How to wear tights with open toe shoes

Love this time of the year when you have to dress “in between” seasons.

It is so fun for fashion!

Coats are still here but in a lighter version, you can use thin layers, skip the sweaters…

Not ready to get rid of tights yet but eager to wear your open-toed shoes?

The is THE perfect moment to try this debated fashion combo which is the “tights in open-toe shoes”.

The question is no more “can we do it”? We can.

Alexa Chung proved being the jedi master of this style along with many other fashionistas and stylists.

The question I am answering today, my little padawans, will be how to do it and look great.

I. The don’t 

Super summery shoes 

By this I mean any shoes that do not look urban enough and have a bit of a countryside feeling.

The first thing you shall be careful about is the fabric.

Forget about rope soles and natural colored leather.

I’ll make an exception for the wooden clogs, which, I do not know why, manage to eventually look good with tights.. 

Tights with a noticeable seam 

Your tights, if not opaque, may have a noticeable seam at the edge of the toes.

It does not look chic to see it.

Either you get seamless tights or you make sure the seam is not to be seen. You know, tuck it under your foot sole ^^ 

Flat open toed shoes 

Honestly, even if you can manage an acceptable look with some very urban open-toed ballet flat, it’ll never look “wow” anyway.

And 99% of the other looks that match flat open-toed shoes and tights look ugly.

I luckily could not find many pictures to prove my point (saving my poor eyes), so you’ll have to trust me on this.

Of course, as always, I never say never. Maybe in the future some genius stylist will come with such a combo that will look stylish.

Note that the Bircks and tights pairing that we saw the years before IS NOT good looking (at least to my taste) even if some ladies got streetstyled for this. 

Worn out shoes 

Tights and open-toes evoke fashion fashion and refinement.

They do not work with worn-out shoes.

(To be honest, almost nothing works with worn-out shoes except if we are talking sneakers or kind of grunge looking shoes.)

Bonus: my little “gift” for you

I know you just love when I give proper examples of what do not do ^^

So here is a special treat, because she achieved to get all the four aforementioned don’ts in just one outfeet (no spelling mistake here, kind of proud of my neologism).

✓ super summery shoes: honestly these shoes are meant to be worn bare feet in the midst of summer. See how sad they look? Looks like they are screaming “free the toes from the tights oppression!”. And you do not want your shoes to start rebelling against you don’t you?

✓ tights with a noticeable seam: sure you spotted it.

✓ flat open-toed shoes: obviously.

✓ worn out shoes: obviously.

II. The do’s 

Now, some eye-soothener.

A. Choose the proper tights 

Opaque tights 

Opaque tights are the easiest option to be stylish with this tricky mix.

To be sure not to make any mistake, go for the black opaque ones.

They’ll match any sophisticated pair of open-toed shoes: delicate jewel like sandals, chunky sandals and peep-toes pumps.

Giovanna Battaglia probably by The Sartorialist

If you are comfortable with colors and pattern mixes, you can find a more daring match.

Dries Van Noten spring 2016 

Wool tights 

With those, make sure the shoes are not too frilly.

I can picture sandals with chunky straps way better than delicate ones of peep-toes pumps.

Of course fashion editorial will do those kind of mix. You may have spotted some ladies who got street styled with nike socks along with jewel sandals. Real life vs fashion life. Good thing crazy fashion people exist, they are creative and often come out with great stuff to wear. Sometime they also, well, come up with crazy stuffs ^^

Prada 

See-trough tights 

Like sheer tights or fishnet tights.

First, as mentioned in the don’t, you shall not be able to see the toe seam.

Second, most times, the less toe you can spot the better it’ll work.

Pandora displays no more than two little toes with those sandals

Same here

B. Choose the proper open-toed shoes 

Chunky sandals 

They shall be urban.

By that I mean shoes you feel belong to the city and could not be worn in a field. And yes, even if you could not walk with them in the said field, cord platform shoes, feel like they could belong there.

They’ll look great with opaque black or colored tights, see-trough tights and eventually wool tights.

