Pantyhose???

[DebSP]

Hi Ladies,

Leaving tomorrow for jolly olde England. My daughter is getting married there next weekend. Do women wear pantyhose these days? I rarely dress up and the wedding is a small casual affair. I am wearing a dress and my husband says I need pantyhose and I thought they were almost a thing of the past in spring and summer.

Help!

Thanks.

[Blueberry]

I definitely think there's a bit of an age gap on this. I wouldn't, and most of my contemporaries wouldn't. I'm sure there are others who would feel much more comfortable wearing them. I worked somewhere that was very conservative and actually required them in the dress code until just a few years ago. Definitely a bit of a cultural variability as well.

If you don't want to wear them, don't wear them. So long as you're comfortable, I hardly think it would look out of place (particularly in a small wedding).

[ny biker]

Are you talking about wearing nothing on your legs? The last time I was in England was in the month of June, and it was too cold for bare legs and open-toed shoes. Every morning I put on my cute new mini-skirt, went outside, then turned around and went back inside to put on long pants.

[Crankin]

I alm almost 60 and I only wear pantyhose if I am going to a super dressy thing in the fall or winter and I'm wearing a "party dress." Preferrably black only. Otherwise, I wear tights, as any dress or skirt I wear to work is OK with tights. When it gets a bit warmer (my legs are freezing until it's about 65), I wear patterned tights, with some "air" going in between the patterns.
Pantyhose scream old person and I refuse to be one.
For a wedding, if it's small and intimate, I wouldn't bother.

[OakLeaf]

Pantyhose scream old person

:D :D

I think there's a strong regional component to it, also. Hopefully some of the Brits here will chime in, or does your daughter have a friend you could ask? I remember being 12 years old and moving from the freewheeling San Francisco Bay Area to the northern plains where one just. did. not. expose bare legs. Once a girl started knocking on puberty, you didn't wear cut-off jeans without pantyhose.

I'm 53 and don't in the least consider myself old, or dowdy in the way I dress. But, my skin tone isn't the most even in the world to begin with, and when you add all the scars on my legs from various chainring gouges, road rash, bug bites, etc. ... basically, if it's dressier than a sundress or a sarong, I wear pantyhose. To me, they only scream "old" if they're very opaque (think support hose) and/or baggy. But, who knows what kids wear these days. ;)

[Crankin]

I think the regional component is stronger in the south and midwest. Women around Boston always went "bare-legged," as soon as the snow melted when I was a kid. Since I lived in AZ when I started working, I wore pantyhose AND a suit when it was often 110 degrees outside at the beginning and end of the school year. I still wore them at times my last few years of teaching and about 4 years ago, I bit the bullet and actually went without pantyhose to high holiday services. Surely, G-d was about to come down into the sanctuary and give me a lecture. But now, I work with almost all younger people, who rarely get out of jeans.
Heck, I wore white gloves to Bar Mitzvah parties when I was in middle school. And shoes dyed to match my dress.
Then 1968 hit and that was it.

[NbyNW]

Whether or not you should wear pantyhose might depend on the location/ social makeup of other guests, but I would say that while the weather here is warming up, you would still be comfortable wearing pantyhose this time of year.

[Jolt]

I wouldn't...maybe some tights if it's too cold for bare legs, but unless you're in a situation where it's just not acceptable to go without I think pantyhose are pretty pointless (and feel icky, and rip if you so much as look at them the wrong way). I think at a small casual wedding you should be fine.

[DebSP]

Thanks everyone! I am going to throw a pair in my suitcase and see how the weather is on Saturday. Or I could shop for a pair of tights over there since I only own heavier ones for winter!

I am 51 and I had heard that panty hose were no longer the norm. I do not normally have a problem with cold if my legs are bare but I would rather play it safe.

Thanks again ladies.

[Koronin]

I can't remember the last time I wore pantyhose. The only time of year I've ever worn them was in the winter and when I lived in Ohio. The 2 times I've had to wear a dress/skrit/skot since I moved to NC (one of those included my own wedding) I did not wear pantyhose. Hmmmm, come to think of it the last several dress up occassions I was at I wore a slacks suite or a skort with socks and my work shoes.

[Penny4]

I get that ph are a thing of the past but i really don't understand what women in colder climates do if tights don't look right with the outfit?
Honestly i never minded wearing them because of the control top factor :) That being said...I haven't worn a pair since the last time i was in a wedding.....years and years ago.

Here's what Clinton Kelly says:
4. Pantyhose – Should you wear them or not?

If you’re going to wear pantyhose, here’s the rule: It should look like you’re wearing hose or it should look like you’re not wearing hose.

Do NOT wear suntan hose!

If you want to look natural wearing hose, go with nude color. Otherwise, go with other hose colors so it’s obvious you’re wearing them.

[lph]

I'm in a cold climate, I like wearing dresses at work and I wear pantyhose all the time. Never nude or suntan hose though, mostly opaque and colours I like. I have opaque matte purple, medium dark blue with vague striping, black of course, I had a pair of favourite dark red ones, but I got so many red-stocking comments that I gave up on wearing them. Besides they went baggy on me. I also have some very cool black and white swirly ones, and some green shimmery ones, but they just look too weird once I put them on.

