To Hose or Not To Hose

[Mysteryreader]

I have a little black dress (actually two) that I'll be wearing for formal night. The current fashion is bare legs (thanks Sex and the City) but for formal night???

 

What do you think? Bare legs? Nude-colored hose? Black hose?

 

M/R

[iheartbda]

I'm not getting in on this one since there are 2 very opposing camps. There have been any number of threads on the subject and they didn't offer a definitive answer either way....there isn't one.:)

The only thing I will say is, if you decide to wear hose, just make sure that you don't wear a strappy shoe with them.;)

[kanitter]

Actually if you get the sandal foot or it's sometimes called the nude toe, you can wear strappy sandals and you don't have that weird looking band across your toes. I know, I wear them all the time with dresses. Sorry I'm of the old school that if you wear a dress you wear nylons. I know a lot of women don't and if you have the legs for it that's great. The one thing is I very seldom wear pantyhose, instead I will get the actual nylons. Dh loves them.;) I would think that with formal wear you would want the nylons but I guess it's more of what are you comfortable with. So have a good one no matter what,

Sue

[FoolishMe]

I think whichever makes you more comfortable... I tend towards the no camp personally.

[Happy ks]

I think it depends on the dress and shoes. While some people say there is an absolute rule one way or the other, I think it is a gray area.

 

I have some cocktail dresses that look bad without hose, others are fine with bare legs. I also have hose that are so sheer a person would have to get down and lay on the floor to try to see the seam at the end of my toe. They are the exact shade of my skin as well, so they just make my legs look better than without.

 

Personally, I'm not a fan of sheer black hose with a black dress, especially if the shoulders are bare. I know a lot of women wear it and many like the look, it just looks weird to me, lighter skin popping out the top of a black dress with black legs. I guess it's the black color legs that look weird to me, if the hose are sheer. I know I don't mind seeing black opaque tights with a casual look.

[doglady2]

Having just returned from The Oasis and had 2 lovely formal evenings and I wore sheer ....

I have sometimes gone with bare legs but only when the dress is not an actual eve gown/dress and has been a lovely cool cotton number..

It is all down to personal choice and also how it will look as a whole picture...:)

[STARFISH*4]

i stopped doing HOSE back in 2004, one of the BIG reasons i prefer longer style dresses...i think personally you have to do what you feel most comfortable with;)

[Straughn]

I am in the "no hose" camp. I use a self tanner on my legs to kill the ghost white look. Not a dark application, just enough to give them some color and even out the skin tone but not contrast with my arms and shoulders. I find panty hose, even in air conditioned cruise ships, just too hot and I hate all the bulk at my waist. If the dress has a waistline, and possibly a slip, all of a sudden you have all this extra fabric at your waist.

[Gathina]

Wow, this topic hasn't gotten beaten to death recently...but you might still do a thread search on it because it HAS gotten beaten to death fairly consistently.

 

You make a decision that works for you...there is no right or wrong answer..and if people say your out of touch or something because you decide to wear hose, well, those people should go look in the mirror and then decide who is out of touch as people STILL wear hose.

 

EVEN in the Carribbean. I still like the story of my ex MIL (a Jamaican) who, along with many other women there DO wear hose even in the sweltering heat...even when in FL...of course some do not...

 

Wear what matches your dress, makes you feel beautiful, etc. If you go hose-less there is nothing wrong with having "white" legs.

 

I am guessing that the "absolutely no hose wearers...it's just not in" are probably the ones also staring at everyone's legs..LOL:eek:

 

Also, about pantyhose being uncomfortable...shape wear and ll-fitting shoes are worn by woman all the time...to me pantyhose isn't any different. Lack of it can sometimes really ruin the look of a fine outfit, IMO

[bythehex]

I have a little black dress (actually two) that I'll be wearing for formal night. The current fashion is bare legs (thanks Sex and the City) but for formal night???

 

What do you think? Bare legs? Nude-colored hose? Black hose?

 

M/R

 

I think the definitive answer is - do whatever you feel the most comfortable with. Nobody will judge you either way.

 

And if they do - what do you care, you'll never see those people again anyway! LOL! LOL! :D

[KandCsailing]

I think anyway you feel comfortable is correct.

 

I don't wear hose with longer dresses or casual dinners, but do with shorter dresses on formal nights. I have tanned arms and white legs (they just don't tan up here and I don't try anymore), so the hose help even things out and soften scars and spiders veins from playing baseball. I also feel more dressed up with hose.

[SeldomCruiser09]

Ironically my girlfriend and I just had this conversation for our upcoming cruise. She searched around on here quite a bit and was able to find a lot of recent topics regarding it. Choose what you think suits you best.

[suezyq50]

I don't.

[househunter]

I think it depends on your shoes. Even with the so called "sandal-foot" hose, you can still see them with a strappy sandal. If you are wearing a closed toe shoe, then sheer hose look great but an open toe shoe should have a bare leg.

 

I also agree that black hose look very odd to me unless it is a long sleeved dress. Bare, natural colored arms and shoulders should have natural colored legs to match!:)

 

You will see that about half of the women you see will have on hose and hafl won't! Do what you feel best with.

[Glammy Grammy]

I'll not be wearing hose 'tights' as we call them in the UK during the evening as my formal dresses are full length, then my smart/casual are on the knee or just above so don't really need the coverage for modesty. Plus my evening shoes are strappy open toe and hose would just look terrible. So It's a bit of fake tan, and moisturiser for me for glossy looking legs lol.

