Friday, July 15, 2011

Nylon fallout

Much has been made of the Duchess of Cambridge's choice to wear sheer pantyhose with all her outfits during the Wales' recent tour of North America.

Why is the wearing of pantyhose a newsworthy item?

Oh yeah, because several years ago, the fashion pundits and designers decreed that women should be bare-legged at all times. Even in the snow.

Nearly all of those pundits and designers are men, by the way. And they wear long-legged garments pretty much all the time, unless they're at their beach home in the Hamptons or the South of France.

I hereby applaud the Duchess's choice.

Yes, she has fabulous legs and could go without hosiery. But if you're attending a formal or professional occasion, you should wear hose to finish off your outfit.

I'm guessing here, but I'd say that 80% of all women "of a certain age" have less than fabulous legs. I'm in shape, but the skin on my gams and my feet definitely shows the wear of 53 years.

I need hosiery.

I even like hosiery -- because it gives my legs a polished look.

For the last several years I have eschewed wearing dresses and skirts because of the hosiery-is-so-last-century issue. But not anymore. I'm happily going back to sheer hosiery (which, thanks for Her Royal Highness's favor, will more than likely begin to include many more choices for us to wear!).

To the fashion designers and pundits, I say: Neener, neener, neeeeeeeeener! In one 12-day trip, you've been undone by a 29-year old woman with a better sense of style than you'll ever have.

- Catherine

2 comments:

Christy Duffy said...

Love this, especially your last paragraph! Enjoy your hosiery!

Nostalgic for the Pleistocene said...

I always adore hearing anyone tell the fashionistas "neener neener!" 8~)

But when did the decree go out that women not wear hosiery?? I thought i kept up, but this was news to me. Because, absolute truth, i despise pantyhose with one of the strongest of the trivial-stuff passions i hold. They are utter torture to me.

I'd probably wear them anyway though, when the occasion warrants, for the reasons you give. Either way, the Duchess's simple disregard for the edict is marvelous!