We love Topshop's heart tights

Nobody likes baring their legs in winter. Cold weather wreaks so much havoc on our skin, not even lashings of our old faithful cocoa butter make us feel better about displaying our pins. Fact: Black tights feel like the only hope; they hide a multitude of sins, make our legs look longer and look great with everything from sequinned mini dresses to winter shorts. But here’s another fact: There are so many amazing alternatives out there for A/W09, it’s high time we binned them off for good. From the stripes seen at Jean Paul Gaultier and Alexander McQueen to the bling of Miu Miu, if the catwalks are anything to go by, luxe hosiery is having its moment. Here’s a selection of the latest takes on tights, stockings and hold-ups and when to wear them…

Time To Work It

Most offices stick to a ‘classic’ dress code, meaning black, black and more black. Erm, boring, boring and more boring! So black tights are a safe bet for the workplace, but there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t substitute them for something on-trend without causing offence. Anything with sparkle, stripes, swirls or checks constitutes luxe by Vogue standards, so take a leaf out of their bible and go for patterned heart or polka dot tights from Topshop or these fabulous dog tooth coloured tights from king of high street hosiery, Jonathan Aston. We also love these very now lace tights that are just on the right side of demure for that Monday morning meeting. Perfect teamed with one of A/W09’s seriously structured dresses…

Time For Me

Away from the office, there’s no excuse not to have a lot more fun. Think outside the box to footless tights, knee high socks and different textures. If A/W09 has taught us anything, it’s to texturise! And so the eighties machine keeps on rolling… Topshop has tons of really wearable footless tights that can take you from Christmas shopping in your flats to drinks with the girls in those gold-spiked platforms you’ve just bought, in minutes. We love TS’s lace stirrup tights and Jonathan Aston’s cuffed baggy leggings make the transformation from day to night, too. Try Levante Argyle’s semi opaque knee socks in patterned purple, or Jonathon Aston is also worth checking out for the fun factor with these metallic brocade print tights. Pretty in pink.

Henry Holland's sexy mock stockings

Time To Party

Ok, now down to the serious business. The most important thing about ditching your old favourite opaques for something more daring is that your new purchase can completely update an outfit. If you can’t afford a new party dress for the Christmas season, you probably won’t even notice (that much) when your pins are making the statement instead. Take House Of Holland. Henry Holland has come up with an ingenious line of mock suspenders and over-the-knees to vamp up any LBD. What Katie Did does a great range of vintage suspenders if you’re after the real thing, but Henry’s designs offer a bit more, erm, coverage while at the same time embracing the underwear-as-outerwear philosophy sweeping the catwalks. But if Henry Holland’s not avant-garde enough for you – Wolford’s fringed tights could be exactly what you’re looking for! Ok, so they’re technically ‘black tights’ but look closely: The 100-denier design has tiered layers of fringing down the calf and around the ankle. They’re the ultimate statement tights, but at £199.99, you might have to stick them on your Christmas list and hope for the best…