Female of the Species

Post title is a song by Space. I had this idea of just putting media player on random and using the title or some lyrics from the first song that comes up as my post title. Let me know if you prefer the more traditional post titles.

Purple tights and blue shoes, yay or nay?

I Love Tights But We Don't Get On.

I ripped my bow tights taking them off after the first time I wore them, back in high school there was an awful incident involving a thin pair of tights and a coat which had velcro, and now this! I bought these tights a couple of weeks ago from New Look.

Image from New Look

I was trying them on for the first time and a massive hole appears in the ankle and ladders up the leg. I hadn't even got them on properly! I've convinced myself there must have been a fault with them as I didn't feel them catch or anything but there's no way I could prove it. Part of me wonders whether it is worth spending more on tights as they might be better quality, I haven't damaged my Henry Holland tights yet, but it will be all the more upsetting if I ladder an expensive pair of tights. Sheer tights can be so pretty but I think for economys sake I should stick to my trusty 60 deniers.

Henry Holland for Pretty Polly Tights

Jacket Donated by my Mother
Dress Warehouse
Tights Henry Holland for Pretty Polly via ASOS
Shoes New Look
Necklace Vintage locket from my Nan

As always I was seriously behind everyone else on this trend but I don't care. I LOVE these tights. I wore the above outfit on a night out for a friends birthday. Sadly their awesomeness was totally wasted on the locals. I also tried to wear this outfit to the London Science Museum for my birthday day out but my mother said it was inappropriate. She was probably right, there were a lot of young families there.

A Very Belated Birthday Present

Today is my birthday and these are actually last years present from my friend that I only received a few weeks ago. To be fair to her I was away on Global Xchange over my birthday last year. It's two pairs of footless tights though I wore one of each leg rather than take two photographs. My favorites are the blue ones. I like how both are bright but still pastely colours.

Feeling Pretty Chuffed

My slashed tights tutorial is a featured project on cut out + keep and currently the fourth third most popular project!

If I had known I might have made the time to take better pictures. Also feeling slightly guilty about the fact that I haven't worn my tights out of the house yet!?! I'm planning to make a toned down version with smaller slashes. Just need to find another pair of old tights lying around!

Slashed Tights Tutorial

You will need: A ruler or tape measure, tailors chalk or some other non-permanent way of marking your tights, small sharp scissors and a pair of old thick tights or new ones if you're brave (mine are at least 60 denier). The thicker they are the less likely they are to ladder once you've slashed them. Leggings would work too.

Step 1: Put your tights on.

Step 2: Mark lines across the middle of your leg where you want to make the slashes. I started mine at the thigh just low enough to be decent and marked lines 4cm (2") across with a 1cm (1/2") gap between each line. With hindsight I think this was a bit wide but it's totally up to you how wide you make your slashes and how far apart they are. It's not an exact process I really didn't do mine all that neatly. In fact I gave up using the ruler half way down my first leg and as you can see not all my slashed are the same length or the same length apart but it still works.

Step 3: Cut along you lines. Be careful not to cut or scrape your legs while cutting (like I did).

Ta Da! Done.

You could use some clear nail varnish around the edges of the slashes to make them more durable but I didn't bother. Although note that I haven't actually worn these out yet. I have no idea how long they will last.

Slashes can be worn at the front...

...or at the back.

Personally I prefer them at the back. From the front you are just wearing plain black tights then turn around and suddenly it's a very different look.

Tights

I nearly broke my pledge but I was strong. I wore out my gorgeous new bow tights for the first time on Saturday night. They are quite thin so I was pretty careful with them then guess what I laddered them taking them off! I was so gutted I nearly bought a new pair online straight away but then I thought of my pledge and had second thoughts. Should I really spend £8 on a pair of tights that on average so far I get one wear out of? No, I thought. Instead I'm going to attempt to salvage the unladdered parts and make some little knee length socks. I don't know if it will work.

Image from Top Shop
They are soo pretty though. I may get some if they are still around once the pledge is up. This image is from Top Shop although I bought mine from Dorothy Perkins, all the high street shops seem to be stocking them at the moment.

On a similar note I am really into tights at the moment. I have my little phases. I foresee something of a tights spree once the pledge is up (told you that I wasn't exactly taking it in the right spirt). Here's a few on the shopping list.

Image from tatto socks on esty
Peacock feather tattoo tights from tattoo socks on esty. Just discovered this shop and I love all their designs but I think this one is my favourite.

Image from mytights.com
Henry Holland for Pretty Polly Graduated Tights from mytights.com

Image from mytights.com
Emilio Cavallini Contrast Seam & Heel Tights, the white with black contrast seam of course, from mytights.com

Image from mytights.com
Jonathan Aston Silhouette Stripe Tights also from mytights.com I imagine these are super sliming.

New Tights

Aren't these tights cute? I actually had to have them.
They would be perfect for Valentines day, if only I weren't missing the rather essential feature of a date. Sigh, what a waste of pretty tights.

Tights & Shoes Both New Look