How Do I Stop Static Cling on My Tights?

Throwing on a pair of sleek black tights is an easy way to look good and stay warm during the colder winter months. But when your skirt or dress clings to your tights, it can be a bit embarrassing and very annoying. Static cling is a reality of winter, but thankfully, it's not one you have to live with.

First, the science. What is static electricity, exactly? Simply put, it's the electricity that results from an imbalance of positive and negative charges when electrons move from one material (your tights) to another (your dress). One object becomes negatively charged (by gaining electrons) and the other becomes positively charged (by losing electrons). When there is little to no movement of charges (the materials touch and then separate), it's static electricity.

This can happen at any time, but it's especially common during colder months. That's because the air has little to no moisture. When the air is dry, there are fewer water molecules to carry away or neutralize the static charge that builds up on surfaces. We also tend to wear more layers in the winter, and friction from those layers causes electrons to be transferred between surfaces, leading to static buildup. So, what can you do about it?

To find the best tips for handling static electricity — and static cling — we looked to those who have to deal with it on camera: fashion creators. Stylist Christie Moeller told her followers that she relies on body moisturizer to handle static cling. She applies it to her legs but also on top of her tights once they're on. "This moisture magic is going to banish that static," she said. Essentially, she's adding moisture to a surface to neutralize static.

Moeller also likes to add hairspray on top of tights for extra protection. (Hairspray contains polymers that create a film to help reduce the buildup of static electricity.) And finally, when she's in a pinch, she uses dryer sheets — which have softening agents to give the fabric a coating — and rubs them onto her tights and the inside of her dress to banish the cling.

The leg moisturizer trick can reduce static if you're wearing pants, too. When wide-leg trousers start to cling, pull up your pant leg and apply some lotion. As creator @cessdtan points out, it works! And when in doubt, there's always Static Guard Fabric Spray, which is safe to spray on satin, wool, cotton, and even silk.