SIMPLE STYLE TIGHTS
“Black opaque tights are the go-to leg covering when temperatures drop”
There are days when you are a hostage to your tights. A familiar sinking feeling descends as you stride out only to find them creeping inexorably towards the pavement, the gusset dropping, your knees resembling an elephant’s in their bagginess. As you make the inevitable stop-off at Boots to buy an alternative pair, you may curse this item of clothing. On such days, it is worth remembering that there was a time when tights weren’t even an option. Pre-1960s, women had to assemble a cumbersome duo of ladder-prone American Tan stockings and suspender belt to cover their legs.
This assembly of clips and straps not only created a lumpy outline, but the suspender clips had a tendency to ping open, and thighs were left chilly. An American weaving mill owner, Allen E. Gant, came to the rescue in 1959 when his pregnant wife complained that wearing stockings was no longer a comfortable option and could he devise something better please. He fashioned a prototype from stockings and a pair of pants, took it to the mill and the pantyhose was born.
It took a few years before tights became mainstream, for which thanks go to British fashion designer Mary Quant, who partnered with the Nylon Hosiery Company to develop legwear to go with her short jersey dresses and miniskirts. No gossamer-thin American Tan nylons, these were of a much thicker denier and came in groovy colours like ginger, prune and yellow – and black. Women could finally run, dance and move about freely in short skirts without worrying. By the 1970s, they were more popular than stockings.
These days, it’s hard to remember a time before black opaque tights, the go-to leg covering as soon as the temperature drops. But at what cost? Bought cheaply, pulled on, then discarded and destined for landfill, tights are the single-use plastic of the fashion industry. Most are made of nylon which requires a great deal of heat to make, emits nitrous oxide during production, and which takes at least 30 years to decompose. It also releases microplastics into the water during washing. Fortunately, several tight manufacturers are producing environmentally friendly versions made from bamboo, recycled materials and vegan dyes. The only remaining challenge for wearers is to find a pair that doesn’t demand constant tugging up, but that can only be a matter of time, surely?