Unlock the Secret to Wearing Tights with Your Dresses This Fall and Winter!

Is there anything worse than having to dress up for the office or an event on a freezing cold day?? On those icy, snowy, windy, super chilly days one of the easiest ways to stay warm and stylish- wear tights!

 BUT…styling tights can be tricky!! Which color should you wear? How thick should they be? What shoes should I pair with them?? Below we’re sharing the keys to nailing the dress with tights look every. Single. Time… as well as what style of dresses work well with tights.

If you need a little refresher on the difference between tights and leggings and how Erin likes to style both, make sure you check out this post next.

Tights vs. Leggings Tips

What Tights Should I Wear?

Before we get into what types of dresses to wear with tights, let’s talk tights. What style should you choose? Brand? Textured? Thickness? Our fail-safe recommendation is black, sheer tights with a subtle pattern. By subtle, we are talking about something like polka dots or stripes, preferably sheer because it creates some contrast between the hemline of the dress and the shoes or booties. The thicker the tights, the less contrast. The thicker tights also tend to look less refined. A subtle pattern can add some excitement and contrast as well. Additionally, we suggest investing in a higher-quality brand. If you’re anything like the Busbee team, you really don’t like purchasing sheer tights, wearing them once and then having to bust out nail polish to stop a run. Instead, isn’t it better to spend a bit more and be able to wear them over and over again?

5 Dresses To Wear With Black Tights

1) Summer Dress

Yep, you read that right. You absolutely can transition certain summer dresses into fall/winter by adding black tights. In fact, here’s a before and after to prove it! Here, Erin is wearing a cotton midi dress by Rails and she styled it for warmer and cooler weather with the addition of a third layer, booties and…black tights.

What makes this look work is the color and fabric of the dress. A black, chocolate brown, navy, burgundy, deep green, and other jewel tones will naturally look more seasonally appropriate and pair better with black tights. Anything that looks super summery with light fabric like eyelet or linen in a light color will likely not be a good choice for black tights. The dress fabric should complement the opacity of the tights too. Erin’s tights are quite sheer and have a polka-dot pattern which works beautifully with the cotton midi dress.

2) Work Dress

Now let’s talk about wearing tights with your work dresses. In addition to keeping color and fabric in mind, length is another key component for the office. Especially if your dress or skirt is above the knee, black tights will definitely look fall/winter-appropriate for work. For conservative office environments, a black dress with opaque black tights, heels or booties will look streamlined and professional. A shift dress, fit and flare dress, shirtdress, sheath dress or sweater dress would all be great work dress options to wear with your black tights. Again, you want to keep fabric and color in mind.

A sweater dress and boots is such a versatile look for so many fall/winter occasions. Erin shares 7 outfit ideas in this post.

3) Mini Dress

Let’s talk about mini dresses next. Maybe you don’t love to show your bare legs no matter the season. Wearing a mini dress with black tights changes everything! Adding a pair of black tights will instantly smooth out any insecurities you might have. From veins to discoloration to cellulite to skin elasticity…tights can work wonders! In addition, since black tights will keep your legs warm, it’s a great way to extend the life of your mini dresses into the cold weather seasons.

4) Event Dress

Can you wear a dressier dress with black tights? Sure can! In this look, Erin’s wearing an elevated midi dress by L’Agence with the most gorgeous details. The cut, the gold buttons, the belt…there’s so much to love about this dress. And it also looks great with tights. Erin opted for sheer dotted tights which complement the dress perfectly. When choosing an event dress to wear with black tights just remember once again to consider the fabric and color! We’ll link a few favorite event dresses and tights below.

5) Colorful Statement Dress

If you’re going to a dressy winter event like a wedding or cocktail party, you can absolutely wear black tights with your dress. We wanted to show you a look that didn’t include a black dress, but a colorful statement dress instead! Erin is wearing a beautiful cobalt blue Ronny Kobo dress from a few years back but you can see how well it works with her sheer dotted tights. For winter events, you could look for jewel-tone dresses, burgundy, chocolate brown, navy, charcoal or emerald green. Each of these shades will pair well with black tights. Important tip, unless you’re going for more of a funky avant-garde look, you’ll want to wear black heels or booties with your black tights! The tone-on-tone will also help elongate your legs.

Speaking of statement dresses, do you have any super exciting or dressy events coming up this fall/winter? If you need any help finding something to wear, leave us a comment below. We’re always here for you!