Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

How do you wear dresses/skirts on a sunny Spring day?

27 replies

irregularegular · 17/04/2014 11:09

This might seem a stupid question, but I find myself wanting to buy lovely skirts/dresses at this time of year but not actually being able to wear them. In the winter I wear skirts with dark tights, and usually boots. For a few brief weeks in Summer I will wear them with bare legs (the unattractive appearance of my white legs is another issue). If I'm dressing smartly then I may wear sheer tights in Spring. But how do you wear more casual dresses??? Dark tights are too wintry, sheer tights are too formal, bare legs are too cold! I don't really like leggings any more. Any solutions I've not thought of??? Or do I just have to stick to jeans/trousers at this time of year?

OP posts:
FreeButtonBee · 17/04/2014 11:20

I am taking a leaf from the fashion crowd/my teenage self and hardening my legs up! So bare legs here. As long as the skirt/dress is properly knee length and I have a decent coat on, I am okay. I don't weat fake tan but make sure my skin isn't dry or scaley. I am in London though and this is for work. My csual stuff is all shorter and I ma not quite ready to brave bare thigh...

Greengardenpixie · 17/04/2014 12:23

I would just try and get a pair of tights that look barely there for work. I just cant bring myself to wear bare legs to work. I would however wear barely their tights and sandals. You can get lots of different types and its a case of finding the ones that suit your tone of skin. I have heard that sally hansen airbrush leg is meant to be amazing. I might try that.

libertychick · 17/04/2014 12:33

I doing bare legs today with a knee length dress and ballet flats. Wearing a jacket and have a big scarf so that's helping me feel warm.

Greengardenpixie · 17/04/2014 12:43

I would just do bare legs if its casual. I dont especially like the calves of my legs but hey ho..i just dont give a toss!

rollonthesummer · 17/04/2014 13:46

I wear them with leggings and pumps-keeps you warm, looks funky and you're safe if there's a sudden gust of wind!

JoStrom · 17/04/2014 20:13

IMHO sheer skintone/natural tan tights are not too formal so i wouldn't worry about wearing them. It's either that or bare legged which I think means flawless skin and a light subtle tan - often hard for most of us to achieve!

mirpuppet · 17/04/2014 22:44

I also have the same question -- I love dresses/ don't love cold legs/ think nude tights don't look good.

Does this mean I should stick to trousers?

JohnCusacksWife · 17/04/2014 23:12

I tend to keep skirts for winter only, with tights & boots. I just don't like skirts with bare legs/sheer tights (on me).

CointreauVersial · 17/04/2014 23:41

Do bare legs.

As long as the skirt isn't too short, the legs are epilated / moisturised (maybe a bit of fake tan).

50ShadesOfSummer · 18/04/2014 07:33

Bare legs? Not yet!

I stick to black 80 denier opaques (non woolly) for as long as possible! (I seem to remember this being quite fashionable in the summer a couple of years back, so am kidding myself it still is.)

Then, when it really gets hot -we are talking 25C here - the fake tan gets slapped on and the legs come out. Until then, black tights all the way!

Artandco · 18/04/2014 07:36

I keep tights on! I have lots of colours though so tend to move to grey, lighter grey, light brown, navy, burgundy depending on what in wearing

Branleuse · 18/04/2014 07:42

ive been wearing barely there tights. I dont think it looks too formal at all

LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 18/04/2014 07:45

Same problem here, I tried Sally Hansom airbrush legs the other day and my legs looked fab! It evened out the skin tone but didn't make my legs look fake tanned which would be odd when the rest of me is pale.

You have to give yourself 10 minutes to apply it - but the results are excellent.

RoyCroppersOldBag · 18/04/2014 09:14

I go bare legged, but I mix a bit of Johnsons Holiday Skin fake tan stuff in with my moisturiser, so that they look slightly tanned (find doing it this way I don't get any orange streaky bits :) ).

My problem is what to wear on my feet! I'm a size 16 with size 8 feet :( so I find flat shoes completely unflattering - once it's really warm I can wear sandals (that is if I can find a navy blue pair that aren't too high!) but it's now when it's too warm for boots but not warmer enough for sandals.......... might start another thread about it :)

rollonthesummer · 18/04/2014 10:09

I actually think skirts with dark tights in the summer looks awful! Make your legs lovely and smooth with a bit of a tan-definitely a better look.

Elsiequadrille · 18/04/2014 10:13

I do similar to you, and will start off with sheer tights soon, until the weather improves and then it's bare legs.
I can't use fake tan on legs, as I'm too pale generally. I do use a nice body lotion, however, usually Clarins.

Original poster
irregularegular · 18/04/2014 15:59

Thing is, I'm sure my bare legs could look OK with a bit of effort (I'm going to try Sally Hansen) but they are still going to be cold! I'm going to experiment with different tights and try to find shoes that are not too formal but look ok with tights. I noticed one of the trendier dressers at work was wearing sheers this week. Though her shoes were fairly smart...Then bare legs as soon as I can manage it! I do think this problem didn't used to exist as "pantyhose" used to be worn all the time.

OP posts:
Dollydowser · 18/04/2014 16:03

Like Artandco, I do coloured tights (not black as I don't wear anything black), Today I am wearing Falke cotton touch tights in grey, sometimes I were blue. When it gets to 20+ degrees it will be fake tan, but its way too cold for me to bare my legs just yet.

Twinklestein · 18/04/2014 18:03

I think bare legs look ridiculous at this time of year, and it's not warm enough anyway.

I wear darker tights with darker dresses and nude sheen tights (mine are Aristoc) with lighter ones.

CointreauVersial · 18/04/2014 18:13

I've been bare-legged for the last three weeks at least. My office is fairly warm, though. I am in flip flops today. Smile

BillStickersIsInnocent · 18/04/2014 18:52

Bare legs, jumper and scarf on top if needed. And ankle/biker boots.

I cannot stand wearing tights if it's even slightly warm, so anything above 10 degrees. I don't really wear dresses or skirts until it's a bit warmer though, so it's trousers at the moment . Clear as mud

GrassIsSinging · 18/04/2014 19:46

I just cannot get on with nude tights, so its darker tights until its above about 18 degrees and then bare legs for me.

WheresRyder · 18/04/2014 19:54

At the moment my skirts/dresses for casual wear are long so worn with flats no leg is exposed. Dresses and skirts for work I wear thin 15 denier tights as it's too cold for bare leg and my legs are too white. I usually wear tights for work all summer long but once it's warm then knee length is fine for summer.

Mepmep · 18/04/2014 21:03

I'm with 50! Can't bring myself to bare legs till its at least 20 degrees outside. And is guaranteed to remain so all day. Till then, it's black tights, leggings and trousers.

frankietwospots · 18/04/2014 22:21

@LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops - what shade of Sally Hansen did you get? I'm thinking of trying it but not sure whether to get Light or Medium.

Swipe left for the next trending thread