rest of your outfit. Wear only one color from head to toe, and you have a stylish monochromatic look. 

Not Using Tights in Dressy Occasions

Many women often limit wearing tights to the office. But just as tights add polish to your office wear, they can elevate your look when attending dressy occasions as well. Pairing your best little black dress with semi-sheer black tights, for example, can transform it into a more formal outfit. Complete the look with pointy pumps, and you’ll be ready for a glamorous night out.

Only Pairing Tights with Black Shoes

While black shoes go well with almost any outfit, that doesn’t mean they’re your only footwear choice for pairing with tights. You can experiment and play with other colors too. You can contrast your black tights with white boots and have a runway-ready outfit. Alternatively, colored tights can look stylish when worn with beige pumps or with shoes in the same hue. Whatever you choose, understand that your tights don’t always have to go with black footwear.

Wearing Too Sheer or Too Opaque Tights

When you shop for tights, always check what the denier of a pair is. The denier is an indicator of how opaque or see-through the tights are when worn. Tights with a denier count of 40 or higher are typically opaque and provide adequate leg coverage. Any denier less than 30 is likely to appear sheer or almost invisible.

As a rule of thumb, it’s best to wear opaque tights with very short hemlines to keep your legs covered. They’ll also help make your legs appear more elongated. If you’ll be wearing clothes that sit just above the knee or knee-high boots, sheer tights work fine since your clothes or footwear will already give your legs coverage. The sheer tights will allow a bit of your skin to peek through so that your outfit doesn’t look too heavy.

Not Exploring Shaping Tights

Apart from colors and levels of opacity, tights can also come with other features. You may find tights that serve as shapewear, offering better support for the belly, buttocks, and legs. These types of tights can be quite handy if you want to hide unwanted bumps. They can also help you achieve a seamless silhouette when you’re wearing skin tight clothes.

Developing your unique sense of style is all about finding what works best for you. If you’re still exploring your options and want to avoid making styling mistakes when wearing tights, these tips can serve as a guide for putting together ensembles that work. Later on, when you’re more comfortable, feel free to experiment with different looks and maybe even break some rules. After all, fashion should make you feel and look good about what you are wearing.