With the popular Barbiecore trend gaining momentum, we’re seeing colorful tights everywhere on the runways. From Valentino to Anna Sui, the accessory is being rapidly adopted by designers and fashionistas alike.

Tights are a cheap and cheerful tool to have in any wardrobe arsenal, especially when needing to spruce up your look without breaking the bank. Color is important, though, as it always is when accessorizing. This season stick to vibrant hues with big pop like Pantone’s 2022 Color of the Year Very Peri and colors from their AW22 trend palette like hot pink (Rose Violet), electric orange (Orange Tiger), bright yellow (Samoan Sun) and aqua blue (Waterspout).

Tights are the ultimate spirit-lifting accessory in the dead of winter, a time when we’re all craving a little sunshine. They work wonders to boost energy, lift spirits and raise vibrations so pick the color you feel most, then saunter on and let it work its magic.

It takes creativity to style tights well, so here are the top 5 ways to wear your bold, bright tights this season:

1. Liven up suiting
   Adding color pops to suiting is a sure way to shock energy into the winter blues. Try muted jewel tones with winter tweeds (garnet reds, emerald greens, amethyst purples) and wear with skirting — long or short — or trousers with a peek-a-boo sock color pop. Coordinate with a scarf — at neck, as a belt or tied to a handbag — with traces of the same color to tie it all together.

2. Break-up neutrals
   Stay out of a winter wardrobe rut by contrasting monochromatic basics with colorful legs, but don’t stop there. Add a shoe in either a complementary color to the tight (orange tights, blue shoes), or in a lighter tint or darker shade within the same color family (pink tights, red shoes). This is a failproof trick to keeping your winter woollens looking high-style on a shoe-string budget.

3. Go for mini, or micro-mini
   I’m all for breaking rules as long as the look is styled right. For example, take “never wear mini skirts past a certain age”. Really? Nah. When over 50, pairing opaque tights with a mini hemline just above the knee let’s you break rules while still presenting as appropriate and chic. For the younger set, bright, youthful tights temper micro-minis from skewing too provocative — a wardrobe hack that comes in handy when necessary. Stay covered, stay colorful, stay chic.

4. High-low
   Balance bright, bold legwear with casual denim for the perfect high-low combo. Shop opaque or textured knee-highs to pair with ankle fray jeans and cool kicks for the ultimate high-style yet grounded weekend look. White denim is great for this look too.

5. Black tie
   The ultimate surprise and delight, wear bold-colored fishnets, floral or geometric cut-out tights with sequins, velvet, satin or silk for the ultimate naughty-and-nice look. Your date will thank you.

See InStyle.com press feature here.