spinoff... black tights

monseychick

Wed, Apr 09 2014, 10:53 pm

My legs are not my favorite feature. Since we all teach what we have to learn, I have spent time doing the inner work necessary so I can honestly say that I have come to love and appreciate them. Will they ever be the legs of my dreams? No. But am I thankful that they are relatively long, strong and take me where I need to go? Yes. And, part of my accepting them the way they are is the knowledge of how to dress them in a way that makes them look pretty good – (the magic of illusion is a wonderful thing!).

That’s where nude stockings come in. I can hear a collective groan as I say that, but please don’t stop reading. Trust me, I too, am not a fan of pantyhose either. Since I was a teenager I have not been able to stand anything tight around my waist, and I like cutting the waistband of my pantyhose so I could breathe (yes, you can still do that as long as you don’t buy “sheer to waist” pantyhose and you don’t cut them so much that they fall down (I never had that happen so don’t worry about it too much)). And, there was no chance that a pair of control top pantyhose would come anywhere near my body!

Then, along came the current generation of young women who reject any suggestion that nude stockings are the way to go. In fact, they snicker at the idea that they should ever consider wearing them! They see it as wearing fake legs and just the idea makes them kind of squeamish. In their opinion, bare legs is the only way to go. Obviously, this is a fashion topic that is highly polarized, and there doesn’t seem to be much middle ground.

I am not going to try to change someone’s mind who is firmly ensconced in the belief that bare legs are the only option (although I’m sure they wear tights of various colors). Let me just say that I believe strongly that in a conservative professional setting stockings are appropriate.

So, back to me since I suspect many of you can identify with my experience. The truth is there haven’t been many occasions. But that has changed this season, and it’s exactly the reason nude hosiery is on my mind.

Let’s talk about the 5 reasons nude stockings have disappeared from so many women’s wardrobe AND 5 new ways to invite them back in:

1. They Make You Look Like an “Old Lady!” Ask any 20-something woman, and she’ll gasp at the mere suggestion that she wear nude stockings. They are so not cool. As with most fashion trends it’s really just because they didn’t grow up with them. I mean, really, just look at those young men who wear their pants down below their butt with their boxers showing and you can’t tell me it’s not a fashion rebellion. The same is true for nude stockings. When worn well there is absolutely nothing wrong with wearing them (and often you can barely tell someone is), but it’s more the idea of them that offends young women–we did the same thing with bras 30+ years ago)!

Solution: You’re probably not surprised to hear that my new favorite celebrity is Kate Middleton. Not because I know very much about her or follow her every move. I don’t. But, I do appreciate her bringing nude stockings (ooops, they are now called nude tights!) back into favor (at least more than they were). Sales have increased significantly since she entered the celebrity fashion scene. She has proven that nude tights don’t have to look obvious or matronly.

2. Pantyhose are Uncomfortable. I don’t think that most people will debate this. This is arguably the #1 reason pantyhose fell out of favor with those of us who used to wear them. and I am the first to admit that they are not my favorite accessory.

Solution: Bear with me on this one. The solution is thigh-high stockings (just breathe and keep reading!). They are super comfortable (no waistband to squish you) AND when you are wearing an A-line skirt or dress (or one that just flows softly over your curves) no one can see the band on your thigh (even if it does cause a touch of a muffin top). Trust me, I have a muffin top with it and no one can tell (except now you all know). More on brands coming up.

3. They are so 80’s. Give this one up! Half of the 80’s styles (e.g., bright colored pants paired with other bright colors or black, peplums and flashdance style shirts) have made a comeback this spring so shouldn’t nude stockings (when worn well) feel right at home?

Solution: If you can remember the 1980’s , you might not want to revisit all of those styles – especially not all at once – but bringing the stockings into your current wardrobe with a pretty pair of platform shoes, for instance, or with a fabulous patterned dress will feel current and elegant.

