This Shoe-and-Tights Faux Pas Is the Fashion Rule Stylish People Love to Break

As January tumbles into February and fashion weeks begin rolling into each other, I like to take stock of the quieter trends that start to bloom amid the season’s heightened creativity. While the biggest runway moments often steal the spotlight, it's the looks worn by attendees and via street style that I like to focus my attention towards.

Fashion Month hasn't yet begun in earnest, but this week's Haute Couture shows in Paris have already started to sow the seeds for the trends set to define the season. We've seen dramatic peplum jackets on showgoers, sculptural silhouettes dominating the runways, and today, I’ve spotted another trend taking root—one I’m warming to very quickly.

Once deemed a fashion faux pas, the combination of wearing tights and strappy, open-toe sandals is having a moment. This week alone, I’ve spotted multiple front-row favourites embracing the styling trick, proving that fashion "rules" ought to be broken. The pairing is playful yet contradictory—both revealing and concealing in equal measure—adding a touch of unexpected charm to even the most polished looks.

Lily-Rose Depp and Dua Lipa were among the first to champion the look at the Chanel Haute Couture show. Depp opted for a classic tweed skirt set, grounding the look with silver metallic open-toe heels and sheer black tights. Lipa, on the other hand, leaned into a monochromatic aesthetic, styling her black miniskirt and jacket with a quilted Chanel bag and an oversized bow in her hair. The addition of tights and sandals and XL bow tempered the primness of her matching set, lending the ensemble a playful, retro-infused edge that felt refreshingly modern.

So, why was it considered a "faux pas"? It can sometimes look a little messy, more so if you can see the seam that connects the bottom of the tights peaking through the open toe of the shoe. However, position your hosiery right, and it can look very chick, as evidenced above. The pairing does carry a certain retro allure, too—perhaps because it harks back to the hosiery trends of the ‘60s, when tights became a statement in their own right.

Regardless of its roots, the message is clear: it's time to rethink seasonal dressing. Why limit your favourite summer shoes to warm-weather months when a simple pair of tights can transform them for year-round wear?

If you're also charmed by the rule-breaking trend, read on to discover our edit of the best tights and open-toe sandals below.

SHOP OPEN-TOE SANDALS AND TIGHTS: