Even though I made myself quite clear in last week’s blog about leggings, a random encounter with this woman yesterday, who was wearing tights as pants, made me realize that some further instruction is necessary, especially considering that this is the second offender I’ve seen in the past week. I kid you not.

Tights are not pants!

So, how do you know if what you are wearing is actually a pair of tights and not a pair of pants? Well, while it should be plainly obvious, let’s review. Here are my top ten ways to tell if you’re wearing tights, not pants.

If your pants have feet attached to them, they’re tights, not pants.

If your pants have a control top, they’re tights, not pants.

If your underwear is visible through your pants, they’re tights, not pants.

If you can easily snag or get a runner in them, they’re tights, not pants.

If you have to do that “gather the legs up and then work them over your your feet in legs to get them on” (similar to putting on a pair of pantyhose) then, duh, they’re tights, not pants.

If your pants are sold in the tights and socks section, they’re tights, not pants.

If your pants have that cotton gusset in the crotch, they’re tights, not pants

If you can see your skin through your pants, they’re tights, not pants

If you wash your pants by hand and then hang them over the shower curtain rod to dry with all your other delicates, they’re tights, not pants.

If your pants say this:

They’re tights, not pants.

Finally, if you’re still confused, check out this flowchart (courtesy of Buzzfeed)

I hope that clears everything up for you.