Panty Hose with open toed shoes

[scarletine]

So, if so many folks don't like the sandal/open toe shoe with pantyhose, then why is a new "trend" for fall to wear said shoes with tights of all things! I kid not. Dark tights even! :rolleyes:

 

Now, while I think that look is tacky, count me in with the few of us ladies that prefer to wear hose with formal wear. I do try to stay away from wearing strappy sandals, mainly because I find them uncomfortable, but I don't see an issue with wearing hose with sling back pumps, or peep toe shoes.

 

Arizona, I love the black dress with the detachable ruffle! What a great way to get two dresses in one...do you mind sharing where you got it? It's lovely!

[Lou33]

Suzanne,

 

Here's an idea. Ask your husband which look *he* prefers. Many men would prefer the look of pantyhose, open toe shoes or not.

[Cruise Arizona]

I posted this a few months ago on the our roll call "waist watcher's" board.

 

:) First I want to make sure that people know that I don't think I'm fat or need to loose weight, I weigh about 120, and weighed 115 on the last cruise when the pictures were taken. I just want to fit into this dress again by cruise time and only need to loose 5lbs to do so. :)

 

This dress kind of has a history of its own.

 

I bought the dress the summer before my senior year of college,17 years ago. I lived in Dallas with my parents at the time and at the end of the summer I went out shopping for a semi-formal dress to wear to the fall Powder-Puff formal.

 

Dallas had a Victor Costa Outlet, and I found this dress and fell in love with it. I think I paid about $120 for it, but they sold it at Neiman Marcus for $800. On the back, at the top of the back it had huge 2ft bow, that hung down to just below the knees.

 

So I was back at school in Mobile, Al and the Powder-Puff is the first month of school. Because it is a Powder-Puff, the girls invited the boys to the dance. I was so sick of all the immature, stupid boys that went to my college, that I decided to invite a guy I had been dating off and on from Dallas that was in flight school at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. The night before the formal he called me to give me the bad news, he had gotten assigned to watch duty the next night. So there I was dateless with the beautiful dress. Luckily one of my good friends felt really bad for me. She called up a mutual friend of ours on Saturday Afternoon and got him to go with me to the formal. I had a great time but I was dissappointed that my Navy guy didn't go with me.

 

But he made it up to me, and about a month later he took me to the Navy Ball with him in Pensacola. So I got to wear the dress again, and we had a great time. He said he liked the fact that I had on such a fancy dress, because mostly the more senior officers wives had on the fancy dresses.

 

Then in the winter that year, my Uncle got me tickets to a Mardis Gras Ball. The dress would be perfect, except the ladies must wear floor length dresses to the balls. So I had a seamstress make the "Mermaid" skirt to slip underneath the dress to extend it to floor lengths. I was able to purchase the matching black taffeta at the Victor Costa Fabric Outlet in Dallas. It turned out great, and no-one even suspected that it had an alteration.

 

I think I wore the dress a couple of more times for new years eve parties. An then I wore it on my Honeymoon cruise 12 years ago. At that time we decided to take the huge oversized bow off the back, and just go with a more sleek silohette.

 

Since then I've had two kids and gained 50 lbs, only lost the last 15 lbs right before the cruise two years ago. I've been able to keep most of that weight off, but it is the extra 4 or 5 lbs that makes the difference in the fit of the dress. I can get it on and get it zipped, but it just doesn't hang right.

 

The interesting thing, was that when I was watching the Oscars this year the shape and style of the dress were worn by several actresses. So some how 17 years later it is still in style. I have other dresses that I bought in college, that I woudn't even think of wearing, but this one has really stayed in style.

 

If I can't fit into it again, well I'll just go get something else to wear in the fall, but It is such a fun dress, especially, because I can wear it as a long dress for dinner and a show, and then detach the extension and wear it as a short dress in the disco.

[bjboothman]

Well ---- did you marry the Navy guy or not?????? You have left us hanging.

[Cruise Arizona]

No, didn't marry the Navy guy. He went off to fly jets and was never heard from again.

 

I met and married the cutie in the formal pictures with me, an engineer and self proclaimed computer nerd (he put together the whole family web site thing). He's also a gourmet cook, a pretty good catch I think!!! He's a cowboy at heart who loves Arizona, I think because he watched to many John Wayne movies when he was a kid.

 

He was so cute when he planned our Honeymoon cruise. He watched the Love Boat when he was a kids and always wanted to take a cruise to Alaska, so that is what we did. He loved every minute of it.

