Wear Fishnets Elegantly
Fishnet stockings or tights are not the easiest of looks to pull off and still look like a lady. To make fishnets appear more elegant, here are a few suggestions.
Steps
- Wear Wear Gothic Accessories only if you like them. There is little point forcing yourself to wear a fashion item you can't stand, as you simply won't carry it off while worrying about it!
- Wear the right clothing. Fishnets paired with a mini and high heels are suggestive of quite the opposite of ladylike clothing. Instead, wear your fishnets with a skirt that sits just above the knee. A skirt that is longer is also fine.
- Don't neglect the statement fishnets can make under pants worn to the office; just a hint of sexiness.
- Keep the rest of your clothing simple. Avoid patterns or prints that compete with the fishnets and let the fishnets be the interesting fashion statement only. Wear tailored shirts, bespoke jackets, and neat clothing as a whole. Keep the makeup toned right down, and the accessories and jewelry likewise. Wear Pearls work well as elegant understatement jewelry.
- Use fishnets to make bland, neutral, and otherwise basic clothing look less matronly and more elegant.
- Consider wearing fishnets that have finer mesh. These will appear less "racy" and more toned down than wider meshed fishnets. The smaller the diamond shapes, the better the look and the easier it is to suggest sophistication.
- Wear appropriately colored fishnets. Stick with black, brown, or nude for day wear.
- Wear closed toe shoes. Avoid anything open-toed as it looks messy. Boots are also a fine option; indeed a knee-length dress or skirt with knee-high boots and a touch of fishnet in between can be very ladylike provided the clothing is good quality.
- Wear solid tights underneath fishnets. Choose an interesting color for the tights, and make it bright for extreme contrast (providing it matches the rest of your outfit). For day wear, choose office-acceptable colors like navy blue and dark green; for the evening, be more daring, especially when coupling the tights and fishnet combination with the little black dress.
Tips
- Shave your legs. Hairs poking through the fishnet cavities are not an elegant fashion statement. An alternative is to wear pantyhose under the fishnets for a smooth look at a pinch.
- If you're talking Halloween, then this isn't the article for you; elegance and Halloween are not really synonymous, or at least, not necessarily so!
- Leg warmers or long socks can also be placed over fishnets to cover up the extent of the stockings or tights.
- If your thighs are obvious in the outfit you're wearing, skip the fishnets. Then again, at this height, maybe looking ladylike isn't your thing!
Warnings
- The term "skanky" or "sleazy" is still liberally applied to fishnets by people of either gender. However, the fashionistas tend to think that it is possible to wear fishnets and not have unfavorable connotations placed upon the choice. It's really up to your own sense of style and preference. You might need a willingness to boldly set the occasional rude person straight though!
- Fishnets with large holes/diamonds should not be worn as day wear; leave these for the clubbing and punk look.
Things You'll Need
- Smaller holed fishnets
- Tights
- Suitable clothing
Related Articles
- Make a Punk Rock Fishnet Top Hat
- Make Leggings from Tights
- Strengthen Tights or Pantyhose
- Make Socks out of an Old Pair of Tights
- Choose Color Stockings or Tights
Sources and Citations
- Rebecca Apsan, The Lingerie Handbook, p. 130, (2006), ISBN 0-7611-4323-8 – research source
