8 March 2010 – Tight Swap

Posted on | March 8, 2010 | 30 Comments

8 March 2010 – Tight Swap, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Navy dress: Target
Earrings: Honolulu swap meet
Booties: Civico 10, via DSW

Blue green tights: Hue
Dark red tights: Hue
Purple tights: Target
Yellow tights: Gap
Patterned tights: Celeste Stein

End Notes:

This week we’re exploring methodologies behind thoughtful tights usage, and for my tutorial I thought I’d demonstrate how dramatically tights can change an entire outfit.

I started with a simple dress in a soft neutral — navy — as my base, paired with my booties (or are they heeled oxfords?) which are a wonderfully indeterminate neutral somewhere between brown and gray. First up, blue green tights to create a monochromatic color scheme. The result is a trim, lean appearance, with dress, tights, and shoes all blending together for an illusion of length. It’s a sophisticated pairing that keeps the attention primarily on the dress.

Maroon tights were up next. I love how this deep, dark red adds richness to the navy blue, creating what we call a two-thirds color combination, that is, two colors — red and blue — from a triad. Because both pieces are darker shades of primary hues, they avoid looking like a cartoon or sports team pairing. While still sophisticated and slimming overall because of their relatively well-matched darkness to the dress, the maroon tights add a bit more pizazz to the look.

…

Bright purple tights create an analogous color combination with the dress. But, because the purple is lighter and more saturated than the navy, they “pop” more dramatically than the maroon tights did. As such, they give the dress a freshness that the other two tights-and-dress combinations did not have.

…

Ah yes, bright yellow tights. Or saffron, I suppose, if we’re getting technical. Like the maroon tights, this punchy pair creates a two-thirds color combination with the dark blue dress. But unlike the maroon tights, this yellow is a much lighter and more saturated shade, and they become the focal point of the outfit. As such, they transform a basic navy dress into a bold, lively “look.”

…

And then…patterned tights. After learning that this week was tights week, my sweet mother-in-law sent me this pair of swirly pink, navy, pale blue, orange, and red patterned tights. (She snagged them on clearance at Dillards; there’s a much better selection in stores than online, as is the case for stores like Gap and Banana Republic right now, I’ve found. Online, I’m drooling over some pairs of patterned tights in Anthropologie’s clearance: the Locket tights are marked down to just under $7, for example, and I would spring for the lace tights as well. And Bare Necessities has quite a few fabulous prints and textures on sale now as well.)

…

My husband isn’t sure what to think, but I’ve grown rather attached. Despite the admittedly wild overall print, the navy background of the tights helps to ground their connection to the dress. Sure, they’re a little wacky, but with these retro-inspired shoes and a curvy dress they add some spunk rather than scream “certifiably crazy”! I’d also be interested to try these tights on with this dress and my Steve Madden boots, thus mitigating the effect of the overall pattern going wobbly on my calves and ankles.

…

I like all of these combinations for different reasons and can see myself wearing each for particular occasions. I probably would not, for example, wear the saffron and navy combination to an academic conference, but I would wear it to a party or, let’s be honest, for a slow day in the library. Do you tend to use tights to add a pop of color or pattern to an outfit or to create an unbroken leg line? How do you decide what color to pull on?

Category: Color Combinations, Office Hours, Teaching Outfits
Tags: bright tights > opaque tights > patterned tights

Comments

30 Responses to “8 March 2010 – Tight Swap”

Tricia
March 8th, 2010 @ 5:31 pm

I am in LOVE with those patterned tights. I used to collect funky tights years ago, and I had a pair like that, only in black and gray. These are even more fun!
Leproust
March 8th, 2010 @ 5:35 pm

oh wow! I love this post. I love how every single outfit has an entirely different feel to it just because of the tights!
Corie
March 8th, 2010 @ 5:36 pm

I love your blog! So glad I found you.

I love all every single one of the tights with the navy dress. I couldn’t even pick one pair…they’re all great!
Clare
March 8th, 2010 @ 6:17 pm

Wow. These are all fabulous, but I truly LOVE the “saffron” tights!
Elena
March 8th, 2010 @ 6:39 pm

I have those exact gold Gap tights and purple Target tights. :) I think the maroon and gold combinations you shared are my favorite! I usually use them to add a pop of color, but I will say that–especially with tights as bold as the gold ones—I tend to feel more comfortable if a scarf or belt is in the same color family.
Jane Winkler
March 8th, 2010 @ 6:52 pm

I use tights for both purposes, and am a big fan of dark fishnets to give an outfit a little “edge.” This is OT, but you are rocking that dress!
Mette M
March 8th, 2010 @ 7:20 pm

Love your style!

I use tights to create that long lean line, as I will do anything to create the illusion of height (being a short and stocky girl).

That being said, I really like the last look! Those tights are fantastic. :) Overall, I have to agree with the other comments – love how each pic had a diff feel based on the tights worn.

Keep up the good work. :)
Luinae
March 8th, 2010 @ 7:29 pm

The maroon tights would be the ones I would be most comfortable wearing.
Dana
March 8th, 2010 @ 7:33 pm

I like the yellow ones the best :)
~Dana
J.
March 8th, 2010 @ 7:45 pm

The blue-green looks so sleek and modern, but the bright purple is just fun without being too capricious. Really love all the swaps, though!
kiki
March 8th, 2010 @ 8:29 pm

Love this post! I need to find me a navy blue dress…absolutely loving all the looks, especially the purple and the saffron.
The Closet of Kim
March 9th, 2010 @ 2:47 am

Those are all great combinations! They each make a different statement and that’s what’s so great about it. I don’t have a ton of diffrent colored tights but I just choose based on what feels right that day.
Goannatree
March 9th, 2010 @ 2:53 am

I have a love affair with tights….they’ve made living in a really cold climate bearable this winter. I like skirts and dresses and tights rock. My favourite trick is to layer. Two pairs of tights are often as warm as a pair of trousers/pants. Sometimes you can play with color too – like putting a black pair under a brighter blue which seems to anchor the blue. I also like to wear a plain pair under fish nets or patterned tights. It takes them down a few notches making them appropriate work or conference wear because you can no longer see skin. IU’ll offer layer black on black when i do this but you’d probably be able to do it with other colours too!
Kathryn
March 9th, 2010 @ 3:41 am

I love all of these looks. I personally am a big fan of using tights to add color, but I’m not so sure about patterned tights given my short legs.
Sally
March 9th, 2010 @ 6:04 am

This just proves that navy is RIDICULOUSLY versatile. I love every combination … with the possible exception of the monochromatic one. Compared to the others, it seems a bit flat. But then, I love brights and contrast!
All Women Stalker
March 9th, 2010 @ 1:36 pm

The saffron and the patterned ones are my faves! I am jealous that you have access to all kinds of lovely patterned tights. They’re hard to come by here.
Kathy
March 9th, 2010 @ 1:50 pm

Oh so lovely! I’ve really just gotten into colored tights (made so much easier by the fact that tights have been “in” the past couple of years). But I definitely switch back and forth between wearing fun bright colors for contrast and neutrals when the rest of my outfit is a little zany. Right now my favorite is probably gray tights, because they add a little less contrast than black, but still recede into the background.
m
March 9th, 2010 @ 7:20 pm

tooo cute! the shoes are my favorite! :)
Maroon & Gold: March 9th, 2010 « Caffeinerd
March 9th, 2010 @ 9:59 pm

[...] over at academichic featured some great looks involving tights yesterday, and—as her maroon and gold choices were my favorites—inspired this pairing o’ [...]
SzafaN
March 10th, 2010 @ 1:20 am

What and how I wear tights depends on the mood and circumstances. “These days” are wear black one mostly. But it usually I use tights as color ‘shot’, not taking care if my legs are very slender. More crazy, the better ;)
Claudia
March 10th, 2010 @ 5:39 am

Very interesting post!

I like all the different looks, but the bright purple combo is my favorite.
Eloise
March 10th, 2010 @ 6:05 am

I love the way the patterned tights add interest but aren’t so bright that they overwhelm the dress. But what I found *most* exciting about this post is that I have a dress which is a very similar shape to this one (in black), which I have only really worn as a cocktail dress. Now I’m thinking about a whole lot of new ways to wear it. Thanks!
Jessica
March 10th, 2010 @ 9:48 am

I love your tutorial, E.! Which tights did you wear all day?

BTW, I bought Anthro’s Locket sweater tights in the blue/grey colorway last month and love them. They are really cozy and warm, and add a nice bit of texture and color.

Jessica
Science Chic
March 10th, 2010 @ 6:52 pm

Thanks for the tutorial. Tight swapping makes so much more sense since you’ve laid it out for us.
melanie
March 12th, 2010 @ 2:46 am

the patterned ones actually look really wearable with that outfit, I think they pick up both the colour of the dress and the shoes. I really love the look with the maroon tights too!
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