[zuscruiserz]

Suzanne -

 

I think the pink dress with the silver sparkly hose looks amazing! Don't change that look one bit - it really is smart (and trends change season to season, so I try not to pay too much attention to them). I, for one, wear open-toed shoes with or without hose, depending on how dressy the occasion is, or if I feel it is appropriate. I always wear hose on the formal nights during our cruises, I'm just not dressed without it (and my husband likes the look of sheer, smooth legs!). And my personal opinion is, for a black-tie occassion, the black dress with sheer black hose is a must.

 

10 or 20 years from now, you won't remember what the so-called trend was, but you will remember how great your legs looked (or not):D !!! I say - go for it!!!

[pookyand3]

Cruise:

 

JMHO A well-dressed woman always wears hosiery I allso will be wearing hosiery.

[MrsMoose2001]

Hi, may I jump in on this? I love all this fashion/shopping talk.

 

I saw the spray on hose in Henri Bendels in the spring, the "display girl" who was promoting it, had it on, it looked amazing, I would have sworn she was wearing hose. I recently sat next to a woman at the hair salon and she had it on, I would never have guessed that it wasn't hose.This was different from "air brush" from what I saw.

 

Second question, if you are wearing formal attire (long gown) who is going to know if there is hose on underneath?

 

And yes, I do believe that toeless pantyhose is sold in stores.

 

Next question? if you don't want to wear hose, don't want to show your legs, how about a nice looking ladies tux? Solves the leg and hose problem? and like a man, can be re-worn without looking "reworn" a poka dot bowtie, or a brightly colored one, matching cumberbun I think it's a great look, patent flats for comfortable dancing, standing?

 

I love the look of a "female tux", thankfully I don't need "formal attire" for my cruise, but if I did, that is how'd I'd go, some my shoe problem, my hose problem and my leg problem.

[happysinglemom]

Gosh - this just amazes me that this topic is of such concern....still.

 

Honestly - I seriously doubt that anyone is going to pay attention to whether or not you have hose on. I know I wouldn't. Unless you are on a runway - it really is a matter of personal preference. If you are concerned about your too-pale legs, or veins, the by all means WEAR HOSE!! Wear what makes you feel best. Much better to do that, than to be worried and concerned about your look for the evening. For those that say they "wince" when they see hose with sandals, oh come on. That is just nuts. Save your wincing for the thongs hanging out of the low-rise pants.:D

 

For the record - I loved the green dress the best!!!!

[MrsMoose2001]

Hi, love the black lace dress and the green one as well, those are floor length, who would know if you are wearing hose?

 

The fushia one, I would go bare legged, but that's me, as the lady before me wrote, wear whatever makes you happy and you are comfortable with.

 

I agree with her, who is going to notice? I like her would not notice, I would be looking at the dress (they are all lovely and fit you very well)

 

Gotta laugh, you are so right about the "thong thing" I see it in the streets and don't get it.

[mrsred]

Go with what you’re comfortable with. Trends should not dictate your style, especially if it doesn’t fit who you are. If you can incorporate something trendy into your look, great. If not...don't worry about it.

 

A woman who is confident with her look is far more attractive than someone who is trying too hard to be trendy.

 

The litmus test for any outfit (IMO) is: do I like the way I look/feel in it, and does my husband like the way I look in it.

 

As zuscruiserz stated so brilliantly...the hose issue will be a non-issue when you look back on the cruise in the years to come.

 

~e

[Cruise Arizona]

Sometimes I feel like a mermaid in the green dress, you know the green sequins kind of look like green fish scales, but the other funny thing about the green dress is that I have to sew myself into it. It is pretty low cut, and I am well, let's say an A-, so I make up the difference with a few push up pads. So I don't have a Lucy Lawless moment, with me moving one way and the dress moving another, I take green thread and sew the dress to my bra.

 

Ya'll have made me feel better about wearing the green dress again, so who knows, maybe I will give it a try.

 

One other funny thing about the wonder bra thing, was that the drunk guy with Crown Royal in his Stailess Steel coffee mug all about the ship, (I think there is one on every cruise) commented on my last cruise that my bust line seemed to increase on formal night. LOL, I got busted. No pun intended.

[L11]

Suzanne, loved your story about the green dress. i just about spit coffee on the screen.

 

Wear what makes you feel comfortable. You have a nice figure and can get away with just about anything.

