There’s a certain time and place for austerity, minimalism, and aloofness, but after the disruptions of the past year, now is not it. As much as we may feel the urge to pare down our wardrobes during lockdowns, there has never been a better moment to do more with your clothes. Dress weirder! Embrace oddball trends! Who is to judge you or your outfits when the only human interaction happens above the sternum on a webcam?
Céline’s Phoebe Philo, Balenciaga’s Demna Gvasalia, and Pierpaolo Piccioli at Valentino have all made the case for flamboyance. It’s a safe bet that the rest of the fashion world will soon follow suit. In this moment, you should consider giving vibrant colored tights a try.
Photo by Greg Hollar
Once you get the styling right—perhaps pairing a bubble-hem skirt with floral tights or a dainty tea dress with ribbon-covered stockings—you should feel empowered to take the look to the streets. Guests at recent fashion weeks certainly did, styling Marine Serre moon-print tights and striped Maison Soksi hosiery with magpie-like outfits. Designers like Ashley Williams, Dries Van Noten, and Marc Jacobs are also meeting the moment, offering hosiery in a full spectrum of colors and prints. Patterned sheer leggings also get the job done, like those at Charlotte Knowles or Chopova Lowena, offering even more potential for layering.
What makes this season’s vibrant hosiery so interesting is that the bold pops of color are being paired with relatively straightforward clothes. At Carven, a simple sweater and miniskirt were upgraded with violet tights. Olivier Theyskens’s bias-cut dresses went extra goth with blood-red hosiery. Even futurist Julien Dossena amped up his white lace slip dress at Paco Rabanne with coral-hued tights. Yes, those Balenciaga stiletto pants might look extreme at first blush, but under a patent leather trench coat they almost read as normal. If we’ve learned anything from the trends this season, it’s that being just left-of-center feels so right. Whichever color you choose, the message is clear: Black tights deserve to be a thing of the past.
WORDS & STYLING: Tanvi Asher
MODEL: Ella Treasure
MUA: Fernanda Fadigas HAIR: Brittnay Lane
