Strappy Sandals, hose or no hose?

[jakenashleysmom]

I have narrowed down my formal night choices, and will be wearing a strappy sandal with my formal black cocktail dress. I usually like to wear pantyhose for slimming and for making my legs look thinner and for the color (I live in the northeast and we tend to be a bit pasty this time of year). I really dread wearing hose with sandals, even the sandal foot type. I'm considering not wearing any, just a body slimmer, my dress comes to the knee. What do most of you choose to do, wear the sandal foot hose, or go "comando"?

 

Thanks for your input.

[DukeFamily]

Never hose with strappy sandals. And especially no hose on a cruise in the warm caribbean. Just use one of those moisturizers with the self tanner. Dove makes one. There are plenty of others. Even just a little golden color to your legs works wonders. But skip the hose.

[hagerpeople]

I see nothing wrong with hose with open toe shoes as long as they are sandle foot style. I would say it comes down to personal preference and what you are comfortable with, I personally perfer hose all the time and DH loves it when I wear them..we both believe it gives a more "classier finished" look. My question is why do all the "so called" fashion experts say this is a faux paux when every holiday party I go to I see more women with open toe shoes with nylons than not? - Heather

[madhouseinc]

Also prefer to wear hose. Like the finished look - just keep wondering who made up this fashion rule? A disgruntled ex-employee of Hanes???

[madhouseinc]

Also prefer to wear hose. Like the finished look - just keep wondering who made up this fashion rule? A disgruntled ex-employee of Hanes???

[Jane110]

My question is why do all the "so called" fashion experts say this is a faux paux when every holiday party I go to I see more women with open toe shoes with nylons than not? - Heather

 

Because the women you see are not fashionable.

 

It's sort of like saying, "Every party I go to, I see many people with Mullet haircuts therefore they must be fashionable"

So no intention to flame, but your point doesn't carry much weight.

 

However, I do notice that you're referring to "open toe" shoes while the OP is referring to strappy sandals.

I think there's a big difference. An open toe'd shoe can look okay with the right sheer hose. However, a very strappy delicate sandal just never looks right when the foot is covered. It calls for a bare foot.

[Jane110]

I have narrowed down my formal night choices, and will be wearing a strappy sandal with my formal black cocktail dress. I usually like to wear pantyhose for slimming and for making my legs look thinner and for the color (I live in the northeast and we tend to be a bit pasty this time of year). I really dread wearing hose with sandals, even the sandal foot type. I'm considering not wearing any, just a body slimmer, my dress comes to the knee. What do most of you choose to do, wear the sandal foot hose, or go "comando"?

 

Thanks for your input.

 

I agree with the person who suggested bare legs and using one of the leg tanning cremes. Don't go too dark or you'll look silly, but a hint of color - just enough to take off the winter-white pasty look .

 

Or, if you prefer hose, wear an evening shoe that's not strappy.

 

Personally, I prefer hose with dresses for myself - looks better on me. I too have pasty white skin. So I save the strappy sandals for evening pants or ankle length dresses when I'm bare-footed. With shorter dresses, I wear satin evening shoes (usually a D'Orsay cut - open sides, closed toe & back) with hose.

[KKB]

Those tanner creams...Jergens has one that is just a hint of color, and you really can't streak w/ it...look terrific.

 

Sorry...hose w/ pumps are fine, but personally I think it looks ridiculous to wear hose w/ shoes that have toes or heels showing.

 

Funny, I rarely see women w/ hose on. And it is cold in NE in winter.

 

I would say this is an age issue. I'll bet my mother would say all the women she sees at parties generally do wear hose. (I'm 40, Mom's 62)

 

Wear what you are comfortable in! Confidence works whether you wear hose or not!

[nabby]

I don't know what length your dress is, but I will also be wearing open, strappy shoes. I plan to use the tanning creme (my legs are scary-white in the winter) and I will also be wearing Spanx footless pantyhose. If you have never tried them, you should - they are wonderful! They are control top, so they help slim and shape you, but the legs end just below the knee. There is really no binding where the leg ends, so I suppose you could wear them above the knee also. They are EXPENSIVE! But Nordstrom Rack has them for @ $10.00 I love the nude color ones because they blend in with the natural color of my leg if I accidently "show" them.

 

Don't forget to get or give yourself a really great pedicure before you show off those feet!

