Is there an alternative to opaques for the chunky of calf?

[lisbapalea]

Hoping for some guidance to stop me stressing!

Am off to a trendy London party next Friday (eek) and am in a complete tizz over what to wear. I am a size 16, a kind of pear shaped hourglass if such a thing exists, and hate my legs - calves are chunky.

I am going to wear a pencil skirt - I have a plain black midi length one, a plain black just below the knee one, or a black sequinny just below the knee length one, so need to choose one of those. Will wear it with either a sequinny black jumper (only if I go for a plain skirt), or a fluffy pale pink jumper, with black suede shoes or ankle boots, can't decide which.

But which tights?? I tried the black sequinny skirt on the other day with 100 day velevet opaques and it made me look so heavy and clunky of leg. Looked loads better when I whipped the tights off but no way am I going bare legged.

I had a vague recollection of sheer black tights being back 'in' but are they horrendously unflattering?

Help! I am getting so stressed about this sodding party, which is ridiculous!

Bare legs and a liberal application of this

You need to bear in mind that wearing clothes that stop at the widest part of your legs are deeply unflattering. If you have chunky calves then I wouldn't wear a midi skirt, but choose one of the ones that end just below the knee.

suede shoes or ankle boots wont lengthen your leg...they will make matters worse. Opt for the just below knee length skirt and a pair of 60-80 opaques. What about a nice pair of black wedges...but steer clear from suede as they can make your feet look like 'blobs'

Thanks all - didn't realise that about suede but I think you're right! Would patent be better? i think I have some black patent Carvela block heels lurking in a cupboard somewhere which I could dig out. I have an aversion to wedges, not sure why. I do also have some gold slingbacks from boden, which I love with trousers and jeans, but I think they would look very odd with black tights, wouldn't they?

I was very much against midi length for exactly the reason you said, but I do actually think it looks quite OK, and I am pretty critical of my calves. I think (hope) it just misses the widest part of my calf, maybe as I am quite tall at 5ft 8"? But I still may opt for the knee length one if I am not feeling ballsy enough.

I think I will have a trying on session later with various combinations of shoes and tights and see what happens.