Saturday, June 27, 2009

e-MANcipate Photo Shoot Planned

compliments of e-MANcipate.net

Chan Kraemer of e-MANcipate.net is planning a major photo shoot using the new Emilio Cavallini line of unisex tights, and is seeking financial backing for this major venture. You can read about his plans at the e-MANcipate special page. Based in Europe--working in the U.K. and Budapest--Chan has done some very good work in the past, as can be seen [here]. His work has been very influential in the effort to bring men's legwear directly into the mainstream.
Posted using ShareThis

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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Which Colors Look More Masculine?

Black Legwear for Men, on the StreetThe thought occasionally occurs, or comes up in conversation among us at ACTIVSKIN, "Which colors of legwear give of the most 'masculine' impression on others who see it?" Since part of our mission is to serve as an advocacy for men's legwear, we consider this a fruitful question for discussion. I encourage my readers to join in this discussion with the same gusto as we saw on the issue of what to call men's legwear...

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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

How to Temporarily Stop a Run in Your Mantyhose or Tights | eHow.com

ripped hoseFollow link to eHow.com [Shared via AddThis]

While the above linked blog post was written mainly to an audience of women--who are probably mostly already aware of this technique--I thought it might be a useful item to share with the guys here on The Nylon Gene, especially if you're new to wearing hosiery. You may not have the slightest idea what to do if/when this happens to you.

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Monday, June 22, 2009

ActivSkin Legwear on NBC-TV, June 22, 2009 (2nd Time)

Steve Newman/Gail Hogan and ActivSkin Legwear for Men[THE VIDEO'S HERE... SEE BELOW] The second in the series of appearances featuring ACTIVSKIN took place this morning, where I was a guest on "Daytime Columbus" again (the local NBC affiliate, WCMH-TV). The segment, which aired live, went smoothly and I discussed occupational aspects of men's legwear with Ms. Gail Hogan, the host of the show. The following paragraphs provide some more in-depth backgroun discussion on the issues that I discussed on-air with Gail.

As readers of this blog should already know, there are many occupations that contribute to problems with leg health, and men are every bit as affected by it as women. Therefore, ACTIVSKIN support legwear can provide relief of discomfort associated with extended periods of uninterrupted standing, as well as problems presented with sedentary professions that keep people seated motionless for hours on end. Some examples of the former are: surgeons, cooks/chefs, retail clerks, and many more.

Similary, truck drivers, pilots, and office clerical staff are among the many who sit for hours on end without relief. We've received mail noting many other professions that can benefit from our full support hosiery. Just recently, it was brought to our attention how many hours symphony musicians spend sitting while they practice their art.


Video From ActivSkin TV Appearance


In either of these situations, blood tends to pool in the lower legs because leg muscles are mostly inactive. In the absence of other venous problems in the legs, periodic contraction of leg muscles during movement helps force blood upwards through the legs as it returns to the heart. So, even though men (and women) in these professions may not initially have venous insufficiency or varicose veins, the constant pooling of the blood in the lower legs places added strain on the blood vessel walls and the one-way valves.


Eventually, this added strain causes weakening of the walls and valves and backflow begins to occur and leads to further problems with leg circulation. Use of support hosiery helps to counteract the pooling and backflow, especially if employed before problems worsen to the stage where more invasive treatment methods are the only option. We at ACTIVSKIN want to promote a more open-minded approach to men's legwear, so that those who are most at-risk because of their occupation can wear it with confidence.


Formerly, men avoided use of support hosiery because the only non-medical grade products on the market were made for women. Some have tried using medical grade compression hosiery, only to have them sit unused in a drawer because they are too hot and difficult to put on. Unless specifically prescribed by a physician, something less constrictive than medical compression hosiery can generally provide relief at a much lower cost with much more comfort. If you missed the broadcast in the Columbus viewing area, or live outside Channel Four's signal range, you can go to the following web address to watch the online video: http://www.nbc4i.com/cmh/online/daytime/daytime/#guestvideo (scroll down the list of video segments on the "NBC4i Video" list).


AN UPDATE FROM 6/08/09: Feedback from the first appearance has been very positive. I'm told that our video segment for that week was by far the most viewed on the NBC4 website. Normally, Daytime Columbus show segments get about 60 views per week, while the ACTIVSKIN segment received over 1200 hits for the week (it received 572 hits on the first day). This is in addition to the 600 or so views per week of the YouTube version that I posted as well, plus those who viewed the video through The Nylon Gene.


Stay tuned, for next month's appearance on July 23rd...


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Sunday, June 21, 2009

Happy Father's Day!

