Advice on leggings, footless tights, regular tights

[Anonymous]

Apologies in advance for being such a fashion rube.
I was in London for work and in a rare moment of shopping sans kids, I bought a new tunic length sweater. I saw people around London wearing various sorts of long tops and short dresses with leggings, though they seemed to be the fabric of opaque tights (fit the skin tightly, while being opaque). My new sweater falls below the hip, and in my 20s I would have worn it as a dress. Is the sweater a candidate for footless tights, or should I be looking for leggings? Or are footless tights weird, and I should be looking for regular opaque tights?

[Anonymous]

It will depend upon the shoes. Best candidates will be booties, peep-toe, gladiator - ie, something fierce. If not booties, then the shoe needs to be open somewhere. Should not be worn with pumps or anything totally closed.

Tights and opaques are in this year. That is, if you have long and/or thin legs. Anything not sheer will make legs look heavier. And don't wear sheer hose with this tunic.

[Anonymous]

How about opaque tights and boots?

[Anonymous]

You can. Additionally, if you have shoes or booties with cutouts, opaques with them will give an up-to-the-date look.

[Anonymous]

Ooops, pp here. Too early in the morning for me. Not sure if you meant tall boots in your previous email. You can wear tall boots, but it won't be the strongest look and the proportion will probably be off. Shorter boots (booties) would look better. Or a fierce gladiator-style shoe.

[Anonymous]

OP again. So, 20:03 poster, your footwear selections to go with my tunic-length sweater/opage footless tights ensemble seem to indicate that there needs to be some amount of skin showing (via peep toe or cut outs). Is this to balance out the band of ankle skin that shows when you wear the opaque footless tights? just trying to understand the "theory" so I can choose the right footwear. I also bought some terrific booties, but the heel is high (2 3/4") -- that's too tall for the tunic outfit, right?

[Anonymous]

20:03 here. Here's where fashion has changed from last year to this year: It was a huge faux pax to wear peep-toes or any shoes with cutouts with hosiery of any kind. This year, it's very modern to wear some kind of opaques or tights with cutouts. Go figure. But you need to avoid regular hosiery. It's either bare or thicker hosiery.

There are lots of pee-toes out there along with gladiator styles and also booties with cutouts.

It's OK to let the band of your hose show - but you need a high heel for it to work according to the runways. Just be careful with where the band ends and the top part of the shoe. Lots of shoes now are attaching at the ankle or above. Shoes and footless hose should not overlap each other.

The booties you bought are fine in heel height. The taller the better. Now with platforms, heels are actually 5" 6" inches !!!! The higher the heel, the longer and leaner the leg.

[Anonymous]

OP - 20:03 again. Just reread your original email and description of tunic length. Due to its shortness, I'd probably recommend the leggings over the tights. The tunic needs something more "pant-like". If it were longer, then I'd go with the tights.

[Anonymous]

ok, NP here --- so the tunic/leggings/ballet flats look is a no-no now?

[Anonymous]

Wearing the ballet flats will not get you a fashion felony but the flats don't reflect this season's shoes. The tunic, leggings and flats were more "last year's trends" while the shoes that would make the outfit current are all about being "fierce". Shoes now have studs and hardware, platforms, high heels, grommets, gladiator and cutout styles. They are not dainty.

That said, I wouldn't be a slave to fashion but I would update the look a tad. I'd sub booties for the ballet flats and then take the flats and put them with jeans.

[Anonymous]

another NP here- I am sorry to say this because I know booties are in this season but I have not seen one person who can successfully rock that look. Every celebrity/model etc. that you see wearing booties looks ridiculous. If they aren't flattering on a supermodel they will not flatter me.

[Anonymous]

Booties are great! I have gotten nothing but compliments when I've worn the pair I got this year. You just have to make the whole outfit work together.