Are tights/stockings considered old-fashioned now?

[TurquoiseHexagonSun]

Genuine question. I'm just wondering based on something I read elsewhere on the web.

And if they are, how on earth do people keep their legs warm in winter when wearing skirts/dresses?

Nope, but along similar lines sartorially speaking.😄

I now wear thin thermal leggings from M and S with socks. Which is just the same as black opaque tights when you think about it, so I don't know why but I prefer it. I have about 9000 pairs of tights I don't wear

Fair point! The norms do seem to differ over there.

@lesdeluges nothing to do with the menz whatsoever, not for me anyway. 😄These days as I'm middle-aged I'm actually not fussed whether or not I've got fashionable legs😄but the idea of tights being old-fashioned did spark my curiosity as I'd never heard that said before.

They are quite formal looking, but that’s been true for decades. People still wear them with formal suits and dresses when coloured tights wouldn’t work. What else would you wear?

@ChristmasShopping23 I think the footless tights may be for wearing with sandals? Not sure

@lesdeluges Why do women care about this? There's nothing wrong with nude tights, black tights, sheer, opaque, whatever works for you. I am baffled to think that everyone or anyone would be interested enough to comment on your choice of hosiery! But perhaps it is to do with the Menz approval or not?

Why does anyone care about anything? This is S&B, so people on this board are generally interested in style/fashion/beauty. Your comment about 'the Menz' just backfires and reflects badly on you btw - stupid attempt to put other women down, and show that you're so far above us and not like other girls. Women generally dress for themselves, then other women, then men. I doubt DH could tell what I was wearing on my legs (or would care).

Anyway, back on topic... I agree that sheer black tights are actually on trend, opaques are fine, but nude sheer tights are a bit dated. If I'm wearing something than needs bare legs (rare, even in summer never mind winter), I just have bare legs and a long coat/plan to get a taxi or drive so I'm not outside for long. I wouldn't wear bare legs or nude tights to an interview anyway, trousers or black opaques for me.

Bare legs in winter looks a bit odd and I’d definitely not be warm enough - adding here that I don’t especially feel the cold but that there is a certain point when the trainer socks and ankle skimmers trs/jeans don’t work for me and about 2 weeks before that I stop doing bare legs and sandals.

I like opaque tights and black sheer tights. I also love patterned, coloured, textured tights. I don’t love the fit of tights. I’m long limbed and tall but relatively slender. I find tights either have a stupidly high waist or a too low one. I do mostly wear opaque tights because I don’t do smart shoes all that often. I like ankle boots. In theory I like footless tights/leggins but in practice sock visibility or sock discomfort gets in the way

due to my shop being cold i tend to wear leggings with another pair of trousers over top then 3 or 4 jumpers with boots, i did try several makes of nice thick black tights to wear with a winter jumper dress but no matter which they seemed too short and strangled my thighs. everytime i moved they kept going down and hurting me which is a shame as i think it would have looked nice not sure whether it was because i am plus size or what. the sheer tights i used to wear a lot but havent for years mainly because i am prone to thrush.
for me popsocks are for grannies and i would not be seen dead in them i often see older ladies who wear them with longer skirts but when they sit down you see lots of bare leg

Leggings and socks, can't bear tights, they never fit properly so have to wear pants over the top of them to keep them up. Dd hates tights too for the same reason, if I size up, they wrinkle at the ankles and fall down, they fall down if normal size and fall down if they are too small. I thinks it's the way they are cut, the gusset always seems to sit awkwardly! Leggings no such issues.

I think nude tights have to be very good quality, to the extent they are almost invisible, and you can't really then wear open shoes as you get a webbed toe look. So they only work in certain circumstances. My legs are blue and covered in veins and I don't like them so would always wear something even in the summer.

Some nude tights are just too thick and like custard or thick foundation but technology has moved on since nan's day. I actually think they can look very classy and as pp said probably work better with some dresses and shoes particularly party and occasion wear that isn't black. Wherever possible I'd choose black tights. They are very flattering and classy, whatever the denier. I do not like coloured tights as they give me wicked witch of the west or jester vibes.

I stick to trousers as it's all a minefield though it's more the fact I find tights v uncomfortable (I wear hold ups occasionally) and skirts and dresses don't suit my figure much to start with.

This is silly, how can tights be out of fashion?? I just consider them part of my underwear drawer like bras and knickers. If I am wearing a dress or skirt and it is cold out, then I am going to wear tights. Normally black 30 to 60 denier. But I will wear nude sheer tights if they look better with the dress/shoes. I just don't consider them fashion items, they are just practical items to stop my legs getting cold.

This! They are designed to keep you warm, not to be in or out of fashion. Why would anyone give any head space to this - if you want to wear tights then wear them, if you don't mind freezing and think you might be committing some sort of fashion faux pas then don't. I'm not in the UK, but I don't recall seeing women out and about in winter with bare legs.

It would never have crossed my mind to be old fashioned. I've seen these snag tights and thought they would look nice with a dress

The whole “fashionistas don’t wear tights” thing is stupid in our climate. I never find it warm enough after dark in this country to have bare legs. Tights are a significantly better look than mottled, goosebumpy, blue skin. Plus when my legs get cold and goosebumped, when the goosebumps go down they leave stubble behind. Also not a great look.

It reminds me of those teenagers who won't wear coats as nobody else does!

So does anyone have BRAND suggestions for a Size 16/18 apple shape - for tights / leggings? I am working on losing weight (gained while working in US) Ideally brands I can go and try on. Like most apple shapes i am round in the middle without a big diff between waist and hip. My legs can usually fit pants a 1 or 2 sizes smaller. I've been living in sweaty betty but now that I'm back in London I want to wear some nicer clothes. Yesterday i tried on a bunch of clothes from HUSH and WTF is with all the huge sleeves on jumpers? How do you even get them into coat sleeves. I digress. I need leggings and tights! Help!

I've got some XXL tights from M&S which have been going for quite a while.

I mean, I've worn them and put them through the wash quite often. Everyone knows M&S have been going for quite a while.

I wore a midi wool dress Thursday with nude tights ( not glossy 🤢) it looked fine. Everyone else was in trousers though, but that doesn't matter.

Better Tights are good

Autograph tights from m and s are great. They last, if you get the winter ones. But mostly you can feel they are better quality.

I was in Paris last Month, and saw some groups of very young, tall elegant women in beautiful clothes. From their looks, and location, I think they were models. They were all wearing black or cream cotton (?) lace tights with biker boots and mini skirts or short dresses.They looked fabulous. I’ve been looking for similar tights in the U.K., for my Dd, 20, but haven’t found any yet. They looked so much better than bare legs or nude tights. Opaques are ok, but I’ve been wearing them for a hundred years, they are dull .

Ha. No one looks good or chic with blue goosebumpy legs.
I'm assuming those who favour nude legs in winter live in the south east and move only from limousine to hotel etc.
I noticed when in southern Spain a few Easter's ago, that all women of all ages wore nude hosiery with their dresses at the Semana Santa celebrations.

although they look very classy on the Princess of Wales

I also think bare legs in winter look odd, as though the person dressed in a hurry and forgot. I have only ever seen this in the U.K. and the girls/women always look really cold and miserable!

I think thick beige tights look dated and so for most outfits I think black opaques look best. But for evening dresses sheer tights work best.