While they might not be the most exciting thing in your wardrobe, black tights are a sock drawer staple. At this time of year when it’s much too cold to go out with bare legs, a solid pair of black opaque tights not only keep you warm but also look seasonally appropriate against your collection of wool, tweed or knit dresses and skirts. Because I wear a lot of skirts and dresses well into the winter, I have a rather large collection of black tights (you can really never have too many). One could say, I know where it’s at when it comes to black tights. I’ve narrowed it down to three types that every girl needs in her sock drawer.

Tights that shape your leg (aka make your legs look thin, yes!)… There’s a reason that many women swear by their Spanx. In short, Spanx tights are life changing. A built-in shaper flattens the tummy, and firms the butt and thighs. While Spanx tights are a bit pricey, they are worth it if you have slim fitting dresses where seamless undergarments are a must. These tights will seamlessly smooth over any rolls and bumps. Score! The elastic recovery in these tights are amazing and the waist band won’t cut into your skin.

Spanx Luxe Leg Blackout Tights, approx $52.42 CAD, Nordstrom

Wool tights… If you’re rocking a short skirt or dress in the winter, wool tights are your best friend. They seriously keep your legs warm. They especially keep my legs extra toasty when I wear them with over-the-knee boots. I will caution you though, if you’re allergic to wool, these tights might give you a case of the itchies and scratchies.

Wilfred Merino Wool Tights, $32 CAD, Aritzia

Everyday opaque tights… If you wear tights a lot throughout the week like I do, you need a pair (or several pairs) of everyday black tights that will go the distance. Hue’s Super Opaque tights are exactly these kinds of tights. They’re comfortable, hold their shape well and you won’t have holes in the toe area by the end of the week.  They will be the workhorse in your sock drawer.

Hue Super Opaque Tights, $21 CAD, The Bay

A note about denier

If you’ve ever looked on a package of tights, you’ll typically find a number ranging from 0 to 99 indicating the denier level. Denier refers to the weight/thickness of yarn that is woven to make a pair of tights. The lower the denier, the more sheer the tights are. For fall and winter, you typically want to go for something that has a denier of 70 or higher. A denier of 70 to 99 is considered to be thick, and the opacity will provide full coverage. Nothing will show through no matter how much you stretch, bend or twist. A denier of 100 is considered to be very high opacity, close to being as thick and opaque as a pair of leggings.

How to wash tights

Tights are best hand washed in cool water with a gentle laundry detergent, and then placed over a rail or on a towel to air dry. I know, I know, hand washing is a lot of work. But hey, adulting is hard. I will say this though: You can machine wash tights, but make sure you wash in cool water using the delicate cycle, and always protect your tights by turning them inside out and putting them in a small mesh garment bag. Whether you hand or machine wash, always skip the dryer as the heat can loosen the elasticity and spandex in your tights, resulting in that loose shapeless-feel.

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