Vintage Tommy Ton circa 2007 (I estimated the time period according to the Balenciagas)

You could try the clogs with a wooden sole though. You may even try the wool tights combo. But it’s a fail, please do not complain if you are requested to gard sheeps ^^

Delicate sandals 

I mean super sophisticated delicate sandals with thin straps.

They often look amazing with tights.

Choose opaque black or see-trough tights for them.

Zoom on Sparks album cover “the number one song in heaven“, 1979 

Peep-toes 

The peep toes are very urban pumps.

They do not display lots of toes so you can go for any type of tights except for the wool tight which would create a bulk.

Et voilà! Ready to rock tights and open-toes shoes like a fashion queen?

Opaques and open-toe shoes? Our tights tips for winter

Can you wear tights with an open-toe shoe? What about a sling-back? These are the sorts of serious discussions we’ve been having here at fashionmylegs as the weather turns cold. Collectively, the fashion team owns more opaque tights than we’ve enjoyed hot dinners, but, we’ve realised that said opaques don’t go with absolutely every type of shoe in our wardrobe. So, to avoid a faux pas, we’ve canvassed our impeccable editors to determine what shall be henceforth known as the tights rules.

The guide to pairing with patent

Opaque tights + a patent flat or chunky heel = success. What’s less successful however, is teaming a jet-black tight with a shiny pair of spindly heels. See British model Sam Rollinson for the sort of clunky show silhouette that does work.

Tights and an open-toe shoe

Our fashion director Lisa Armstrong clarifies this debate by advising: “It depends if it's clearly a ‘winter’ sandal - e.g. in burgundy/ velvet then yes, but there should be no toe seam visible.” Alexa Chung nails this lesson, of course.

Opaques and court shoes

To avoid looking like you’re wearing heeled catsuit, you’re going to have to lower your denier count for evening. It’s important to have definition between legs and shoes. Salma Hayek shows us how it’s done.

The rules when it comes to coloured footwear

A camel stiletto and a dark tight just looks odd. A chunky camel shoe however, with thick straps, channels an intentionally Sixties vibe.

Our stance on colour

While we’re always going to steer clear of purple, ribbed tights, but our style friend Sophie Warburton has a alternative suggestion to black: grey. “I wear lots of grey tights. Weirdly I think they are more slimming on the leg.”

The jury’s out on slingbacks...

Lisa Armstrong thinks that “opaques are fine with a sling back but must be in immaculate condition. No bobbles or pilling.” But our senior fashion news and features editor, Victoria Moss, says: “I am unconvinced by backless shoe and tights in spite of what Chanel did”. Hmm… you’ll have to judge for yourselves on a case-by-case basis for that one.

Wearing tights with open toe shoes

Along with mixing metals when wearing jewelry, wearing white after Labor Day, and sporting red lipstick in the morning, wearing pantyhose with open-toe shoes is a fashion faux pas of the highest order. Or, is it? According to style gurus, like Stacy London, former Vogue fashion editor and co-host of TLC's What Not to Wear, many of fashion's supposed golden rules are quite malleable.

When it comes to wearing pantyhose or tights with open-toe shoes, it all boils down to deliberate execution. In an interview with Reader's Digest, London states: "You need to find tights so it looks like you're doing it deliberately, not like you forgot you were wearing open-toe shoes." It is all about going all in with your choice of shoes and pantyhose, and avoiding nude hosiery

Avoid Nude and Sheer Pantyhose at All Costs

The rule regarding pantyhose and open-toe shoes is not a blanket ban on all forms of hosiery, just nude and sheer pantyhose. According to Sharon Haver, editor in chief at FocusOnStyle, it is tacky for a woman to pass off nude pantyhose as a bare leg while wearing open-toe shoes or strappy sandals.

The whole point of strappy sandals is to show off some skin, while a peep-toe shoe highlights perfectly pedicured toes. The reinforced toe or toe seam on a pair of nude pantyhose hose often obscures the toes when worn with open-toe shoes.

