Temptation Thursday: Summer Leg Wear Part I

This request came from Charles of Charles B. Goode: Could you do a post on spring leg wear? Like maybe with fishnets or lightweight stockings?

Oh twist my arm.

So unlike the usual 'Temptation Thursday' post, I'm not going to simply feature stuff that requires a bank robbery or sugar daddy to acquire. What can I say? It's spring and I'm in a good mood. I don't wanna window shop today :).

I actually get a lot of questions about seasonal tights, such as what is good in the summer and what is good in the winter? Of course, tights can be a great accessory in the winter, allowing you and extra layer to stay warmer. But that doesn't necessarily mean that tights gotta go back in the closet when the summer months arrive. You just have to know what to buy.

Fishnets or openwork tights are always a great option, of course, because they allow for the legs to breathe, even though you've got leg wear on. But you can wear regular tights as well, if you pick the right ones. The best thing to do is look at Denier count. The lower the count, the sheerer the tights and the more your legs can breathe. In the winter it works in just the opposite, of course. When people ask me for good winter tights, I always like to recommend tights north of 70 denier. But for the summer, a good rule of thumb is to look at 10 denier or lower. You just have to be careful, of course, because more sheer can often mean more delicate.

Tights



Okay. Nothing like breaking my own rule of thumb with my first pick. But I absolutely have to give a shout out to the Falke Shelina 12 tights. These are dubbed as "makeup for your legs" as they really do look and feel like you're wearing nothing. They also come in 5 different shades to allow you to close match your skin tone, if that's the look you're going for. My very favorite thing about these tights though, is that I bought them years ago, and I've worn them countless times. Not only have they not snagged or torn, but they still fit just as well now as the first time I put them on. Falke can often be pretty expensive, but these particular tights will only run you are $13.



The Oroblu Couture Tresor Tights are a moderately priced pair of 10 denier tights. Again, you're getting the lightweight feel, but you're getting it with a strong, sturdy, well-fitting pair of tights. These should also last you through many wears and washes and be a go-to pair of tights all summer long.



I don't think anyone has a larger selection of basic sheer tights across a wider range of denier counts than Cette. The Cette Long Beach Tights are the sheerest, however at 9 Denier. I recently tried Cette tights for the first time, and now I'm buying them up like crazy. They're very reasonably priced and they're very soft and comfortable tights no matter how sheer or opaque you go. These also come in a variety of skin tone colors, so you can find a pretty close match if you're going for that invisible look.

Open Work Tights

Open work tights are another great option in the summer as they provide a fashion look for the legs while still allowing them to breathe. Open work can mean fishnets, but there are also a ton of other styles available now as leg wear continues to become increasingly more popular.



In my opinion, fishnets do not get any better than the Oroblu Eclatat Fishnet tights. Fishnets can always be tricky in terms of quality. For a long time, it seemed like many designers didn't want to associate themselves with fishnets and left it to the Leg Avenues of the world. In the last several years, though, fishnets have become a mainstream look and, often times, the perfect fashion accessory, especially in the summer. Once again, quality wise, its going to be hard to find anything better than Oroblu. These will look fashionable in just about any type of fishnet look, but will last you about five times the lifespan of your average Leg Avenue fishnets, at a price that isn't significantly higher.



Not only are these tights an exciting variation of the fishnet look, they're absolutely gorgeous. The Le Bourget Futura Fashion tights take open work to a new level. The combination of color and hole variation make these tights an absolute show stopper. If you're looking for a fun and exciting pair of tights in the summer, you're probably not going to do better than these.



You can't do a post on fashion tights without including Trasparenze. The Gipsy Net Tights is Trasparenze's exciting take on fishnet tights. Once again, they've found a way to do their own unique take on a common look. Here, they do fishnet with large circular holes, creating an absolutely dazzling look. For just about the same price as the Oroblu fishnets above, you can be sure to stand out several times as much.

