What denier means and how each number looks

Black tights sound like a simple fashion invention, but then you add the term denier and it all gets a bit confusing, right? When temperatures start to drop, bulk-buying some handy black tights is always a smart move, but which denier to go for adds a whole new factor into the shopping experience.

We are here to help with the shopping fatigue and indecision by breaking down the different denier tights and which will work best for you and your outfit, depending on how warm and protected you want your legs to be.

What does 'denier' mean?

Basically, the crux of it is: the higher the denier, the more opaque your tights will appear, as well as being thicker and warmer too. Not to mention more robust against fingernails, table edges and any pointy potential tights destroyer... The lower the denier you go for, you will have more of a sheer and barely there look. Sheer tights look incred, but it's important to note that they are far more vulnerable to ladders.

Marks & Spencer

Model wears 15 denier black tights from M&S.

Black tights can sometimes be a tricky thing to style, and it can be down to that denier rating which helps determine what you need. Worn beneath a floaty midi or shirt dress, a sheer pair of tights allows for those summer staples to become much more trans-seasonal, whilst adding a bold or opaque pair of tights to a mini dress or denim skirt gives an effortless Sixties look – and keeps you warm in winter to boot.

To help you decide which you need, we raided the rails at M&S for all the different deniers of black tights we could find, to show you EXACTLY what they look like in real life, including: