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How your tights are secretly aging you and how to decode the right denier to avoid looking like a granny
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2025/09/22
THE weather this week signals one thing – it’s time for tights.
But what sort of legwear should we be wearing these days, especially when edging towards midlife and beyond?
You only need to look online to see it’s a common conundrum.
One Mumsnet user asked: “Are sheer tights a bit old lady?”, while others pondered, “Are skirts and tights old-fashioned?” and, “Can’t recall the last time I saw a pair of black opaques”.
It’s a quandary that affects women across the country, and our beloved fashion designers are not making it an easy one to solve.
Looking at the catwalks, we would all be tottering around with lace legs à la Alexa Chung on the Valentino runway, or school uniform-style ribbed tights as seen in Prada’s collection, or crazier still, the Crayola-coloured pins that dominated Miu Miu’s autumn-winter show.
Of course, there can be a place for those looks — but maybe not for your day-to-day outfit.
Luckily, our favourite midlife celebrities have more sense.
Look to Pamela Anderson, Angelina Jolie, Jessica Alba and Catherine Zeta-Jones for autumn tights inspiration.
These women, all in their fifties, look absolutely stunning in their stilettos and sheer black tights.
So any of you gorgeous ladies wondering whether to show off a bit of leg in a pair of 5, 10 or 20 deniers this season, do not hesitate to do so.
This style is timeless.
Ultra-thin tights actually contour your legs and blur any bumps, bruises or veins while allowing your natural skin to be seen.
They make your legs look smooth and almost polished.
A non-surgical fashion treatment — what’s not to love?
If you suffer from varicose veins or want a little more coverage, patterned sheer tights — like Diane Kruger’s rose-patterned pair — are also in and a good choice for an evening.
Or if you’re feeling brave enough to try the coloured hosiery trend, you could plump for burgundy, perhaps, like Olivia Cooke.
Overall, though, sheer black is a failsafe choice.
Still concerned about looking unfashionable?
'OUT OF TOUCH'
There is one style of tights which will instantly put you in the “doesn’t have a clue” category.
My Gen Z colleagues tell me they would not be seen dead in thick 100 denier tights — they draw the line at 40, but prefer to go sheer or completely tights-free.
Wearing thicker legwear is an instant giveaway of your millennial or Gen X status.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it could signal being slightly out of touch.
I remember the moment I realised that wearing 40+ denier tights was not flattering.
That was my go-to denier in my early twenties.
But looking back at photos as I approached 30, I realised that my legs looked thicker and the block of colour was not by any stretch of the imagination cool or flattering.
The black drained the life out of my pale face and body.
Today, young women have realised that sheer hosiery is so much more flattering.
Sheer or shimmering tights elevate an outfit, giving a glamorous edge to any look.
Youthful fans include Hailey Bieber, Zoe Kravitz, Maya Jama and Suki Waterhouse.
These sheer styles simply knock the socks off other hosiery, in my opinion.
Another no-go is skin-coloured tights.
Another no-go is skin-coloured tights.
Think thick Nora Batty styles which are meant to imitate the colour of the wearer’s skin.
Batty, the no-nonsense Yorkshirewoman from 1970s sitcom Last Of The Summer Wine, was in her late fifties during the show’s heyday.
Unlike today’s A-list fiftysomethings, such as Pammy and Ange, Nora was considered the epitome of an unfashionable, middle-aged woman.
SOPHISTICATED & SEXY
I can’t think of anyone who wears nude tights and looks good these days, apart from royals and dignitaries.
So ladies, forget about your 100 deniers or nude numbers — sheer black tights are sophisticated, sexy and can be suitable for any occasion, whatever your age.
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