I’m a working mum & tested 8 denier tights trend loved by Michelle Keegan & Maya Jama, while not kid-proof I felt bolder

THEY are sexy and sophisticated – and fashion-savvy celebs cannot pull them on fast enough.

All hail 5 to 10 denier tights, which are also proving big business on the high street as one of the season’s biggest trends.

David CummingsEmma Lazenby gives her verdict after putting 8 denier tights to the test[/caption]

GettyMichelle Keegan is a big fan of the trend[/caption]

But how practical are they for a busy working mum?

Emma Lazenby gives her verdict after putting 8 denier tights to the test . . . 

“GETTING dressed is a dilemma as the weather flits from wet and windy to hot and sticky.

It’s not winter-tights season but, despite the warmer spells, I’m not brave enough to bare my legs.

Enter the transitional tights.

Colleagues in the fashion department tell me this is a staple this autumn, with celebs such as Maya Jama, Michelle Keegan and Lily Collins showcasing their pins in barely-there 5 denier stockings.

Slimming, sexy and stylish, the sheer hosiery adds je ne sais quoi.

But are they snag-proof and practical for a working mum of three?

I tried an 8 denier pair from Calzedonia — and with a £6.99 tag, I didn’t expect much.

First issue, fear of laddering your tights when you haul them up in a rush is tenfold with these.

You must gather them neatly and peel them up slowly. Like in the movies.

But all good. The next pitfall was then negotiated too — I’d remembered to shave.

And sheer tights need to be pulled taut.

But faced with a wrinkly ankle and low-hanging crotch, I had to start again.

I would need to factor in five minutes each morning to get these on properly, without laddering — not ideal when I have to get three young kids to school before my commute.

Still, they feel sumptuous, so maybe it’s worth sacrificing those five minutes in bed.

It was nippy out, so I pulled on a jumper-dress for the school run and pleaded with my children to not touch Mummy’s new tights.

Pointless, clearly.

My five-year-old daughter dried her wet hands on them.

But they dried almost instantly. Tick ­— and good to know they’ll fare well on rainy school-runs.

I’m usually a 70-denier gal.

My motto has always been: “The thicker, the better.”

GettyThe trend is a fashion staple this autumn for celebs like Maya Jama[/caption]

As any child of the Nineties will recall, sheer hosiery was reserved for Madonna in Who’s That Girl and Princess Di.

Barely-theres were too Eighties.

Opaques also meant we could get away with shorter skirts.

I remember when M&S brought out 70 deniers with a magical new material — Lycra.

It was £2.50 a pair and I never looked back.

But that was 30 years ago.

Now I’m in my forties, my thermostat is unpredictable and I’m ready for a change.

Sheer is great when you can’t be bothered with fake tan or have the odd bruise or spider vein — you get the right coverage while adding sex appeal.

I see how alluring Lily Collins, Alexa Chung and Maya Jama look. The tights seem to lengthen their legs.

When I wore them with a mini-dress and asked my husband for his verdict, he said, “Won’t you be cold?’, and then: “The children will trash them.”

‘BOLDER SHEER LOOK’

I took him back to the Eighties and Nineties — Kim Basinger, and Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles — and he got it.

Sheer tights were sexy then.

I might not be showbiz but he did admit: “I see what you mean, legs do look really nice.”

I also tried them under cropped trousers — they looked great — and as a base layer they felt light and comfortable.

I also tried them with a floaty midi-dress.

Fearing I would look frumpy, I’d never considered tights with a longer frock, until now.

My new hosiery took the edge off the leg-chill factor and there were no ladders — although I had some clear nail varnish to paint over those tiny nicks.

So it might be wise to invest in a ladder-resistant pair, for up to £20.

I did feel a bit overexposed, especially in the mini-dress, but I came to love the bolder sheer look.

And why not?”

GettyEmily in Paris star Lily Collins rocked the trend while also wearing a sheer top[/caption]

GettyAlexa Chung teamed her sheer tights with a black mini dress[/caption]