When is the right time to start wearing tights? All your winter style questions, answered

The fashion editor’s guide to the autumn wardrobe switchover

when to wear tights how style best pairs buy trends outfit ideas 2021 winter autumn
Penelope Cruz, Cindy Bruna and Xenia Tchoumi wearing tights, October 2021 Credit: Getty

It’s switchover time; the seasons have changed and so must our wardrobes adapt. But when exactly is the right date to start wearing tights?

Depending on who you ask, the responses you might get to that surprisingly divisive question can range from “only when there is an “R” in the month”, to “only when temperatures drop below 14 degrees”, to “when hell freezes over”.

By this time in October, though, hosiery sightings are just beginning to become more frequent and it certainly no longer looks silly to wear tights. 

But which versions are in style this year? And what are the unspoken fashion rules about breaking out other key winter items for the year? Here we answer some of the most common queries.

What tights should I wear this winter?

autumn winter 2021 collection Monsoon ways wear tights boots different hemlines
The autumn / winter 2021 collection at Monsoon, showing a mixture of ways to wear tights and boots with different hemlines Credit: Monsoon

Marks & Spencer sells 5.4 million pairs of tights per year, down, granted, from the 1964 hosiery heyday when it shifted 20 million pairs. But as fashions and hemlines have changed so have our tastes; during last winter’s pandemic, for example, many retailers reported selling a greater variety of wool and cable knitted tights again, ideal for padding around the house in.

This winter classic black is back, but the most-wanted look is a smoky, rather than opaque pair - especially good for this time of the year. A 10 denier weight, plain or with a pattern interwoven, and worn with a midi pencil skirt and heels or a mini skirt, will complete an ideal look for a dinner out and for the party season ahead.  

Is it acceptable to wear sandals in October?

Sandals season, sadly, has probably run its course for another year. It’s up to the individual, of course, but you do now run a risk of flash flooding in your footbed if you venture out for the day in your trusty Birkenstocks beyond October 8. Showing off the last of the summer pedicures is tempting (especially if you holidayed in the late September sun) but do consider a pair of ankle-grazing trousers with loafers as an alternative way to show off that tan.

Should I start wearing my winter coat?

best coats jackets tights righ time start wearing winter style 2021
Stacey colourblock mac, £99, White Stuff; Light quilted jacket, £55, Marks and Spencer; Wool overshirt, £169, Whistles

Stacey colourblock mac, £99, whitestuff.com; Light quilted jacket, £55, marksandspencer.com; Wool overshirt, £169, whistles.com

Depending on where you’re going, it’s likely too hot still to wear a wool coat. Trench coats, shackets, macs and light quilted jackets are the ideal alternative to layer up in now. White Stuff has a particularly good, versatile colour-blocked trench worth investing in, which you will draw out the wardrobe again and again at this time of the year. 

What’s the right handbag to carry now?

An instant way to make your outfits read as more autumnal is to switch over your handbags, from summer’s light colour leathers, wicker and fabric options, to leathers in dark colours or classic black. Try forest green, chocolate, navy, berry or burgundy for a rich alternative that will still go with all the other colours in your autumn / winter repertoire.

Should I bring my boots out yet?

Ankle boots midi-length hems Me + Em October 2021 collection
Ankle boots with midi-length hems, in the Me + Em October 2021 collection Credit: Me + Em

It’s still a little too warm for full length boots over trousers or under long skirts, in my opinion, so I would do the somewhat breezier ‘bare legs and ankle boots’ look instead for now. A word of caution, though; the gap between the hem of the skirt and the top of the boots may be more visible than you realise, revealing purpley, goose pimpled legs beneath. A seated mirror check will confirm the rise on your combination, and whether you might want to wear long socks, or tights, or just bother to shave your legs, for the occasion.

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