Recently I was accused of a fashion faux pas. I wear sheer nylon and lycra tights but as it turns out, according to modern trends there are only two options – thick tights or nothing. Allegedly this is what Tom Ford said. Is this true? As to Tom Ford, he is a talented designer and a decent film director; in any case his movie A Single Man was presented at the Venice Film Festival and its lead actor Colin Firth won the prize for best male actor.

But did Tom Ford really express himself so categorically on the subject of nylons? I know that he offered them to men. I wouldn’t be surprised if they adopted his proposal particularly in countries with a harsh climate. Tights are much more comfortable than underpants or socks. However, considering male conservatism it probably won’t happen in the next 100 years.

I know that it is not recommended to show up in certain circles and at certain events without tights or panty hose. For a business meeting, ceremony or in an official setting tights are a must even if it’s hot. During the summer (attention!) it is better to wear transparent, almost invisible tights that match your skin color.

Black nylons are appropriate at cocktail parties and at the office but if you are invited to a social function they are like bad manners. In this case etiquette is on the side of those who choose more natural hues. If on the other hand, you want to shock the public in a club, university or elsewhere, a pair of colorful tights would be acceptable as long as they form no discord with the rest of your outfit.

Personally I am a big fan of thick tights and in my wardrobe I have mauve, purple, fuchsia, blue, green, all tones of grey, brown, and dark-red tights that I wear to work, parties, and outside. Bright tights can be balanced off with an object or accessory of the same color or accentuated on a monotone background. The easiest formula is for your tights to match your blouse or scarf.

A combination of nylons with a well-fitted business suit and elegant shoes is a classic look in this genre. The only mistake many fashionistas make is to wear tights with an open toe or heel. By the way, this is acceptable in high fashion but the tights have to be thick or hand-made and textured. But in a classic look everything is stricter and open shoes can only be worn on a bare foot. There is a saving caveat to this, which is that panty hose or fishnet tights are acceptable. I can only say one thing in support of fishnet – it has to be narrow and of natural hues. It is inappropriate by day but can look cute and convenient on a warm summer evening.

Let’s talk about quality now. How can we tell the difference between poor quality and excellent long-lasting tights? First of all, pay attention to the seam. If the seam is round and protruding, the tights will rub the skin and be visible under more figure-hugging clothes. Flat seams are easily concealed even under a very light dress. Needless to say good-quality tights contain lycra. LYCRA® is an artificial elastic fiber that was developed and produced by Dupon. By most standards, the price of the tights will depend on the quantity of lycra. In other words, the more lycra, the more expensive your tights will be.

By the way, don’t be in a hurry to get rid of your ruined tights. It seems there is a new trend this year – torn leggings and tights. These are already being sold with holes in them and priced higher than the regular ones. Personally I wouldn’t mind spending money to buy a pair of torn jeans but I won’t yield to the new trend – anyone is capable of creatively tearing up a pair of tights. The question is how appealing and appropriate this would look. Perhaps it’s comme il faut for a rave on a par with heavy boots and a leather jacket with a few kilos of chains, crosses and belts, and a haughty hair-do. Under all other circumstances I would try to dissuade you, even at the risk of coming across as old-fashioned.

To conclude, I wouldn’t recommend bold experimentation with fishnet tights because normally they either make your legs look visually fuller than they are or distort the shape. Print tights can also create a false impression of the size of your calves and thighs. Fishnet stockings or tights would suit very delicately-built or petite ladies and the most winning combination would be white tights with (surprisingly) a pair of open shoes or sandals. Lately designers have suggested that we wear sandals with knitted stockings and socks. This might sound daring but is probably rather comfortable, the only problem is that socks, especially thick ones, visually shorten your figure. In the end, it’s up to you to decide whether to keep tights as part of your dress code or not.