4. They are a Huge Expense. Why do you think I bought them in bulk years ago? Invariably, after just a wearing or two, I’d put my toe through one or catch it on something and have that unsightly “laddering” – the new term for runs. One other word of caution…the stockings are meant to be “nude” so they should match your skin color and not change it noticeably (“suntan” stockings should be outlawed on someone with very fair skin) or you run the risk of looking very dated. (And, the good news about laddering in your stockings is that when truly nude stockings run, it is less noticeable because they blend in so well with your skin. And, there’s more good news. When you get a run in thigh high stockings you only have to discard one leg of the pair!)

Solution: You can buy them in bulk (once you determine the brand and color you like) but I have noticed there isn’t a huge savings on them – unless perhaps you can get them at a Hanes’ outlet (that’s what I used to do). My two favorite colors were “Barely There” for Fall/Winter and “Little Color” for Spring/Summer.

I was also just introduced to https://www.viennemilano.com/ stockings. Yes, they are way more expensive but rumor has it that they don’t run easily. I just ordered my first pair so I will keep you posted.

5. You Can’t Wear Stockings with Sandals: This was another reason I stopped wearing stockings for a while. What do you do about the webbed toes?

Solution: Enter my favorite kind of stockings – toeless! Donna Karan makes a good brand and you can even get the Berkshire brand for less (it’s not as smooth and silky but will do the job). Yes, you have to play with the band around your toes to be sure you can’t see it when you put on your sandals but it’s amazing how it turns invisible in many strappy sandals. Be sure to try them on ahead of time with the sandals you want to wear to be sure this is true – sometimes they are obvious and that’s worse than webbed toes.

Can everyone go bare legged with skirts? This is where the debate gets tough. Women with long, slender, evenly tanned legs are so quick to say yes, but for the rest of us the answer isn’t always so straightforward.

I’ll just use my legs as an example. I’ve never had a tan in my entire life. Burns, yes. Tan, no. Being a blonde this is not surprising but what also comes with it (which I wouldn’t trade) is super pale and translucent (you can see a mix of freckles, purple undertones, red and white so my skin never looks smooth and even. And this has little to do with aging – it has been the case since I was a kid).

Some well-meaning women will say, “So get a spray tan.” Okay, so I could do that, but do I really want to commit to something that I have to do so often? It gets expensive, time-consuming and, to be honest, since I’ve never had a tan, having even slightly tanned legs looks very foreign on my skin. Not to mention that I don’t know exactly what is in those spray tans and I’m not so keen on repeated applications of something I feel so unsure of. Trust me, I do enough “beauty treatments” without adding one more! But, that’s just me. So, more than anything, what the stockings do is smooth out my skintone and create a sleeker line (and, yay, they also smooth out any dimpling). Quick and easy!

If your skin is unevenly colored can you still go bare-legged? Yes, of course. It’s certainly a personal preference and, yes, I do go bare-legged with skirts when I’m being very casual (but I’m even more hyper-vigilant about the fit, length of the skirt and shoes I wear so that I feel good in them). That said, I also know that my legs will draw more focus when they are bare because they are not as smooth, and that’s not my preferred place to have the eye go.

It’s clear to see that the stocking debate is here to stay for now. There is certainly no one perfect answer for everyone. And, while I’m sure this information did nothing to change the minds of those who are firmly entrenched in their no nude stocking beliefs, hopefully, for those of you who are on the fence and looking for a solution, these 5 options above will give you food for thought and may bring you the solution you’ve been looking for!

sequoia

Wed, Apr 09 2014, 11:02 pm

Aha, it was you!

We should all wear what we like and what suits us.

And we don't all work in professional settings. Some of us work in environments where we can dress casually.

