Find yourself in a tights spot? Here’s our foolproof guide...

UNLESS YOU’RE CARRIE BRADSHAW – who, let’s face it, is the only woman who can pull off pretty lace stockings and sparkly Louboutin heels simultaneously – then the prospect of wearing tights is never really that inviting. ‘Hosiery’ – otherwise known in Ireland as nylon tights, the blacked-out, no-nonsense kind that survive 40 degree washes – tends to kill more outfits than they keep alive.

That’s not to say I don’t appreciate a warm, cotton stretchy pair. I do. They are, however, worn out of convenience rather than a style choice, so I can pull on a dress in the morning and not have to worry about the shivering state of my legs. Tights are one of winter’s greatest comforts, but just like your trusty cocoon coat, worn to and from work on chilly evenings, they resign in the functional, boring corner of your wardrobe rather than the fun, statement side.

Welcome autumn/winter 16 – the season that has given hosiery a shiny new reinvention. Alessandro Michele gave us bright pinks, reds and greens worn by the very brave at Gucci.

At Burberry, Christopher Bailey’s came knitted and patterned and at Saint Laurent they were black but high maintenance and sheer – much more seductive, far less boring.

You see there is an art to shifting the focus away from black opaque tights to the fun, fancy kind – and it’s all in the execution.

If you absolutely must go for classical black then always go for a sheer style. If you’re more open to colour then it’s all about the hue.

My advice? You can pull off red with a hero houndstooth coat but steer clear of Peter Pan-style green colours. They’re never a good look. With prints, stick to subtle tartan and plaid patterns – leopard stripes are verging on lunacy. To dip your toes into embellishment, try a bow at the back or Victoriana-style lace.

And if you’re content on foregoing comfort to perfect the look, don’t rule out a great Saint Laurent-inspired platform or a delicate heeled sandal with an ankle tie, worn with them either.

For day, lace tights work but only when you a pare back the look so try a black skirt with a white oversized shirt and herringbone jacket.

For after hours, a short-ish black sweater dress with lace tights and black ankle boots works really well or if you’re out for the night then a pair of fishnets underneath your favourite black dress throws up a matrix of possibilities.

And the million-euro fashion question: flesh coloured tights? Favoured by my grandmother under her long-johns I must admit they are that type that bemuse me most and are best left where they belong – where you cannot see them.

Autumn/winter has given hosiery a shiny new reinvention