Or is this what you call patterned tights? They're thin nylon and with feet. For dressy occasions I wear black stay-ups to avoid the dreaded waistband digging in, not opaque.
Oh, and I'm 43.

[shootingstar]

Next weekend in England probably...is still cool, Deb. I would be wearing pantyhose. Standing around for photos outdoors.... Yes I'll be wearing pantyhose: my skirt is already 2 inches above my knees. I'm 54. My skirt is short, so no need to go bare legged.

Funny, a few days ago this week, I biked to work but I forgot my pantyhose and bought along an above knee lycra A-line knit skirt and top to wear to work...with slingback low heels. Now I do wear pantyhose in the summer...it just looks awful because my feet are so white while my legs are wonderfully tanned...from cycling a lot in the spring-summer. I don't lie around in the sun anymore just to evenly tan. Haven't done that type of tanning in last 15 yrs. (I get enough tan-colour cycling every season.)

But when I forgot my pantyhose this week and walked around the office, I realized my legs weren't too bad..my scars aren't as prominent. My tan from...last year had faded but not totally ..so that sort of melded with my white feet. :p I did sense other women noticed my bare legs: it's a bit early and chilly right now to be bare legged in our area. (Remember our winters are -25 to -35 degrees C.)

But ..it was my cracked skin on my heels that I didn't like. In our region, people would not be totally surprised to see this.

But hey, this is a forum for cycling and jogging women. :)

[Jolt]

I get that ph are a thing of the past but i really don't understand what women in colder climates do if tights don't look right with the outfit?


...wear pants!! Sometimes wearing a skirt or dress is just too much of a pain for me to bother with (when it requires hose, uncomfortable shoes, a slip, etc.).

[Crankin]

I actually find skirts and dresses much more comfortable. I *never* wore pants except for jeans on the weekends until maybe 10-15 years ago. It was either shorts or sundresses, if it wasn't jeans. Some of it was the advent of petite sizes, but, when living in a hot climate, having a sweaty, rubbing waistband and pants is not good.
The only reason I wear pants to work now, is if I'm working with a little kid and I have to get down on the floor. When I see clients at school, I always wear skirts. I notice that most of the younger people I work with never wear skirts or dresses. One of my DILs is like this, but for her, I think it's body image. The other one (who is actually even younger) wears dresses all of the time.

[OakLeaf]

I like skirts. I hate the shoes I have to wear with them. Nowadays I pretty much only wear a skirt when it's sandal season. Seriously, if I could wear foot-shaped shoes with a dress, I'd wear them a lot more.

[shootingstar]

I probably could wear a lot of different types of dresses, skirts --provided they aren't too long and proportioned for a short person. But that means I have to fuss over if other things match with the dress, skirt. Then there's cost...for something that might go out of style soon. A skirt is less riskier, price-wise, in general.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=51307&highlight=dress+shoes I'm wearing pantyhose here. It would be inappropriate for me to have bare legs. I realize that as one gets older, one cares less and less what others think, but I want to be ...respectful of myself.

I can't imagine for situations wearing a dress jacket, skirt and...bare legs at a meeting and delivering a presentation to a bunch of managers. Maybe I sound old. And it's ironic that I say this because I probably have good legs, meaning legs that have been exercised, etc.

I do wear dress pants 30% of the time at work. 50% black jeans. Rest skirts. I have 1 pr. of dress pants that I wear. Yea, I'm boring. I don't care. I'm in a division that has a mixture of geospatial mapping staff, support staff, project management staff, business analysts, etc. I've gone to meetings with people from our engineering, surveying services also. It's a pragmatic group that prides itself on technical expertise and more analytical in approach. Some of the supervisors walk around in their Converse running shoes with their shirts untucked... Neat, business casual wear. So bare legs, dressier skirt, etc. is noticed.

Nearly 90% of my work clothing, are in solid colours. 10% have a little design motif on the top, etc. Being small, short, I think it's better to wear solid colours for emphasis and to me...for visual clarity.

So different from other more formal workplaces from a decade and previous from long ago. I just haven't paid attention to pantyhose/less trends. :p After falling off my bike, or scratching my leg(s) accidentally somewhere during a ride, etc., having bare legs at work or for a wedding, is furthest from my mind.

[KittiPaws]

I always wear pantyhose with a dress or skirt. Seems like I'm the only woman I know who does, but I don't much care what other people do or think. For me, I simply feel more comfortable with them. It smooths out the tone of my legs (which are veiny and often scratched/bruised), and most of all, I hate the feeling of bare feet in shoes. Feet sweat, the heel of the shoe rubs a blister on my skin, etc. I need a buffer between my feet and the shoe. If my skirt is long enough, I'll wear knee-highs instead of full pantyhose. Having something on my feet is the biggie. I don't know how anyone can wear shoes on bare feet, but that's just me. :)

[lph]

I like skirts. I hate the shoes I have to wear with them. Nowadays I pretty much only wear a skirt when it's sandal season. Seriously, if I could wear foot-shaped shoes with a dress, I'd wear them a lot more.

