Panty hose, or tights, took off where stockings finished. Literally, since they
came into popularity at the time of the miniskirt as an alternative to the unsightly
strips of bare thigh which stockings eventually resulted in, no matter how hard
you hiked them up intially. In 1969 Britain experienced a bad winter which put
the miniskirt on ice, but tights remained. They have in fact been around for a
very long time, and at intermittent periods have been worn by men and women -
the Romans considered fascia, their leg coverings, as somewhat poncy when worn
on anyone but old men and women, but in fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth century
Europe men were men in tights. Now, of course, they are mostly worn only by women,
but that does not diminish their significance. When they dealt a blow to the stocking
they also knocked its support garment, the girdle, into obsolescence - although
its sexy younger cousin, the stocking and suspender set, is still very much alive.
Panty hose today, like other kinds of lingerie, is an event in itself. Designers
like Chantal Thomas, who made pioneering lace legwear in the 1980s, are treating
tights with the same importance and imagination as any other garment. And ever-improving
technology means that your tights can now improve your skin, shape your stomach
and bottom, even add fragrance to your legs. Aristoc make a good range at high-street
prices, including bridal wear, ultra shine tights and a product called, promisingly,
Wonderbum. Internet tight site www.mytights.com has a big range of brands to fit
a big range of people, including the extra tall and the fuller figured –
it stocks one brand, Levee, which offers a range especially designed for women
of a dress size 20 upwards. It also has detailed fitting advice (both general
and brand-by-brand) and very comprehensive beauty, health and buying advice. This
includes a section for men buying for women, and men buying for themselves –
Levee, again, make a range called WoMan for men and women.
