In Northern Virginia, where I live, cold weather knocks at my door every winter. Therefore, tights and pantyhose are a winter staple in my closet. Needless to say, I find them more comfortable when I have to go outdoors to brave the cold.
More importantly, I find adding tights and pantyhose to my winter wardrobe to be a fun fashion accessory, adding variety and versatility to my cool weather looks. And if you worry about them looking out of fashion – don’t. Hosiery is actually on trend this winter. Specifically, patterned and logo’d tights.
I like the look of textured, patterned tights and hose for others, but my choice is typically nude, sheer hose, and tights that match my hemline and or shoes – usually black, navy blue, burgundy and brown. 
For pantyhose, the topic of skin tone matching is important. When your shoes are lighter than your hose, or your hose make your skin look tan in the winter while the rest of your skin is white – it doesn’t look right. You want to match your skin color to your pantyhose.
As much as I am a fan of online shopping, this is hard to do without being in the store where you can see the exact color and compare it to your own skin tone. For this activity, I recommend visiting the store in person to find your shade and brand. If you want to shop online once you know your brand and color, that’s perfect.
Speaking of shopping for hose and tights, just like all other fashion shopping, it has not been convenient for women who are shorter, taller or curvier than average. I am happy to say progress is being made.
Recently I went on the hunt for hose and tights for curvy, petite women, and found “Sheertex.” They offer a range of different sizes and options.
“Sheertex” also promotes their hosiery as being indestructible! As you know, sustainability and supporting the environment are key for me. Since “Sheertex” hose last up to 50 wears, you won’t be constantly throwing them away – a plus for the environment.
By the way, if you too are environmentally conscious, you may want to check out our Ethical Ensembles Encyclopedia™ which contains a lot of great information about how green your favorite labels are, and how their business practices impact the world.
If you are a member of the petite and curvy sisterhood, “Berkshire” is a mainstream brand that carries tights and hosiery for average sizes, as well as petite, curvy and tall women. “Berkshire” describes their products as “simply the finest made, best fitting, sexiest looking hosiery on the market”.
A bonus with “Berkshire” is their products are manufactured here in the U.S. “Berkshire” is easy to find online, or purchase at major department stores like Macy’s.
Finally, we should talk about quality. Quality can be a common issue with hosiery and tights. My recommendation is to consider the source – where are you shopping? If they are sold at CVS or another drug store, they probably are not beautiful to wear, built to last or concerned about the environment.
I’ve tried many brands, and my personal favorite is “Spanx.” They are not inexpensive but they are great quality and among the few brands with a super high waist that helps avoid the muffin top effect. Ladies, this is really not a good look. Plus, I love that “Spanx” is woman-owned. Women like Sara Blakey, who create a product from scratch and rise to the top, inspire all of us to step out of our comfort zone and change the world.
If you’ve decided to embrace the trend of tights and hosiery, here are some tips to keep in mind.
Don’t wear open-toe shoes with your tights and hosiery; this is considered tacky.
Women of a certain age will often find hosiery and tights are more flattering of their legs than going au naturel. In the summer we can wear leg foundation to make our legs a bit more youthful, but I do think sheer hose flatter most women’s legs and offer a polished look.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Are you for hose or tights, or not? Do you like the trendy patterned look? Please comment below and let me know your thoughts and questions… 
