My friend and fellow blogger Harmony recently sent me a link about Merino Smartwool tights. I own several pairs of opaque tights but no wool ones. They’re “like a Merino sock for your entire lower half,” Harmony explained. These were clearly the next level of cold-weather fashion.
The photo of the Smartwool Estonia Tights II (above) is from Sierra Trading Post. They’re available in Wine Heather and Aegean Heather (photo below from Smartwool). Heathers aren’t just friends from high school anymore!
After I read the specs, I had to look up “crotch gusset” (a word of advice: don’t do a google image search for “crotch gusset”).
In this post, The Chic Fashionista offers some recommendations for wearing wool tights with skirts and dresses. I dig the graphics and lookbooky items on her blog (so many boots and ankle booties to choose from!).
Unlike The Chic Fashionista, though, I can’t sanction tights of any kind with shorts. Maybe this is a generational difference. I dislike shorts even in the summer, unless they’re running shorts, which are to be used only for running.
And you may have noticed that the photo at the top of this post isn’t of tights at all (sometimes WanderChic veers from the path). I found some lovely tights at Portland, OR-based Sock Dreams. The RockNSocks Peacock Feather Over The Knee socks (their photo) are made in the U.S. from eco-wool, which their site claims is “made from 100% post consumer recycled polyester, water and soft drink bottles and merino wool. Both fibers have USA origins and are spun and dyed using non toxic chemicals and dyes.”
Sock Dreams curates everything from anklets to thigh highs to tights. You can search by fabric (cashmere, anyone?). And if you need rainbow furry leg warmers for the upcoming festival season, they’ve got a whole Burning Man category, too.
I learned that my WanderMan has known about Sock Dreams for some time, whereas I’ve just discovered their bounty.
This will be a great new place for online window shopping.