Your tights have the power to totally transform the way you look.  They are an easy way to add a dash of bright colour.  They can tie an outfit together with complementary shades.  We are all watching our pennies too so, if you want to wear the latest trends, tights can be an affordable way to update your outfits for the new season.  If you need a little inspiration for your autumn and winter wardrobe, here is my guide to how to wear this season’s hottest looks.

Spots

If you want a really easy way to a fashionable style then spots are it.  Marc Jacobs caused a sensation with his ultra spotty Autumn Winter collection and ever since we’ve been seeing spots everywhere.  Oh so wearable, bold polka dot patterns, colour and subtle dots give you almost endless options.  Whatever your style, we’ve got all the spotty styles you could need from brands like Mary Portas for Charnos, Emilio Cavallini, Pamela Mann and Gerbe.

Mustard

Mustard is simply the colour to be seen in this season.

Stars from Pixie Geldof to Sarah Jessica Parker to Rihanna have been seen sporting the shade.   It goes well with black, navy, brown and other autumnal shades so just show a flash of mustard in your tights, bag or jewellery.   Cut the mustard in the fashion stakes with Pamela Mann’s 50 Denier Tights.

60s Mod

Fashion thrives on nostalgia.  Designers like Henry Holland and Bottega Venetta have given us sleek 60s looks for Autumn Winter.  Short skirts and high necks with peter pan collars in monochrome palettes will really work this look – Pamela Mann’s Duo-Tone Tights in black and white are our favourites for an easy 60s hit!  White opaques are essential but if you want to add a dash of colour Henry Holland’s Bingo Balls Tights will give you very look that was showcased on his AW11 cawalk show.  Go all the way and beehive your hair if you dare!

70s Style

We’ve detected a very definite 70s vibe in the air of late.  Our favourite way to give the 70s an outing is by channelling the original Studio 54 look with its mix of disco and luxurious bohemian style.   Load up on lurex with Pamela Mann’s Lurex Highball Tights but make sure you mix with silk and satin to strike the right note of luxury.   The Mary Portas and Charnos Baroque Floral Tights or Jonathan Aston’s Taylor Tights both feature brocade style patterns in metallic threads to give a high end and luxe disco look.

Fetish

Power dressing for this season is about fetish inspired accents – don’t worry it’s not all Lady Ga Ga latex.  Leather, buckles and studs can be added to your outfit in subtle touches to give you a tough, edgy look like the models at Lois Vuitton and Alexander McQueen.  Jonathan Aston’s Casino Tights and Roulette Tights with their sheer and opaque strap designs are a great way to get the fetish look without showing any flesh.   Team with spiky heels and platforms and you have a sharp look that says “don’t mess with me!”

Make over your wardrobe with accessories featuring mustard, spotty prints or fetish inspired straps and buckles.  Tights are a really easy and cheap way to transform your favourite outfits to make them relevant for this season.  Alternatively, throw yourself into the retro trend with 60s and 70s inspired looks from head to toe.  Whatever you decide to do, make sure you have lots of fun with your look this season.

Retail guru Mary Portas came to the rescue of deserted charity shops and ailing independent boutiques but, by opening her very own shop, she is stepping up to her biggest challenge yet.  Sick of shopping in high street shops that seem to ignore fashionable and stylish women in their 40s and over, Mary decided to take matters into her own hands.  As part of her new fashion collection Mary has collaborated with world renowned hosiery brand Charnos to create a range of Mary Portas Armery which will banish wobbly upper arms for ever and a new range of Mary Portas Tights “…..using colour and pattern to inspire women to be bolder in their choice of hosiery, yet remain ultimately stylish”.

No matter how hard you work at the gym, once the wobble has set in on your upper arms it is notoriously difficult to get rid of.  It’s even more frustrating trying to find beautiful, feminine outfits that incorporate sleeves leaving many women to resort to unflattering cardigans or jackets.  If you have ever felt self conscious about your upper arms then Mary Portas has hit upon a ground breaking solution – Armery.  In a nutshell, they are sleeves you add to your outfit to cover up and secretly sculpt your arms to make them look slimmer and firmer.  Fashion mags have been all over them and they have been selling so fast it is hard to believe no-one thought of this before! Choose between plain, classic 140 denier or a gorgeous lace design both of which can be worn underneath to look like sleeves or over your clothing as a fashion accessory in its own right.  They are discreet and easy to wear and come in a range of great colours.  The Mary & Charnos Armery is a revolution that will have you digging out all those sleeveless dresses and tops you had once banished to the back of the wardrobe.

The range of Mary Portas Tights really is a statement in grown up dressing.  Mary claims to be able to put together her professional but fashionable look in 10minutes each morning and we can see why.  The Mary Portas tights range includes fashion pieces that are really versatile so you can mix and match a range of looks.  Her Argyle Backseam Tights for example are an  easy way to wear a dash of one of the season’s most fashionable patterns without overpowering your outfit.  Her Crochet Lace Tights and Spotty Net Tights are soft enough for day wear but it doesn’t take much to glam them up for a night out – ideal for if you are planning to head out for drinks straight from the office.  The range also includes Baroque Floral Tights with a metallic sheen that will instantly add a luxurious feel to your outfit, vertical stripes that will flatter the legs as well as spotted styles that will keep you in touch with one of the season’s hottest trends.

Legs don’t look grown up with ladders so the Mary Portas tights range also includes beautiful 10 denier sheers which are made with Lycra Fusion for extra run resistance.  When the temperature drops she has also get a range of luxurious opaques in 40 and 80 denier in a range of these season’s key colours.

Just like her approach to business, Mary’s approach to fashion is no nonsense.  She knows women over 40 especially appreciate great quality but they still need it to be at an affordable price.  She also knows that, whether dressing for work or the weekend, grown up women don’t have time to ponder endlessly over what to wear.  A well dressed leg (and arm) is key to finishing an outfit and the Mary Portas tights are proof that you don’t need to dress like a teenager to acknowledge the season’s key trends.  Grown up, classy and effortlessly stylish – that’s the Mary and Charnos range.