Pantyhose Use
Raymond Freedman
Pantyhose, sometimes also called sheer tights, are close-fitting legwear covering the wearer's body from the waist to the toes. Pantyhose first appeared on store shelves in 1959 for the advertisement of new design panties (Allen Gant's product, 'Panti-Legs')[1] as a convenient alternative to stockings and/or control panties which, in turn, replaced girdles.
Besides being worn as fashion, in Western society pantyhose are sometimes worn by women as part of formal dress. Also, the dress code of some companies and schools may require pantyhose or fashion tights to be worn when skirts or shorts are worn as part of a uniform.
The term "pantyhose" originated in the United States[6] and rid the combination of panties (an American English term) with sheer nylon hosiery. In British English, these garments are called "sheer tights". The term tights alone refers to all such garments regardless of whether they are sheer lingerie or sturdy outerwear.
In American English, the term "tights" typically refers to pantyhose-like garments made from thicker material, which are generally opaque or slightly translucent. Opaque leg wear made of material such as spandex are often worn by both sexes for athletic activities or as utility clothing, and are usually referred to as "leggings", a term that includes casual wear. The primary difference between tights and leggings is that leggings can be worn as outerwear, whereas tights are not. In most cases, leggings will have a seam on the inside of the leg, whereas the legs of tights will be seamless. Leggings will often be footless, whereas tights usually will not.
The history of pantyhose, as for stockings, is tied to that of changes in styles of women's hemlines. Before the 1920s, it was generally expected that women would cover their legs in public, including their ankles; dress and skirt hemlines were generally to the ground. The main exceptions were in sports and entertainment, making tights a more suitable choice.[7] In cases of high-cut legs or fabrics that would produce a visible panty line, it was a practical necessity to wear them as the only lower undergarment. In the 1920s, fashionable hemlines for women began to rise, exposing the legs to just below the knees. Stockings also came into vogue to maintain leg coverage, as well as some level of warmth. The most popular stockings were sheer hosiery which were first made of silk or rayon (then known as "artificial silk"), and, after 1940, made of nylon, which had been invented by DuPont in 1938. During the 1940s and 1950s, stage and film producers would sew stockings to the briefs of their actresses and dancers, as testified to by singer-actress-dancer Ann Miller.[8][9] These garments were seen in popular motion pictures such as Daddy Long Legs.
Up until this time, there was little reason for women outside show business to wear "panty hose", as the longer hemlines allowed for the use of over-the-knee stockings secured with a garter belt. Nonetheless, during the 1960s, improved textile manufacturing processes made pantyhose increasingly more affordable, while human-made textiles such as spandex (or elastane) made them more comfortable and durable. The advent of the fashionable miniskirt, which exposed the legs to well above the knee, made pantyhose a necessity to many women. In 1970, U.S. sales of pantyhose exceeded stockings for the first time, and it has remained so ever since.[13] Pantyhose became a wardrobe staple throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
From 1995 a steady decline began, leveling off in 2006 with U.S. sales less than half of what they had once been. This decline has been attributed to bare legs in fashion, changes in workplace dress code, and the increased popularity of trousers.[14]
While sales of traditional styles did not recover, the 2000s saw the rise of other specific styles. Fishnet hose, patterns and colors, opaque tights, low-rise pantyhose, footless shapewear, and pantyhose for men (playfully referred to as "mantyhose") all experienced increased sales. In the 2010s, an increasing popularity for form-fitting opaque leggings paired with casual dress (and even some officewear) supplanted the fashion role previously held by pantyhose, although pantyhose remain popular as part of formalwear.[15][16]
Pantyhose generally have a standard construction: the top of the waist is a strong elastic; the part covering the hips and the buttocks (the panty area) is composed of a thicker material than for the legs. The gusset or crotch covering the genitalia is a stronger material, sometimes made of porous cotton, but the legs of the pantyhose are made of the thinnest usable fabrics, and it has a consistent construction down to the wearer's toes. These can be reinforced to guard against wear and tear.[17]
Most pantyhose are composed of nylon and a mixture of spandex, which provides the elasticity and form-fitting that is characteristic of modern pantyhose. The nylon fabric is somewhat prone to tearing ("running"), and it is common for very sheer hose to "run" soon after snagging on anything that is rough or sharp.[17]
Pantyhose are available in a wide range of styles. The sheerness of the garment, expressed as a numerical "denier"/'dtex", ranges from 3 (extremely rare, very thin, barely visible) up to 20 (standard sheer), 30 (semi opaque) up to 250 (opaque). The term denier is often referred to the weight of the yarn that was used to produce the item of hosiery. A higher denier of yarn results in a thicker pair of tights.