 

Anyone worried about blemishes. spider veins there is a product in the UK called nyce legs by Sally Hansen, covers a treat and your legs look 'finished' and it comes in several colours. Well worth a try.

[iheartbda]

This is nothing more than an observation and it is only my opinion.;):)

 

Recently, I was an affair where I had the opportunity to observe hose versus no hose and I did so because of the controversy the subject evokes here. I was NOT judging anyone, just looking.There was a good cross section present.

 

70's-+ Closed shoes and most likely had on hose. Did not notice good or bad. Some slacks so couldn't tell either way but probably had on hose.;)

 

50's-60's More with hose and closed toe shoes. Noticeably bad....someone with very heavy hose.:( Some with no hose and those with slacks I couldn't tell if they did or didn't, but good possibility no hose.

 

20's-40's No hose, open toes shoes.

 

What I did notice on any age group that did not wear hose was how their legs looked. Some legs didn't look so nice because of veins or other leg issues. Some of the legs were very toned....professional ballet dancers.... they were very white but some also had a hint of color.

 

Unless someone never goes outside, there is always a bit of color on one's arms, neck, and face so a little color on the legs to match looked the best. I know, I know.....there will be someone who says they have no color anywhere.

 

As I said in the beginning, this was only an observation and my opinion. No one should criticize anyone for the choice they make if it's what they like, and or, feel most comfortable wearing. Just no hose with strappy sandals.:p:D

[cb at sea]

Bare legs. especially if it's a warm weather cruise!

[luvtcrz]

I used to be pantyhose all the time. That's the way my Grandmother, Mother and Sisters all were taught. Being that I live in AZ, I noticed that few people wear pantyhose, I went in search of the right answer. I found that it really didn't matter. I have noticed that at church I see more hose in the winter and less in the summer. (Open toed shoes/summer, closed toed shoes/winter). As for myself I feel a little more comfortable when my legs don't glow in the dark. I have found two products that I love and use even with shorts. The first is SOS (spray on stockings). I ordered this off of Amazon. It is a waterproof and sweat proof spray that gives my legs that hint of color when I don't want to draw any attention to myself. The other product is by Loreal. It is Sublime Bronze One Day Tinted Gel. Both of these products are to only last for one day and wash off with SOAP and water . They do not contain any permanent dye. I found the Loreal product at CVS pharmacy, but I am sure that many other locations carry it as well. I love the results and my teenage daughters now use it too.

P.S. I found these to look the best when I use a sugar scrub in the shower before shaving my legs.

[LindaM]

This is nothing more than an observation and it is only my opinion.;):)

 

Recently, I was an affair where I had the opportunity to observe hose versus no hose and I did so because of the controversy the subject evokes here. I was NOT judging anyone, just looking.There was a good cross section present.

 

70's-+ Closed shoes and most likely had on hose. Did not notice good or bad. Some slacks so couldn't tell either way but probably had on hose.;)

 

50's-60's More with hose and closed toe shoes. Noticeably bad....someone with very heavy hose.:( Some with no hose and those with slacks I couldn't tell if they did or didn't, but good possibility no hose.

 

20's-40's No hose, open toes shoes.

 

What I did notice on any age group that did not wear hose was how their legs looked. Some legs didn't look so nice because of veins or other leg issues. Some of the legs were very toned....professional ballet dancers.... they were very white but some also had a hint of color.

 

Unless someone never goes outside, there is always a bit of color on one's arms, neck, and face so a little color on the legs to match looked the best. I know, I know.....there will be someone who says they have no color anywhere.

 

As I said in the beginning, this was only an observation and my opinion. No one should criticize anyone for the choice they make if it's what they like, and or, feel most comfortable wearing. Just no hose with strappy sandals.:p:D

 

I like your common sense take on this subject---especially how you catergorized the age groups. You are spot on!

[Mysteryreader]

I'm the OP.

 

I've just about decided to go with the Not Camp. My biggest problem is my feet stick to the soles of my shoes when I'm barefoot. Really annoying. I've never read a complaint--ever--about this feet sticky thing. Should I volunteer for foot research b/c no one else has ever had this problem, or is there a solution? Don't tell me baby powder b/c now you're really tapping into my distant--really distant--past.

 

M/R

[iheartbda]

I'm the OP.

 

I've just about decided to go with the Not Camp. My biggest problem is my feet stick to the soles of my shoes when I'm barefoot. Really annoying. I've never read a complaint--ever--about this feet sticky thing. Should I volunteer for foot research b/c no one else has ever had this problem, or is there a solution? Don't tell me baby powder b/c now you're really tapping into my distant--really distant--past.

 

M/R

HA!!! Mine slide around.:D

 

Try some grown up powder.:p

[cruise kitty]

I think it's perhaps a cultural, regional thing, don't see many hose in S Ca, but if you feel more comfortable in them, please wear them:) I like the bare leg look, even if your legs aren't "perfect" who's are? But wear what you need to feel sexy & confident, because that's what people really notice, IMO

[janina]

My vote is whatever your most comfortable with...and whatever feel best with your shoes. That way you can dance the night away!!!:)

[truchattycathy]

I am over 50 and have vowed to never again wear hose. I think it is a personal choice and you should do whatever makes you feel comfortable.

 

I would like to commend everyone on this thread. Everyone answered OP's question w/o bashing, flaming or being rude. It is so refreshing!! TY!!!:)

[royalcruz]

OP, my feet stick if the insoles are vinyl, or even certain leathers. This can get really uncomfortable, almost like a stinging feeling. I also blister easily. Hose helps with both issues.