 

Me, i prefer hose. First of all, at 53, my legs are not fashion model-like with the vein and blotch thing going on. Plus, I usually have bruises somewhere on my legs from horseback riding. Finally, that look is only good looking if you are ultra conscious about fit and take into account how you look from all angles.. Most women don't do that. The example that comes to mind is a lady I was walking behind at a semiformal function. She was wearing a knee length dress that may have fit 20 pounds ago, if you know what I mean. She had very pudgy dead-white legs that viewed from behind were kind of scary, especially since I could see the line of her whole entire panty.:eek: Interestingly, when viewed her from the front, very little of that was visible (though the dress still did not fit. I wanted to say something to the poor lady, but what on earth do you say? "Excuse me, but I am from the Fashion Police and you need to take off your outfit and burn it"?

 

Linda

[celbercrz333]

You can get hose with the toes out. I've seen them on either QVC or Home Shopping. If I were you I'd opt for a spray on tanner. There are some good ones out there and you'd look better at the pool too. Just my opinion.

[MrsMoose2001]

Your story is so funny. Thanks for sharing that, I needed the laugh as I'm getting nervous for my first cruise. I'm so thankful that there is "no formal attire". I'm be an even bigger basket case.

[1cruiselvr]

For what it's worth, I think the green dress is striking but I'd ditch the casual watch next time. You need one of those diamond studded watches to go with the elegant dress. :) Happy Sailing!

[mrsred]

... but what on earth do you say? "Excuse me, but I am from the Fashion Police and you need to take off your outfit and burn it"?

 

Linda

 

*That* cracked me up!

 

Thanks...I needed that :D

 

~e

[Jane110]

 

I met and married the cutie in the formal pictures with me, an engineer and self proclaimed computer nerd (he put together the whole family web site thing).

.

 

Suzanne,

 

I clicked on your link but can't see how to get to any photos.

 

How do I access your photo's?

 

Jane

[Cruise Arizona]

DH went in and added the link to our Cruise Talk thing on my signature berfore he got my slde show module up and running. So the cruise fashion slides are over on the family web-site, and when I get the slide show module up, I'll move them over there.

 

click on the line to the family webside to see my "lovely" cruise fashions.

 

http://klasen.us/modules.php?set_albumName=Cruise-Formal-Nights&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

[Cruise Arizona]

I know the watch looks bad. I'll have to get the cutie in the picture to get me one of those diamond studded ones that they sell in the gift shops on board.:)

 

Maybe in the mean time I can find a nice rinestone one to wear with formals. I have to wear something to cover my tan line.

[BorntoTravel]

Hi, I just wanted to jump in here and add an observation I have made.

 

First of all, I'm one who wears pantyhose with dresses/skirts - open toed shoes or not. I just think it looks better, but I know without is the style now.

 

Has anyone besides me noticed that women when they're not wearing pantyhose just plan "jiggle" in the behind area - even those lucky enough to be thin?

 

As I said, it's just my observation, but these girls just don't look as put together (or should I say just look sloppy?)

 

Thanks for listening to my pondering!!

 

Chris

[1cruiselvr]

Yes I have noticed the wiggle that's why I wear spanx under my dress if I'm not wearing hose. They really hold you together well and stop the wiggling butt syndrome. Happy Sailing!

[queencath]

Cruise Arizona

You are absolutely gorgeous but I'm one of the NO panty-hose with open shoe advocates! As a matter of fact, that was on of my posting gripes when I came back from my Alaska cruise in Aug. 2001! I love the Jergens lotion and Sally Hansen makes a great spray-on panty hose that looks even and smooth and lasts until you wash it off. It's cheap, so you can experiment with different colors to find the right one. I'm a tennis player, so I always have a weird tan pattern going, but this stuff evens it all out. Makes my fifty-year old legs looks airbrushed.

Two weeks until my Grand Princess Med cruise- YAY!

[happysinglemom]

Actually, I've never had one - even at my heaviest. My genes were less than generous in the gluteous maximus area, so that has never been a problem for me. I would have loved to have had something back there to jiggle, though. :o

[queencath]

Yes I have noticed the wiggle that's why I wear spanx under my dress if I'm not wearing hose. They really hold you together well and stop the wiggling butt syndrome. Happy Sailing!

 

 

SPANX are a gir's (and middle-aged mom's) best friend! Has anyone tried their "Bra-leluhiah" yet? I saw it in the store and I was wondering about it.