Are black opaque nylons really frumpy fashion?

[kranberrie]

I read an article in the Guardian on Saturday that stated that black 40/60D hoisiery is "out" and fancy colours and lacey ones are "in" for the party season. The statement was backed up with statistics of sales growth of colourful nylons and lacey ones with a decline of sales in 40/60D black.
I Google researched more and found that this ditching of classic black extends to the workplace and social settings. Looking around my office and offices of clients I visit, I'm shocked to find that I'm almost the only "frump" in standard class opaque black legs.
I can't bring myself to go jazzy colours or lacey. I had a big clearout of my tights draw about a month ago - ironically in my vast collection I had old red, navy, green (why?) and lacey tights (mostly unworn) - they got chucked. Those still in packets and unworn are now in the local Scope shop - maybe I should buy them back.
I'm extra miffed because the clearout coincided with a £150 spending spree on good quality black opaques.
Maybe I should buy trousers and never wear tights again.
Am I the last living fan of black opaques? - I think they are sexy, stylish, warm and practical.
What next - shoes out and only boots?

No idea but watching with interest as i only have three pairs of opaques left and was planning on buying some more. I do have a couple of patterned black tights so maybe it’s more of those I need!

I have not seen any fancy or patterned tights, most people I know wear black opaques. Maybe the Guardian is talking about London as it usually is.

No but the word nylons is 😉
Black opaques are always going to be classic/inoffensive but as the article suggested, there are ways to make a look more current. You may or may not care!

I guess something like this are still warm with good coverage but a bit more “interesting”. www.next.co.uk/style/su016652/c35453?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADm_5UXXgHzLvSTN9yJAm-D31aY8L&gclid=Cj0KCQiAx9q6BhCDARIsACwUxu7bpmLUGpsj7PNkgMERx_p3bVjIjiJWV0auZxkoNXeH48tUR3xhtsUaAg-6EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#C35453 www.next.co.uk/style/su016652/c35453?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADm_5UXXgHzLvSTN9yJAm-D31aY8L&gclid=Cj0KCQiAx9q6BhCDARIsACwUxu7bpmLUGpsj7PNkgMERx_p3bVjIjiJWV0auZxkoNXeH48tUR3xhtsUaAg-6EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#C35453]]]]

Who cares what the Guardian thinks? They dont even know what a woman is.

You spent £150 on tights? Wow.

It is marketing isn't it? No doubt people have a stash of black opaques, how can we get them to spend money? Lacey tights, but not just one pair because everyone will recognise the pattern and God forbid you should be seen wearing them more than once, so several patterns, or colours, spend, spend, spend.

Fuck what some random person has decided is "in fashion" wear what you want, what suits your body shape, what makes you happy and embrace that. Oh and my Dad was in textile marketing which included fashion. his favourite word was "suckers" sorry but it is true. Everything is designed to make you spend money especially now with anything that is not something we have naturally like eyelashes that only come from wearing fake ones, big lips, fake tan, all of it.

I tend to regard any articles about seasonal fashion from the POV of a frazzled editor demanding 800 words on 'something different about tights/coats/sequins' at the same moment someone sees an Instagram post from Snag or opens a box that's just arrived from Me+Em/Marks (WTF! If you type in the entire shop name, it inserts a hyperlink... sneaky.)

Coloured tights always give me Timothy Claypole/Grotbags vibes. But then I am a Middle Class Woman of A Certain Age.

Your use of the word nylons is more ageing than any opaques ever would!

I think patterned tights seem to be in, eg polka dot etc, based on me looking at fashionable 20-somethings around me in London.

Black is classic (and flattering). I let trends in tights pass me by as they are unkind to anyone without a thigh gap.

Very dark navy or brown is as far as I go - and only if I’m wearing a column of that colour.

I've bought some extremely bright stripy tights this year for various Christmas parties/carolling/etc.

I was under the impression they were extremely unfashionable and I am in fact mostly aiming for the explosion in a Christmas factory look (I also have a hat with tinsel, lights and many other decorations).

Somewhat bemused to hear they might actually be trendy.

No idea and couldn't care less but I still wear them a fair bit for work, and occasionally outside of work too. If I was going 'out' or to a party in winter and wearing a short dress I typically wear black opaques with it.

Haha, nylons, don't think anyone called them that since the war! Then it was "nylon stockings" not tights. In the 80s I had striped and sparkly ones,so they would seem old fashioned now. I have one pair of black 60 denier, going out for lunch this week, nice hotel,am wearing them with a black/red patterned dress,long sleeved but quite thin , because the weather is meant to turn colder

You don't have to follow fashion, it's stupid, wear what you like!

I've always called them nylons! I'm wearing black opaques to the work do, under boots and a midi dress. My legs won't be 'seen' but I'll feel secure and comfy.

Just wear whatever you want. I'm in my 30s and love my thick black tights and I'm definitely not frumpy (I know they're not the style du jour but honestly who cares). They will be back in soon enough anyway. Anything other than strictly opaque was a massive no go when I was at secondary school. It's all just made up nonsense as long as you're not wearing stuff that's objectively ugly or naff. Opaque black tights will always be a classic.

This 'opaques are dead' thing comes around periodically, but the fact is that black opaques are warm, comfortable and improve the look of most people's legs so we keep on wearing them! And most of us don't live in an episode of Sex and the City where we step from cab to office in our heels and (almost) bare legs. Loving the Timothy Claypole reference above - I am old enough to remember that!

I wear thermal 100 denier to work for warmth at this time of year - my building is just shy of 200 years old!

Going out it varies, I prefer nude for thin tights

When I first joined MN is was teal as far as the eye could see.

I will wear black opaque but I do also have cranberry, mustard and purple, plus lacy ones

‘Nylons’ ????

In the unlikely event of anyone caring what The Guardian has to say about anything here is the article.

lace and jazzy prints: tights are latest low-cost fashion statement www.theguardian.com/fashion/2024/dec/06/colour-lace-and-jazzy-prints-tights-are-the-latest-low-cost-fashion-statement?CMP=share_btn_url Guardian article

I have and wear black, navy, green, purple, brown, burgundy and maroon opaques, black with flower patterns and blue "knitted cable" tights. I own but don't often wear, black lace tights.

I'm just annoyed that it's impossible to get ribbed or cable knit tights for grown ups over a size 10.

I have been trappped in trews for a good 20 years or so. Tights remnd me of my sausage body. Maybe I should have another go?

I'm well over a 10. I have cable knit tights. Probably Marks and Sparks.

I bet you look great.