Annual Father's Day Bike Ride 2009I hope our readers had a happy Father's Day. I went on a 57-mile bike ride with two of my sons. Whoaa! I finished it, but definitely saw the value of training beforehand. I was wearing ACTIVSKIN A677 (support style) hose, and that could've been the difference between me being able to finish or not.

The aftermathDon't try this at home, Dads. If you're going to do something like this, make sure and build up to it. I hope someone who loves you bought you some ACTIVSKIN this year!

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Saturday, June 20, 2009

Emilio Cavallini Selling Unisex Tights

Emilio Cavellini BoutiqueNormally I wouldn't want to encourage potential customers to be aware of goings on at another company, but I thought it noteworthy to share the news that Emilio Cavallini Hosiery has launched a unisex line of tights...

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Friday, June 19, 2009

Using LinkedIn - Building Your Network

Steve Newman attending LinkedIn workshop, June 17... in ActivSkin hosieryI've maintained a profile on LinkedIn for several months, now--ever since a colleague of mine sent me an invitation to 'join his professional network'. Although I signed on and created the profile, I have only gradually begun to learn how best to use this latest version of the social media networks that are sweeping the online landscape lately. This past Wednesday that changed when I attended a workshop to learn, "The Essentials You Need to Use LinkedIn"...

Steve Newman: LinkedIn workshop, wearing Black ActivSkin A677 HosierySee you on LinkedIn!...

P.S., You'll notice from the photos that I wore black sheer hose to the workshop (ActivSkin Style A677). Those who are still concerned over what people may think when they notice you're wearing nylon hosiery should take note of this. I make it a fairly regular practice to attend outside business meetings dressed similarly to this (maybe a dressier shirt in some cases), and I never encounter negative reactions or feedback. I do this primarily to raise awareness of the emerging men's legwear trend, but those who wear skintone legwear, or only under long pants, should take heart that they need not worry about unfavorable reactions from others--even if the do happen to notice (which most do not).

The lady to my left in the last picture can be seen looking at my legs. Some men who are not confident in themselves may become uncomfortable with this. But you should keep in mind that any time someone wears an out-of-the-ordinary style, people will look. Looking is not equivalent to disapproval. Think about how you react when you see something out of the ordinary. You tend to look a little longer, to check it out. Then you move on. The same is to be expected when someone wears dark colored legwear. However, I've become accustomed to the fact that it is generally just curiosity, and use the opportunity to engage them in conversation if possible.

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Thursday, June 18, 2009

Within 12 Hours of Being on Oprah!

This happened back in January of this year, and I've made passing reference to this, but I thought readers might find the story interesting. I posted this on a personal blog page at Oprah's website (Steve Newman's Blog) and it's copied here...

I'd like to think this opportunity will one day repeat itself, but I am afraid it may remain, 'the one that got away.' This past January, Oprah was planning to do a show segment on a Friday on the subject of men's pantyhose (+yes, you read that correctly+), and I was scheduled to be a guest, to participate in some sort of panel discussion. I had been working with a producer (who may no longer be here, not sure) who called me on Thursday afternoon to inform me the show would not take place the next morning. Unfortunately, the scheduled date was the day AFTER Captain Skully did such a magnificent job of laning his plane in the Hudson River, and needless to say, that event pre-empted the plans. The producer said he didn't know if it would get rescheduled or not--Ms. Winfrey was interested in the show idea, but sometimes TV has a way of moving on, etc...

I know Ms. Winfrey has personally tried ActivSkin, because following the president's inauguration in January, she was quoted in the media as saying she was keeping her legs and feet warm because "she was wearing something called men's pantyhose". I know she is always interested to learn more about new, emerging concepts and products, so I am hoping for the opportunity to one day present the concept behind the product to her.


Anyways, a bit of background is in order: at the time I was simply a customer of ActivSkin Legwear for Men, and was willing to go on national TV and talk about men's pantyhose--why men wear them when women are abandoning them, etc, etc. However, since that time I was part of large staff cutbacks at my engineering firm, and found myself without a job, and a family of six to support. Unlike the stereotypical engineer who might go busily about replacing his engineering job with another just like it (in an unstable market for engineers), I approached the owner of ActivSkin (www.activskin.com) about working for him. I had done some pro bono publicity work for him in years past, and we had become friends. Long story--short: I immediately transitioned from a career in civil engineering (of which the job market in Ohio is in the pits right now) to the marketing director for this small, but growing, company. We sell more than 30 styles of MEN'S pantyhose and tights, and we've been increasing sales consistently for more than a year and a half. That's not something too many companies can say in this economic climate, let alone a small, sole-proprietorship selling a decidedly unusual product like this!

Our target group is men in their 30s and beyond, who are starting to suffer the effects of poor leg circulation and want to arrest it's progression while it is still manageable. We also target men engaged in athletics (running, cycling) that can benefit from some form of leg muscle compression to improve stamina, as well as outdoorsmen who need some added warmth without bulk, such as hunters, fishermen, horseback riders (anti-chafing), motorcycle riders, etc.

Part of my publicity efforts to spread the word that ActivSkin is a MAN'S product and sheer hose and opaque tights are now becoming a truly unisex garment revolves around my primarly blog, called The Nylon Gene (www.nylongene.com). This blog provides a reasoned approach to explaining the various benefits of men's legwear. It's intended to be used by potential customers as well as media contacts who need background information while preparing pieces for publication. I've recently done an appearance on a local Columbus TV show on June 8th to talk about the men's legwear trend. The show is called 'Daytime Columbus' on the local NBC affiliate and you can see video online at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aIpJVVf1xM

(this was a live appearance, by the way). Also, I am scheduled for another appearance next Monday, June 22nd. The NBC website will have the video online for one week afterward at:

http://www.nbc4i.com/cmh/online/daytime/daytime/#guestvideo

Following that, I plan to post it on YouTube and on The Nylon Gene.

If Ms. Winfrey is still interested in the men's pantyhose phenomena that continues to grow, here in the U.S. and abroad, I would like to see her resurrect the idea that was set aside in January. There are several viewpoints that would hold interest for her viewers, in conjunction with the sheer (no pun intended ) novelty of men taking up nylon legwear in such a big way. The leg health aspect is an important component of how we present our legwear to the public. Also, there is the human interest aspect of an engineer making a quite unusual career transition--prompted by the circumstances so many are finding themselves in these days. And, there's a small company that's steadily making a success story despite the severe economic conditions.

Sincerely,
Steve Newman

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The Nylon Gene: Tweet this...

Twitter Micro-BloggingTesting new functionality... Hey! It works!... All you Twitter users can not post conversation about what you read here on The Nylon Gene, without leaving the website. See below for how to go about it...

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Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Poll Results: What Should We Call 'Legwear'?

Nylon Gene Poll Results

The poll on the question of what generic term should be used to refer to men's legwear has closed, and the results are posted below. Thanks to the 304 readers who shared their opinion with us. Just in case you missed the original discussion on this, you can read it at the following link: http://www.nylongene.com/2009/05/what-should-we-call-mens-legwear.html.

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Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Things Are Looking Up for Men's Legwear in the UK, too!

Gerbe Men's Hosiery, available from ActivSkin.comLast week, I was reading the latest post at "Legwear4Men" (Legwear4Men/Have We Turned The Corner?), and was pleased to see that the favorable response to the growing men's legwear trend is reflected on both sides of the Atlantic. The initial feedback on the appearance on local daytime TV here in Columbus has also have been very positive--coming from all quarters.

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Monday, June 8, 2009

Here's the Video: ActivSkin on Daytime Columbus

Since the video link at www.nbc4i.com will only be active for one week following our appearance on Daytime Columbus, I'm posting it here as well, so it can be available for anyone who wants to see it.

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ActivSkin on TV

Steve Newman with Gail Hogan: ActivSkin on Daytime Columbus, NBCActivSkin's debut on the talk show circuit went very well today! I was the final guest of Gail Hogan, the host of Daytime Columbus. Produced locally by the NBC affilliate, WCMH-TV, the show takes a lighter look at events of the day and the entertaining side of the Central Ohio community. Gail does an excellent job of preparing her guests and providing engaging interview questions. It was a very friendly and comfortable experience.

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Monday, June 1, 2009

Men's Hosiery and Business Attire

ActivSkin Men's Legwear - for the officeReaders have brought it to my attention that while I've been featuring mostly photos depicting men's hosiery worn with shorts, I've ignored examples of legwear worn with dress clothes and business attire. So, I will attempt to rectify that oversight here...

Steve, at the office with ActivSkin legwearThose photos can be found, but they are a little more difficult to come up with. I have a few of myself--taken over the past several years--which I've posted here for the benefit of The Nylon Gene readers. In addition, I've included a few random photos found on the web of men in the business world who appear to be wearing sheer legwear with business attire. These could be sheer dress socks or full-length support hose; it's impossible to tell, but it's sheer legwear nonetheless.

