Why Hosiery is the Ultimate Accessory for Every Outfit

I have said it before and I will say it again – clothes make me happy!  I was absently scrolling through my Facebook feed yesterday morning, whilst waiting for a train and thinking how depressing it all was, with news items, people not well, keyboard warriors having a bash at someone, when suddenly an advert for red tights (pantyhose) came up and suddenly I had a smile on my face! 

Does that make me shallow?  I don’t think so.  Does that make me a bit mad? Probably! 

But in a world of gloom and doom and cold, miserable weather, if something makes you smile, I say embrace it.  After all, why is loving clothes any different from loving paintings, or music for example?  They all lift the spirits and make you feel good about yourself, so should be encouraged. In fact, "Museum Therapy" is a real thing and studies show that museums combat stress and increase self-esteem.

https://www.museumnext.com/events/museums-health-wellbeing-summit/

Anyway, going back to the red tights …..

I have never been a huge fan of tights or stockings.  I find them uncomfortable (being quite long-legged) and a faff to put on – and take off!  Also, for me it has always a bit like having to pay to put fuel in the car – expensive and not much to show for the money!

But seeing these red tights, I suddenly felt inspired and could feel all sorts of outfit variations run through my imagination. 

Maybe a black, knee-length sweater dress with a pair of patterned tights, or a grey, maxi pinstriped skirt with bright red tights.  Or perhaps black barrel-legged jeans, with grey opaque tights and a grey jumper, or beige wide-legged jeans, beige opaque tights, animal print shoes, and a cream silk blouse.  Also, how about a maxi silk skirt with lacey or fishnet tights (surprisingly warm!) and an oversized sweater?  I felt all the flutter of excitement that an artist must feel when starting a new painting!

One of my own style 101s is mixing up fabrics to create a contrast in my outfit, so lacey tights, a silk skirt and a chunky jumper would be a perfect example of this.

Tights are an essential accessory during the winter months, unless you are lucky enough to be living somewhere really warm.  They also complete an outfit and make it look polished and put-together.  But as with all things, if you buy cheaply they will look cheap and, annoyingly, will probably make your clothes cling, not to mention ladder and snag easily.

If your style personality is classic, then matching your hosiery to your top half of the outfit, or even your bags or gloves, will fit in with your style perfectly.

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For a romantic personality, the lacey tights that are very “now” will be your go-to.

Dramatic, arty personalities can have a whole lot of fun mixing and matching colours and textures, whereas the more natural personalities will want to stick to more subdued hues and maybe thicker textures.

If you are investing in good quality products, it is a good idea to get yourself a pair of hosiery gloves (yes, really!) – these cotton gloves will help avoid snags and holes, whilst putting on your tights!

We have been through a long period of plain black and skin-toned hosiery, but now the shops are full of little bundles of joy, which not only lift the spirits, but are a relatively inexpensive way to be on trend and brighten up your wardrobe – and your day!  The fact that it takes me back to the 1980s and the fun I had then, is just another bonus!

Having said all that though, don’t forget your sheer hosiery. 

This is a very elegant way of accessorising an outfit.  They give a ladylike feel and are incredibly flattering as they tend to look darker on the edges of your leg, thereby making them look more streamlined.  If you want to wear shorter skirts, but normally go bare- legged, sheer tights are a great way to keep this style going from season to season.

If you are worried about snagging, use cotton gloves to put them on with, give them a little stretch from the bottom before you put them on and always carry a spare pair in your handbag in case of emergencies!

Read Here for another Ultimate Italian Accessory!

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The Italian Influence on New Year’s Eve Party Wear - New Year’s Eve outfits for women 40+ to feel confident

Italians are famous for their celebratory spirit, especially around New Year's Eve.

Here is what women can wear to bring that Italian flair to New Year’s Eve parties.

The Italians – never knowingly underdressed! – love to dress up on a daily basis and for a night such as New Year’s Eve, they go all out for glamorous, yet sophisticated looks for the night.

Luxurious velvet outfits and chic black ensembles are their go-to for evenings out.

Giorgio Armani

To channel your inner Italian and know that you are dressed perfectly for the occasion, always go for the best quality you can afford.  It is worth investing in eveningwear, even though you won’t wear it very often.  If you opt for classic cuts, rather than trendy shapes which will come and go, then you be able to bring the items out year after year and always look glamorous. 

