Plus Size Tights: How to Size Them and Which Denier to Wear

Choose plus size tights by the brand's height-and-weight chart, and size up if you sit between two sizes or are tall for the range. Then pick the denier for the outfit: sheer for evening dresses, opaque for work and winter, fleece-lined for real cold.

Tights that fit stay up, don't sag at the crotch and don't dig in at the waist. Getting there is mostly about reading the chart correctly, so that's where this guide starts.

How to find your size in plus size tights

Womens plus size tights are sized on a grid of height and weight rather than a dress size, and every brand's grid is a little different. Here's how to use one:

1. Find the chart on the listing or the package. Don't guess from your dress size.
2. Cross your height with your weight. The box where they meet is your size.
3. If you're between sizes, go up. A size too big wrinkles a little at the ankle; a size too small rolls down and digs in.
4. If you're tall for your size range, go up, or look for a tall or long-leg version. Tights that are too short in the leg pull down at the crotch all day.
5. Check the waistband. A wide, flat or high-rise waistband sits more comfortably than a thin elastic one and is less likely to roll.

The gusset matters too. A wider gusset (the panel at the crotch) helps tights sit where they should, and some listings mention a cotton gusset.

Deniers, explained for dresses

Denier measures how heavy the yarn is: the weight in grams of 9,000 meters of it. The higher the number, the thicker and more opaque the tights. Brands draw the lines in slightly different places, but this is the general range:

• Sheer (up to about 20 to 30 denier, depending on the brand): see-through with a light sheen. Wear with evening and cocktail dresses and lighter fabrics.
• Semi-opaque (about 30 to 50 denier): a soft, visible color with a little skin showing through. Good with work dresses and midis in fall.
• Opaque (about 50 denier and up): solid color, no skin showing. Wear with sweater dresses, knit midis and winter work outfits.
• Thick or fleece-lined: the heaviest option, for very cold days with boots.

The same denier can look different depending on the color and how much the tights stretch. A pair stretched across a fuller leg looks a little more sheer than on the packet, so if you want a solid opaque look, lean toward the higher end of the range.

Color changes the look as much as denier. Black and navy look the most solid at any denier. Nude and skin-tone shades should be close to your own skin, or a touch deeper, so they look like a smooth leg rather than a stocking; compare the shade names and photos on the listing with your skin in daylight, and buy two shades if you're unsure.

The best plus size tights by type

The best plus size tights depend on the outfit, so think about the dress and the weather first. Plus size tights for women come in four main types worth knowing.

Sheer

Sheer tights are for evening dresses, weddings and parties, where you want a polished leg without a solid block of color. Black is the classic; nude shades suit lighter dresses and summer events. Look for a listing that gives the denier and a size chart that reaches your size. For more on deniers and fits, see sheer black tights.

Opaque

Opaque tights are the everyday winter workhorse. They look neat with work dresses, knit midis and sweater dresses, and they're more forgiving of snags than sheer pairs. Black, navy, brown and gray cover most outfits. For full winter outfit ideas, see plus size winter outfits.

Fleece-lined

Fleece-lined tights have a soft brushed lining on the inside, which makes them the warmest option for very cold days. From the outside they often look like opaque tights, and some styles have a sheer-looking outer layer over a skin-tone lining. They're thicker, so they suit boots better than delicate shoes. See fleece-lined tights for how the styles differ.

Control top

Control-top tights have a firmer knit through the top, from the waist over the hips. Some people prefer the smooth, held-in feel under a fitted dress. Others find a softer top more comfortable for a long day, so choose by what you like to wear. Check where the listing says the control panel ends and how the waistband is made.

Plus size tights with designs

Plus size tights with designs add personality to a simple dress. The main options:

• Patterned: polka dots, small florals, houndstooth or geometric prints. Great with a plain black dress.
• Fishnet: small-hole fishnets look the most polished; wide-hole fishnets read party.
• Seamed back: a line up the back of the leg, with a vintage feel.
• Colored: burgundy, forest green or mustard opaques with a neutral dress. See burgundy tights for that look.

Patterned tights suit casual days, creative offices, date nights and holiday parties. With a sequin or velvet dress, a dotted sheer tight looks festive; plus size holiday dresses has dress ideas. Skip patterns for formal weddings, funerals and conservative offices, where plain sheer or opaque tights look right.

Tights pair best with boots that fit your calves. If you struggle with that, wide calf boots covers shaft sizes.

Making tights last

Good care keeps a pair going much longer:

• Wash gently. Marks & Spencer's care guide suggests hand washing in lukewarm water with a gentle detergent, or turning tights inside out and machine washing them in a laundry bag on a low-temperature delicate cycle.
• Air dry. Squeeze out the water and dry them away from direct heat.
• Put them on carefully. Gather one leg down to the toe, slide your foot in and unroll it up your leg, then repeat. Pull up from the thigh, not the waistband.
• Watch your hands. Smooth rough nails and take off rings before you pull them on.
• Store them flat or loosely folded, away from anything with hooks or zips.

And for a long day, keep a spare pair in your bag. A ladder on the way to a dinner is fixed in two minutes.