Ditch winter – but keep the tights

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Alexa Chung at London Fashion Week wearing wooly grey tights. Photo: Bridget Fleming
Peplums, pastels, patterns - they come, they go. The real perennials are tights and bags. It may not sound glamorous, but, believe me, you need to master these building blocks if you're ever going to arrive at a peaceful settlement with your personal style. This is true for most of us, most of the time, but it's never more true than during February and March. Because it's around now that the urge to ditch that boring winter diet of dark layers and kick some lacy - or chiffon - ass becomes almost overwhelming. We can't, of course, because, weather-wise, it's just not a lace or chiffon-compatible sort of moment. But if you get the tights situation sorted, you're set. You could wear a sleeveless silk slip or a cobweb, and provided you've got the right foundations,

So what tights work at this time of year? Reporting here from the front line of Milan Fashion Week, I can confirm that there are lots of thick black ones on the catwalks for next winter, which is preferable to seeing bare legs in a winter collection - I always think that's such a cop-out for a designer, since almost anything looks better with bare, model legs: we want to see whether their outfits will work in at least semi-realistic conditions.

All the action from Milan Fashion Week autumn/winter 2012
But black tights look too heavy in the spring, even if it's still not very warm. Navy is a good alternative in theory, but invariably ends up looking too much like a John Lewis uniform. I like a mid-grey. It's not too heavy for spring and works with everything, especially camel. Too pale a grey is unflattering, though, unless you have perfectly shaped, slender legs. A woolly texture looks good, much nicer somehow than grey nylon-Lycra tights. Cable-knit grey tights are lovely but high maintenance, since you have to keep checking that the pattern is lying straight. A mouse-brown shade is another option, and one that goes with every other colour, including black and red.

Alexa Chung: She Wears It Well
The two best brands for grey and brown tights, bar none, are Falke and Wolford. They're pricey, but the textures and fit are the best, and, if you look after them, they'll last a good six months. Turn them inside out, wash at a low temperature and de-bobble the heels regularly (boring but essential; ratty tights look rank on anyone but teenagers). Jewel-coloured tights - amethyst, sapphire, ruby - are another route, but more of a palaver as you really have to start thinking about whether to clash or tone with your shoes. Both can work, but a toning shoe will obviously make your legs look longer. Failing that, a dark brown or black shoe works. Polka-dot sheer tights are a possibility, although anything sheer has a short life expectancy.

And then there are fishnets. They haven't been in evidence much the past few years, but I saw a woman wearing a loose weave pair (shark nets?) at the Gucci show this week and she looked very chic. Not sure how warm they are though. She had an enormous sable jacket on - it's Milan, sweeties.

Milan Fashion Week: Gucci autumn/winter 2012
Finally, but not least, there are ankle socks, which are proliferating among the fashion bloggers with every passing day of these shows. If memory serves me - and it's been about 40 years since I last wore them - ankle socks are surprisingly effective at keeping the worst of the cold at bay. But I had much better circulation then. Still, that Forties ankle-sock-pencil-skirt-platform-sandal look is very appealing, I must confess - and very Miuccia Prada. But you need the right frame of mind. I'm not saying never, just not right now.

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