It's hardly a moral issue. I don't have a problem with your nude stockings. I wouldn't seek to persuade you to wear anything else. Why would you have a problem with my colorful patterned tights?

greenfire

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 12:07 am

toe-less nude tights ? might as well wear nothing ...

your report is too long to read in it's entirety

Ruchel

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 6:20 am

What?
My non Jewish friends and non frum friends do wear nude when it's colder or to a more dressed occasion.
80s was flashy, neon tights, or leggings...
I've never heard of fake legs feeling, or that you have to be tanned to go tightsless. If anything when spring comes most women are white, after a winter without sun, and legs under tights or long skirt or pants or jeans... yea if you're young you probably want to shave unless you're blond or smthg, with white legs.
In my world everyone not yeshivish + goes bare legged when it's not so cold, be they skinny or huge or tall or short or old or young...
Now only the frum seem to wear sandals with tights, that's true.

ImaMum

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 6:21 am

Wow that is a long passionate post about tights.
Btw tights and ladders are the English terms, we dont say stockings/pantyhose/runs...
Actually I think the thigh highs r called stockings.
Just out of interest, why does it bother you what tights others wear?? Confused

PinkFridge

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 9:01 am

ImaMum wrote:

I could see one being bothered by no one else wearing what one was wearing.

DrMom

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 9:09 am

I agree that thigh-highs are way more comfortable than regular pantyhose no matter what the color.

black and white

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 9:21 am

This is why imamother is such a hit..
You could have a whole "serious" discussion about TIGHTS...
I never gave it that much thought and for the record I wear all kinds...

PinkFridge

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 10:14 am

DrMom wrote:

I agree that thigh-highs are way more comfortable than regular pantyhose no matter what the color.

Honestly, do they stay up without clips?

DrMom

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 10:39 am

PinkFridge wrote:

Honestly, do they stay up without clips?

Yes! They have a very wide elastic portion at the top and they do stay up. I've been to weddings with them and danced all night without having to tug at them.

PinkFridge

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 11:57 am

DrMom wrote:

Yes! They have a very wide elastic portion at the top and they do stay up. I've been to weddings with them and danced all night without having to tug at them.

Cool. Truth is, I do knee highs as I wear long skirts (I think it's become abundantly clear that I am not the imamother fashion arbiter), but they do run so easily. Maybe it's worth investing in better quality.

Ruchel

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 12:09 pm

I've never managed to keep thigh high, high. LOL

greenfire

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 12:10 pm

PinkFridge wrote:

Honestly, do they stay up without clips?

they are called garters

monseychick

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 12:19 pm

Ruchel wrote:

Do they get dressed in front of a mirror and see what they look like ?

monseychick

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 12:22 pm

black and white wrote:

This is why imamother is such a hit..
You could have a whole "serious" discussion about TIGHTS...
I never gave it that much thought and for the record I wear all kinds...

Hey I am just transcribing conversations I have with my customers on a daily basis..

As a PSA Rolling Eyes

5*Mom

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 12:54 pm

I thought this was hilariously funny until I read the comments. I must have missed something somewhere.

black and white

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 1:14 pm

monseychick wrote:

Hey I am just transcribing conversations I have with my customers on a daily basis..

As a PSA Rolling Eyes

I meant no harm ,monsey chick
I found it entertaining that everything is a subject for discussion even thights.
By all means, carry on...
I need a break from Pesach cleaning and cooking Very Happy

mandr

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 1:30 pm

Hanes Silk Reflections makes a thigh-high with a silicone band in the inside that keeps it snug against your leg. It's excellent. Wore them while I was pregnant last summer and any seams on my stomach bothered me.

http://www.amazon.com/Hanes-Si.....highs

Ruchel

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 1:32 pm

monseychick wrote:

Do they get dressed in front of a mirror and see what they look like ?

woah, do you talk like this to your customers too?? live and let live. I grew up tightsless, with a fashion designer dad, who would never have let me wear something bad and never ever told me tights are a must per se for anyone unless maybe chas veshalom you had an accident on your legs AND want to hide it. You have your ideas, don't push them on others.