Figure 1.--This German boy wears green tights. The girl model wears red ones. Younger boys are often the ones most likely to wear brightly colored tights.

The colors of tights have varied widely. Initially tights were available in white, black, and browns. Gradually a wide variety of colors. Tights have since been made in virtually evert imaginable color and shades. Children, especially girls, seemed to like the bright colors in the 1970s and 80s. Even so some of the standards like white and black were among the most popular. Tights are still available in a wide range of colors, but some of the more muted colors by the 1990s seem to have become more popular. There are some differences anong countries, but interestingly many of the preferences of boys are suprisingly similar in most countries.

Black

Black is generally seen as a formal color. Black was one of the most common colors for long stockings. The same was not as ture as for tights, but black is still one of the most common colors. There are specialty uses for black tights. One use is balet. Black tights are widely used for boys' practice ballet costumes. The girls rarely wear black to practice in. Many Americam schools often require boys to practice in them. HBC is not sure why this stardard approach has developed. Ballet schools in other countries do not have such standardized practice costumes. It is onteresting to note that girls, while they might have their preferences, will wear virtually any color of tights. Boys on the other hand have ceratin colors they prefer--and other countries that most would object to wearing. Another mayor use for tights is in sport during the winter. This fashion is particularly pronounced in Germany.

Blue

Tights come in a wide range of blue shades. Boys tend to like the darker more muted colors. Younger boys might wear bright blue. Blue is also worn by girls, but there is no strong preference for blue as is the case of boys. Light pastel blues would mostly be worn by girls.

Brown

Brown, especially the darker more muted colors, is another of the shades that appeal to boys.

Burgandy

HBC notes a British ballet school where the boys practice in burgandy or light maroon tights.

Green

Green like blue comes in many shades. While the darrker muted colors might be acceptable to boys, many would object to the brighter shades. Such conventions, however, were less pronounced when tights first appeared for children in the late 1950s. Thus during the 1960s boys might wear brighter colored tights than is the case today. It is unclear what boys might ghave worbn with bight green tights. HBC speculates that short pants were less less likely to be worn with the brighter than the more mited colors of tights.

Grey

Brown, especially the darker more muted colors, is another of the shades that appeal to boys.

Pink

Pink is of course virtually reserved to girls. Pink tights are very common for girls' practice ballet costumes in the United States.

Red

Advertisements often show both boys and girls wearing red tights. It is rare, however, to actually see boys wearing red tights. HBC has primarily noted them being worn by girls. One HBC contributor remembers a boy in America wearing red tights about 1966. They were bright red. The boy was very young.

White

White is widely worn with formal outfits. Mothers view it as appropriate for classocal formal outfits. Girls seem to have little problem with this. Boys generally object, alothough nothers sometimes insist that younger boys wear them. Boys in Japan might wear white or colored tights during their first years at school. Some wsear white tights with suits for formal occasions.

White Shades

Yellow

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Created: July 23, 2000
Last updated: August 8, 2000