Knee-highs are back (and we're not ready)

Let's be clear: there isn't a single sane person in the world who loves knee-high socks. They're uncomfortable, always leave elastic marks on the skin, and are plain ugly. Especially the nude ones, in that yellowish beige, they evoke the image of an old lady. A mix between Queen Elizabeth on a bad day spent in the nature of Balmoral and Nanny McPhee, but more dowdy and neglected. Definitely not the image any of us would want to see reflected in the mirror. That was until recently. Because lately, designers and brands have been stubbornly trying to instill the idea in our heads that even those hideous nylon knee-highs, the ones we used to hide under boots and pants, have their own dignity, even their own beauty and coolness.

It's all Miuccia Prada's "fault"

Fashion has the great power to influence us to the point of completely overturning our concept of beauty or coolness at its whim. Think about it. As soon as a designer introduces into their collections an item that we once considered horrible, uncomfortable, and ugly, they can make us change our minds. Suddenly, we start looking at that item differently. A thought sneaks in: maybe that detail wasn't so hideous after all, and in fact, on closer inspection, it might be interesting, even beautiful, just because it's trendy. It happened with Birkenstocks, low-rise skinny jeans, Capri pants, white socks with sandals, flip-flops with heels, velour tracksuits, and many other pieces. The credit—or perhaps the blame—can be shared by many brands, but the true master of inserting an unpleasant element into our looks is Prada.

No one has expressed this concept as perfectly as Miuccia Prada, who has made Ugly Chic one of her trademarks. Thanks to her, ugliness has become attractive, and embracing the embarrassing, the unconventional, has turned into a shared behavior, so much so that today the Cringe Chic aesthetic invades our wardrobes almost without us realizing it. Yes, because while for Prada the ugly is a tool of self-expression and social commentary, for many of us it's just imitation, a desire to follow a trend. So, if in 2024 our drawers fill up with sheer nylon knee-highs, perhaps in the nude version, we can easily curse Ms. Miuccia, who proposed this type of stocking in many of her collections. Remember, for example, SS19?

The return of knee-highs on the runways

That sheer nylon sock, which reaches just below the knee, held by an elastic band, has been crowned the star of the looks that will accompany us from this fall to the next summer. The quintessentially unsexy item is getting its revenge and seems to mock all of us from the catwalks. For the FW24 season, knee-highs were presented in the classic sheer black, white, or nude versions by Acne Studios, Shiatzy Chen, Weinsanto, Casablanca, Cecilie Bahnsen. Emilia Wickstead paired them with oversized sweaters, embroidered skirts with 3D flowers, and loafers; while Tommy Hilfiger gave them a preppy spin, with mini skirts, polo shirts, turtlenecks, and blazers. Even in the SS25 collections, these ugly socks remain stars, reworked in different fabrics like silk or lace, and made more appealing with floral appliqués, net textures, embroidery, and pops of color. They flirt with the coquette aesthetic seen at Yuhan Wang, Vivetta, and Simone Rocha; they take on a sporty edge at Melitta Baumeister and gain a playful touch at Natasha Zinko; while they return to preppy at Kent & Curwen.

How to wear compression knee-highs sock according to celebs

Bella Hadid loves them. She wears them with capri pants, skirt suits, shorts or mini skirts, with sneakers or loafers. Kristen Stewart has even made them sexy, wearing them like thigh-highs, boldly pairing them with sky-high pumps, shorts, and a sports t-shirt or a maxi skirt and jewel top. The real difference lies in the attitude. During the press tour for Joker: Folie à Deux, Lady Gaga sported knee-high lace to emphasize her outfits that evoke Courtney Love during the grunge years. Julia Fox went even further, opting for the granny style, nude compression knee-highs.

So, even if we prayed never to see them again, we must surrender to fashion. We only have two options ahead of us: ignore them and criticize anyone who wears them or set aside every preconception and add them to our everyday outfits. And not well-hidden under clothes and shoes. In 2024, knee-highs are meant to be on display. The easiest combo is with a pleated skirt, shirt, V-neck sweater, blazer, and penny loafers, in full preppy style. But that's not the only styling option. Knee-highs are quite versatile and can also be matched with more refined and romantic looks, with ballet flats or slingbacks. The important thing is to choose the right model, the one that makes us feel comfortable.