tights trend
Versace

Let’s Take the Tights Trend for a Festive Test Run

Yes to legs made leggier with lace, monogram and joyful colour

Can you believe there are just days left in a year that I will henceforth be referring to as The Hangover? If no one has said this to you yet in 2021, in the words of my forever icon Kris Jenner, “You’re doing amazing, sweetie.” We all deserve a pat on the back and a generous gift card just for making it through the past year. Thankfully, there’s nothing like a month full of excuses to dress up to have you feeling brand new and ready to face 2022.

In preparation for the socializing marathon that is the holiday party season, this year I did my outfit research early. As I stalked the fall/winter fashion shows and New York Fashion Week street-style from the comfort of my sofa, I noticed that one particular trend was absolutely everywhere: tights.

Fashion houses stamped their logos onto pantyhose for an updated take on the logomania trend, from “Fendi” written across black sheers to Versace’s hot pink and lemon yellow “V”s. Gucci showed turquoise lace thigh-highs as well as spiderweb-esque fishnets in beige and black. Meanwhile, Tracee Ellis Ross took the look for a smoking hot spin with diamond-dotted pantyhose, a black tuxedo jacket and not much else.

 

Now, I know what you’re thinking—tights? As in…pantyhose? Those things we pull from the back of the drawer for stuffy corporate job interviews or when it’s just a little too cold to wear a mini skirt? But, as brands have reimagined tights into bold, textured and printed accoutrements, the days of hosiery as the forgotten accessory are over. 

I started to browse for my own, and couldn’t decide between the moon print or tattoo tights from Marine Serre, a brand made uber-popular by Beyoncé’s 2019 courtside catsuit and K-pop supergroup Blackpink. I went in search of budget-friendly gems at the Toronto hosiery boutique Legs Beautiful, where I browsed Mura tights with macro check embroidery and sultry back-seam sheers by Hue. But then I found a pair of melanin-friendly nude swirl-print stunners from Kai Collective, a brand founded by U.K. influencer Fisayo Longe—if you were so inclined, you could opt to wear them with the matching mesh top for a full-body fashion leotard look.

I was ready to invest, but just as I was putting in my CVC code, I got an email that changed the game. Little old me was invited to attend the 2021 Scotiabank Giller Prize red carpet. That would be Canada’s splashiest literary award, where word geniuses like Rupi Kaur and Miriam Toews schmooze at the Park Hyatt over dinner and cocktails. Dress code? Black tie.

I took it as an opportunity to put the tights trend to the test. Sure, a bold tight could look cute as streetwear, but could I wear trendy hosiery to ask attendee and general Canadian queen Margaret Atwood, “Who are you wearing”? (Spoiler: I did, and she went on to give me a heads-up about clothing made from algae as a trend to watch. More on that another time.)

I pulled out the big guns: a pair of Amina Muaddi X Wolford split tights from Nordstrom, designed by the hottest shoe designer in the game in collaboration with the classic Austrian pantyhose purveyor. Each leg of these tights is half black lace and half sheer, giving every angle a sexy, unexpected twist. I paired them with a Self Portrait jacquard mini dress to give them centre stage.

Celeste ColeEmily Tamfo in her Amina Muaddi X Wolford split sheer and lace tights.

 Though my dress-tight combo was an easy choice, picking shoes was a different story. I quickly realized that to wear sheer tights in cold temperatures, I needed a shoe that was both formal and closed-toe, because tights with open-toed shoes is just not my thing. And since the tights were bold, the shoe had to complement, not challenge them. I ended up going with a pair of black velvet pumps, adding a welcome third texture to my ’fit.

After an evening on the red carpet, I can attest that interesting tights can do all the things. I got several oohs and ahhs over them as fellow journos and guests took in the details of the look. I also managed to end the night without a run or snag in sight, a personal triumph. And, while I definitely felt appropriately dressed for a formal occasion, I loved that afterwards, when my friend and I headed upstairs to the Park Hyatt’s rooftop Writers’ Room bar for a nightcap, the demi-lace looked even more chic in the moody lighting. Plus, I didn’t have to worry about flashing anyone in my mini dress as I got up from the banquette, or whether my legs would be too cold when we stepped outside onto the terrace for a closer look at the epic view of the city. (And, if you’re like me and stop shaving your legs in October, it’s not a bad way to hide your winter fuzz.)

In sum, it’s a yes for me! Yes to tights, to legs made leggier with lace, monogram and all the colours of the rainbow—wear them loud and wear them proud. Friendmas is the perfect opportunity to break out those “kooky” tights you keep seeing on TikTok in the name of being festive. And with 2022 just a few weeks away, what says new year, new me like dancing the night away on legs covered in tiny moons, intricate lace or the brightest neon shade you can imagine?

Shop the tights trend

 

tights
Amina Muaddi x WolfordAmina Muaddi x Wolford Sheer & Floral Split tights, $190, nordstrom.ca
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tights
Marine SerreMarine Serre Crescent Moon Sheer tights, $300, nordstrom.ca
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tights
VersaceVersace La Greca Tulle tights, $225, versace.com
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tights
CommandoCommando Sheer Leopard tights, $48, nordstrom.ca
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tights
SheertexSheertex Polka-Dot Classic Sheer tights, $155, sheertex.com
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tights
KaiKai Gaia Leggings Nude, $119, kaicollective.com
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tights
Emilio CavalliniEmilio Cavallini Sheer Checkered tights, $30, simons.ca
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