The Perfect Pair of Black Opaque Tights denier 50+ Definition of Denier

Its hard to find the perfect pair of black opaque tights. All too often they can be too sheer, or if they are too dark look blue! 


When searching for the perfect pair of opaque black tights it's important take note of the Denier.


Denier is the unit of measurement of hosiery. The unit measures the thickness/weight of a finely spun fiber nylon, silk or spandex. They begin as low as 5 and can go as high 110+.  The higher the Denier, the thicker more opaque the tight, and the lower the number the more transparent. From sheer to opaque.


When it comes to black tights, the denier can make the outfit.

Wolford 5 Denier

Sheer black tights in a 5-10 denier are perfect for the conservative office.

Wolford 15 Denier

10-20 denier always make me think of an old Italian Grandma dressed all in black ( Sorry Grandma!)

Wolford 20 Denier

20-30 are sophisticated enough for evening, especially if they have a little sparkle.

30 Denier "The Brooklyn"? LOL

Jonathan Aston 40 Denier

Wolford 50 Denier

40-60 Denier are a classy addition to any hipster ensemble

Gatta Microfiber 60 Denier

Notice how microfiber looks heavier then regular nylon or rayon blends

Pamela Mann 80 Denier Tights

Microfiber 100 Denier

...and finally the 100 Den, as we say, are great for anyone and are a staple of any good hosiery collection,

 

Falke 110 Denier

Whenever I wear 100 Den I think of  that lady we all see on the train all in black with tiny sophisicated glasses and a chunky necklace off to curate a show at MAD or MOMA, maybe this will be Kate, my sister, in a few years!


Tonight's tights are my Commando Ink Black Tights from PeekBrooklyn.Com. They are soft durable and opaque black enough to make it acceptable to wear open toe shoes. Voted best opaque tights by Lucky Magazine!

General rule of thumb, if you wear open toe shoes please make sure they are sandal foot!

If you love opaque tights also check out the B.Ella 90 Denier

They are the softest black opaque tight around!

Futuristic Tron Tights

I am always amazed by the variety of hosiery that is out there in this world.  There is something for every style and taste. From the plainest Jane tights to stylish "of the moment" trends. Some of the most amazing hosiery are "of the moment" trends that reflect pop culture or a reinterpretation of a classic.

 Trends come and go, but style reamains- and sometimes they can be a total miss or against all fashion odds- successful. The  tights I am wearing today are truly an interesting addition to any outfit. They feel like I should be in the movie TRON, or an eighties advertisement for a computer. They also have the look of that old school Windows screen saver.

I purchased them at Goldenpoint a European hosiery store in 2009, I think they might be the brand Sisi but I didn't keep as detailed a record as I do now.

Oh yeah - I wear green now - with Wolford Hold Ups of course!

Every once in a while you need to step out of your comfort zone.  Today, I am wearing green. Other than on Saint Patrick's Day green is not in my normal rotation. So when Loretta gave me this beautiful underpinning that she found at the sample sale at work, I was a little nervous. Loretta is awsome by the way!! So, despite my insecurity in wearing a color other then black, purple or grey I decided to give it a shot. My decision was made even easier by donning a pair of my favorite Wolford Hold-Ups!

I get more complements on this pair of Wolford Hold-Ups then any other piece of hosiery in my collection.  I love the geometric pattern, they look like old tin ceiling tiles.

Max wanted to wear Green too!

My complete Eileen Fisher ensemble are all pieces from the various sample sales at work.

How awsome are these Wolford Marlene Tights

I recently found these at Tights Please. They are from  Wolford simply named Marlene. Like most Wolford pieces they are ridiculously priced, which doesn't mean I don't want them...It just means I can't buy them as an impulse purchase.

This pair of seamed tights has a nostalgic flare with back seams and a unique detail at the heal of a hand. A twist on the traditional Cuban healed stockings. The hand looks like it has drawn the "seam" down the back of the leg just like my grandmothers used to have to do during the rationing during WW2.

Wolford Paloma Tights

No people my tights are not on backwards! They are from Wolford circa 2009. I bought them at Bergdorf Goodman and every time I wear them people feel the need to tell me that they are on the wrong way round . The look is reminiscent of the seamed stockings of the 30s and 40s, however the other way around- A twist on a classic if you like. 


They are not stockings but tights, and the seams are a gorgeous Royal Purple-just in time for the nuptials on the other side of the pond. I prefer pairing them with a simple shift dress to give a retro feel look, with a modern attitude. 

Every time I wear a pair of "seamed" stockings or tights I always think of the movie "Some Like it Hot" one of my all time favorites. Everything you need to know about wearing seamed hosiery can be summed up in one line uttered by Marilyn Monroe's character Sugar Cane "Are my seams straight?"  followed by Jack Lemon's character Daphne quick retort- "I'll Say!"....

...An honest question with a sly riposte...

That movie also also taught me how to walk in high heels

WSJ Article-What your Legs are Saying about You

I stumbled upon this article in the WSJ today on FISHnet which is the Intranet where I work. The article "What Your Legs Say About You"is basically my blog in a nutshell, minus me. The article was totally encouraging packed with a ton of fun facts about what to expect for Spring 11 hosiery and how Fall 11 is going to be HUGE for hosiery. Not that I needed any validation from the fashion industry on this, I love all things hosiery after all. 

"What Your Legs Say About You", also discusses where to wear hosiery, and what is suitable for different types of work environments. I know one of the main reasons I started wearing funky hosiery was because of a dress code I had to wear at work. When I worked for M.A.C we were required to wear all black. So I would wear funky tights etc to jazz up my outfit and it stuck. It became my thing. I felt proud and totally indulged my habit. There was one down side which was also touched on in the article. That some hosiery styles can be labeled as "Gothic". 

I do want to point out a common misconception about hosiery being the "Goth" accessory. I honestly hate that connotation. Hosiery, yes, is worn by all sorts of people, which includes Goth's but it was once also the staple of every woman's wardrobe. I feel it pulls an outfit together that adds a layer of creativity mixed with sophistication. Also, in Europe its totally normal for someone in any sort of profession to wear a great patterned hosiery and just because you like something that happens to be different there is no reason to have to give it a label. 

I found this little matrix fun that was also in the WSJ article "What your Legs say about You"

After all of that, I would like to talk about my outfit and hosiery pick of the day. These are my absolute favorite pair of tights. They are from Wolford, the creme da la creme, at least here in the states since other great brands are not so available. I work in a fairly causal office as far as the fashion industry goes. 

I work at the Creative Center of Eileen Fisher. There we have every sort of style, which is great. You can really just be yourself and not worry about the label. Most people wear Eileen Fisher, but its not required. Eileen Fisher has had a reputation about being only for woman of a certain age, but in recent years they have crossed all barriers at least in my opinion and there current collection has something for the loyal Eileen Fisher client as well as the new Eileen Fisher client. 

These tights were a great find. Wolford has amazing quality, but patterns and styles have not been my taste the last few seasons.  I do however have a few pairs on my wish list, but at $55.00+ a pair 

I will have to wait till the end of the season... 

*as a little tip-you can sometimes find these at places like Tj Maxx. I saw these particualr tights at Bergdorf Goodman and even with my employee discount I had at the time I still had to pass them up.

 I later found them at Tj Maxx for $19.99. Which made it easier to buy them in both colors!*