Haver advises women to go all in and think in terms of extremes when pairing pantyhose or tights with open-toe shoes. According to Haver, a woman should wear opaque pantyhose in a bold color with contrasting open-toe heels or strappy pumps.

Choose Pantyhose in a Bold Color

Wear a pair of opaque pantyhose in a bold hue to add a splash of color to a winter outfit. Opaque pantyhose and tights are available in a myriad of colors. Of course, a pair of basic black pantyhose is a wardrobe staple, as the color complements almost any fall or winter outfit.

Pair black pantyhose with a navy-blue pencil skirt or a bottle-green wrap dress. Flesh out your hosiery drawer with colorful choices, like burnt orange, royal purple, red, and green. A spectrum of solid colors allows you to create a variety of fall and winter looks.

Take the plunge, and invest in a few pairs of patterned pantyhose or textured tights. If you are new to wearing patterned pantyhose, then stick to wearing solid colors on top and on your feet.

Select a Contrasting Open-Toe Shoe

A pair of pantyhose in a bold color draws attention to the legs. Consider choosing a pair of pumps instead of a pair of flats, as heels help to elongate the legs. Open-toe pumps include strappy heels, ankle-strap pumps, peep-toe pumps, and T-strap pumps. When pairing pantyhose and open-toe shoes, you should not only consider the contrasting colors, but also contrasting textures.

Contrast 

Combination 

Look

Texture 

Ankle-strap pumps with textured pantyhose 

Matte, black pantyhose with black, shiny vinyl pumps

Color 

Peep-toe pumps with colored pantythose 

Solid, contrasting colors (e.g., purple and green; black and blue; orange and green)

Patterned 

Strappy heels with patterned pantyhose 

Contrast size of motif or type of pattern

Wearing a peep-toe shoe with pantyhose in a contrasting color transforms the shoes into a pair of cap-toe heels. A pair of black opaque pantyhose helps the bright colors in a pair of open-toe shoes to pop. Use opaque pantyhose to dress down a pair of evening heels for daytime. When it comes to wearing patterns, either pair shoes with patterned uppers with opaque pantyhose in a solid color, or wear patterned pantyhose with an open-toe shoe in a solid color.

Do not be afraid to wear a statement shoe that combines patterns and alternating colors. Match one part of the shoe, for example the heel and sole, to the jacket or skirt that you are wearing, and a color in the pattern to the pantyhose you are wearing.

How to wear open-toed shoes with tights

"Can I wear open-toed shoes with tights?"

 YES! Hosiery is a great way to bring in colour and texture to an ensemble. AND you get to convert some of your favorite spring/summer to year-round styles. But (there is always a but)– you have to keep in mind a few simple tips….

There are, of course, a few things to keep in mind if you want to wear your open-toed shoes 

Choose shoes that have enough substance to transition from season to season. Suede and silk are fine in summer and winter; leather -- particularly patent, which is HUGE just now -- is also essentially seasonless. Very lightweight strappy shoes, however, are for summer only. Pack them away for warmer weather.

Pair peep toes with tights.. Sheer stockings are perfect with closed-toe shoes, but with an open toe, you need something with more substance. This is a look that HAS to be intentional, not accidental; pairing stockings with open toed shoes will look like you just made a mistake. But go with tights -- opaque tights, with a minimal toe seam -- for a thoughtful look.

Watch your hemline. Peep toes with a mini skirt are not a good look on an adult woman; wear shorter skirts with flat shoes. Keep your hemline at the kknee, either slightly above or slightly below, depending on your height and shape. Tights and peep toes are best with skirts or dresses, but you can make it work with pants as well; match tights to your trousers, not your shoes, to elongate the leg.

Play with color and texture. Matching your tights to your skirt or your shoes will create a long leg line; matching tights and shoes also makes the shoe's peep toe a little more subtle. But what if your shoes aren't black or brown? What if they are green? Or orange? Or RED? Match tights to your skirt -- black skirt, black tights, red shoes -- and let the shoes be the pop of color in your outfit. If the shoes have a pattern, you can use your tights to call attention to one color in the shoe -- say, navy tights with a navy and pink print shoe.