Sheer-to-waist pantyhose is sheer throughout, with the panty portion being the same thickness and color as the leg portion, and are designed for use with high-slit gowns, miniskirts, hot pants, or lingerie. Often sheer-to-waist pantyhose will be reinforced along and on either side of the seam in the middle of the panty. Often sheer-to-waist pantyhose comes with sandal toes - invisibly reinforced toes part.
Some pantyhose have single- or double-panel gussets incorporated into them. In single-panel, there are two seams instead of the usual one, with a single seam on the opposite side; with double-panel gussets, there are two seams on either side.
In the UK, local authorities accept clean, dry textiles along with other recyclables. This is both at recycling centres and curb-side collections. Textiles (including tights, pantyhose and stockings) which cannot be re-worn are recycled and turned into things like roofing felt. There are several internet sites which explain ways of reusing pantyhose (laddered or otherwise). In the US, nylon stockings, tights, and pantyhose can be sent to Recycled Crafts to be used in craft projects like pet toys, rugs, placemats, and table runners.[18] Swedish Stockings, maker of hosiery, has a program to grind down old pantyhose for use in oil and grease traps.[19] In the past, hosiery manufacturer No Nonsense had a recycling program,[20] and so did Matter of Trust.[21]
While usually considered to be a woman's garment, pantyhose can also be worn by men, for example for thermal protection, therapeutic relief or simply as a fashion choice. Race horse jockeys may wear pantyhose under their uniform to enable them to glide freely over the legs and waist when the jockey's body moves at a rapid pace.[22] Some fishermen who surf fish from tropical beaches may wear pantyhose for protection from jellyfish whose stingers are triggered by contact with a chemical on bare skin.[23][24][25] In the late 1990s, several manufacturers introduced pantyhose styles designed for men to cater to this niche market.[26]
This year I was limited on garden space and wanted to grow a lot of fruits and veggies. I ended up trellising a majority of my plants including my melons. I knew that trellising melons would be quite an experiment because they can get big and heavy. I needed something to support the weight of the melons keeping the stem from breaking and the melon falling. I settled on using pantyhose as a sling. It helps support the melons and doesn't impede its growth. It also keeps the melons off the ground and protects them from rot and ground bugs.
You will need to periodically check on and monitor your melons. Also check for new melons. Every time your melon vine flowers you will get a melon (that is if nature works right for you!). Keep an eye out for new melons to trellis. If you have a melon that ripens, just untie the twine and reuse your materials for new melons.
I was wearing a casual dress that day, mainly because I was weary of wearing pants and had opted instead for a figure-forgiving alternative in these post-pandemic-pound-altering times in which we live.
I felt I was overdue for a wardrobe change, a switch, even if wearing a dress meant wearing a pair of pantyhose. Such a decision guarantees going on a wild goose-chase, maddening-morning search for a pair of nylons minus any serious snags and runaway runners.
Great article Elysha, very helpful! I love the polished look of pantyhose, but the durability of sheer tights sounds like the better choice. Thank you for listing your favorite brands. Will check them out!
I wear them almost all the time, particularly when dressed up. I think most women, especially after age 40 or so, benefit from covering the flaws of aging legs. I feel it just looks more polished as well. Oh and FYI- I still wear slips, as well (full and half), because they make me feel more comfortable and put-together.
"Women look much better, their appearance and everything, with hose on. They look complete," says Joe Ellison, who is 83, lives in Southgate and became my first male pantyhose caller of the season when he phoned recently. Going without pantyhose "doesn't flatter their legs. You see indentations, scars, varicose veins."
"My first problem was the stretch and the length," says Toni Pozios, who is 66, lives in Harrison Township and gave up on pantyhose in the late 1970s, way earlier than any of the other pantyhose haters I've talked to.
"The thought of my weight at that time is something I buried in the dark depths of my mind, but that extra weight made pantyhose lose their length because they used it up going around me. So I walked around with the first low rider pantyhose."
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