Secret confession: if I was a man, I’d be a “leg man”. I love legs, loooove tights. Patterned tights especially, generally black. I actually call them stockings, probably a reflection of my age, not because I wear garters! My favorite brand is Wolford, seen above and below, definitely pricey but they last almost forever and if you check out their shop regularly, they have great 50% off sales. Ginger loved them!

Tips on tights:
– Be sure you own at least two pair of solid black opaque tights; they are a wardrobe staple.
– Don’t wear nude pumps with your black tights; stick to black/gray/brown shoes or boots.
– Patterned tights with a skirt just above the knee and knee length boots is a way to add personality to a business look without showing a full leg of pattern.
– Wearing patterned tights with booties (as above) adds edginess, more casual, more fun.
– Wash tights in a lingerie bag in washing machine, then hang to dry – never put in dryer.

A final word about natural stockings/tights/hose – avoid them whenever possible. Yes, yes, Kate Middleton wears them and I have tried! One evening last winter I attended an event wearing a black cocktail dress and wanted the look of a nude leg – but it was cold outside!! After examining every nude stocking at Nordstrom’s I bought the sheerest and closest to my skin tone possible………Guess what??? Off they came in the ladies room! They just feel dowdy to me. In cold weather you may choose to wear them with certain skirts/dresses, preferably with a high boot so not much shows. Once the weather gets warm, my natural leg secret is Lorac Tantalizer – it’s a tinted moisturizer that makes your legs glow like the gals on “Dancing With The Stars”. (Found it at Sephora). If you mix it with a dab of plain body lotion it won’t be too glimmery – it nicely evens out skin tones and is a better option to the natural hose.

What do you think about natural stockings? Thumbs up or down?