This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s summer editorial intern Jordyn Centerwall. Find her on Instagram at @jordyncenterwall. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Holiday party season is upon us, and the time-old question has returned: what should I wear? I miss the times when dressing up for the holidays was just a matter of throwing on the dress my mom picked out with any pair of shoes I could play with the cousins in. Now that I dress myself, it’s fun to put together something cute. No matter the time of year, a fun pair of tights with prints can spice up any outfit. Here are some of my favorites for the holidays and throughout the rest of the year.
Kinds Of Tights
I feel lucky, The last couple of years have felt like truly the golden era of patterned tights. For so long I feel like I underutilized tights in my outfits. I would opt just to go bare-leg. Not only was I constantly cold, but I always felt like my outfits were disconnected. I don’t claim to be any sort of tight expert. But I can certainly appreciate the fashion girlies who taught me what little I do know about adding tights to your wardrobe.
Now when we talk tights with prints, there are several key factors to look at. The first is the length and style of the tights. The most common printed styles are sheer or opaque full-leg tights. These fit all the way around your foot and go underneath any sort of sock that gets worn (if you are wearing socks).
However, tights can also leave the toes open in a stirrup style. Some other styles include thigh highs and stay-ups. These are shorter tight variations that stop mid thigh. There are also sock variations that go up to the knee that achieve similar looks as well. These shorter styles have been pretty popular in the printed realm. I especially love these styles with loafers or even peeking out the top of taller boots.
Denier And Opacity
Another consideration for tights is whether you want them to be see-through, or fully opaque. Both can be great options when styling tights with prints. For see-through tights, one word you might come across is “denier.” This word is usually coupled with a number from five to one hundred. This number indicates the thickness, warmth, strength, and opacity of the tights. For example, a denier of 20 indicates very sheer, very thin tights. You won’t get a whole lot of warmth out of those, but they will add dimension to your outfit, especially if they’re patterned. On the other hand, higher deniers could indicate a warmer knit fabric like these.
Fun Pops Of Color
One of the easiest ways to make your holiday outfit feel festive is to add a pop of red, green, or even blue depending on what you celebrate. I love this kind of color-blocking year round, but especially this time of year. Under a simple dress or skirt and blazer combo. I also love the color options from Calzedonia. This Grinchy lima bean color is definitely something I would love to see incorporated into a holiday look.
Minimal Patterns
If big pops of color aren’t in the cards for you this year, or you prefer something a bit more muted, there are plenty of more neutral patterned tights that are still super cute. These are super accessible too. I just picked up a black polka-dot pair to wear with an all-black outfit and it totally tied the look together. You could also opt for a white patterned tight or a leopard print, which would look especially good with pops of red. There are even sheer sparkle tights in nude or black that add that little something extra to a fit.
Patterned Tights
Minimally-patterned and solid-colored tights are definitely more widely seen. However, I love to see unique printed tights in use in everyday life. There’s a lot of ground that gets covered with some tights with prints being inspired by famous artists. Others take a more whimsical approach and are more period-specific. Tabbi Socks deserves a shout-out when it comes to unique pieces. Their museum collection is especially eye-catching. The Victorian Stripe and Honey Comb Quilt are some of my favorites, but there are too many beautiful ones to choose from.
Then there are the funky printed tights. Think fruit and fish. This style of tights with prints leans more into the absurd. I can totally see a self-proclaimed weird girl wearing these on an everyday basis. I would probably only pull these kinds of tights out for Halloween, but I envy those who would wear these to a holiday party or year-round.
Support Small Businesses
There are plenty of big online and in-person retailers that offer printed tights. But if you really want unique printed tights, small businesses are the way to go. A lot of these businesses screenprint onto tights themselves and operate on a preorder structure. For example, Heaven and Hell is a Los Angeles-based retailer that sells sick printed tights. They are a four-person team that hand prints their patterns. Some of their designs include button prints, a decay print, and tarot tights. There are lots of other small businesses on Etsy and even social media-based shops that are the perfect places to find unique printed tights.
Tights Upkeep
The only downside of tights is that they are often not the most durable layer. The lower the denier, the more delicate the fabric will be, and the easier it will rip. And vice versa, the more opaque, the more durable the strands. Runs in your tights can be devastating, especially after only one wear, but they come with the territory. You can limit the damage of a run by acting fast when you first notice the tear in the fabric.
When you first notice a rip, applying clear nail polish or hairspray can serve as a temporary fix. This might prevent the run from getting worse, but it is not a long-term solution. Others have suggested freezing your tights for twenty-four hours and then defrosting them. Those who swear by this trick claim that it makes the fibers more resistant to tearing.
What kind of tights with prints will you be wearing this holiday season? Let us know in the comments!
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