Sunday, April 12, 2009

Shorts with Tights/Springtime

Steve in black opaque tights at PetSmartIt looks to me like some of the people who have found our blog are searching for info on the suitability of wearing tights with shorts, and also whether it's getting too late in the year to wear tights.
Firstly, in this case we're probably referring to 'tights' in the U.S. usage, rather than the British usage, which can refer either to opaque tights or sheer pantyhose. I say this because these search engine queries are originating on this side of 'the Pond.'

I've attached a few more pics of myself wearing opaque tights with shorts to allow readers to visualize what the look can be like. (Also see the pic I attached to the post on Gerbe pantyhose review)

IMHO, it's not a bad look at all. In fact, I think many guys may have fewer misgivings going with a look like this than with taking the larger leap to wearing sheer hosiery--whether black or skintone.

A couple weeks ago, I volunteered to help at my middle school-aged son's track practice. I was wearing black opaque tights similar to what are shown in some of these pics, and was assigned to work out with the shot put and discus kids. Although opaque, they can still be seen through slightly when you stoop and bend, etc. (Don't worry, I was modestly dressed, with loose black athletic shorts on, too). Anyways, I could tell that the kids were taking extra looks at what I was wearing on my legs, and probably found it to be a little unusual. BUT, as the workout went on, they pretty much forgot about it and we got along just fine.

Steve at the library in black opaque tightsIf you wear something a little out of the ordinary, people WILL take a second glance at it. But if you're carrying yourself with confidence you won't equate that with disapproval and will realize that it is most likely simple curiosity. Think about how YOU react when you see someone wearing something you've not encountered before. You tend to take a 2nd or 3rd look, don't you? Doesn't mean you're secretly thinking, "What the hell is that weirdo wearing?" though. So, if you want to wear tights with shorts, I encourage you to get on out there and show people that a guy can wear them with confidence and be as masculine as the next guy.

As for whether you can still wear them in the Spring, I would say, "Yes." Just the past couple of days here in Central Ohio have been rather chilly, and I've been back in opaque tights again. I tend to opt for sheer hosiery when given the choice, so today it was past my threshold and I was out of the opaques again. But I don't think they look out of place at all when the temps are still in the 40s or low 50s--especially if it's windy.

11 comments:

  1. I agree that opaque tights with shorts is a good look, and may be easier for some men to be comfortable with than sheer hose. I prefer opaque tights to sheer, and like to wear them with shorts like that. While tights may not be necessary when it gets above the low 50s, I find I can wear the when it's as warm as 75 or so and not feel too warm. In my opinion, it's a good look regardless of the temperature, as long as you're not too warm. (Much like how women wear them for fashion even when it's warmer.)

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  2. I hear ya, Doug. The opaque tights are starting to grow on me a bit. I think I'll have to do a post on whether people have an easier time getting accustomed to men wearing sheer skintone hosiery--which may not be noticed at first--or black tights, which can't be missed even at a glance, but might be perceived in some people's minds as a bit more 'masculine', as it were. I wonder?...

    While the black tights might seem more masculine, there's no missing them if you're wearing them. Where with the others, most people might never even recognize that a guy is wearing them.

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  3. "While the black tights might seem more masculine, there's no missing them if you're wearing them. Where with the others, most people might never even recognize that a guy is wearing them."

    Hmmm, I thought navy blue tights were also masculine. At least, that's what I sort of feel like when I'm wearing a navy blue dress suit and navy blue pantyhose to work on certain days. One of my coworkers saw the comfilon site and he was interested in black, navy, and brown pantyhose since that's the color of most of his pants.

    By the way Steve, pleased to meet you here. Sorry I've been out for a while.

    I also saw your shoes and then remembered that there are a lot of men's boots in most retail stores and featured on Forbes.com and I'll bet they're hosiery friendly than some of the older regular men's dress shoes. Even wearing men's boots and men's pantyhose, you'll still look masculine as can be. :)

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  4. Jennifer, glad to see you here on Blogger. Hopefully, some of my other friends from Gather.com will make their way over here to The Nylon Gene, too.

    You've got me there, on the blue tights also being masculine. I guess since only one of our styles (A849) comes in blue, I wasn't thinking so much about that color (shame on me!). But I think you're correct in your observation.

    So, on the boots you saw on Forbes.com, was there something about them that made them seem more hosiery friendly (product description, etc)?

    BTW, thank you for the compliments...

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  5. "So, on the boots you saw on Forbes.com, was there something about them that made them seem more hosiery friendly (product description, etc)?"

