At last realism about tights

Now I am not a natural Guardian reader, more of a Sun woman if you must know, but this caught my eye:

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a woman wearing a skirt or dress at this time of year will need to wear tights. Except, it's not. It's a truth universally acknowledged everywhere except in glossy magazines, on red carpets and in newspaper fashion pages.  (Also, in certain towns in the north of England, but that's a whole other issue.)"

How refreshing it is to hear that tights are needed - unless you want frost bite.

Not even Northern girls are not always without tights - as these Newcastle lasses testify.

 The article goes on

"There is a fundamental disconnect between fashion and the real world when it comes to hosiery. Walk down any urban street in winter, and you will see a forest of black-opaqued legs. But scan any fashion page and you'll see winter clothes styled, more often than not, with bare legs. The shoot might be on location in the Highlands in a rowing boat on an icy lake, the coat might be fur-trimmed and the dress cashmere – but the legs, more often than not, will be bare. Mea culpa: even on a page such as this, which is all about how us norms grapple with fashionable clothes, I often end up being photographed in bare legs when roadtesting winter looks. Bare legs are fashion's shiny prefect badge" 

Her feet must be cold

This supports what Joy of Tights has always thought; the "Fashion Industry" is anti tights.

Now the difficult bit, apparently, how to look stylish in black opaque tights

"As a result, we are in dire need of style guidance in the wearing of black tights. There is a woeful paucity of role models in the important skill of teaming a 60-denier opaque with an interesting outfit. So, when we wear a coloured skirt with black tights, we go for the easy option of a black or neutral top. But it doesn't need to be like that. A simple way to make black tights work is with strong colours: if you team muted pastels with a matt-black leg, it kills the subtlety, but add gleaming jet-black to a jewel-like mix of emerald, sapphire, fuchsia, ruby, well, then it is right at home."

The point goes for matching with opaque tights at any time of year, not just winter.

Strong enough?

Strong enough?

Strong enough?

But surely the LBD is still OK?

BTW: I'm glad to see that the article gives "Stack heel sandals" as part of its sample outfit.  It is about time someone said that sandals and tights are not a fashion crime.

Arrested for a crime against fashion - tights without closed shoes?

A few thoughts from Joy of Tights
Mainly that winter tights don't have to be black opaques.

Why not go strong colour tights with more muted colours rather than the other way round.

Maybe OTT?

If you feel you need the bare leg look, go for nude tights for at least some protection:

See how invisible these tights are?

Or if you need a little more warmth a thicker tan denier that could be mistaken for nude from a distance

Or for a double warmth wammy try opaque leggings and tan tights.

Finally what about winter fishnets - don't the holes trap a layer of air for insulation like a string vest (or something)?

Get some tights girls!

Seen out in Newcastle last weekend

Good girl, fag to keep her lungs warm

Go on have a snog, that will keep you warm.

Since Joy of Tights is a British blog it is proud to be obsessed with the weather and apparently:

• The Arctic weather looks set to continue as weather people warn temperatures could stay below average for most of March. 
• On Monday parts of Britain faced temperatures colder than Moscow.  
• And it looks like Spring - due to officially start on March 1 -  could also be delayed, as the Met Office warns much of the next month will also will be colder that usual

So here is Joy of Tights' advice to those party goers in Newcastle who braved the icy pavements dressed only in high heels and skimpy dresses over the weekend.  Even if it doesn't snow...

(1) [Best] Go for opaque tights and long socks

(2) [Not bad] Go for opaques and boots

Maybe not the wellie variety

Kinkier boots, but rather thinner tights

(3) [If nothing else] wear some sheer tights to give your legs some protection

Higher denier sheer

Sheer sheer

However little else you wear put so some tights to keep toes, feet, legs and other parts warm.  (You do not want frost bite there)

And the hottest part of her body is......?

NIicola Roberts had the right the dress code

The Sun said about a recent Girls Aloud 10th anniversary photo-shoot

"DID someone forget to tell NICOLA ROBERTS the dress code?  All the GIRLS ALOUD beauties donned colour co-ordinated frocks for a sexy promo shoot yesterday. But while Nicola’s bandmates all showed off their bronzed pins, she covered up hers with a pair of thick black tights.  Maybe she had forgotten to shave. Or had not found time to get to a tanning salon"

 Well good for Nicola Roberts I say.  For girls who do not have the money or time to get bronzed pins, opaques tights are daily wear.  (Any way isn't getting your pins bronzed cancer causing?)

Maybe not this weather buy shorts show how good opaques can make your legs look

And for all you girl bands in tights fans

Girls Aloud in tights

Pussycat Dolls

Seams seem to be the thing to be seen in

Girls, getting tired on plain old sheer or opaque tights.

Nice shine to your legs but sometimes you want more

Want something a little more subtle than suspender tights?

Cool, but a little too much sometimes...

Why not try some seamed tights.  Here are seven reasons for wearing seamed tights.
(1) They make you look sexy.
It's that old association with seamed stockings.  I defy any man not to find seams sexy.

Not the traditional seam but still sexy.

(2) They make you look powerful.
Perhaps in is the dominatrix association, or it could be that it is assumed if you have the confidence to wear seams you are a strong woman.

Follow me boys and keep your heads bowed.  (These might be stockings but its the same principle)

 (3) Celebs wear them

It seams the only way is Essex

(4) Seams come in lots of creative designs.
Not just lines down the back of your tights.  We have already seen glittery seams, now check these out.

What a cute little bow

(5) Your girlfriend will like them.
(Only applies to girls with girlfriends.  Guys think carefully before you wear seamed tights)

Guys stick to plain tights it might freak your girlfriend out if she came home and found you in seamed tights

(6) They usually have reinforced toes
(I knew it would be hard to get seven reasons).  I like reinforced toes because they make the tights last longer, and oddly guys who are into tights seem to prefer reinforced toe (future poll?)

(7) Seamed stockings are too much trouble to put on.
All that messing with suspenders and don't even talk about hold ups if you value the blood supply in your legs.

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Will the guys be steeling our tights to keep warm?

Newspaper headline.

"Britain is as cold as the ARCTIC: 'Stiletto sharp' winds and snowfall send temperatures plummeting... and it will last until Wednesday"

That's 'Stiletto sharp' winds not 'Stiletto heals' what are you like?

So have your best pair of black tights gone missing?

 Well perhaps the man in your life is wearing them under his jeans to keep warm.

Snug legs

Full length jeans might be better

He may prefer a colour other than black to give more of a skin tone.

He was just looking for his trousers - honest

Ohhh nice match with his jeans

Now I think it is a good idea for guys to wear tights under jeans in this weather.  Especially when you read this:

"Snow and sleet hit parts of the country today as freezing winds continue to sweep Britain, sending temperatures plummeting to levels on a par with the Arctic.

Forecasters at the Met Office said temperatures across much of the country were hovering at or just above freezing, the equivalent of the Hammerfest, in Arctic Norway, which recorded a temperature of 1C today. 

Swathes of the north of England awoke to a blanket of snow this morning, and the cold snap gripping the UK shows no signs of abating as forecasters predict temperatures could plunge as low as minus 11C in northern Scotland in the days to come."

After all guys are the weaker sex.

So guys don't be afraid to ask to borrow her tights. The only problem is if she already thinks you are some kind of pantyhose pervert.

Tights not over pants may be a worrying sign as is a hard on

Painted nails may signify the tights are for more than warmth too

In the mean time us girls will wear our trousers over our tights.