[wrp96]

I would say no hose, especially with strappy sandles. BUT I personally can't stand hose and go out of my way to avoid wearing them even in the winter. If you need color , then go with the moisturizer with color in it(I'm pasty white but I don't worry about my legs having color, since the rest of me is also pasty white and I personally think it's funny to see people with color on their legs but nowhere else).

 

Besides I agree with the person that said that hose are too warm to wear in the hot, hot, hot Caribbean.

[Happy ks]

Normally, I would say no hose and go with a tanner, but I do have a pair of beautiful Stuart Weitzman gold w/rhinestone sandals that just look better with hose.

 

What I've done is to find the very sheerest hose, closest to my skin color as possible. I found sandalfoot hose with a denier of 6 at Nordstrom (their brand) that are so sheer you can't possibly get more than one wearing out of them. I swear, you can't even tell I have hose on, they are so sheer.

 

But, I wear hose about 2-3 times a year and don't care if I take them off and throw them out at the end of the evening. I can even get them off in the car, with my seatbelt on, my husband driving about 70 mph down the freeway, I'm so desparate to get them off. I cannot stand pantyhose.

[Cruise Arizona]

I have had the same delima because closed toe shoe often hurt my feet and I am so pale it is not even funny.

 

My compromise, is Sally Hansen Spray on Pantyhose to cover imperfectins, and low lighting in the dinning room and lounges!!!! Also a good pair of controll topy no/hose spanx thingies!!!!

 

I do have one dress that is kind of short and it has sliver sequins with it, and I sitll wear silver sparkly sheer toe hose with my silver strappy sandles with it. I know its against the rules, but I think that dress looks better with hose and I haven't found any closed toes shoes that I like with it.

[happysinglemom]

I can even get them off in the car, with my seatbelt on, my husband driving about 70 mph down the freeway, I'm so desparate to get them off. I cannot stand pantyhose.

 

:D Same perspective here....though I will at least wear them now, a few years ago I would never even consider it (was heavier and no matter the size always felt like a sausage in casing!).

 

I vote for no hose with "strappy" sandals. Jane's point about "open-toed" vs. "strappy" is good...many "peek-a-boo" styles now (at least in my area), many more than closed-toe pumps. Hose with shoes that have just an open-toe is fine. For strappy styles, use tanning lotion if you need color on your legs. And definitely pedicured toes.

[SueSea]

Hose are too warm to wear in the hot, hot, hot Caribbean

 

Um, it may be hot in the Caribbean, but it is frigid in the dining room and show lounges!!!! I don't like wearing formal wear without hose and I don't like the look of open toe shoes and hose. So on formal nights I wear close toe shoes and hose. I have never, ever, been even the slightest bit uncomfortably warm! In fact, it was so cold in a showroom one night, my knees ached! It actually hurt to walk afterward. And I was wearing hose!

 

Since I don't mind no hose with more casual wear, on all other nights I wear open toe shoes and no hose.

[Happy ks]

:D Same perspective here....though I will at least wear them now, a few years ago I would never even consider it (was heavier and no matter the size always felt like a sausage in casing!).

 

I vote for no hose with "strappy" sandals. Jane's point about "open-toed" vs. "strappy" is good...many "peek-a-boo" styles now (at least in my area), many more than closed-toe pumps. Hose with shoes that have just an open-toe is fine. For strappy styles, use tanning lotion if you need color on your legs. And definitely pedicured toes.

 

I just hate the feel of the fabric on my legs, especially when one calf touches the other. I can't cross my legs with hose on :rolleyes: . I'm just not used to it.

[jwattle]

Sheer-toe thigh highs is my vote...DH digs it!

[hagerpeople]

Because the women you see are not fashionable.

 

It's sort of like saying, "Every party I go to, I see many people with Mullet haircuts therefore they must be fashionable"

So no intention to flame, but your point doesn't carry much weight.

 

However, I do notice that you're referring to "open toe" shoes while the OP is referring to strappy sandals.

I think there's a big difference. An open toe'd shoe can look okay with the right sheer hose. However, a very strappy delicate sandal just never looks right when the foot is covered. It calls for a bare foot.

 

I guess the point I was trying to make was there are many women who do wear hose with open toe or even sandals,obviousy that is there preference and they are comfortable with thier choice and I would venture to say they are not real concerned about if they are viewed fashionable by others who dress and act how someone else determined they should. I guess I've never been the "follower" type but more the "leader" type...so for me I will determine what I feel looks good on me. Again just my opinion I know there are a ton who will disagree and some that will agree.