Men who wear ActivSkin full-length legwear soon discover that it can take the place of socks and underwear, making both them redundant. This is a beneficial feature when wearing it in an office setting, with a suit and tie. The complaints we typically hear from women about pantyhose are that they're too hot. While this doesn't seem to be so much of an issue in an air-conditioned office environment, the addition of socks and underwear certainly constitute an unneeded layer of insulation in the warmer months of the year.

Steve, in a meeting, wearing off-black ActivSkin legwearThe most likely reason for wearing ActivSkin legwear to the office is a desire to alleviate leg cramping and achiness, or prevent advancement of varicose veins. Many office workers spend untold hours sitting at their desk in front of a computer. Working in such a sedentary environment contributes to leg circulation troubles, and support legwear can ease some of the resultant discomfort. Therefore, if you must wear a suit and tie, it does not follow automatically that your legwear must be too hot. A few minor variables can make a big difference in how they feel under your suit. Sheer legwear is cooler than opaque. In fact, I would submit that sheer legwear is no hotter to wear than the socks and underwear they replace.


As an aside, I'm going to risk provoking the ire of my female readers here, but I have something to say on the issue of pantyhose being 'too hot'. Since I've regularly worn hose to the office and I've worn a suit and tie, I can objectively speak on which of them is the most uncomfortable. I say: the necktie wins hands down. If women were required to wear a necktie on a daily basis, and were then given the opportunity to stop wearing it on the condition they never complain about their pantyhose again, I would wager we would never again hear a word about it. You want to talk about hot? The dress shirt and necktie combo takes the cake. And, that applies whether you're in the typical air conditioned office environment or if you have to go on-site and it's hot out. Admittedly, having hose on beneath dress pants while out in the sun and heat is pretty uncomfortable, but no more so than the necktie. I could go on some more about this issue, but I think I'll save it for a separate post.


Misc. men's legwear--from the webThe question of men wearing sheer support legwear beneath a business suit--and foregoing socks--brings up the issue of, "what will other people say?" For the most part, no one will know the difference, since long pants conceal what you're wearing on your legs, especially dress pants, which are usually tailored a little longer. However, there will be those inevitable instances where you're seated in a room with others and cross your legs and reveal that you're wearing some sort of sheer legwear. I say, "some sort", because it should be remembered that there are such things as sheer men's socks on the market. These have been worn for many years. They were more popular several decades ago, but have never gone completely out of style. In fact, if one were to notice sheer legwear on your ankle, it would be as likely that they think you're wearing sheer dress socks as full-length support hosiery. For this reason, even those men who are somewhat self-conscious about their peers knowing they are wearing 'mantyhose', are not averse to wearing sheer legwear with business attire.

During the time I've spent working in an office environment, wearing a shirt and tie on a daily basis, I also wore sheer support legwear every day, except in the coldest months. Then, I switched to opaque tights. The sheer and opaque tights took the place of socks for me. While opaque tights are indistinguishable from regular socks, there must have been many instances where co-workers, subordinates or superiors took note of the sheer legwear on my ankles. I made no bones about covering it up, because I've always been very confident in my decision to wear legwear, and would've gladly explained to anyone who asked, why I was wearing sheer hosiery. However, it never came up in conversation, and it wouldn't be the sort of thing I would bring up myself. ("Hey, Jim. Whaddya think of these pantyhose I have on?"... huh uhh...)

Steve, opting for the more noticable 'tan' ActivSkin legwear at the officeSo, either my co-workers didn't pay enough attention to notice (unlikely on the days I wore tan legwear, as in this photo, at right), or they thought I was wearing sheer dress socks, or they figured out I was wearing 'mantyhose' but didn't think anything of it and went on about their business. Had there been anything else--such as gossip about, "How come Steve wears pantyhose?"--it would certainly have made the rounds and gotten back to me eventually. But it never did.

I had one or two conversations surrounding my wearing men's hose over the years, and these came about not because anyone made mention of seeing sheer nylon fabric on my ankles, but because the person knew about my association with ActivSkin in some way. Even before my current capacity, I have been a periodic contributer of publicity pieces, or an interview subject for media articles, for G. Lieberman & Sons over the years. So, from these activities a number of people were aware of my legwear advocacy.

Misc. men's legwear--from the webThe bottom line is that wearing sheer legwear with business attire will not cause men who do so to be ostracized by their co-workers, shut out by their bosses, or disrespected by their subordinates. Men who are confident in themselves will succeed in the working world regardless. If wearing legwear solves a problem for you, but you wish to be as cool as possible while at the office, follow my advice above and wear sheer styles and forego the socks. Instead of fearing, "what will people say?", be more concerned over how much that lack of self-confidence itself could limit your career opportunities.


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