Old maid almost strict covering legs (8)
I believe the answer is:
spinster
'old maid' is the definition.
('spinster' can be a synonym of 'old maid')
'almost strict covering legs' is the wordplay.
'almost' means to remove the last letter (most of the word but not all of it).
'strict' becomes 'stern' (I've seen this before).
'covering' is an insertion indicator.
'legs' becomes 'pins' (pin is a kind of leg).
'stern' with its last letter removed is 'ster'.
'ster' enclosing 'pins' is 'SPINSTER'.
(Other definitions for spinster that I've seen before include "One spurning union activity" , "For example, Miss Havisham" , "She never married" , "old maid, perhaps" , "matchless female" .)