Would You Wear… Patterned Tights?
Leighton Meester, Solange, and Taylor Momsen in patterned tights. Photo credits: 1, 2, 3.
Tights have been a staple in every girl’s wardrobe for many a season now, and for good reason: tights can bring your spring and summer clothes well into fall, provide a little bit of extra warmth on chilly days, and even make a questionable cocktail dress more appropriate for work.
Right now, the trendiest tights are far from basic. Patterned tights are the latest in legwear, and as you can see from the photos above, no pattern is off limits. Celebrity fans like Leighton Meester and Solange have been spotted wearing tights in patterns ranging from floral fishnets to.. well.. I don’t know what the pattern on Solange’s tights is supposed to be!
Retail stores have also picked up on this trend in a big way. Here are a few examples of patterned tights from ModCloth:
Product Information: Black and White Tights, Red Plaid Tights, Black Floral Footless Tights, Berry Tights, Blue Peacock Tights, Red and Purple Tights
Personally, although I like that the patterned tights trend is cheap enough for everyone to try (you can get tights for under $10 at most stores), I have to admit I’m concerned about the wearability of some of the patterns. Also, patterned tights aren’t as versatile as solid tights and are therefore not a very good investment. On the other hand, patterned tights do pack a punch of personality that makes them almost impossible to resist once you find the perfect pair.
Overall, this strikes me as one of those trends that will be on its way out as fast as it made its way in, especially since these tights are less likely to be worn as often as solid tights. Patterned tights are fun to try, but I don’t recommend spending much money on a pair – they’ll be gone by next season.
So–what do you think? Are patterned tights a trend to try, or are you more into the solid colors? Most importantly, would you wear patterned tights? Leave a comment with your thoughts!!
Posted on on December 7, 2009 / Filed Under: Would You Wear? / Tags: Celebs, Leighton Meester, Patterned Tights, Taylor Momsen, Tights, Would You Wear?
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Isabelle
I’m already doing it, I ADORE this look, spikes up a relatively plain outfit. :)
Cassandra
Already do , have been since last winter :)
I dont have spectacularly long legs, as it were (5″4 and consider running for the bus = exercise) but I really can’t help loving them, especially flowery designs. I have to somewhat guiltily admit though – when I buy them, I (rather carefully) slit open the package and try them on to make sure the lines don’t visually broaden my legs. If they dont suit, I pack them back up neatly and return them :) Gotta be careful with the type of pattern.
Nicole
I think that the sheer floral tights are adorable! I agree with Isabelle that they can spike up any plain outfit, but I also agree with the fact that they won’t be around for too long! I would definitely try these out! although I you wouldn’t catch me spending a fortune on a pair, I’d rather save my money for those classic pieces.
Emily
I love coloured tights, but I think that patterned tights are very pretty too. Polka dots, for example, are a great way to add to your outfit. So, yes, I would (do) absolutely wear patterned tights.
Julie
I have a pair of houndstooth patterned tights and I loooove them. I think I’d stick to smal patterns, nothing too big or too wild.
Jess Tavesjnhasky
style like leighton’s and taylor’s are great and i dont think these will be out too soon. but solange’s tights are ugly!! plaid, floral, and argyle tights are so NOT pretty, they just make you look huge and tacky!
Sophie
oooo i luv this trend!!! =D
Leia
I love them and wear them all the time! :)
Lena Michelle
i think it depends on the pattern…
if it’s black, lace and subtle, it can add more fun into a plain outfit
but some are too exaggerated, i don’t think they are versatile for college students :P
la petite fashionista
since i live in FL and our winters are pretty mild, i wear tights all the time to get some more mileage out of my dresses. Lately i’ve been loving black lace & dotted tights, though i’d love to try out a pair of really wild patterned tights.
Chelsey
I love this trend when worn properly. I always pair the tights with boots and a dress. I have yet to make it work with flats.
Alana @ The Good girl gone blog
Of course! I can’t wait to layer two pairs of tights- one black lace and the other a sparkly silver pair- and wear them with a cute black dress for new years :)
Kath
I think pattern tights can look really great. I agree that some of the wilder ones may not last long, but I think the solid color ones (like Leighton and Taylor are wearing) will stick around for another year or two. They were starting to become popular last year, particularly lace florals, and I’m glad to see there are more options this year.
Jennifer
If you wear solids or black a lot patterned tights are a great way to add a little more kick to your outfit. I love my tights, the solid coloured ones and the patterned ones.
Tara
First I gotta start out by saying how I just love this site. I love all the information that you supply. I’m not a college student, never was, but I find most of the clothes still hit my age range.
