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Each week, the Open Thread newsletter will offer a look from across The New York Times at the forces that shape the dress codes we share, with Vanessa Friedman as your personal shopper. The latest newsletter appears here. To receive it in your inbox, register here.

Good Friday afternoon. It’s been yet another week full of comings and goings.

Kim Jones left as designer of Louis Vuitton men’s wear, Alexander Wang announced he was leaving New York Fashion Week (February will be his last show on the official schedule), CVS said it would leave airbrushing behind and “The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” the next installment of American Crime Story, arrived.

A word of caution about the latter: The show is not really about fashion; it’s about Andrew Cunanan, the serial killer who shot the designer. Versace’s name is in the title, I would guess, mostly as a device to make you watch.

On a more serious note (which is a weird thing to write after a sentence on a serial killer, I know) last weekend also saw the arrival of a story we had been working on for a few months about the photographers Bruce Weber and Mario Testino and the way they allegedly used their power and position in the fashion industry to sexually exploit young male models.

Fashion has had a history of turning a blind eye when such stories have come out in the past, but hopefully that’s not going to happen this time. The reaction has been mostly supportive, but a few comments have stood out for me.

First, a number of threads under the story were along the lines of “everybody knew” and “who does this surprise?” — which pretty much illustrates the problem. Everybody might have known, but until now, no one was willing to say.

Second, there is some questioning of why the young men — who were stronger and often larger than the photographers — did not simply push them away. The answer is that this is not about physical power, but professional power: The photographers had it, and the models, most of whom were just starting their careers, did not.

Finally, some people noted, especially when it came to Mr. Weber, they had never seen any such behavior. Isabella Rossellini posted a statement to this extent on Instagram. And I believe her. But the fact that a person can be utterly charming and gracious in one situation — something almost all the accusers of both Mr. Testino and Mr. Weber acknowledge — and abusive in another shouldn’t come as a surprise. They’re not mutually exclusive.

It also speaks to the pattern of the behavior that it was a celebrity on an official shoot who had a good experience with a photographer, and an unknown in a private session who did not.

Anyway, I think there’s more to come on this. In the meantime I’ll leave you to read about it (and other topics) and mull it over at your leisure. But anyone who has further thoughts on the subject, please let me know. And have a good weekend.

Your Style Questions, Answered

Every week on Open Thread, Vanessa will answer a reader’s fashion-related question, which you can send to her anytime via email or Twitter. Questions are edited and condensed.

Q: I am ALWAYS cold and so hate wearing dresses. That said, if I must wear a dress for a special occasion, how to cover my legs? Nude hosiery feels too dated. Black hose with a black dress feels a bit too (way too) grandmotherly. Although I am a woman of grandmotherly age. — Sherron, Pennsylvania

A: I am also always cold, so I know what you mean. And though I am not of grandmotherly age, I am of mother-of-teenagers age. So I have a few thoughts.

The resurgence of long skirts is key here, especially if you opt for one in velvet, wool, knit or tweed, which looks elegant but feels as though you are wearing a blanket on your legs. Modcloth has a nice royal-blue velvet style, Elizabeth & James has a ribbed knit and Lauren Ralph Lauren has a cashmere Fair Isle knit that looks both chic and comfy. Personally, this is my favorite solution, especially with ankle boots, which also keep your feet warm. Then there’s the tuxedo, an always-appropriate solution to the I-don’t-want-to-wear-a-dress-to-a-party problem. Think: what would Charlotte Rampling wear? Or opt for a derivation of the same idea, and pair sparkly pants, either beaded or in metallic brocade (try Tory Burch or H&M), with a simple cashmere sweater.

That said, I also think you are selling black tights short, though I agree about the nudes. A thick, matte tight with black shoes and a black dress doesn’t necessarily make you look grandmotherly, at least if the shoes are spiky enough. And by spiky, I don’t mean high; I just mean non-nurselike. Check out Anna Wintour, who often wears dark tights with dresses when the temperatures drop. And who, by the way, recently became a grandmother too. — VANESSA FRIEDMAN