Tights: the winterwear must have. I like my dark, night sky in the country dark. The key to finding the darkest tights is the magic word, denier. The higher the denier, the more threads per inch, and the darker the tight. It’s that simple.
My favorite under-$20 tights are these Boden 90 denier tights, which come in a two-pack. H&M also stocks a 100 denier tight for $13. ASOS also has a 3-pack of 120 denier tights for $26.
As for my favorite tights, I love Spanx Luxe Leg Blackout tights. They’re 100 denier and provide just the right amount of shaping. Plus, they wear like iron.
Readers have long raved about Hue’s Super Opaque Tights. They come in at 90 denier. If you need to stock up for the cold weather, they also come in a two pack.
Plus-size? These Land’s End tights look great. Petite? Hue makes petite sizes. Tall? DKNY makes a tall pair. Maternity? Spanx Mama tights are a good option.
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Any suggestions for maternity tights? My new uniform is dresses, but my knees are already cold!
I added a suggestion for Spanx Mama tights to the post.
Fwiw – costco sells a really great opaque black 2-pair pack from DKNY for $12.99. Total bargain, they hold up well, and they’ve got that wonderful control top that sucks everything in =D
Hi Belle! How do you style tights for work? With what types of dresses/shoes? Thank you!
I wholeheartedly endorse the Hue Super Opaque. The waist band is comfortable, and the tights have the perfect amount of stretch. They stood up beautifully to my learning-not-to-jump puppy last winter, sharp nails and all.
I also really like American Apparel’s tights, though they are hard to find now. I’ve had two pairs of those for about six years. I also like LL Bean and Smartwool tights for super cold days! Though usually I just wear riding boots and ski tights on the super cold days 🙂
I’d love to see some examples of sophisticated outfits with black tights, including shoes or boots to wear. For a business-attire office. My issue is that I always feel instantly 6 years old as soon as I put tights on.
AGREEE!!! Abra – this would be amazing. I always feel like I haven’t coordinated something correctly once I have the black tights on, hence I am almost always bare legged.
Yes please do this!
I’m plus size (short with large legs) and I wear Lands End’s opaque tights or matte tights nearly everyday from Halloween to Easter. I have two pairs going strong from last year, and bought 4 more during a recent 40% off sale.
*They would last much longer, but I have dogs who wear coats when its below zero and the velcro on the coats is a tight-killer like no other.
I love Hue tights, and you can find them pretty discounted at Nordstrom Rack.
I would also love to see some outfit ideas. Do you ever wear colors other than black? Or maybe a subtle pattern?
Thanks!
It’s strange, but the longest lasting (I have a pair going into their third tight season right now), blackest tights I’ve found are the blackout ones from Walgreen’s. You can only buy them in stores, but they run ~$6 a pair, so are affordable even on intern/assistant income.
Thank you x1000 for featuring a maternity option! It’s been hard to follow a lot of my favorite fashion blogs because I want to buy everything they suggest, but my baby bump says otherwise.
I just bought the Spanx Mama tights last week, but am waiting until it gets a little cooler to wear them.
Thank the reader who asked. Also, do you read Liz Adams blog? she’s pregnant right now, and has some good tips.
Living in Canada (northern Ontario) I’m in tights from October (anytime now- weather has been unusually nice). I swear by Hue as well, they are great. I go through a few pairs a year so always open to good opaque suggestions- thanks for the list Belle.
Commando tights always and forever. They are a little pricier but the band-less top is a lifesaver and makes me no longer wearing tights every day in winter.
I had two great pairs, and then, I think they changed something. They wouldn’t stay up after that. I was so sad.
Yaaasss, Commando forever: their comfort waistband is really that much better. No more digging or rolling, ever. I just bought my third pair!
Every year, I buy a few new pairs of tights – last year I tried Hue, but the shaping top was too squeezy and the non-shaping ones were too dumpy to be tolerated. My favorites are still the Vera Wang tights that I got at Kohls 4 yers ago. Which are still functional and unsnagged, even with a tiny dog that likes to paw at my legs to be picked up.
Belle – not sure if you’re still monitoring this post, but do any or all of the suggested tights have seamless or wide waistbands? My favorite pair of tights are dying and what I loved most of all about them was that they didn’t have a true waistband – they were like seamless underwear with legs, for lack of a better description. Thank you!
The commando tights have a wide waist band, I don’t know about the rest. The Spanx have a traditional waist band.