Wow. When I started typing this, I hadn't planned to break it up into multiple posts, but I didn't realize I was going to have this much to type on the subject. I hope you like my suggestion for tights that can help make you feel cool and stylish all summer long. Check back next Thursday for Part II of this post, when I make some thigh high and stocking suggestions.

Oh Holey Tights

What's catching my eye this week in the world of leg wear? Well, with all the heat and humidity up here in the northeast, I'm thinking: ventilation. But a Tights Lover still needs his tights, so here is the latest in open tights, to help keep legs sexy and fashionable even when the heat gets turned up.

Here is just a few to get things going...

Silky Scarlet Medium Net Tights

Callie Crochet Openwork Thigh Highs from StockinGirl

Trasparenze Venus Fashion Fishnet Tights

Jonathan Aston Holes Seamless Leggings

Leg Avenue Contrast Fishnet Backseam Tights

Tuesday Tights Temptations

I'm back from my latest internet trollings of all things tights. As usual, I've got an extensive list of what has caught my eye.

As I put this post together, I am already finding myself unable to resist the urge to reach for my debit card. Here's why:

Pierre Mantoux Tulle Backseam Tights

Falke High Heel Seamed Hold Ups

Silky Anaconda Wet Look Leggings

Pretty Polly Stripe Tights

Max Mara Donna Fashion Tights

Do We Heart These?

Most tights from Levante get all of my love. In fact I've raved about them quite often on my little soapbox here. They're soft, durable stockings and tights of Italian design. They're comfortable all day long and continue to feel great wash after wash. In fact, I often think that I'm wearing something much more expensive when I have my Levante tights on.

All of this said, in an effort to come up with a unique and stylish design, Levante released the Loveheart Seam Tights. Lately I've seen lots of different designs used to create a back seam pattern...as well as stay up pattern and garter strap patterns and the like. Without a doubt, creating the illusion of more stocking-like styles on tights is pretty big right now.

But with the Loveheart's, Levante created a back seam illusion using hearts made out of red sequins. Usually, I'm a fan of sequins, even when they're used on sheer leg wear. But I can't really decide if I like these. I get the feeling that these would be REALLY easy to rip, given that the sequins could catch on something at any given moment. Also, the heart shape just seems a little...I don't know...silly to me.

I'll give Levante credit on one thing. Usually I have no trouble forming a strong opinion one way or another when it comes to lingerie or leg wear. But with these...I'm like, 'hmmmmmm'. I can't really decide.

What do you think?

Fashion Tights from Gerbe

In the spirit of my favorite leg wear designer, Wolford, more and more designers are pushing the envelope with their styles and patterns. It's reached the point where plain flesh tones, or even black are almost too common to even consider.

Following are a few of the latest from Gerbe. These styles are produced in France and sit at a price point that is slightly below Falke and Wolford, creating a pretty good value for the amount of design and style.

Here are a few of my favorites...

Elixir Tights

Fox Trot Tights

Fresque Tights

Nets & Fringe

Typically, the big product roll outs for Wolford occur in the Spring and the Fall. The Spring line usually hits the shelves as soon as the after-Christmas sales clear out most of the Fall inventory.

This year things have been different as, throughout the Fall and the beginning of the Winter, new styles of Wolford tights just continue to roll out. As always, you can count on some very unique styles that you just can find anywhere else.

The Wolford Tender Tights are not so humbly described by Wolford as "The top of fashion heaven". While I may not quite be ready to deify these tights, I certainly am very much taken by their style.

They are net tights with alternating designs down the entire leg. The patterns are all diamond shape, which encircle the leg starting just below the logo waistband and continuing down all the way through the toe. With no interruption in the pattern, these tights can be worn with virtually anything, in any situation. With the pattern looking as nice as it does, these tights are certainly a useful addition.

The tights are a blend of 80% nylon and 20% elastane. The come in four different sizes (XS-L) and two colors (Black and China White). These tights cost £29.00(about $47).

Looking for something completely different? That something could very well be the Wolford Fringe Tights.

These tights are made with what is described as "unusual twenties touch". I certainly can't argue with the unusual part.