I recently went to a party where one of my colleagues, who is in her 80s, came in a simple pair of black slacks, a silk blouse and a black velvet smoking jacket.  She looked incredible and everything she was wearing was over 30 years old!

Try to shy away from sparkles – they are very bad for the environment for a start, but sequins also tend to shed and look shabby quite quickly.

Loro Piano

I have mentioned this before, but don’t be afraid to bring out the same outfit year after year, or even more than once each season.  The Italians count it as a compliment if someone notices that they have worn something before!  You don’t need a new outfit for every occasion, which means that you can spend more on the one outfit. 

To make it look a bit different, or to update it, add accessories that are in a current colour trend or shape, or that really fit with your style personality.

Dolce and Gabbana

And of course – don’t forget your shoes.  These can make or break an outfit and can spoil your night if they are so uncomfortable that you can’t dance, or even walk in them!  Some shoes, as beautiful as they are, should only be worn on an evening where a lot of sitting is involved!

There are so many lovely ballerina shoes in the shops, but try to go for a more pointed toe, as the rounded toe will shorten the leg and won’t be quite as flattering. 

If you want a bit more height, then opt for a kitten heel, which are easy to walk in and always look elegant.  Sling-backs are very “in” at the moment and, in my opinion, are always on trend, so it is worth investing in a good-quality pair.

Finish off the look with a small evening bag or clutch – keep it elegant, just big enough for your phone, a make-up compact and lippy!

Oh – and to be truly Italian on New Year’s Eve – it is considered good luck to wear red panties!

Why not read - https://www.theitalianessence.com/post/from-festive-fashions-to-heartfelt-feelings-exploring-the-emotions-behind-christmas-outfits

From Festive Fashions to Heartfelt Feelings: Exploring the Emotions Behind Christmas Outfits - Tips for Christmas Outfit Confidence

Life can be stressful enough and then they give you Christmas fairy lights!!

I love Christmas, it really is my favourite time of year, but the stresses and strains that it can bring with it are immense.  Whilst some of us are thoroughly enjoying the Christmas festivities and can’t wait for the day to come, for others it is a time of loneliness, bitter-sweet memories, or stress and anxiety, to name but a few.

Add the worry about what to wear to all the money worries and the angst of spending time with relations in close quarters, then it starts to make you wonder why we put ourselves through it every year!

Don’t get me wrong, I love dressing up and one of the things I enjoy most about my Christmas planning is sorting out what I am going to wear, even if I am only spending Christmas with my son and husband at home.  But the constant barrage of images, adverts and articles we get from magazines, newspapers and the television can really put pressure on us and make us believe that Christmas will be a complete disaster without having matching pyjamas to open our stockings in.

Marks and Spencer

I recently read an article that suggested the aforementioned pyjamas for stocking opening with a glass of champagne, then changing for the church service, then another change for pre-lunch drinks, another for lunch, another for the afternoon walk and another for Christmas tea.  I was exhausted just reading the article!  As fun as it might be (for someone like me, anyway!), quite honestly who has the time? See below for Tips for Christmas Outfit Confidence.

These articles and pictures can be inspiring and give great ideas of what you would like to wear,   but they don’t address the triggers, the emotions and thoughts that go through your head when contemplating your outfits, or the abject panic you might feel at having to dress up, show up and actually, potentially, become visible for once.

The thing we have to remember is that we don’t need anyone else’s permission to dress how we want.  It really doesn’t matter what your colleagues think, what your Mother-in-law thinks, or even what your partner thinks. 

What DOES matter is what YOU think.

How do YOU feel?  What do YOU want to look like? 

Easier said than done though, isn’t it?

Oh, the shivers that go down my spine when I think about turning up to a drinks party in a full evening gown when everyone else was in jeans (no one sent me the memo!), or a friend saying in a loud whisper just when there was a lull in conversation, that I should have worn a different bra, or the hostess in a Scottish castle where we were at a house party, informing everyone that I had “done my best, but it was of course home-made”!

We, all of us, need to feel that we belong, and we all need to feel part of the “pack” or “tribe”.  It is human nature.  So, to go out on a limb and wear exactly what we want to wear can be frightening and nerve-wracking.

If a member of your family is constantly jibing at you about things, then you are going to want to appear invisible, or dress in something they would approve of, probably a long way away from how you would like to dress.

If your partner is constantly putting you down, or telling you you’re overweight, then you are going to want to hide under voluminous clothes, so you don’t attract attention.

