Bamboo dress and tights and how they work together

Short answer: Tights make a summer dress wearable in winter. The colour of the tights decides whether it looks planned or like a stopgap.

The same colour as the shoes

Tights in the same colour as your shoes lengthen the leg and look pulled together. Contrast splits the leg in the middle and makes the whole figure look shorter. It is the most common mistake in this combination. Black tights with black shoes and brown with brown is the simplest rule, and it works with almost any dress.

When the dress sets the colour

If you have no shoes in a matching colour, the tights can follow the dress instead. A navy dress with navy tights gives a long, calm line from shoulder to foot. It works best with a plain dress, because a print and a strong colour underneath can compete for attention.

Density by temperature

Sheer tights give coverage without warmth. Opaque ones give warmth and look more wintry. Switch by the weather rather than the calendar, so you do not freeze on a cold October day or overheat on a mild day in March. See the range in women's bamboo tights.

The dress must be heavy enough

A very light summer dress looks wrong with opaque tights. A midweight works, because the weight of the dress matches the weight of the tights. Uneven weight is what reads as wrong, even when the colours match. Midweight jersey is the easiest starting point. See bamboo dresses.

The length of the dress

A dress that ends just above the knee is the easiest to combine with tights, because the leg shows, but not too much. Very short dresses with opaque tights can look heavy at the bottom, while a long dress shows only a little, so the colour matters less there.

Cling and static

A dress can stick to tights and ride up as you walk. It happens most when both are synthetic. A soft fabric like bamboo viscose glides more easily, and a slip layer between the two solves it if it still happens. Check by taking a few steps in front of the mirror.

A layer on top

A jumper or cardigan finishes the combination. It adds warmth to the upper body so the whole outfit suits the season, and it ties dress and tights together. Choose a layer in a colour that repeats in either the dress or the tights. See women's bamboo sweatshirt.

Shoes for the combination

Ankle boots and closed shoes are the natural choices in winter. Sandals with opaque tights rarely look right, because the signals about the season contradict each other. If the shoes are low, let the tights follow the shoes in colour so the foot does not look cut off from the leg.

Caring for tights

Tights last longer when washed in a laundry bag at a low temperature and dried flat. Take off rings before putting them on, and pull them up in small movements rather than one long pull. That protects the knit, and the pair that suits your favourite dress lasts several seasons.

Frequently asked questions

Which colour tights go with a dress?

The same colour as your shoes. It lengthens the leg and looks pulled together, and if you have no matching shoes, the tights can follow the dress instead.