Pantyhose occupy a dicey place in the world of fashion.
The dainty intimates are on the rise thanks to Kate Middleton’s penchant for them. Couple that with fashion-forward stars such as Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Jessie J wearing sheer black hosiery, and you have a burgeoning trend.
However, after years of bare-legged freedom (inspired by first lady Michelle Obama and “Sex and the City’s” Carrie Bradshaw), it’s going to be a challenge for pantyhose manufacturers to get consumers to squeeze back into them. We’re not going to go easily.
Many of us don’t want to return to the days of trying to match our skin tones with stockings. We don’t want to have to worry about snags and runs. It’s so much easier just to lotion up your legs and go without.
“I personally really like a bare leg,” said Catherine Moellering, executive vice president of New York-based fashion retail consultants Tobe. “A lot of young consumers were brought up either bare-legged or in opaque (tights).” They are experiencing sheer hose as something new, she says.
Hosiery has come a long way since the days when women had to attach stockings with garters. Today’s legwear goes from shimmery nudes to so bare that you look as if you’re not wearing anything. Also keep an eye out for jewel-toned shades of wine, purple, and cobalt blue.
Thanks to huge advances in graphic design and fashion technology, hose come in new bold finishes — distressed-legging looks or even three-dimensional objects.
With all the options available, you’re practically guaranteed that every pair of these hose would look phenomenal with a little black dress. (Or an eggplant-colored dress, if you’re color-blocking.)
“By and large, people are still feeling skittish about the economy. Hosiery is an easy and economical way to update,” Moellering said. “You can put on a pair of new hose with an old dress and get a bang for your buck.”
Stockings were a non-negotiable staple in women’s wardrobes from the turn of the century well into the the late 1990s. A woman wasn’t considered dressed without them. Then the corporately chic ’80s melted into the casual ’90s and women let their hose go at the end of the decade. Even when dresses became all the rage, we preferred pointy heels and bare legs. No muss, no fuss.
