For the budget conscious fashionista, some stores offer a variety of great hosiery styles up to sizes 22-24. Swiss dot tights
Patterned Tights
Ultra sheer hose
That way your premium hose will last and be worthwhile. Almost every traditional complaint about pantyhose comes from the woman buying cheap thick scratchy hosiery, or not taking rosy care of herself or the hose, or putting them on too fast, or not admitting what her real size is and acquiring hose that is too small to "force" weight loss - and so blaming hose in general for being "uncomfortable".
I agree, hose makes the attire you are wearing just that much more polished. You can see it on the fashion runways and on the red carpets in Hollywood. I assume girls just need to realize where their strengths and weaknesses are, and dress in the appropriate manner. For me hose and tights give me the feeling of being fashionable and sexy... and also they keep me a little warmer.
A nude leg is a classic look,so one option is to find particularly sheer pantyhose that are the same shade as your skin.
Donna Karan makes "the nudes," but you may find a fantastic match in a cheaper brand too. The goal with this style is to wear pantyhose as a result close to your natural skin tone and so sheer that no one notices your pantyhose.
Opaque black (or dark colored) tights are the fad right now. This is easiest to wear if the shoes match the tights (black or dark colors).
Don't be afraid to go for something fun like a small fishnet pattern which are fantastic for letting a bit of skin reveal itself and have a dressier look than basic hose.