Your size and shape make a difference. As with any other fashion choice, your body's size and shape will impact the choice you make. On a woman with long legs, or a slim figure, colored tights with neutral peep toes are a good option. But this is a very dramatic look, and a very young look; a colored tight will draw attention to your legs, so do this intentionally. For shorter legs, or a slightly curvier figure, stick with dark tights and make the shoes your pop of color.

Be daring. Wear textured tights with your peep toes for a fun casual look; wear tights with a seam in the back for a sexy evening out. For the office, stick with solid tights, or with a tonal pattern.

1. Match like colors. Black with black, brown with brown, navy with navy. However, if you're a little more adventurous with your style feel free to mix and match. I love to wear my navy tights with a bright red pump!

2. Speaking of color–stick to heels in dark neutrals (black, brown, navy, grey, etc). Light colors don't look as chic.

3. Go ahead and try with  flat sandals but stick with nude or skin matched tights.

How to know the difference of tight toes.

Toes: What’s The Difference?

The toe of tights can be very important - it can certainly dictate what type of shoes you can wear with an outfit, however it can be confusing as different brands use different terms, so to keep things clear and consistent we use the following terms across the website:

Sheer Toe

Sheer toe means that the fabric will be the same thickness all the way over the leg, foot and toe. This is typical with most ultra sheer women's tights. Sheer toes are fantastic worn with strappy sandals as there’s no change whatsoever in fabric around the toe area, however, this does mean that the fabric will be more delicate, especially in extremely low deniers.

Sandal Toe

This describes hosiery with barely visible reinforcement. The fabric around the toe will be the same as the foot, but the weave will be slightly stronger on the toe – you should be able to see a very faint line on the toe where the weave changes. Tights with sandal toes are perfect worn with open-toe shoes. You can also choose to wear them with strappy sandals but the change in weave may be ever so slightly visible. 

Open Toes

How did we survive without open toes! These are summer essentials, open toe tights have an opening at the foot, leaving your toes completely exposed. They are ideal for wearing with peep-toe shoes if you still want the benefits of sheer tights ensuring your legs look better than bare. You can choose to go for a product with a toe loop (such as Pretty Polly Naturals) to secure them in place, or no loops at all (like Falke Shelina).

Reinforced Toe

This is where there is visible reinforcement across the toe for added durability. Both the weave and the denier are different from the rest of the leg. 

How to wear open toe shoes with tights

Another interesting article which seems to be good fashion advice, if your going to wear open toe or peep shoes with tights stick to dark colours and opaques. Personally i think wearing nude tights is fine with open toe shoes, just make sure you go with a sandal toe. Easy !

Navigating fashion dos & don'ts can often be tricky, especially when logic and reason play a role in your decision. While most of us know not to wear shorts in the winter or fleece in the summer, other questionable “rules” are less obvious with regards to right and wrong. Take high-heeled sandals and open toed shoes for instance. Can we really wear them year-round? The answer is yes, and here’s how.

Consider purchasing dark neutral tights, such as black or chocolate brown, as these colors are typically the easiest to work with.

When donning your tights, make sure to pull the toe seam to the very tip of your toes, or try to tuck it under the top of your foot if it’s comfortable to walk on.

When choosing a shoe to pair with your tights, opt for solid colors like black, brown, dark red, dark green or gray. Bring interest into the mix with textures, shapes, styles and height, rather than through patterns and intricate strapping.

Pairing like colors will work best, especially if you’re a novice to this trend. For instance, a black dress, black tights and black peep toes will look sleek, sophisticated and sexy, as would black tights, black shoes and a dark patterned dress.

When it comes to picking styles of shoes, chunky versions work best. Other options include open-toed sling backs with a thick heel, Mary Jane's, platform high-heels, and thick-strapped sandals (all open toed).

The final step is picking a skirt, dress, or dark jeans (knee high tights work best with pants) to display your new pairing. Patterns can come into play here, as can shorter dresses (the dark tights work the same way as leggings) and mini's.