[karen sharpe]

It's a personal choice and as uncomfortable as I find them these days I would prefer to wear hose. It gives a dressier apperance and hose with Lycra are great leg shapers.If the sandals are black nightshade sandalfoot would give you a complete look! Otherwise wear a Nude shade.

[Liner]

My compromise, is Sally Hansen Spray on Pantyhose to cover imperfectins, and low lighting in the dinning room and lounges!!!! Also a good pair of controll topy no/hose spanx thingies!!!!

 

Yes, yes yes!!! Love the Spray on Hose! My rule is... Toes Exposed? No Hose.

[Sassy Chassis]

Sheer-toe thigh highs is my vote...DH digs it!

 

Yes, they do, don't they ;)

[Jane110]

I guess the point I was trying to make was there are many women who do wear hose with open toe or even sandals,obviousy that is there preference and they are comfortable with thier choice and I would venture to say they are not real concerned about if they are viewed fashionable by others who dress and act how someone else determined they should. I guess I've never been the "follower" type but more the "leader" type...so for me I will determine what I feel looks good on me. Again just my opinion I know there are a ton who will disagree and some that will agree.

 

 

I don't know if I'm a "leader" or not, but I'm not a "follower" of trends. I'm happy to say that there are no photo's of me from the 80's/90's that I want to burn - with real big hair, tunic top/leggings/reeboks or legwarmers.

I've always been a classic - though not boring - dresser and have a very individual style. I know the trends but I don't necessarily follow them. I have many unusual pieces of clothing but they fall more into the catagory of wearable art rather than trendy.

 

However, we don't live in a vacuum and there are certain signals of fashion that distinguishes us from one another. Whatever we wear everyday is a billboard statement about us that signals to others in our society who we are, how we feel about ourselves and what we want to say about ourselves. So, unless your group is one of true iconoclasts, then I don't believe that they don't care how they're viewed by others, for example.....a person showing up at a cocktail party in a pair of overalls is making a statement about themselves. What we wear signals alot to others.

Like you, I too determine what looks good on me. I also don't wear uncomfortable clothing.

 

Our eyes grow accustomed to looking at new things so that they become part of an acceptable lexicon of looks. A woman in 1960's, I'm sure would get some intense stares if she wore a cocktail dress with bare legs.

 

If the OP didn't care, she wouldn't have asked. This is a fashion board and she wanted to know what was acceptable. Bare legs with dressy attire has become an acceptable look. However, sexy little summery strappy sandals with hose is definitely one of those "Fashion Don'ts".

[happysinglemom]

Um, it may be hot in the Caribbean, but it is frigid in the dining room and show lounges!!!! .

 

As someone who is cold-natured, I epected to freeze on our cruise because of so many of these types of comments. We ate in the diining room every night, and I never once was even chilled, never needed a wrap (and I always went sleeveless). I attended on show the 2nd cruise, same thing. So..."frigid"...not neccessarily.

[jakenashleysmom]

Thanks everyone for the input. I guess I just needed a sounding board, most of the opinions are the same as mine. I do like the look pantyhose gives to complete an outfit, but do not care for the look of open toe shoes with pantyhose, eww. I do think of it as a glamour don't. I guess I'll go with no hose, but I don't think I'll self tan as the rest of me is as pasty white as my legs! I know in reality, that it is doubtful the fashion police will haul me off at anytime on my cruise, but I want to be comfortable as well as self confident.

 

Heck after a couple glasses of wine, nobody will care what my toes are wearing, including me!

 

happy cruising everyone!

[gmasters]

my husband has rules about what I can wear, and that means i can wear 3 things at night for dinner and drinks....my short black dress and my heels..thats it..oh my I can feel all the wind

[Jane110]

Thanks everyone for the input. I guess I just needed a sounding board, most of the opinions are the same as mine. I do like the look pantyhose gives to complete an outfit, but do not care for the look of open toe shoes with pantyhose, eww. I do think of it as a glamour don't. I guess I'll go with no hose, but I don't think I'll self tan as the rest of me is as pasty white as my legs! I know in reality, that it is doubtful the fashion police will haul me off at anytime on my cruise, but I want to be comfortable as well as self confident.

 

I agree that tan legs and white arms/face/neck would look odd. I meant just a little hint of color. But if your skin is nice, then white legs are just fine too.:)

 

Heck after a couple glasses of wine, nobody will care what my toes are wearing, including me!

 

 

No! Your toes MUST be wearing a pretty coat of polish! ;)