I agree, I have broad feet too and most firm dressy shoes are torture. But I've acquired some casual style knee-length dresses and skirts over the last few years that look fine with softer casual shoes, sort of crosses between athletic-style shoes and flat summer shoes. These are a great compromise to me, and some of the most comfortable clothing I own.

[Jolt]

I like skirts. I hate the shoes I have to wear with them. Nowadays I pretty much only wear a skirt when it's sandal season. Seriously, if I could wear foot-shaped shoes with a dress, I'd wear them a lot more.

I'm the same way...it's so much easier to find comfortable sandals that look good with a skirt than to find other shoes (although I did find some tall boots this winter that are completely flat and are pretty comfortable).

[GLC1968]

I like skirts. I hate the shoes I have to wear with them. Nowadays I pretty much only wear a skirt when it's sandal season. Seriously, if I could wear foot-shaped shoes with a dress, I'd wear them a lot more.

You can. http://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/ladies/casual/kali-leather-ladies-2013.html

I wear these pretty much ALL winter. I don't use the strap over the top (I just step on it) and they look like ballet flats except that they are more foot shaped.

You are welcome. ;)

On the pantyhose debate - I opt not to wear them in most situations but I do so by choosing skirts and footwear that allow me to skip it. I do not have nice legs, so short skirts and heels are not appropriate for me anyway. That said, if I was in a professional situation (like back when I worked for Polo Ralph Lauren and it mattered what I wore), I did wear them.

As Stacy and Clinton say - opt for either opaque in non-skin colors, or super duper sheer. With today's technology, pantyhose can be lovely - they are super sheer, light weight, and of excellent quality that keeps them from stretching out or bagging. They do snag though. :( And they do wonders if your legs are not toned, even in color and young. ;)

In fact, when I was at Polo, our dress code specifically stated that hosiery was not necessary in the summer (we were in a resort location where casual was the norm anyway) unless your legs were not presentable. If your legs were not in good condition (ie, scraped up from a mountain biking accident or bright red from sunburn), you had to either wear hosiery or pants. No exceptions. I still use this as my guide when deciding if I can wear bare legs.

[OakLeaf]

You can. http://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/ladies/casual/kali-leather-ladies-2013.html
You are welcome. ;)

Thanks! :D I especially like the shoe comparo, looks like they fit similar to Lems (which aren't on their chart, but based on my men's Nikes, anyway). Except ... the comparo tells me what Euro size I want, and the shopping site sells in US sizes. :rolleyes: Wish they had a local store I could try some on, but I might just go ahead and order. I like the way they look.

[ny biker]

I always wear pantyhose with a dress or skirt. Seems like I'm the only woman I know who does, but I don't much care what other people do or think. For me, I simply feel more comfortable with them. It smooths out the tone of my legs (which are veiny and often scratched/bruised), and most of all, I hate the feeling of bare feet in shoes. Feet sweat, the heel of the shoe rubs a blister on my skin, etc. I need a buffer between my feet and the shoe. If my skirt is long enough, I'll wear knee-highs instead of full pantyhose. Having something on my feet is the biggie. I don't know how anyone can wear shoes on bare feet, but that's just me. :)

Not just you -- me too!!

[GLC1968]

Thanks! :D I especially like the shoe comparo, looks like they fit similar to Lems (which aren't on their chart, but based on my men's Nikes, anyway). Except ... the comparo tells me what Euro size I want, and the shopping site sells in US sizes. :rolleyes: Wish they had a local store I could try some on, but I might just go ahead and order. I like the way they look.

Wow, I didn't even notice that they've changed their sizing! All my my vivobarefoot shoes (I have many, many styles) are 38...I don't even know what I wear in US sizing!

The Kali's I have in black and a light tan that I don't think they carry any more. The black ones - I'm on my third pair. I've worn them almost daily for the past 4 years now! My newest pair I save for nicer occasions so they don't get so junked up and I keep the older ones for back-up. ;)

I really want a pair of the new Jing Jing and a pair of the Off Road Hi for hiking but I haven't taken the plunge yet.

[RachelFox]

I wear pantyhose all the time and I live in South Mississippi, down here where the dirt stops and the water starts. The humidity in the summertime is stifling! Bus pantyhose keeps my jeans from sticking to my legs and lets all my other fashion choices slide over them as if it was only 80 degrees.

[PamNY]

I rarely wear skirts but when I do -- yes to pantyhose unless I'm wearing sandals. I cannot stand bare feet in shoes.

[Helene2013]

I too wear pantyhose during the colder season. But they must be lycra ones, not the "cheap" nylon that rips just looking at it. I generally wear nude or black ones. Depending of skirt I wear. And I want them with the nylon with toe reinforcement as I hate a nail going through them. I also have anklet nylons to wear in my work high heels when wearing dress pants.

Off work, I don't wear pantyhose, unless going to a party that requires a bit more dressing up. But that is very rare. I stay away from those. Enough of it from work. hihi

But as soon as weather is warm enough, adios stockings! I work in a law firm so it is pretty conservative but they are not tight on dress code. As long as you don't come in flip-flop and jeans (other than jeans Friday) or mini skirt, they are not fussy.