Dresses and tights - what is "acceptable"

[MrSeptember]

I have a gorgeous pair of brown suede ankle boots with a low heel that I've been wearing with jeans/trousers and I love them. I'd like to wear them with dresses or skirts, specifically I have a midi-length demin skirt, a knee length light blue denim-style cotton dress with long sleeves and a knee length work dress that is cream with brown and black accents.

BUT.. what tights? In winter I'm usually a black tights - usually thick - with black boots kind of woman. Clearly black tights are NOT going to work here. But I'm a bit worried that flesh coloured tights are going to make me look like I'm channelling Taylor Swift on stage? Are flesh coloured tights okay/ Do they need to be a specific shade or thickness?

Help needed!

What's the issue with black tights? Black's just neutral isn't it so goes with anything?

I have been known to wear a mid blue (DM would have said RAF blue) knitted dress with brown leather boots and mustard cable knit tights.

I'm no style icon that's for sure.

Black and brown are skin colours, so they're as 'neutral' as beige!

I personally have never mastered mixing black and brown together. I just can't do it.

I don't get what there is to master. I think I'm missing something. Black as a clothing colour is just a blank canvas. Like white walls in a house. It doesn't need matching to anything because it's just neutral and basically unnoticeable.

I mean I know bugger all about fashion admittedly but this idea of black being a clash with anything is extra baffling to me.

@DappledThings I don't know. At some point, i was taught brown and black should never mix. DH has a version where he was told, "No brown in town". I don't know why or how. But it is what it is and sort of like not wearing black or white to weddings, I can't bring myself to change the rule.

I'm with you @MrSeptember I'd never mix black and brown, black and camel maybe but not proper brown. I also thought that was a general rule of thumb.

Chocolate or teal opaque tights? Black but micronet?

I’ve been wearing black opaque with brown shoes or boots since the dawn of time (1992). My motto for tights is I can wear any colour as long as it’s black.

If it's cream and tan or generally warm browns and you have autumnal or Mediterranean/Middle Eastern looks, the mix of black and brown can work really well

What's becoming increasingly clear from this thread that there appear to be very much two schools of thought on tights.

School 1 - Black always, at all times, no matter what
School 2 - Black with black otherwise colours to match/complement whatever else you're wearing.

I plan to wear the denim skirt (which is midi length) with the skin tone sheer tights I already have to a breakfast I am attending later this week (I will test this outfit later before making a final decision). While I am in London, I will be looking out for some appropriate cream/chocolate/brown/navy woolen tights to wear at other times. For the work dress, I am leaning towards chocolate-coloured opaques and then some kind of dark cream woolen tights for the cotton dress and denim skirt in more informal environments.

I will report back.

It’s the thought of black tights + brown boots + ANOTHER COLOUR that’s throwing me off. Brown dress + black tights + brown boots quite possibly, but not denim plus black plus brown.

Mind you, I couldn’t see black opaques working with blue denim even with black footwear.

I often wear a denim skirt with black opaques and brown boots. Never thought anything of it! You learn something new every day on MN.

Ok maybe if I saw it, I’d be convinced! Just wouldn’t think of it as a combo.

Bue denim mini with everything else black, but not as a work look and not nowadays? Cropped black leather jacket, black T shirt, black opaques and boots.

Fairy school librarian just ended me. Whoever that poster was I know exactly what she meant and god praise her for this wonderful description 😀

It's like Trinny and Susannah never happened.

Black goes with black.

Me too. What's scary about them @MrSeptember ?

I think black tights would be OK with darker brown boots, but not the light coloured ones that the OP has.

I'd go for nude tights. If your skirts are midi then you won't have loads of leg on show anyway so there won't be any Taylor Swift vibe at all!

I cannot stand tights, they bug me with their rolling up and down, sagging at the ankles or gusset, pinching and twisting, so I wear knee high socks with my midi dress and boots combo. No one can see as far up as my knees anyway and they keep my ankles warm.

Yes ma'am

I can wear any colour tights except navy.

Fecking school days killed them for me.

I love mustard or cream.

This is so interesting. I would never ever wear brown or cream tights. Any other colour, yes. And black with brown definitely, yes, I can't fathom why you wouldn't.

Navy tights being scary is one of the weirdest things I've read on MN though 😂they are one of the safest, dullest choices I can imagine.

My usual go-to is burgundy as it goes with pretty much everything. Failing that grey, navy or black.

I wear tights, dresses and boots pretty much every day for 6 months of the year so I have a lot.

It's like Trinny and Susannah never happened.

Black goes with black.

There are two types of people I think, matchy-matchy and not matchy-matchy.

Black only going with black is not true, but if you like things to match that's fine, it's just a choice.

There are no fixed rules. People create rules to make it easier for themselves to get the result they want, but if you're not aiming for that end result, the rules are redundant.

Purple tights?