Sheer joy: party tights are making a sparkling comeback
From patterns to fishnets, jazzy hosiery is this winter’s wardrobe winner, says Caroline Leaper
This time last year, retailers were in a fray about tights. With another lockdown looming and the party season ahead in jeopardy, even brands such as Marks & Spencer, which would comfortably shift 5.4 million pairs annually, seemed doomed as people stayed at home in their loungewear rather than getting dressed up to go out.
Fast forward to November 2021 and we are at the start of what is set to be the most celebratory round of festive events in recent memory. Sightings and sales of tights are duly already on up, with one particular style an early frontrunner – the semi-sheer.
From smokeshow 30-denier black tights, through classic patterns and designer logos, to subtle sparkles, only the sexiest iterations of hosiery are what’s wanted now. Opaques are out, party legs are in. What a contrast to 2020, when cosy cable knit tights were the only style selling – bought for padding around on cold floors at home.
On the catwalk in October, Naomi Campbell set the tone for the season ahead in a jewel-encrusted semi-sheer pair at Alexander Mcqueen. The French, meanwhile, are (perhaps ironically) all for a revival of fishnets; every model in Chanel’s cruise show wore a latticed pair.
The runway mood has translated to an expansive range of choices in the shops. On Net-a-porter.com, 38 of the 49 hosiery styles available are sub-50 denier, and Fendi and Gucci’s status hosiery (logo-stamped sheers at £175 and £255 a pop, respectively) are among the most-wanted, repeatedly selling out. On the high street, you can get the look for next to nothing – prices start at just £4 for a five-pack of tinted 10 deniers at Marks & Spencer.
“Last year was the peak of comfort-driven dressing, this year we are already seeing that customers are looking to dress up, whether it’s returning to the office or looking ahead to the party season,” says Soozie Jenkinson, head of lingerie design at M&S. She notes that sales of the retailer’s black 30-denier Body Sensor (£8 for three pairs, marksandspencer. com) are already up 70 per cent on last year. “We have seen an uplift in our fishnet tights, too. With a new interest in shorter hemlines and the continuing focus on dresses into next spring on global catwalks, tights are definitely back.”
Few other clothing items can boast a success rate as strong as a great pair of smoky tights – any woman, of any age, really could wear them with any outfit. In the past few weeks stars from Sienna Miller, 39, to Penelope Cruz 47, to Carine Roitfeld, 67, have worn them. In the November issue of Vogue, Adele, 33, is photographed in not one but two jazzy styles; polka dots and fishnets by Falke, which she wears with a bombshell satin dress. Even Sarah Ferguson has gone back there, safe in the knowledge that she can indulge in her 1980s fashion favourites again and still be on trend.
Most are, as Jenkinson points out, wearing theirs with a mini skirt and showing maximum leg. The thing about tights is that it truly doesn’t matter what your pins look like underneath – for many of us this styling solution will be the only way to make the return of all those theoretically lovely boucle and corduroy minis feel both appealing and viable.
Polly Mcmaster, founder and CEO of workwear label The Fold, added tights to her winter collection for 2021 to acknowledge that a change of hosiery is the easiest way to transform your office outfit into something full of personality. “We love that they add a twist to skirts and dresses which takes them from everyday to something really special,” she says of the brand’s bestselling Oristano spot, and subtle Nola sparkle tights (£30, thefoldlondon.com).
“Some customers are wearing the patterned tights to add a bit of fun to their work looks, others have a special event in mind. It’s nice to have something other than black [opaque] deniers to experiment with.”
The sentiment is similar at Heist. Natasja Giezen-smith, the brand’s CEO, backs its new style, The Shimmer, as the one to buy this party season. Available in gold or silver, each pair is made from recycled yarns offering a dazzling effect, guilt-free (£30, heist-studios.com). “People are
‘They give skirts and dresses a twist that takes them from everyday to special’
going to go big this year,” she reasons. “These offer maximum sparkle. Think Studio 54, but think super-soft and sustainable.”
By pure chance buying only one pair of fun tights is arguably the most eco-friendly way to update your entire winter wardrobe for the year. And it’s the cheapest (assuming you don’t don the Guccis).
Take notes from Yasmin Le Bon, 57, who went to a do last week wearing a Christopher Kane dress that she purchased in 2011. She added a pair of silver semi-sheer tights that completely stole the focus and refreshed the rest of the outfit.
The takeaway? With a statement-making styling trick like this, you can make any old party dress look brand new.