These are extremely dense, opaque tights, measuring in at 100 denier. Starting below the knee, are several rows of fringe, sewn into the tights. From a distance, the fringe can almost create the look of a suede boot with fringe, but, as you can see from the picture, the model is actually wearing shoes.

The tights are a blend of 93% nylon and 7% elastane. The come in just black. They come in four sizes ranging from extra small to large. And I guess all that fringe must have been expensive, because these tights aren't cheap, costing an astounding £199.00 (about $323)!

One of Three

After taking a week off for the Thanksgiving holiday, One of Three is back! For those who are new or perhaps don't remember, I'm going to throw three different choices of lingerie/legwear out in this post. I ask the commenters to tell me which one is his/her favorite. Whichever gets the most love, I'll buy and review in an upcoming post.

This week I've decided to go with all things StockinGirl. StockinGirl is a great website as it serves as a sort of a warehouse for a few different manufacturers as well as some stuff that StockinGirl makes under their own label. As such, there's usually a great variety of styles and colors to choose from. Since I get email updates from them almost daily, quite a few things have caught my eye over recent weeks. I've been able to narrow it down to three, as always, the final choice is up to you. So please let me know.

Two weeks ago my 'One of Three' post involved dogstooth tights. Once again, it was amazingly close among all three choices, but the Levante Chevron Dogtooth Tights just barely eeked it out. Check back in a bit for a review of these once they come in.

On to this week:

Emma Colored Opaque Tights

Nothing too crazy about the Emma Colored Opaque Tights. No crazy patterns or fancy designs. What is great about these is that they're soft and warm, and they come in a HUGE variety of colors. Over the recent weeks, I've taken note of several different comments asking me about both warm opaque tights for the coming winter, as well as brightly colored tights to add a little color to an outfit. These tights do a great job of giving you both.

They're available in nine different colors including choices such as red wine, ballerina pink, and khaki, as well as more basic choices like black, espresso, and navy. If you pick these, feel free to choose a specific color, as well, and I'll try to get them in that specific color. In addition to the wide range of colors, these tights are less sheer than many of the ones I review here. If you're looking for a review on a warmer pair of tights, these would make a perfect choice.

The tights are a blend of 85% microfibre and 15% lycra. As mentioned above, they are opague, at 30 denier. In addition to the colors mentioned above, they also come in pecan, light tan, and steel. The tights come in four sizes ranging from small to extra large. They should fit anyone ranging in heights from 4'11" to 5'11" comfortably. These tights cost $17.99.

Clara Swiss Dotted Pantyhose

Lately, I've been on a bit of a dotted tights kick. I found the Clara Swiss Dotted Pantyhose on StockinGirl and immediately fell in love with them. These are made from 100% nylon, which is a bit rare for pantyhose these days.

These tights combine two of my legwear loves, dots and sheer pantyhose, I love how they can be both sexy and smart at the same time. Here in the photo they look great extending out from under a long coat. They'd be just as good under a black business suit or even a more casual skirt.

In addition to being 100% nylon, these pantyhose are very sheer. They are available in both light grey (pictured here) and dark grey. I don't really own many light gray tights, so I think I might like that color. It would be a perfectly unique addition to my tights collection. The Swiss Dotted Pantyhose come in 3 different sizes, fitting anyone from 4'11" to 6'1". These tights cost $21.99.

Ultra Sheer Colored Leggings

Again, I can't get over some of the bright colors I'm seeing on this website. That is what drew me to the Ultra Sheer Colored Leggings. Unlike the colored leggings I looked at earlier this week, these are very sheer and show quite a bit through.

As you can see from the picture, these look great, either worn with dresses or skirts. I'm just taken by how soft and delicate they look. They seem like they'd just feel great on the legs. They can come down to the wearer's ankle or be scrunched up higher on the leg.

These leggings are 100% nylon. They come in colors white, black, red, or hot pink. They're one size fits most. They cost $14.99.

So one things for certain...I'll be swiping my credit card for StockinGirl in the near future. But for what, exactly? Are bright colors and warm opaques the way to go? Or are the current fashion trend of the dotted pantyhose too good to pass up? Maybe the sheer leggings would make for a better purchase and review.