Now I do wear the patterned tights and I love them and always get compliments when I do wear them. I live in a small town in canada where fashion isn’t much except for UGG’s and bunny hugs, but your site has helped me stay in fashion, despite where I live. So thank you and keep up the good work.
Valeria
Well, I haven’t try them, but I think they look really great. I’m actually afraid of wearing them because of my thick legs, but I really loved Leighton’s one! Very amazing and adorable :)
Aik0
Already do. Tights>Leggings any day!
Tessa
I love them so much. I try to wear them as often as possible.
Since I’m in a climate that doesn’t get snow it’s perfect for the weather.
Sophia
This so works if you wear it right. I wore some today and people were like awesome tights!! But you have to wear it right to make it look good
Sophia
My polyvore account is here:
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?id=683475
Emily
I think that patterned tights aren’t really a passing fad, since they’ve been on trend since last winter, or at least reasonably on trend. It’s just that some people (Solange, among others) seem to have taken this trend too far. I think they’re adorable to spice up a plain outfit; I can’t begin to imagine how many times I’ve made a boring cardigan/tank/skirt/dark tights outfit much more fun by switching out my dark tights for my maroon tights with ivory hearts! (or all the other cute options that I’ve amassed over the past few seasons!)
Also, so long as a person doesn’t pay too much unnecessary attention to “matching” or “coordinating” their outfits, how can one possibly choose plain tights over cute patterned ones?
Natalie
Just have to love a patterned tight, I’m in love with them, I don’t care how long they’re “trendy”, it is irrelevant. I will still wear them.
SupaWaifu
Absolutely love them. I think in “everyday life” it’s best done on the small scale.
Nicole
I have an extensive collection of tights in sheer, pretty patterns like Meester’s and Momsen’s and I’ve been wearing them for years now. If worn properly (they tend to look best with relatively simple skirts or dresses with a hemline above the knee) they add a pretty and sexy element that’s a little more unique than your standard fishnet.
The more colorful patterned tights look like they’d be more difficult to pair with a good outfit, though I think the peacock tights could be gorgeous with the right outfit and even the plaid could be cute with the right outfit.
I am not a fan of Solange’s tights though, I want too because they’re goofy and cute and playful and I like those things in an outfit but they just don’t work with the rest of it. Maybe they conflict too much with the rest of what’s she’s wearing, maybe they’re just bad tights- they look like they’d be exceedingly hard to pull off in any kind of serious outfit.
Jojo
I wear these all the time, but I find shopping for them to be very hard!
The good patterns are usually crappy quality, and the good quality ones are usually ugly patterns!
I found a decent pair of black ones today (which is oddly the only color I DIDN’T have) , and they were at Winners.
I definitely rock this trend, especially now in the winter months because I live in Canada, and this place is ridiculously freezing (surprisingly and thankfully not too much yet though!)
Jess
I already do. I love them. They really pop when I wear black. :)
Treacle
I -love- patterned tights. My next blog post over on Stockings Addict is actually going to be all about patterned tights. To me, this isn’t a fad or a trend. Tights are one of the easiest, cheapest ways to makeover an outfit (and stay warm in the process). I’m glad you’ve discovered them too! :-)
Nathalia
I LOVE this style, it’s great to vary e.g. a plain LBD, but the legs mustn’t be chubby, I guess…..
Jessica
This trend is a little old, in my opinion. I have been wearing patterned tights and have seen them as a trend since last year. I think this article is a little late in the game.
Tamsin
I avoid anything that’ll broaden my legs but the black ribbed or vertical stripe ones are great, as well as herringbone lace stripes, and the best of all- the sheer black with a single tiger prowling down the back of each calf. Like a temporary tattoo and so unexpected!
1950 fashion
Well they are sexy too :)
Cheryl lynn
What pattern should you wear to make your legs look thinner and longer? I have cankles (And I’my thin, it’s just genetic) so I’m afraid to wear tights that draw attention to my so-called “flaws”.
Madeleine
I think that patterned tights are cute and everything but they don’t really translate well into anybody’s wardrobe that isn’t a supermodel. I might try a pair of printed tights but I’m much more into solid tights because they’re very versatile. I don’t really say no to any trend, I pretty much’ll try anything once so if I see a cute pair I’ll buy it and wear it occasionally.
Summershoegal
I have almost the same thights Taylor Momsen is wearing in the pic … so totally YES!!
Dance_Stars
Hey I have Taylor Momsen’s tights. I got them at Express if anyone wants to get them. And yeah i would wear them, except its too chilly where I live to wear tights that have holes in them right now. :(
EmilythePanda
absolutely would wear patterned tights. but I’m more of a swiss dot, lace, vine floral, chevron type of girl.
The graphics on the tights are a little too overboard for me.