How to wear lace tights this autumn (colours, shoes and outfits)
They're the tights of autumn 2026, from Heidi Klum for Calzedonia to the runway: which colour to pick, which shoes and clothes to wear them with, day to night, with examples and a chart.
The short answer: wear lace tights with a simple, structured piece on top, a pointed or flat shoe and, if you want colour, the same tone as the rest of the look. They're this autumn's tights: Calzedonia has just launched its Lace Tights collection with Heidi Klum, and lace was already in the autumn/winter 2026 campaign with Lily Allen.
Heidi Klum for Calzedonia: burgundy, navy and chocolate lace. Photo: Calzedonia, Lace Tights campaign.
1. Pick the colour
| Colour | Effect | With | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | The easiest, elegant | Everything, especially black and grey | Day and night |
| Burgundy | Warm, seasonal | Burgundy from jacket to shoe | Evening, parties |
| Navy | Discreet, softer than black | Navy, grey, camel | Office, evening |
| Chocolate | Warm, natural | Brown, camel, cream | Daytime |
| White or ivory | Romantic | Pale dresses | Ceremonies, spring |
In the campaign with Heidi Klum every look is one colour head to toe: tights, shoes and at least one piece on top. It's the easiest way to wear coloured lace without it looking like a costume.
2. Something simple and structured on top
The lace is already the statement. On top, a blazer, a roll-neck, a straight dress or a suit: Heidi Klum wears it with a blazer and an oversized jacket, Lily Allen with a roll-neck.
3. The shoes
- Pointed pumps: the choice of the Calzedonia campaign, for the evening.
- Ballet flats and loafers: for daytime, they take away any evening feel.
- Ankle boots: in winter, with dark lace.
Lace for daytime: navy with ballet flats. Photo: Calzedonia, Floral Lace Tights.
4. Lace that only half shows
Lace doesn't have to cover the whole leg. On the spring/summer 2027 runway, Marie Adam-Leenaerdt showed only the lace top of a stocking, through the slit of a long skirt: a more discreet way to wear it.
The lace top through the slit: Marie Adam-Leenaerdt, spring/summer 2027. Photo: courtesy of Marie Adam-Leenaerdt, via WWD.
Three outfits
- Office: grey jumper, knee-length black skirt, black lace tights, loafers.
- Weekend: cream roll-neck, brown velvet mini, chocolate lace tights, ankle boots.
- Evening: burgundy blazer, burgundy lace tights, matching pumps, like Heidi Klum.
What to avoid
- Lace plus other prints in the outfit: it gets busy.
- Very open lace at the office: choose a dense pattern in a dark colour.
- Coloured lace with a shoe in another colour: stick to the same tone or to black.
For more patterns on the legs, see our guides to fishnet tights and colours to wear instead of black; for the weight, our denier chart.
Frequently asked questions
How do you wear lace tights?
With a simple, structured piece on top, a blazer, a jumper, a straight dress, and a pointed shoe. The lace is already the statement: keep the rest plain.
What shoes go with lace tights?
Pointed pumps for the evening, loafers and ballet flats for daytime, ankle boots in winter. A shoe in the same colour as the tights lengthens the leg.
Can you wear lace tights during the day?
Yes: with a jumper and a knee-length skirt, or a suit, and a flat shoe like a ballet flat or a loafer.
What colour lace tights should I choose?
Black is the easiest; burgundy, navy and chocolate, the colours of Calzedonia's campaign with Heidi Klum, are this season's alternatives, worn with pieces in the same tone.
