Being from Texas, I must confess my deep affinity for hot weather.  I live for summer with bare legs and espadrilles and cotton dresses.  However, I do have a great love of tights and I am quite excited to start enjoying cooler temperatures around these parts.  At last, it is time to start shopping for fall leg wear!

I first developed my obsession with tights last fall.  I stuck to black tights , with the exception of a pair of bright turquoise leggings that I wore only once.  This year I have vowed to be a bit more adventurous with my hoisiery, and luckily for me, a ton of options are available.

So let’s explore!

First up, this fantastic pair by Betsey Johnson:

Betsey Johnson Diamond Tights at Nordstrom, $30.00

The fishnet-like pattern is bold, but the blue background is timid enough to make these office appropriate.  With tights like these, it is critical to keep the rest of your outfit SIMPLE. Pair these tights with a slim black pencil skirt, or a black wool dress.  For shoes, plain black pumps or mary-janes will be the perfect accompaniment.

Next up, this cable knit pattern from Assets:

Assets by Sara Blakely Tights at Target, $14.00

I love the richness of the texture!  They’re like a sweater for your legs!  You can pair these with something of a bolder hue for contrast.

I love the herringbone print on these tights:

Hue Herringbone Sweater Tights at Hue.com, $22.00

These would be perfect with a sweater dress, or even a brown suit.  They are also certain to keep your legs warm on chillier days.

Spanx also has an entire collection of tights for those of us in need of a little more control:

Spanx Arrow Pattern Tights at Nordstrom, $28.00

In addition to providing the famous slimming effect of Spanx, these tights will dress up your legs and any simple dress or suit.  These tights are conservative enough for even the strictest dress code.

For the first time this year, I will be investing in a pair of the world famous Wolford tights.  First up, I love the thickness of these:

Wolford Winter Soft Logic Tights at Neiman Marcus, $55.00

Last year,  the tights I wore most were my black opaque tights:

Wolford Matte Opaque Tights at Neiman Marcus, $52.00

I know what you are thinking…. $50+ for FREAKIN’ TIGHTS?

Believe it!

I spent considerably more than that on tights last year.  Not because I bought Wolford, but because I bought them at Target.  I bought them again and again and again.  Why?  Because they developed runs, or they were stretched, or they got dirty and were snagged during my attempts to clean them.  I would rather spend a hefty sum up front than $5-10 each week on tights that do not last.

Of course, there is a limit to my madness.  I will be investing in black tights and leggings, but cheaping out on those things I do not expect to wear often, like brightly colored tights.  I’m all about balance!

I am not, however, all about this:

JUST SAY NO.

Slynnro is the author of Slynnro, a personal blog chronicling travel escapades, fashion and skincare obsessions, and various amusing anecdotes about marriage.  She also reviews skin care products and much more at her review blog, What is in my…..