The best tights and hosiery this season
04:24:00
A few things are certain in life: death, taxes and the fact that a gal pretty much can't go bare-legged from November to March. And for ladies who favor leather dresses, flirty skirts, and denim miniskirts (a.k.a. most of us fashion lovers), that means we all need a nice fresh stock of tights and hosiery.
But, as you know, not all tights are created equal. Ever to the rescue, the girls tested more than 50 types of pantyhose to bring you the best. From classic black, to patterned and colored ones, we tested for opacity, sheen, saggy-ness, and comfort (no one appreciates a pinching waistband!), we tried 'em all (well, a lot!). Here are our favorites, modeled by us
Best in Hose: Color
Hanes Opaque Convertible Tights in Blackberry: Very opaque and legging-like," says Lindy. "They were comfy, and the color was very wearable—they added a little something to my black and white outfit! They convert from leggings to tights, which is convenient, but you have to get used to the weird pocket-y fabric on the bottom of your foot if you wear them in tight form."
"We Love Colors offers more than 50 shades to choose from, so when I was looking for a warm pair of maroon tights to match my sweater, I reached for these," notes Nikki. "I have WCL tights in navy, red, green, brown, and a ton of other shades, and they're awesome. Perfect for when I simply cannot put on another pair of black tights."
Best in Hose: Sheer
Hanes Silk Reflection Pure Bliss: "I like the waistband on these tights," says Marissa. "It's wider and flatter than older styles I've tried, so it sits comfortably and doesn't dig in. These tights were comfortable, but with my being 5' 4", the AB size was a little short at first, and I had to give them a few good hikes up. After a few hours of wear, they stretched to the perfect size. Overall, I'd say they were a solid pair that I'd wear again, but the sheen makes them better suited to fancier outfits than every day."
Donna Karan New York Signature Collection Ultra Sheer Control Top Hosiery: "These were by far my favorite that I tried because the material felt soft (as opposed to itchy)," says Anna. "Even better, I accidentally threw these in the washing machine—usually, I hand-wash my tights—and they totally held up without any rips, tears, or other mishaps."
Best in Hose: Pattern
"I'm in love with these," says Anne of her Lauren Ralph Lauren houndstooth patterned tights:
Lots of times, when you wear a patterned tight, the pattern stretches out to an unattractive, giant version of the one you saw in the store. Not so with these. The pattern stayed in place, was cute enough to be an office conversation starter, but not so wild that I couldn't figure out what to pair them with. Also, I love me a reinforced toe during boot season. No snagging, perfectly comfy, and zero bagging."
"I tried three pairs—the snakeskin black Hue tights were my fave," says Lindsey."I was skeptical about the snakeskin pattern on these Hue tights at first but was pleasantly surprised by how subtle it appeared when I actually put them on. The opacity and softness were also pros, as was the control top."
Best in Hose: Black Opaques
"I tried Spanx's Tight End Tights. I found the color to be super rich and saturated and they are as warm as could be! Plus, they give the nice little boost in the bum! They also wash really well.
"Spending $50-plus on a pair of tights can be a bit hard to swallow, but the quality of the Wolford tights is so much higher than the semi-disposable cheapies, that after a wear or two, it starts to feel like a total bargain," says Kat, of her Wolford Mat Opaque 80. "These tights have consistent and comfortable stretch, while still staying perfectly matte (the elastic in less expensive pairs will make them shiny where the fabric is stretched—not flattering!). The waistband doesn't pinch and lays flat under slinky dresses, and they look just as good after four washes as they did out of the package. By far my favorite, and for someone who wears dresses pretty much exclusively, I'm pretty picky about my hosiery, since I wear a pair every day in the winter!"
Do you have any tights or hosiery that you swear by? Are you wearing more skirts/dresses or trousers this winter?
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