Either way, it's up to you to decide. Whichever style gets the most comments will be featured in an upcoming review. As always, I'm looking forward to hearing what you think.

Diamonds and Dots

I've mentioned a couple of times at this point that I'm loving the latest trend of dotted tights. Today I'm going to do a quick review of the Fogal Pois Tights, which do a great job of incorporating the dot pattern with a equally attractive diamond pattern.

I mentioned in a recent post that Fogal is a new name to me, as I only stumbled across this brand recently on a trip out of town. But this is my second review and I can already say that this brand name has vaulted to among my very favorites. They are incredibly soft, smooth, and comfortable while also looking great.

The dots on the Pois Tights are completely eye-catching. It is done in a black on black pattern that is everywhere lately. But the diamond pattern added to this makes these tights all the more attractive. These tights are perfect for a variety of different looks as they look as appropriate for evening wear as they do for office or casual wear. Given the high quality of these tights, a purchase of these is certain to get plenty of use.

These tights are 94% nylon and 6% spandex. They are sheer at 15 denier. You can find these in 3 different sizes from small to large. They have a logo waistband and a cotton gusset. You can also find these in three different colors. They cost $45.29.

Latest Wolford Lust...

I know this is the time of year when I'm supposed to be blowing my dollars on friends and family. I know I'm supposed to spend my free time searching for the perfect gifts for loved ones, rather than selfishly seeking out new additions to the tights drawer...

You can put the blame on Wolford.

Right now all I can think about is swiping the debit card for the Wolford Hot Dots Tights. I am madly in love with these. Lately I've been all over the dotted tights trend, like many others. But I knew Wolford would have their own personal take on this trend...and do they ever.

These tights come in three different color patterns and have the dotted pattern. But the pattern starts at the toe and ends at slightly above the mid-thigh. There it is met by an absolutely huge bow effect. Both above and below the bow, and opaque legnthway extends down the middle of the leg. The length way is probably over an inch in width.

These tights come in three color patterns: black on black, black on anthracite (a sort of gray), and black on sahara. I like the black on sahara best because, if you're going to do this sort of pattern, you might as well have it show up distinctly.

The tights are made from 75% nylon, 14% elastane, and 11% polyester. They are 20 denier. They are sheer throughout and have a soft knit waistband. They're available in 4 sizes (extra small through large). They cost £32.00 (about $53.03).

I'm also really liking the Wolford Mesh Tights right now. The website describes these as a 'new net-look'. Indeed, they are fishnet-like, but done in a much wider pattern in a looser sort of way. I think these are as sexy as a regular fishnet but, at the same time, I like the unique variation from the common fishnet.

The pattern continues everywhere except for the waistband, which is solid elastic. These tights show a lot of leg and can add a gorgeous detail to just about any look. They're done in the picture here in the 'china white' color. While I almost always buy Wolford tights in black (of which this style is available) I again really like the lighter choice here, because I think the detail is more apparent. I think the white also adds a touch of innocence to the otherwise sexy pattern. A third option (blue ink) is also available for the Mesh Tights.

These tights are a blend of 81% nylon and 19% elastane. They are available in sizes extra small through large. They cost £29.00 ($48.06).

Color Me Happy

We're shedding our basic tans and blacks today for a more colorful look. As the day's get shorter and the temperature drops the time comes to break out the colorful tights. And oh are there plenty of options out there, whether you're looking for solid colors or prefer a pattern. Following is just a sample of what's out there right now, with more to come in the future:



Celeste Stein Designs Lurex Tights

65% nylon 35% cotton

$32












Jonathan Aston Rose Glass Lace and Opaque Tights

86% nylon and 14% elastane; 40 denier

£ 10.00 ($16.79)

Oroblu All Colors 50 Slide Touch Tights

90% nylon and 10% elastane; 50 denier

Available in 15 different colors.

