Hosiery offers a number of fantastic benefits for women who wear them, including esthetic benefits (enhancing the appearance of the legs, making them look smooth and shapely); practical benefits (for professional office wear or warmth in the winter); and health benefits (improving circulation and reducing swelling and varicose veins).

"Cortina 40"- Semi-Opaque Tights in Bright Colors
For whatever reason you wish to wear hosiery (pantyhose, tights, nylons, or leggings), you'll want to think carefully about the color of your hosiery. But how will you know which color to choose for your outfit? While there really are no fashion "rules" for hosiery color (although many fashions would tell you otherwise)—after all, you can wear whatever you'd like—there are circumstances and cases in which it's considered better to choose one color over another, and there are guidelines you should follow so you actually look good and appropriate while wearing hosiery.

Jennifer Merino Wool Tights
Here are a few guidelines to help you in determining which color of hosiery to wear, and when.

Petal Multicolored Flower Pattern Tights
The biggest "rule" you should follow when making all hosiery color decisions is to choose hosiery in the same color base as the rest of your garment. Also, keep in mind that your hosiery should complement your outfit, serving as an accessory or extra "touch;" it shouldn't be the focus of your ensemble.

Vanish Multicolored Fashion Tights
You can, for example, choose bold, bright, or daring hosiery if the rest of your outfit is bold, bright or daring, but avoid mismatching cool hosiery colors with warm clothing colors, or warm hosiery colors with cool clothing colors. Many women make this mistake, and wear hosiery that's either much too light or too dark for what they're wearing.

Crys 80 3D Opaque Tights
Your hosiery's color can also either match your outfit's "main" color or the "accent"; color, depending on the look you're going for. Bear in mind that if you match the color of your hose to that of your skirt (or dress), you will look taller and slimmer (something you may wish to avoid if you're naturally tall and thin). If you do wish to look taller and slimmer, however, match the color of your hosiery to your skirt and your shoe.

If you're not sure whether your colored hosiery is too much for your outfit, consider going sheer for a lighter and less impacting effect. This guideline is especially true for formal occasions and business situations.

"Brigitte" - 15 Denier Pantyhose
Wear black hosiery only with an outfit with black in it. Black hosiery looks great with a black hem, black shoes, and a colored top. The nice thing about very natural shades of hosiery is that they work well with almost any style and color of outfit, whether the outfit comprises natural shades, very bright shades, or dark/black shades.