Covering your legs is cool now.

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Growing up, tights were the bane of my existence. They were the ruiner of many outfits, forced on me by my mom to keep warm or cover up. As a budding fashionista, I was obsessed with wearing skirts and dresses to elementary school even in the dead of winter, and these unplanned “stockings” (as my mom always referred to them) really put a harsh on my whole outfit’s vibe. I encountered them often in unflattering shades of opaque white, black, or worse — the sheer “nude” color that matches the skin tone of just about no one. They made every outfit feel instantly uncool, but I rarely won the fight to keep my legs free. Though my mom was only trying to keep me warm, the fact that I didn’t choose to wear them really made me hate tights.

Once my outfits were fully under my control, it became a small act of rebellion to be bare-legged. In those days, it was all about mini lengths, so from thigh to ankle, I was fully exposed. I was adamant that I would rather have goosebumps than wear the pantyhose that I dreaded so much. It seemed like everyone else I knew felt the same way. I spent many a college night legs out in cold weather with my friends who also didn’t want tights to mess up their outfits. We would shiver, but shared stories about all of the Halloween costumes and picture-day outfits that were taken down a peg by the forced addition of tights. They were just not cool.

And then the tides changed. Suddenly, toward the end of my college days, I started noticing that tights were showing up on runways, on blogs, and popping up in all my favorite stores. They became a trend (and I must admit I am a trend follower). They were now more of a statement piece and less of a modest layer. Up until this point, my personal experience with tights wasn’t based on style, it was based on necessity. Once I realized that the world of tights served as an outfit enhancer, the game changed.

Gone were the days of plain, itchy, unflattering tights — now I had options. Glitter, patterns, embellishments, appliqués — it was like revisiting Brussels sprouts as an adult and realizing when you dress them up with pancetta and Parmesan they’re actually delicious. Tights were my Brussels sprouts. When I got further away from my childhood aversion and saw all of the ways tights had been updated, I was hooked.

I started layering them into all of my fall and winter outfits.A basic black dress? I’m adding plaid tights. A checkered skirt? Sheer black tights are my go-to. I’m invited to a holiday party? Hello, sparkly stockings! I’m all about the options, and now I have the options. The selection was sorely lacking in my childhood, and to be honest, often uncomfortable. The tights I remember from back then were itchy and constricting, and felt rough to the touch. Now, the tights I wear are so comfortable and breathable — and fun!, like this allover printed pair — and let me tell you, their coziness far surpasses freezing just to look cool.

It’s funny to think back on how much I once despised pulling on a pair of tights underneath my short skirts, and the fight I used to put up every time my mom laid them out with my outfit. Now every time I show up to her house wearing tights, she gives me a very knowing look. I hate to admit it, but sometimes mother really does know best — if only she could have convinced me tights were a fashion statement in my childhood, I would have gotten on board much sooner.