How to Style Tights This Spring, Inspired by the S/S 25 Runways

Certain fashion items are designated for certain seasons—we know this. You don’t see people wearing shearling coats in the summer, because they’re not designed for warm weather. But there are some exceptions to this, and on the S/S 25 runways last September, one such anomaly made its way onto multiple runways.

Any other year, I’d pack up my very large selection of tights the second the weather in New York began to turn from winter to spring. I wear them pretty much daily in the colder months, using them as both a practical layer and a stylish addition to most outfits, but when it’s nice enough out to go bare-legged, I always do. This season, though, I’m changing course, and it’s all because of a few very convincing runway looks that stuck to my brain matter like gum just about six months ago.

The first spring show where I really noticed tights was Toteme during New York Fashion Week. Buttery-yellow satin minidresses and lightweight, off-white sets were styled with sandals, yes, but also black sheer hosiery. Normally, I’d be thrown off by this addition, but something about the contrast of black tights made Toteme’s spring looks appear stronger and more intentional, drawing me in. The way they were styled with heeled sandals, too, hooked me—it was unexpected in all the best ways.

The trend continued spreading throughout the New York shows, appearing on models at Proenza Schouler’s last runway show with Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez at the helm. (The two are headed to Loewe soon.) A royal-blue dress with a high slit and a cream-colored top and fringe skirt were complemented with black tights and toe-loop sandals. At Tibi, Creative Director Amy Smilovic went another route, not grabbing for black tights but instead opaque white and red hosiery that popped against shades of burgundy and soft yellow. She chose shoes to match each look’s designated tights, further emphasizing their existence in a spring show, where bare legs are typically the norm.

A few weeks later at the Prada show in Milan, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons took the concept of wearing tights in the spring to a whole new level, choosing sweater tights typically reserved for the coldest fall and winter days and styling them like pants, with outerwear pieces that acted as dresses. Instead of sandals, these hybrid bottoms were worn with re-created pumps from the Prada archives.

Runways contain a lot of styling tricks that aren’t necessarily chosen for everyday wear, though, even if what’s presented on them is technically called ready-to-wear. A few scrolls through my favorite Instagram accounts, however, led me to a bevy of spring-tights styling ideas that have inspired me to keep my tights in their current position, ready to be grabbed no matter the season and paired with trousers, tailored shorts, midi skirts, and more. I’m prepared to wear them with pumps, slingbacks, and, yes, sandals, probably even purchasing a few more sets of my go-to $10 8-denier tights from Calzedonia next time I’m in SoHo. (They have a buy-three-for-$20 deal right now, just saying.)

If you’re feeling just as inspired by this affordable yet expensive-looking styling trick as I was, start scrolling. Your chicest spring look is just a few clicks (and delivery days) away.