Gift Collections: Lightweight
We know the thousands of socks and accessories on our site can get overwhelming, that’s why we’re going to be spending some Sock Journal time looking at our Gift Collections. These are Dreamer-curated collections of socks at your fingertips, perfect for when you’re searching for a gift (for yourself or somebody else).
Just because the seasons are getting warmer doesn't necessarily mean you want to bare more skin. We've rounded up all of our favourite styles that offer coverage without over-coziness. Lightweight leggings, semi-opaque tights, summer stockings, breezy sleeves—we've got you covered with our Lightweight Socks & Leggings collection.
Like a lot of our gift collections, you can also find some of these styles by filtering your search by selecting "Lightweight" under Collections. If you're looking specifically for lightweight tights or thigh high socks, that might be how you want to go about it. However, just like all of our gift collections, the Lightweight Socks & Leggings collection is curated with not only our favourite styles, but those we know best fit the idea of "coverage without overheating." From long sleeves to opaque leggings, these are styles we and our customers turn to when we want modest warm weather styles.
Arm Yourself with Sleeves
Sleeves that are long enough to go over the elbows are a surprisingly rare commodity! Luckily, both our M Sleeves and Chevron Sleeves are a wonderfully lightweight cotton, with the Chevron Sleeves' slightly open knit offering a little more ventilation while still being dense enough to be opaque.
On the left: Chevron Sleeves in Black/White On the right: M Sleeves in Black/White
Both styles have a comfortable ribbed cuff on one end and a pretty rolled edge at the other. The M Sleeves are the longest, at 16 inches from end to end. Their 17 inch stretch circumference at the cuff lets them fit over most arms comfortably. The Chevron Sleeves are a little shorter, only 14 inches from end to end. They do have a bit more stretch though, 18 inches at the cuff and 17 inches mid-sleeve.
We don't get sleeve styles that fit into what we want when we recommend lightweight sleeves that often, but it's worth checking out our Sleeves section to see what we've got. Some folks may find styles like the short Super Warmers lightweight enough!
Open up to Openwork and Crochet
Okay, we know that if a sock is called "Crochet" anything that it isn't actually crochet. But sometimes knit lace wants to go undercover and assume a fancy name. Crochet look styles tend to be the more modest openwork options, often covering leg hair and skin moderately well. The three knee socks we've included in this collection offer a good balance of coverage and coolness, with the Cotton Crochet Lover Over the Knee also offering a great range of colours.
From left to right: Cotton Crochet Lover Over the Knee in Oatmeal, Purple, Scarlet
More opaque than either openwork or crochet, but also offering a looser knit for a better breeze on hot days, the O Chevrons and Vertically Inclined Stockings are two more knee sock options that offer colour, coverage and comfort.
Vertically Inclined Stockings in Black/Orange
The Vertically Inclined Stockings are the stretchiest, going up to 19 inches at the cuff and 18 inches mid-sock. At 28 inches long, they go over most knees, and go thigh high on slimmer or shorter legs! They're also delightfully dramatic, with their vintage vertical stripes.
Opaque Options
This collections also abounds with the good ol' basics, that are thin but still opaque. Don't be fooled by the thumbnails, a lot of them aren't available only in black (the most annoying modest dresser's burden!). Just look for the little colour swatch icons below the image to see what other colours they come in. We think we've gathered together the best lightweight opaque cotton, super thin microfiber and even nylon stockings in this collection.
Opaque Stockings
The key difference between stockings and socks is what they're made of. Stockings are made of a thin nylon, that is often sheer. Socks are made of, well, everything else. One of our most classic nylon stockings are also nicely opaque: the Cuban Heeled Two-Tone Stockings in dramatic black and red.
If you like your stockings with a little more pizazz, we even have two flavours of striped over the knee socks to choose from.
On the left: Striped Thigh High in Black/Brown On the right: Striped Over the Knee in Black/Purple
The main differences (besides their brand) between the two are their colours and their fit. The Striped Over the Knee has a wider range of colours and stretches to about 24 inches in the cuff, with a Black & White plus size that stretches to 29 inches. They're only 25 inches long and are OTK height on most legs. The Striped Thigh High has a more sedate selection of colours and stretches to 25 inches and are 30 inches long, making them thigh high on more legs.
Opaque Microfiber Leggings & Tights
Nylon, unless it's dense enough, sheers at the joints. It's also not always the best for some folks in the summer and the heat. So we've only included microfiber nylon leggings and footless tights, since they offer a little more breathing room. The Microfiber Stirrup Tights are especially great, since they go all the way down the leg and stay there, thanks to the stirrup.
Of course, if you want to bypass the whole nylon-sweating issue, you can try the Perfect Pair Tights, which are an ingenious mix of cotton panty and nylon leg. They're probably the least opaque of all the styles in the Lightweight Socks & Leggings collection, but they still offer great coverage and might be exactly the solution you're looking for.
On the left: Perfect Pair Tights in Plus On the right: Perfect Pair Tights in OS
Opaque Cotton Leggings & Tights
Of course, when it comes to cool comfort, most minds go to cotton. Packing the most punch in opaque lightweight tights, the Erika Microfiber Tights are a blend of microfiber and cotton, are delightfully lightweight and nicely opaque at 90 denier and come in four sizes!
From left to right: Erika Microfiber tighs in Navy, Olive and Black
Their colours are a little muted, like most b.ella styles, but they're also very beautiful and amazingly soft and smooth, making them one of our most recommended and loved tights!
From left to right: Heather Cotton Footless Tights in Plum, Solid Cotton Tights in Moss and in Black
EG Smith's cotton leggings and tights aren't as lightweight, but they have brighter colours and offer great opacity. Available in two sizes, they're not the thicker cotton of EG Smith's thigh highs and over the knee stockings, but something a little more airy. They show a bit of skin colour at the knees, but mostly offer amazing coverage in delicious hues.
We've Got You Covered
If you still can't find the lightweight style you're looking for, drop us a line. We really love helping folks find the styles they're looking for, and understand the frustration of finding something that will keep you covered without keeping you overly warm. Keep your cool this summer and look cool while doing it.
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