This trend has got legs
Ginger Burnett 
From The Plain Dealer www.cleveland.com

For the first time in more than a decade, eye-catching
legwear is leaping back onto the fashion scene this
fall. 

It's being seen in a medley of styles, ranging from
textured nylons and colorful tights to edgy
over-the-knee socks and retro-inspired leg warmers. 

"With the return of shorter hemlines, the focus is on
the leg," says Gregg Andrews, fashion director for
Nordstrom. "We haven't seen hosiery this important in
a long time." 

Fishnet hosiery, once considered risque, is at the
forefront of the fall trend. 

"Now it's a very classic and sophisticated look and is
considered very appropriate in the workplace with a
suit," says Sally Kay, president of the Hosiery
Association, a North Carolina company that
manufactures most U.S. legwear. 

Big-name designers, such as DKNY, Hue, Wolford and La
Perla, are premiering fun, sexy redesigns of the
classic style, from fine to large spider-web weaves to
intricate crochets and herringbone designs. 

Most are fashioned from nylon and lycra, but some
crocheted styles feature thin cotton threading, which
provides a plush, soft look and feel. 

The new fishnets already are a hit locally, according
to retailers. A line by Sache featuring a woven stripe
in the pattern "just flew out of here," says Elinor
Wymor, owner of Panache at La Place in Beachwood. 
The Sache hose retail for $6.50. 

Unlike traditional fishnets, which were almost always
black, today's come in a plethora of fanciful colors,
including hot and light pink, bright orange, burgundy
and navy, as well as numerous shades of nude, brown
and black. 

Saks Fifth Avenue's accessory boutique at Beachwood
Place already has sold out of its hot pink and nude
shades by Wolford, a high-end Austrian line that
retails for $45 a pair. 

Layering hosiery is another incoming trend. Classic
black fishnets worn over vibrant-colored opaque tights
gives a striking two-tone effect, Andrews says. 
Trendsetters achieve an added twist by wearing black
opaque tights with colored fishnets. Opaque tights
alone are just as stylish and are available in a
variety of colors. 

"There's going to be color for everyone," Andrews
says. "There will obviously be blacks and browns, but
there will also be tailored grays, purples, reds and
cobalts in jewel tones and rustic olives and golden
saffrons." 

Despite the many choices, Wymor predicts black and
brown opaques will continue to be the most popular
tights at her upscale hosiery boutique. 

"A lot of people's legs aren't long enough to wear a
wild print," she says. 

But for those who do have long legs, the Look From
London, a hip line made in New York, is an obvious
choice, particularly when paired with hip miniskirts. 
The mod-looking tights, which retail for $18.50 at
Panache, offer a psychedelic, 1960s look that caters
to a younger crowd. They feature bold, whimsical
patterns and eye-popping colors. 

"They're wild," says Wymor, standing in front of a
rack full of tangerine florals and chocolate-brown
paisley prints. 

Over-the-knee socks are a girlishly playful way to add
a little funk to a trendy get-up. Made from cotton,
spandex and nylon, they are often opaque like tights,
but they stop just over the knee. 

They come in a variety of colors and patterns,
including color blocking, which features a bright
strip of color just above the knee. 

Color-blocked socks are particularly striking when
worn with boots, Andrews says. "It's a way to add a
strip of color to top off your boots." 

Nordstrom at Beachwood Place carries a color-blocked
line by Hue that retails for $9 a pair. 

And after almost two decades, leg warmers are back in
vogue. 

"They're not as thick and heavy as they used to be,"
says Andria Hirsh, a market specialist in hosiery and
intimate apparel for the New York-based Doneger Group,
the world's largest retail-fashion consulting firm.
"They're still knitted, but contemporary looking." 

Designers such as Michael Kors, who paired charcoal
gray and black leg warmers over pumps have helped
revive the retro look of the '80s. 

"It was phenomenal," says Andrews, who predicts the
look particularly will appeal to the post-"Flashdance"
crowd. 

"The woman who's going to adopt this trend didn't do
it the first time around. She doesn't remember
Jennifer Beals doing it." 

Burnett is a free-lance writer in Lakewood. 
To reach this writer: 
[email protected]