£ 10.00 ($16.71)

Jonathan Aston Spot Seam Tights

91% nylon and 9% elastane; 15 denier

Available in 3 different colors.

£ 8.00 ($13.43)

Aristoc Wet Look Tights

90% nylon and 10% elastane; 80 denier

Available in 2 colors

£ 14.68 ($24.65)

Jonathan Aston Leopard Print Tights

95% nylon and 5% elastane; 40 denier

Available in 4 colors.

£8.95 ($15.03)

Pamela Mann 50 Denier Tights

Lycra based tights.

Available in 19 different colors!

£4.99 ($8.38)

Cette Manhattan Fashion Tights

66% polyamide, 27% polypropylene, 6% elastane, 1% cotton

40 denier

Horizontal lines. Available in 2 colors.

£13.65 ($22.92)

Trasparenze Fedora Tights

85% polyamide, 15% elastane, opaque tights.

Diamond shaped pattern. Available in 2 colors.

£12.95 ($21.75)

Wolford Velvet DevLuxe 50

84% nylon and 15% elastane; 50 denier

Available in 13 different colors.

£18.00 ($30.23)

So....what's YOU'RE favorite color?

One of Three

One style of leg wear that has been surfacing quite a bit lately, is the dog tooth tights. Dog tooth is certainly not a new pattern, as it's been the fashion of choice is Tuscaloosa since the mid 1950s. But even The Bear, himself, never wore it as good as the following three options of tights (at least that any of us know of ;-)). But which is the best? As always, I'm hoping you all can help me choose. Whichever of these three gets the most love in the comments section will be bought and reviewed by me in an upcoming post. As always, I can't wait to hear all of your comments.

Thanks, as always, for your comments last week. In quite the resounding fashion, the Hue Black Liquid Leggings won out. Quite honestly I was hoping they would be the leggings of choice, and they were. They'll be reviewed in an upcoming post, very soon.

On to this week:

Levante Chevron Dogtooth Tights

The pattern on these is a bit more understated, as it is done in a gray on gray. That said, the Levante Chevron Dogtooth Tights are quite nice looking, very versatile, and look warm and comfortable. With the temperature outside due to drop like a rock any day now, I think I'm liking these even better.

They are an opaque tights and the smart looking pattern allows them to be worn in a business setting as well as with a more casual skirt and sweater look. The tone of them, as well as the Levante quality, will allow these tights to be worn over and over as it's unlikely the wearer would get sick of them or the pattern would grow old.

These tights are made from a blend of 88% nylon, 10% lycra, and 2% cotton. I don't have a denier count available, but it seems as though it would be in the 40 (or perhaps higher range). They are made in Italy and available in gray only. They come in medium, tall, and extra tall allowing them to be worn by people with heights up to 6-foot-1. These are also pretty reasonably priced, as they will only set you back £8.65.

Jonathan Aston Dog Tooth Coloured Tights

If the Levante's were understated and conservative, the Jonathan Aston Dog Tooth Coloured Tights are anything but. Certainly Aston decided to go in the exact opposite direction, wanting these tights to help the wearer stand out and get noticed. They're pictured here in 'Ochre', but they are also available in velvet-purple, peacock, and jewel pink.

Similar to the Levante's, these are a more opaque tight and the bright colors help make them perfect for the winter months both by adding plenty of color and by keeping the wearer warm while bearing one's legs. Jonathan Aston is always a leader when it comes to bright colorful patterns, and unique styles, and these tights are no exception. While many of the other dog tooth tights I saw while looking around were done in blacks and grays, these couldn't be more different.

The tights are made from a blend of 93% nylon and 7% elastane. They are warm and opaque at 40 denier. They come in the 4 colors listed above in two different sizes. Once again, they're a pretty reasonable price and good value at £7.90.

Pamela Mann Dogtooth Tights

I've been turned on to Pamela Mann tights a bit more recently than the Jonathan Aston's, but I'm ever bit as happy to have found them. Similar to the options above, Pamela Mann tights are always a great quality at a good value, allowing you to think you wearing tights that were much more expensive than they really were.

The Pamela Mann Dogtooth Tights are available in two different options. If you want colorful like the Aston's, you can get them in a purple and black combination. If you want a more traditional look, you can go for the more basic black and white. Either way the thing that stands out about the Pamela Mann tights, is that the dog tooth pattern is much bigger on these than either of the other options. It depends upon personal preference, but the big pattern really works on these tights, in my opinion.

These tights are 100% nylon. They appear quite opaque, but I can't seem to find a denier count anywhere. They are one size and available in the 2 colors listed above. They cost £10.00, so they are only slightly more expensive than the two styles above.

Despite the fact that we're going with one pattern here, there are three quite different looks here. It's all a question of how distinct or subtle you like this pattern. It all depends on how colorful you like your warm winter tights to be. So which will it be? I'm looking forward to hearing what you think.

Holiday Party?

I guess we're approaching that time of year. Soon we'll be heading out to events that call for a certain level of formal wear but still need a holiday-inspired twist. On way to add a little holiday shine to a little-black-dress event is with the right pair of tights.

The Jonathan Aston Nite Lite Tights could work perfectly. They're your typical Jonathan Aston sheer black tights, but they have a strong shimmer to them. Not just your every day shimmer, these is done in a golden tone. The golden sparkle jumps off these tights and creates a starry night sky look on your legs. It's quite a strong shimmer, so don't try these unless you really want that holiday sparkle.

The tights are quite comfortable, but not the softest I've ever tried. The shiny material with the extra sheerness makes them a tiny bit rougher to the touch, but nothing even approaching uncomfortable. As always, with Jonathan Aston, they're quite durable and a great value for the money.

These tights are 68% polyamide and 32% lurex. They're available in 3 different color combinations: gold on black, silver on black, and gold on chocolate. I tried the gold on black and these certainly have a serious shine to them. They're also available in 3 different sizes. They're super sheer at 10 denier, save for a boxer brief and a reinforced toe. These tights cost £8.00 (about $13USD). Not bad for an early holiday present to yourself.

More Mid-Season Wolford

Some time between its Spring and Fall lines, Wolford rolled out some new styles of tights and other leg wear. I've been profiling some of my favorites here, little by little, and I'm back now to add another two.

The first of these is the Wolford Nostalgia Tights. As usual I have little else to compare this pattern to. The net pattern is done in waves running across the tights horizontally. Looking closely, the pattern almost looks like paper fans in a kind of interlocking pattern. As you get further away it almost looks like alternating larger and smaller zig-zag patterns.

The pattern is the same throughout, save for the toe, where it becomes more dense for added comfort and for the waistband, which is the Standard Wolford logo band with a scalloped edge.

These tights are a blend of 80% Nylon and 20% Elastane. They come in black only and cost £32.00 (about $53). I seriously want to run down the street and grab a pair of these now!

Also new are the Wolford Cachet Tights. These are ajour tights with an "all over holee pattern". These are almost like the exact opposite of fishnets...or maybe fishnets that are the thickest you've ever seen.

At any rate, these are pretty unique tights as well. They look somewhat thick and good for winter yet the holes make them still stylish and perhaps not too heavy. I've purchased ajour tights from Wolford before and have always been impressed by the softness of the material despite its thickness. I'm sure these would fit a similar description.

These tights are a blend of 90% nylon and 10% elastane. Again there is a soft knit waistband, and that is apparently the only place where the hole-pattern is not present, other than around the seam in the sheer panty, including the toes. These are available as knee highs as well, but I prefer them much more as tights. They're available in black, blue ink, and china white. They cost £29.00 (about $48).

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

It's Gettin' Cold......

Three things I'm not ready for:

1. The first time someone walks by my office and says, "Hey, did you hear how much snow we're supposed to get tomorrow?".

2. Weather reports that include the wind chill.

3. Being late for work behind a driver who is apparently encountering a quarter-inch of snow for the first time in his/her life.