Or, it may be you yourself, who is self-sabotaging, with negative body thoughts, telling

yourself you are fat, overweight, your hair looks bad, etc, etc.  Or the worst thing, in my opinion – “I just don’t care”.

So many times, I hear from women, when I tell them what I do in my business – “oh, my style evolved many years ago.  I can’t be bothered to change it now”.

Or,

“There is no point in me trying a new style now, I am far too old/overweight/set in my ways”

Or perhaps the saddest of them all,

“No one notices me anyway” ……..

But, if you don’t care, if you don’t worry about how you look, then no one else will.  They are too busy worrying about their own problems and insecurities, believe me!  Would you stand by and watch your sibling, daughter, or friend, just give up on themselves and not bother trying anymore?  I bet you wouldn’t, so why give up on yourself?

Another reason that the festive season can be such a stressful time regards to what we wear, is other people’s agendas.

I was out shopping with one of my lovely ladies a couple of years ago, shopping for her family Christmas and I asked why she kept going for bland and colourless outfits, when I knew her style was far more flamboyant than that.  She thought about it for a while and then said it was because her sister always made comments like, “Well, it’s alright for you, you can afford nice outfits”.  This, in turn, triggered old and deeply set emotions of wanting to keep the peace between her sister and her mum and shut down any resentments before they surfaced, so she always opted for outfits that wouldn’t draw attention to herself, whenever she met up with her sister.

This is a very common theme and I come across it again and again and not just at Christmas.  I am also a victim of it!  For my style, I love to mix up luxe items, such as a sequinned top or a velvet jacket, with a pair of jeans.  Or maybe a smart pair of tuxedo trousers, or shiny skirt, with a chunky jumper or a t-shirt.  This completely fits with my understated glam look which is my "vibe". This is a throwback to never being quite sure of the dress code and often getting it wrong (see earlier story!), so I developed a style that would deliberately stand out and cause comment.  A rebellious style that wasn’t quite wrong, but also not quite right!

These emotions and triggers are with us all the time and can be very hard to overcome, especially at this time of year, when feelings are running high. They come in many forms, from being teased in nursery school for wearing your siblings’ cast-offs or having the “wrong” pair of trainers in our teens, to comments made by friends or family as we get older and are feeling vulnerable and unsure of who we are now.

Another thing we have to deal with is the guilt factor of buying.  All the magazines are full of new outfits and the siren call of the newest trend and the sparkly objects is very hard to ignore.  If you are suffering from a lack of confidence and are dreading going to whatever party, or a "do", then appearing in a new outfit could give you the boost you need, but this can bring all sorts of emotions about overspending.

Do you really need a new outfit?  One thing I recommend is looking through Pinterest and your favourite online store and getting inspiration, but then trying to put a similar outfit together from what you have in your wardrobe.  Or maybe think of an outfit you have worn before that you felt really good in and wear that again.  It is amazing what one can find hidden in the back of a drawer or wardrobe – I have just found a lovely beaded jumper I found in a charity shop last Christmas and I had forgotten all about it!  Perfect for Christmas Day!

5 Tips to Tackle Christmas Outfit Anxiety with Confidence

1.       Make a list of all the events you are going to over the Christmas period and plan your outfits according to the dress code of the event.

2.       “Test drive” your outfits before the event – I recently wore a wool skirt with a pair of tights (pantyhose) and by the time I got the office I had created enough static electricity to light the whole of London’s festive lights! So, just make sure the outfit works with

accessories, etc and that the look you had in your mind, works on you!

3.       Before you go out and buy new clothes, check through your wardrobe and see what you have that you can wear again.  Don’t worry if people have seen it before – take it as a compliment if someone comments that you are wearing something again!

4.       Wear clothes that you feel like “you” in.  If you are wearing something that is the polar opposite of what you normally wear, you will feel uncomfortable and like an imposter in your own clothes and this will make your self-confidence plummet.

5.       If you are layering your clothes, i.e. camisole, blouse, jacket, wrap, then make sure that you feel confident in every layer.  It is no good having a lovely cami to strip down to when you are hot from the dance floor, if you can see your bra through it, or you feel uncomfortable about your arms, etc.  You need to feel happy and confident in everything you are wearing!

Finally, just remember that this season is meant to be fun. 

Enjoy yourself, be yourself and look after yourself!

Happy Christmas to you all!

 Read more about the importance of mind-set here -