Nylons vs. Tights

Now that the weather is getting colder (at least on the East Coast), its time to answer that age old debate: nylons vs. tights.

Nylon was invented in 1935 as a synthetic alternative to silk. Through a stroke of genius, nylon was marketed as women’s hosiery during the 1940s when war rationing left a shortage of silk stockings. Originally, nylons were hand-knit, leaving a telltale seam up the side. Despite the invention of seam-eliminating knitting machines, seams did not fall out of fashion until a few years later. Currently, nylons come in a variety of colors, thicknesses, and textures, however; their popularity is starting to decline due to the growing acceptance of bare legs and open toed shoes.

Which pair to wear? photograph by: Daniel Case

Tights are generally considered thicker and denser than nylons, but in Great Britain, nylons fall under the umbrella of tights. Made from a variety of fabrics including nylon, wool, and cotton, tights are a versatile form of legwear.

Which pair to wear?

• Wear tights with your shortest mini skirts
• Wear tights with your school uniform
• Wear nylons with formal dresses and suits
• Don’t wear nylons with any visible runs – so unpreppy
• And never wear tights or nylons with open toed shoes! (oh, horror)

Sources: http://www.orgsites.com/oh/nylon-stocking-society/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tights