Three things I'm already sick of:

1. Every time someone says, "It's supposed to be a really cold winter this year".

2. That I keep hearing, "We're well below average temperatures for this time of year".

3. That we've already reached the point where everyone asks each other "How is it out there?" every time someone comes in from outside.

Yes I know, Winter is almost upon us. And while cold temperatures don't bother me as much as some people, I hate when fall comes to an end. I especially hate the constant reminders of how miserable winters are around here. Yeah I know...I've lived here all my life.

But it's inevitable in a death and taxes sort of way. When my parents came to this country, they picked New England...and for some reason I never left, so this is what I deal with.

At least its an excuse to start looking at the heavier tights. As always, there are some great looks out there, and you don't have to spend a fortune. Let's look at some below.

How about some merino wool? The Trasparenze Gennifer Merino Wool Tights will help keep your legs warm throughout the winter. They are made of 70% wool, 15% microfibre, and 15% elastane. They're also sheer to waist with a reinforced toe. They have a matte finish.

The best part? These tights come in 10 different colors. You can find a color to match virtually any look you might be going for. So there's no need to sacrifice comfort in the name of style. Just pick a color, throw these comfy tights on, and you're ready to rock your favorite outfit.

These tights come in 3 different sizes. They cost £12.20 (about $20).

The Pamela Mann Monochrome Tights are a fun two-tone pattern that are said to be "Chanel inspired". Good thing is, because they're Pamela Mann, you won't be paying Chanel prices.

These tights come in two different color options, either black/white or nude/black. They're a fun way to dress up a winter look and still stay warm. They're 40 denier, so they have decent thickness to protect the leg from the cooling temperatures.

These tights are sheer to waist and have a reinforced toe. They also have a matte finish. They're 90% nylon and 10% elastane. These tights come in one size fits all.

Once again, a little extra warmth won't cost you too much, as these tights are £8.95 (about $15).

Textured tights are also a very good option. Aristoc is always one of my favorite go-to brands when it comes to value. The Aristoc Wool Texture Diamond Opaque Tights here are made from a wool blend, but have a nice diamond pattern to them.

Aristoc did a great job of making a warm tight fashionable. These tights are sheer to waist and have a sheer toe. That would make them a good option for an event where you need to be dressy (maybe open-toed dressy) but the weather outside isn't so warm. These tights are made from 64% nylon, 30% wool, 5% elastane, and 1% cotton. They have a matte finish.

They're available in two different sizes in black only. They cost £11.74 (about $19). These tights are advertised as "thick and cozy" and are said to keep you warm throughout the winter.

Also available from Aristoc are the Striped Pellerine Tights. These tights are a comfy wool blend done in a very nice pattern. The nice texture and pattern again allow you to dress these tights up as much as you want and still stay warm.

These tights are a very opaque 60 denier. They're also 80% wool, combined with 17% nylon, 2% elastane, and 1% cotton.

I really like the way these look with just a pair of black pumps in the picture. They'd look just as good with a pair of knee boots, I think.

The tights come in 2 different sizes in black only. They cost £11.95 (about $20).

We're not done yet. After all, what says 'winter' more than a blue star design on a gray background. I love the way these look with the silver pumps in the picture. These are the Stellar Star Cozy Wool and Cotton Tights, by Jonathan Aston. These tights look perfect for a holiday party, or even just going out in the middle of the Winter.

Wool and cotton just sounds warm, doesn't it? They're a very opaque 80 denier, so there will be some thickness between your legs and the cold winter air. These tights are a blend of 40% wool, 40% cotton, 15% nylon, and 5% elastane.

These tights are available in one size in this pretty Zinc/Royal color. As with all of Jonathan Aston, these appear to be a pretty good value at £11.70 (about $19).

I'll keep updating on the latest cozy styles as the Winter rolls on. Just don't tell me how much snow we're going to be getting. I don't even want to know.

Stay warm, my friends.

One of Three...and a Giveaway!

I've decided that it's time for a long overdue giveaway. Since I've gotten so many great comments lately on the stuff I've profiled I'd like to give away one winner a free pair of Falke leg wear. How can you win it? Read on.

