During the recent Australian Fashion Week, Charlie Brown paraded lurex versions at her show, under everything from satin cocktail dresses to high-waisted pencil skirts, designer Marnie Skillings sported them as she took a bow at the end of her parade, and Josh Goot turned out jersey trousers so tight they were easily mistaken for them.

Sportsgirl brand manager Prue Murphy said that with the cooler months coming in, footless tights were a definite trend, while a David Jones spokeswoman said sales were particularly strong, and not just among the young.

"It's now transcending age groups, everyone from 16-year-olds to [those] 40-plus - a wider spectrum of women are buying them," she said.

Designer Leona Edmiston, who launched her Pins range of hosiery last year through Pacific Brands, anticipated the comeback.

"We've had them in the range for a few seasons," she said of her lace-trimmed versions.

"They're a great trans-seasonal product, especially in Sydney, which never really gets bitterly cold.

"They're also a great styling tool for girls who want to show off their toes and nail polish and wear great shoes but still want to keep a bit warm."

As well as the classic black opaque variety - the best seller at David Jones - some labels have introduced coloured or patterned styles in differing lengths, from just below the knee to the ankle.

But how to wear them? They can make shorts a bit more modest if you don't want to show too much leg (or want to keep wearing them through winter) and are sweet with ballet flats and coloured heels alike.

And as Edmiston noted: "Obviously they work with frocks, but they're also great with skirts - and especially with miniskirts, they're very, very cute."