Fashion Conundrums: Wear Tights Like A Pro

Hello dear readers,

happy new year! Excuse me for my belated wishes but exam season is upon me and my schedule is getting a little hectic.

The whether is nice and cold in the northern hemisphere right now and our limbs can use all the protection they can get. Some people hate tights but I personally love them. There's nothing more sophisticated than a pair of opaque black tights - when worn right.

Yes tights can be an accessory you put as much thought into as you would to a bag or a necklace. It has to tie into the look harmoniously. And no, black tights don't go with everything, sadly. There are do's and dont's when it comes to matching your favorite pair of tights to your outfit. These rules aren't free of exceptions of course, but in my mind we can agree to a handful of guidelines.

I was a bit hesitant to upload this post since I didn't want people to think I'm trying to dictate what's right and what's not so please do not take this too seriously, as it's only my perception of what looks good. 

How To: Tights pt. 1 by fashionistalooks featuring a long sleeve mini dress

Now this is for the occasion when you go for a total black: LBD, black shoes, black tights. If your dress is in a solid black you might want to pick a patterned design for your tights to give it a little oomph. Vice versa, if you wear a patterned black dress you'd best choose a solid pair of black tights to go with it. It's all about maintaining balance.

How To: Tights pt.2 by fashionistalooks featuring brown boots

This is a personal pet-peeve of mine. I hate the combination of dark brown and black. If your ensemble leans on earthy, brown tones you might wanna keep your shoes in the same color scheme. Now if you choose a pair of black tights, black shoes will be more forgivable. I'd still recommend keeping things in the same tonal palette though.

How To: Tights pt.3 by fashionistalooks featuring side zip boots

The thing with midi skirts is that they cover a big portion of your leg so you can't get away with a funkier shoe option if your choose to wear tights. The eye doesn't have time to rest between your skirt and shoe so the assortment of three different colors can be a bit much. Opaque black tights and a black shoe are a foolproof combo.

How To: Tights pt. 4 by fashionistalooks featuring short skirts

When dealing with colored tights, it's best to stick to solids and not patterned garments, otherwise it can look confusing. Make the tights the pop of color against a monocromatic look for maximum impact.

How To: Tights pt. 5 by fashionistalooks featuring a tartan skirt

Just like patterned garments, textured clothing like tweed calls for simpler styling. Do not overcomplicate things. Just in the previous collage, a pair of patterned tights works best when incorporated into a more minimal look. 

How To: Tights pt. 6 by fashionistalooks featuring a navy blue midi skirt

Styling this skirt turned out to be the most puzzling task of all because of its bold pattern that doesn't leave much room for creativity. Nude tights would look tacky with this one and colored tights would be over the top. So plain old black should work - however there isn't any black in the pattern of the skirt so how can we pull this together? By combining it with a pair of matchy pumps in the same dominant color as the skirt. I favored sheer tights over opaque ones, since the effect is "softer". Opaque black would've rendered the look a bit harsh and would've made too many statements at once. 

Any other fashion conundrums you'd like me to tackle?

Please do leave your suggestions in the comments below!