This week we're back to leg wear as I've noticed that I've been neglecting Falke, one of my favorite brands. During the time since my last Falke purchase, they've introduced a whole slew of new stuff, which isn't really all that surprising as no one turns their styles over as quickly as Falke, when it comes to leg wear. I've poured over all of Falke's new stuff and narrowed it down to three possibilities. In order to come up with three very distinct choices, I've decided to go with one pair of tights, thigh highs, and leggings. Now, as always, I'm turning it over to you. Whichever of the three gets the most comments will be reviewed in an upcoming post.

Thanks to all for your comments from last week. It couldn't have been closer, I seemed to come up with three good choices, I guess. In the end, the Blush Femme Fatale Garter Pantie seemed to just barely win out. So stay tuned for a review on that one. I can't wait myself!

On to this week:

Falke Maxime Tights

They're Falke and they're tights, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to love them.

Falke often goes sheer throughout with most of their tights. With the Maxime Tights, however, there's a boxer brief at the top. On the model it appears to come almost down to the mid-thigh. From there a very pretty wide diamond shape takes over. The website is a bit sketchy on the details, but it appears the pattern continues down to near the toe. There is a reinforced toe at the very bottom. There's also a small circle where each of the diamonds connect which adds just a bit to this look. Finally, the circles are repeated again around the waistband. It's supposed to be a unique take on argyle, and I think its very well done.

The tights come in two sizes, Small/Medium and Medium/Large. The only color option is black. The tights are 91% polyamide, 7% elastane, and 2% cotton. Typically, that type of polyamide (or nylon) count means a pretty sheer and pretty delicate tight. They cost £20.00 (about $32 USD).

Falke Eve Hold Ups

Looking at these stunning hold ups make me wonder why I didn't include them in the hold ups post a while back. The Falke Eve Hold Ups is feminine floral lace at its absolute very best. Pictured here, in ivory, the stay ups have an opaque pattern of leaves and flowers descending down the leg against a sheer background. Behind the pattern, almost too subtle to be seen in the picture, are opaque pinstripes that descend down the leg, beneath the pattern.

At the top the band seems to have a pinstripe design as well, but no lace embellishment. These are a very pretty and feminine take on a leg wear piece that most often is sexy and inviting, creating almost the perfect combination. These are among the prettiest hold ups, I've come across recently.

They are also available in black and amethyst. In either case, the floral pattern is the same color as the sheer leg, just not as sheer. I haven't seen the other two colors pictured, but it's hard to believe they could be any better than the ivory.

These hold ups are 80% polyamide, 11% polyester, and 9% elastane. They come in sizes 1-3 in the three colors mentioned above. They cost £22.00 ($36).

Falke Cotton Touch Footless Leggings

With the cold weather steadily approaching, it's probably time I start reviewing some leggings. Given how in love I am with falke tights and stockings, I have to imagine I'd love their leggings. The Cotton Touch Footless Leggings seem like a good place to start as they are your basic legging with a blend of cotton.

They're 60 denier, so they should have some level of transparency to them, though they should still be thick and comfy. They are intended to fit right down at the ankle, so they'd be perfect for boots of any height, which is always key. Finally, if they have the comfort and softness of the Falke tights, I may never want to wear anything else!

The leggings are a blend of 50% polyamide, 43% cotton, and 7% elastane. They come in 4 different sizes (small through extra large) and four different colors (amethyst, cigar, opal, and sapphire...or for those of us who don't come up with fancy names for our colors: brown, black, green, and maroon....ish). These leggings cost £13.00 (about $21 USD).

So, once again, we're looking at three great pieces from one great designer. It's all a matter of which you like best and what you'd like to hear more about.

Oh...and about that giveaway. Here's how you can win.

1. Simply tell me in a comment, by Tuesday at midnight EST, which is your favorite and why...yes it can be only one.
2. Of the option that gets the most votes, one name will be randomly picked and that person will get a pair of whatever they picked.
3. I will announce the winner here on my Wednesday post.

Easy enough, right?