1. Forum
  2. Community
  3. Shapings Main Discussion forum
  4. Interesting article from Hamilton Spectator

Interesting article from Hamilton Spectator

  • KD

    I  was looking through the HamiltonSpecand found this articl. As a Pantyhose lover this has some hope for all of us. I could not find the link but this has in another paper. I would like to know everyone's thought on this.

    ://www.ourwindsor.ca/community-story/10523431-is-it-uncool-to-wear-pantyhose-ask-the-kit/

  • J

    Articles like this appear from time to time and it is always great to see them being published more and more often.

    I'm a man who grew up seeing those very same pantyhose commercials on TV, and became a "lover" at a very early age.  To say that I'm disappointed by the switch to the "Butch" look of women in bare legs in recent decades would be an understatement of a lifetime.

    There have been some who have tried to explain the "full-scale swing of the fashion pendulum" that occurred in the mid-90s, but I don't think there was any single event that could have caused such a drastic reversal in women's behavior overnight.

    My theory is that with women taking on roles in society traditionally held by men in greater and greater numbers, perhaps the underlying reason pantyhose became socially unacceptable for women is because they have always been socially unacceptable for men.

    Those who view bare legs as a reflection of female empowerment should consider the many women employed in the hosiery industry who were sent to the unemployement lines (with children and family to support) by the bare leg fashion trend.

    It's good to see pantyhose being worn more and more often in formal settings, but of course, they can be worn anywhere and at anytime.

    Wearing pantyhose is like putting frosting on a cake.  Plain donuts are for those who arrived late to the party.

    Less is BORE, ladies...  Black legs matter!

    I'm looking forward to the day when scenes like this can become commonplace
    once again:

    JA

  • TS

    @JA Well said, I could not agree more. I would like to add that the fashion pendulum has in the direction of more men are are biginning to hosiery. As they do society will grow more accustomed to seeing men in hosiery. But I think it will take more time for it to gain widespread acceptance.

    0 likes
  • KD

    Yes it will take some time for this to be socially accepted. But ts great to see that manufactors see this as a market for selling. One can only hope that todays women see this as you said, icing on the cake. 

    0 likes
  • Steph T

    I read that very same article.  The fact that we men do wear and have worn pantyhose for ever has literally saved the hosiery industry for quite some time, your welcome. 

    To be acknowledged that men wear tights, leggings and pantyhose as part of our daily wardrobe is a breath of fresh air. The cherry on top is that the company described in the article is from Toronto!! 

    We all love Shapings,  but maybe we all could help this company out by buying a pair or 2 from them. Support Local 🇨🇦

    0 likes
  • J

    Well, I think you have to be careful regarding any hope for society accepting men wearing women's clothing in public.  You may achieve some level of tolerance over time, but I think what you will more likely get are gags and giggles from the general public than acceptance.  And by the way, just because those negative reactions are suppressed and conceled doesn't imply you have achieved any level of  acceptance.

    Back in 1974, pantyhose were VERY mainstream.  New York Jets team quarterback Joe Namath appeared in a pair of pantyhose for a Beautymist television commercial.  His appearance was meant to be humorous, but reactions turned out mixed:

    As for the Beautymist brand, it no longer exists.

    Getting WOMEN to wear pantyhose in public is hard enough.  I am sure that
    men would gladly accept seeing women in pantyhose again.  But men aren't
    the source of the problem!

    NY Daily News Article

    There have been a number of very optimistic reports of pantyhose making a
    comeback over the years.  Unfortunately, many of the preditions made seem
    to have fallen flat.

    You can literally see the sigh of relief on the face of this Wall Street Journal reporter back in 2015 when speaking about the return of nude pantyhose:

    https://www.wsj.com/video/the-return-of-nude-pantyhose/71AC13F0-603A-439B-9DBE-143E45AFA286.html

    Obviously, it is going to take a lot more time and a lot more work.  We need to open the minds of women without turning their stomachs.

    JA

     

  • KS

    @J B  I agree with you and as long as you hide them under trousers or jeans which is ok for work or you live in a certain neighborhood or town that won't except it they will never be seen and will keep it from being accepted. It take guts or nerves to wear them with shorts but I have been doing it for over twenty years and I have yet to have had a bad experience and I live in Texas. I get more questions and looks than anything but never any insults.

    0 likes
  • D

    @Steph T "Support Local" by buying "Support Pantyhose".  

    0 likes
Please login to reply to this topic!

Participants

© 2026, shapings.com | Powered by Xenforum