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A cold front may be on its way in, but now’s not the time to let uninvited weather thwart your style. You’ve noticed the surge of ’90s-inspired minis and slips, ’00s-inspired denim skirts and the oversized tee dress. That’s the no-pants party in full swing, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down, even when things turn chilly.
To keep the fun going after summer’s over, you’ll want to brush up on hosiery style tips — knowing how to wear stockings, leggings, and pantyhose with dresses and skirts. That’s how you’ll stand up to dropping temps — with the pieces that have kept women warm throughout history.
How to wear pantyhose
1. How to wear pantyhose with a dress or skirt
Classic sheer, nude pantyhose are worn with dresses to keep from baring legs, and all their imperfections, in formal and professional environments. They’re not exactly a style statement, but more of a practicality.
In truth, pantyhose were very uncool for a time until Kate, duch*ess of Cambridge famously brought them back into the spotlight.
Your foray into pantyhose will go off without a hitch if you remember two things.
- Avoid pairing sheer pantyhose with open-toe shoes. The seam at the toe just doesn’t look great when it’s exposed to the world.
- Choose a color that looks natural on you. Said another way, don’t rely on pantyhose to give you a tan. Natural and pale is always better than unnatural and tan.
2. How to wear pantyhose with pants
Wait, what? Women wear pantyhose with pants? Yes, some do and it’s for warmth purposes only. Pantyhose are thinner than tights and generally won’t impact the fit of your pants like tights might.
This strategy works best when you are wearing boots, so as not to show the world you’re wearing that extra layer.
3. Can you wear pantyhose with shorts?
You can wear pantyhose with shorts if you have an edgier style. You’ll need a more formal short — say, something in leather. Add black pantyhose and boots.
4. Where to buy pantyhose
Wait for the next Macy’s sale to roll around to buy your pantyhose if you can. The higher-end brands tend to be more comfortable and durable. You can also buy them at Kohl’s, Target or Amazon. If you’re in a bind, Walgreen’s also sells lower-end pantyhose. Below are some shopping links if you need them.
For more pantyhose style advice, see Should Women Wear Pantyhose?
How to wear fashion ankle socks
In warmer geographies like California, you can get away withminimal additions. Slipping a simple sock into the equation can help battle a brisk morning that turns into a nice afternoon.
Rocking novelty socks witha bootie, sandal or heel isa trendy look. Just pick your poison— sweet or sporty?You can also get some fab custom socks that no one else will have, which is always awesome!
Stockings style guide
I consider a stocking anything that nears the knee or higher.Sothis would be where your boot socks, knee highs, and thick highs come into play.
How to wear stockings with a dress
Fun ways to pull off this look include:
- Wear over-the-knee (OTK) boots with a shorter skirt or dress. Layer in a cozy knit stocking that lands just above the boot top.
- Skip the OTK boots in favor of penny loafers or brogues. Pair with cable-knit, OTK socks and a short skirt. Super cute look but requires reasonable temperatures, since part of your legs will be exposed.
- A slouchy cardigan over the top of your skirt-and-high-stocking combo creates a softer, more casual look.
Tights style guide
Sheer tights: Anything goes
Tights are the cold-weather staple. The classic opaque black tights look super chic covering up any sliver of skin between your hem and shoes. Wear those under dresses, skirts, shorts, and pants.
Colored and patterned tights: Say yes
You can also use colored tights as a pop of color or focal point of an outfit. And velvet, metallic lame, ribbing, Swiss dots, and fish nets give your standard cool-weather textiles a punch in texture.
For more tights tips, see Where to Find Plus-Size Tights.
How to wear leggings
The big debate about leggings is whether you can wear them as pants — or if they’re permanently relegated to layering duties only. Here’s the not-so-definitive answer. You can wear leggings as pants in four scenarios:
- Your going to work out. Go get ’em girl!
- Your top covers your tush.
- The leggings fit more like pants in that they’re not painted-on tight.
- You don’t care what people think because you’re always awesome anyway.
Leggings are the right choice during a Polar vortex or similarly miserable cold-weather patterns.
Just like tights, leggings can be a focal point or a role-player. Try pairing your bold, patterned leggings with layers in different shades of the same color. Or layer neutrals on top. Have fun with it!
