As Paris Fashion Week begins, the street style set and celebrity stylists alike have found themselves (wearily) flocking to create more paparazzi-magnet outfits. And the cheapest, easiest way to elevate an outfit this season? Just add a pair of block-coloured tights.
Emma Corrin made the case for the off-beat accessory on this month’s Bafta red carpet, opting for a custom Miu Miu outfit complete with teal tights and matching hip-bows, and finished with a mesh black skirt and cropped top. At the Indie Spirit Awards on Sunday, the actor took it a step further, wearing neon green tights decorated with crystal embellishments, no less.
“When you’re clever and pick the right, bright colour, it does something — it’s fun and unexpected,” says Corrin’s stylist Harry Lambert, who is also behind Harry Styles’s much-loved wardrobe. “If you have a dress that you love, add a block colour tight to completely transform it. It’s an affordable way to really boost an outfit into something else.”
For this reason, the ongoing autumn winter 2024 catwalks have been flush with these shock-shade stockings. In New York, Altuzarra led the way with opaque, cherry red tights worn with matching hot pants, slim-fit jackets and black ballet flats. They were joined by indie brand Puppets and Puppets which sent various shades, from moss green to chocolate and, yes, bright red, down its catwalk.
In Milan, Fendi followed suit, pairing indigo and green styles with knee-high boots and denim skirts, while at GCDS, rouge styles worn with mini skirts and sweeping overcoats proved this look is more Barbarella than quirky art teacher (in case you were getting worried).
Setting up a harsh colourblocked outfit allows for a playful build of accessories on top, says GCDS creative director Giuliano Calza, who slapped on leather gloves and whopping-great corsages to finish his runway looks. “The distinct colour segments create a clear visual structure, making it easier to pair accessories that complement or contrast,” Calza says. If you’re trying your own statement tight, consider colour matching handbags, hair clips and a corsage.
“I also love them under a sheer skirt with a full brief to make an outfit more cool and less ‘sexy’,” says Bel Powley’s go-to stylist Cher Coulter. “Falke have an amazing selection, I like to use the Pure Matt 50 DEN version.” These come in 15 shades — from scarlet to hunter green — and start at £27 (here). They have the power to make any outfit feel new, even if the purse strings are tight.
