Electronic Telegraph
ISSUE 1412 Wednesday 7 April 1999
Style Notebook
By Alexandra Shulman
A tight spot

TIGHTS are a nightmare at this time of year, and I wish I could say I'd found the perfect solution. The situation isn't helped by magazines such as my own, which photograph everybody with bare legs - even though we know the average Englishwoman can't possibly sport bare skin in early spring. Obviously, black opaques are still viable for another month or so, but they don't look great with fabrics that are too light. They do, however, work well with any of the khaki or simple utilitarian styles around. Wolford also do very good 60 denier dark brown tights; these have the same effect as black opaques but, somehow, they seem less heavy. One stylist recommends super-fine Jonelle wool tights, which add a touch of texture to the legs. These look right with anything at all folksy or craft-inspired but just appear drab if you wear them with something classic - unless, of course, you are under 18. However, thin, patterned tights or fishnets can look great with a simple shirt and skirt, and can also work really well with heavily patterned and decorated clothes. The trick is to get a slight clash of shape and colour rather than to try to co-ordinate. Another solution is fake tan and long boots. After all, there are still several weeks to go till we can shuffle around in the great flip-flops that will hit the shops this summer.