Women owe it to themselves to try life sans stockings, says Charla Krupp, author of How Not to Look Old.

“If your legs can deal with it, don’t wear hose. … But if you’re going to look better in hose, go for it. The last thing you want to do is be self-conscious.”

For those committed to hosiery, stylists recommend:

The lightest knit possible.

“You don’t want anyone to be able to see the knitting,” says Krupp. “When you can see a pattern on the hose, you’re going to be able to see it on your leg.”

A perfect match — or something obviously darker.

“If you really do want to wear pantyhose, make sure they’re as close as possible to your actual skin tone, or they’re a much darker color or textured hose,” says Clinton Kelly, co-host of TLC’s What Not to Wear.

Black tights.

They’re not super-practical for summertime in Florida, and they aren’t for everybody, but for some, they’re a winning winter combination.
“Black tights don’t look so much like hose, they look like fashion,” says Sherrie Mathieson, author of Steal This Style: Moms and Daughters Swap Wardrobe Secrets.

Stylist Kendall Farr considers matte black tights “an ageless signifier of cool”: “I adore a black leg. I don’t think there’s anything that looks sleeker or better …”

Tried and true brands:

Donna Karan’s The Nudes ($20 at BareNecessities.com), Wolford’s Le 9 Super Transparent Tights Without Lycra ($28 at BeautyRose.com), Spanx’s All The Way Up! High-Waisted Full-Length Pantyhose ($28, available to size G, at Spanx.com)