Contemporary fashion theorists and historians commonly agree that fashion — all the clothes humans have worn throughout history — is comprised of a limited set of forms that get repeated with variations over time. Such an argument is quite compelling when one considers the history of tights. Men from the Middle Ages through the seventeenth century wore close-fitting (that is, “tight”) hose under doublets, and since then tightly knit legwear has enjoyed various incarnations.
Tights — as we’re defining them for the purpose of this Fashion 101 — are the heavier cousins of pantyhose, clocking in at over 40 denier (the linear mass density of fibers, of course). Brightly colored, textured, and patterned tights have been quite common in women’s fashion for the last few years, and if the runways of Fall 2010 New York Fashion Week are any indication, bold legwear will remain popular for at least another season.
Recommended:
Now is the time to grab tights in patterns or hues that you might not normally gravitate towards since they’re currently deeply marked down. E. has been taking full advantage of winter clearance sales for that very purpose. So has her always-generous mother-in-law.
Course Goals:
After completing this course in tights, students will be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of how different tights can change the appearance of an entire outfit
- utilize tights to create the illusion of a (very) long leg line
- utilize brightly colored tights to create more complex color outfit color schemes, without looking like a Dr. Seuss character
- utilize patterned or textured tights
- demonstrate appropriate pairings of tights with open toed shoes
- demonstrate the effective layering of tights to create new colors or color combinations
- judiciously employ boldly patterned tights while avoiding the appearance of an eight year old girl
And because the Midwest weather has a wicked sense of humor, of course Academichic central will be experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures this week. Nevertheless, A. will do what she can given meteorological constraints, E. will be posting from her Spring Break visit to New York where it should still be a bit cooler, and S. will be returning to Germany where, indeed, it is still tights weather. If temperatures are still chilly in your neck of the woods, play along with us this week. And, as always, we’d love to see pictures of your best look with tights!
E., can you do some kind of aside about tights-wearing during pregnancy? I don’t really remember whether you wore tights much then or went for pants while the weather was cool.
And how about addressing the issue of footless tights under skirts. I like this idea but am a bit mystified by how to do it well.
I was wondering where one might find these sales on offbeat colors and patterns. Any suggestions?
I second Kate’s question. I’m ransacking my shopping bookmarks, checking Banana Republic, JCrew, ModCloth, etc, but not really finding much…
I’m really excited for this! I’d love some suggestions of where to get some great tights in terms of color and patterns, and maybe some unique outfits to wear them with.
This one really, really excites me!
[...] 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 [...]
bahaha, last course goal = hilarity!
ps: you ladies never fail to make me smile with your 101 course outlines :)
[...] we’re featuring tights this week for our Fashion 101 course, it’s only fitting that I start my posts with my favorite kind of tights. While sweater [...]
I’ve never considered tights a trend– in the northeast, the weather makes them a necessity. As a style point, I don’t think they’ve ever been unfashionable or unavailable, but the spotlight shifts around (as with oxford shoes– they never went anywhere, but are getting more attention these days). I have fashion mags + books from the 1960s-90s, all with images of colorful tights, fishnets, sparkly sheers, etc.
For those looking for more unconventional tights, check the websites sock dreams and we love colors. Celeste Stein has fun prints and can be found at macy’s, nordstrom, etc.
[...] this ensemble because the addition of tights, makes it a perfect outfit for this week’s Fashion 101 on Tights. I don’t think the these particular tights change the look of the outfit all that much [...]
Really enjoying this segment – as a tall-ish person, I would love to hear your take on tight length. This is my biggest problem/challenge with tights – especially sweater tights. I end up feeling like my toes are bending backwards to get the maximum stretch and still they don’t quite reach all the way. And there is nothing worse than a day with drooping tights.
[...] couldn’t let Tights Week pass without pulling out my crazy floral tights. I got these this past winter and only wore them [...]
[...] my last assignment for this week’s Fashion 101: Tights, I took these patterned tights from E., send to her by her Mother-in-Law (thanks D.!). I love [...]
[...] outfit seems to make up for my failure to participate in blazer week and my limited contribution to tights week and is undoubtedly a comfort-zone stretching use of floral. Guess I’m making up for lost time [...]
[...] last year’s Fashion 101 on tights, I offered an example of how merely switching out tights could change the entire appearance of an [...]