    I can't guarantee that the cowboy type is necessarily hosiery friendly though I'm guessing that for the higher priced men's boots, they'd have to be. I could be wrong. On another note, at one point, I did come across pantyhose designed for us ladies in boots. I'm guessing that they simply made the nylons a bit thicker and more durable but not likely as durable as the men's version. Just take a look at the shoes section at macys.com and jcpenney.com and under men and shoes, you'll find a lot of the ankle boots that look almost like the women's kinds. But then again, sometimes, when I'd wear my boots under my pant suits, they would look a bit more manly than when I was wearing them under my skirt. Maybe that's what comfilon.com meant when they said that men could wear certain ladies' shoes that look a bit more manly. :)

    P.S.: Today, I came across another one of my coworkers dressed in ankle work boots under his pants. Usually, no one would know that he was wearing pantyhose under his business suit. Unfortunately, a couple of ladies laughed and teased him when he was taking off his ankles boots because some pebble was bothering his feet. He tried to hide his feet from the public but somehow the minute they saw his feet in nylons, they suspected cross-dressing. They kept trying to ask him if he was wearing pantyhose and no matter how many times he tried to avoid answering the question, they kept at it and soon a few more coworkers were giving him a headache. After I heard about the commotion, I decided to just take my chances and defend him for what it was worth. I made it clear that it was none of their business what he wore and threatened to report them if they persisted. He thanked me and told me that he wore them simply because his legs don't itch as much with them on than if he didn't wear them. I told him about comfilon.com and other European online sellers providing tights/pantyhose for men and he was surprised but interested and is planning on checking it out. Maybe that and my defending him will put some confidence in him. God, it feels great to proudly defend another man wearing pantyhose. :)

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  6. It sounds like you're a real gem to have as a coworker, Jennifer. I'm sure your friend really appreciates your coming to his assistance. Of course, I'd like to think that our efforts to educate people at large, through channels such as The Nylon Gene, etc. people like him will soon be responding to such questions about whether he was wearing pantyhose with, "Yeah, as a matter of fact I am. And there's something wrong with that?"

    That's what they'd get from me, followed by a brief illumination on how they're rapidly becoming a men's garment too, and why men are starting to wear them.

    It's funny, though. Once in great while I hear a tale like this one, about how some guy wearing hose beneath his trousers, maybe even with socks too, and someone (like a female coworker) somehow manages to figure it out from some minute little detail that gives it away. Compare that to my experiences, where I've been wearing suntan colored hose, WITH SHORTS, and sitting in a room with people for an extended period and they've not even noticed. This has even happened when I was wearing some type that was not entirely 'invisible' either.

    For instance, my wife and I sat in an office with our financial planner and a woman who was describing annuities for us. I was wearing shorts with my suntan colored hose. Near the end of our meeting, I elaborated on what I have been doing since I left my engineering job--that is, my work as marketing director for ActivSkin. This led to a discussion of the emergence of a men's legwear market, which led to the mention of the fact that I was wearing them at that particular moment.

    They were both astounded to discover that, as they had not had any idea that I had them on during our meeting. So, I'm always somewhat amazed when I hear stories like yours. There must be some people out there who are actively on the lookout for guys wearing hosiery, I guess.

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  7. BTW, Jennifer, check out the ActivSkin website for our own pictorial endorsement of hosiery worn with cowboy boots, (http://www.comfilon.com/SizeGuide.asp?SID=26175F7F-1A90-4253-8592-638E36BEED90)

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  8. Hi Steve. Yes, he was glad to have me by his side but unfortunately, he's getting back to being nervous and keeps fearing that he'll be laughed at even if they don't see him wearing pantyhose underneath. My day was a living hell getting teased and laughed at though I didn't mind the insults at first. I just couldn't stand being insulted at when a couple of the annoying ones at work crossed the line and personally attacked my being a single at the age of 28. They were unable to make an argument against guys in tights so they went personal. Since they joked about my single status and even recommended that I marry him because somehow we'd make great pantyhose partners, I got into a quarrel hell with them and got a headache as a few others joined in and decided to have fun at my expense. The man is already married as it is and his life is great. At the end of the day, the man asked me if I was alright. I tried to deny it but couldn't hold my tears so he called his wife and after he told her how things went out thereafter, she decided to come the next day. I hear she's very shrewd and blunt. She used to have some reservations about him wearing pantyhose but after some of the living hell he and I went through, she decided to come over and speak her mind out to his coworkers plus she thought that no one has a right to insult any man or woman who is single. It appears that she's ready to defend him I think. Tomorrow will look interesting. I'm just surprised the man didn't file any harassment charges.

    P.S.: I saw the picture you mentioned so I guess that even men's cowboys boots are hosiery friendly too.

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  9. Wheww... pretty 'exciting' workplace you have there. I'm guessing that having his wife come over and scold them for picking on him is probably NOT going to be the fastest route to gaining their respect. I'm afraid that your friend needs to learn to stand up for himself, or he will never earn that.

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