In a follow-up to her Friday radio broadcast, Bridgette Raes posted a great article on Men In Tights on her blogsite, "BRSG". I will say, as to the double standard she refers to, I’ve often said that it actually betrays a certain residual bias against women that remains in our society even to this day–even among women themselves. Despite the ostensible equality with which women and men are viewed today, you have to ask yourself why there is such a noticeable difference between the way people view it when a member of one sex strays into the fashion territory of the other?
Bridgette noted that a woman can wear clothing ranging from the ultra feminine to jeans, t-shirts, boots and a short haircut and hardly anyone even takes note. Maybe she is even praised as being: strong, “a real go-getter”, or other positive adjectives. But if a man wears even one article of clothing that has typically been associated with women, not only do other men get worked up over it, but women may give him even more flack over it. His manhood might be called into question regardless of how strong and virile an example of masculinity he may otherwise be.
You have to ask yourself if this doesn’t reveal some sort of latent bias against the female? Is it because a woman who co-opts a certain fashion item from men is seen as elevating herself? (BTW, not too many of us are old enough to remember the days when women wearing pants was considered scandalous). If so, by contrast a man adopting anything with a feminine connotation is considered to be ‘lowering’ himself to the level of the less worthy sex and needs to be resisted so as to not betray his manhood.
Of course, when we try to come to terms with all of this, we hope we can be advanced enough in our view on the inherent dignity, and equality, of both men and women that we don’t behave this way. Some–many–men are wearing mantyhose for very legitimate reasons and knee jerk reactions against it have to be examined for what they really reveal about the people making them. Are they unknowingly acknowledging they don’t really view men and women as being equal in dignity? Let’s hope your blog and radio program can help us move beyond that toward true equality. Thank you, Bridgette.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Bridgette Raes | Style Guide: The Truth About Men Who Wear Pantyhose
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Men Don’t Need Compression Stockings and Support Hose or Do They? | Compression Stockings & More
Reprinted from: Compression Stockings and More
Why Don’t Men Need Compression Stockings?
By Gregory
Because Guy’s legs…
■ Don’t get tired or achy from standing or sitting for long periods of time
■ Don’t swell (edema)
■ Don’t get varicose veins or spider veins
■ Don’t have any risk of deep vein thrombosis (blood clots)
■ Don’t have any risk of venous issues
■ Don’t get circulation problems in the veins
This all sounds pretty silly doesn’t it? Nevertheless... it is of course all not true. Wouldn’t it be awesome if this was actually all true and we could always be a beacon of health and have strength like Superman?
Unfortunately for many of us things don’t go that way. Men and women alike may have to deal with some or all of the above stated conditions and discomforts at some time of their life. It is also pretty clear that the longer one ignores seemingly minor symptoms like achiness, tiredness, mild swelling or smaller varicose veins the worse things may become as time marches on.
Many men try to be real “Macho” when they get an ache or pain and just suck it up. However, with some things just sucking it up or dealing with it may not be the best course of action. When it comes to venous issues preventative care and treatment measures for more minor symptoms and conditions could really make a difference. Taking action early on could prevent more serious and agonizing problems that may likely occur down the road if things are left unattended.
The point I am trying to get to here is that men can benefit from wearing compression and support hosiery just as much as women. Men definitely need to pay attention to their leg health too. We only get one pair and they have to last us a life time. Most of us make sure our cars get regular care and maintenance but many men tend to neglect caring for their legs and in particular their leg veins.
Before you think about shopping for compression stockings or support pantyhose you do need to discuss your symptoms with your physician. He will also be able to help you determine which level of graduated compression or support hosiery you will need. Before you can purchase compression hosiery you will have to accurately measure your legs for proper sizing and fit of your compression stockings.
For additional information please also read our posts…
Can Real Men Wear Compression Stockings?
NYLON GENE NOTE: I really enjoyed the author's little bit of facetiousness in pointing out the inconsistencies in we men's outlook on wearing something that could have such a huge beneficial impact on our health.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Is Spanx Considering a Line of Mantyhose?
“I never say never,” she said. “Men are starting to become more and more vocal about what they need. We’ve been getting calls from stylists who tell us that A-list actors and top musicians are squeezing into our Spanx bodysuits for women for movies and music videos. And women are telling us to please do something for their husbands and boyfriends, who are squeezing into large and extra-large women’s sizes.” [emphasis: Nylon Gene]Hmmm... Ms. Blakely may be beginning to see the light. If those callers are 'squeezing themselves' into those women's articles for the practical benefits they offer, how long before she ascertains there is money to be made by offering what they need, only in products made for men. She's a smart lady--if Emilio Cavallini can make money selling (2-3% of their $million annual sales) with an admittedly hard sell of boldly patterned tights for men, how much more so could Spanx capitalize on the market for men in need of support for tired achy legs, or to squeeze those few extra inches off their midsection? They already have quite a few offerings for men already (ManSpanx/Manx). Have you contacted Spanx to let them know how Nylon Gene readers feel about this? It could be interesting to see where it leads...
Thursday, March 8, 2012
A Flood of Media Attention for Mantyhose
My Google Alerts email notices have been going haywire sending notifications of all the stories popping up this week with the keywords, 'mantyhose' or similar tags. I've shared a list of them below so you can go check them out. Every one of these appeared within the space of 2 days. Contribute some good comments and let them know you're out here.
Get Your Mantyhose On - WWD (Women's Wear Daily)
NOTE: This article (which appears to be the first to break the 'mantyhose' story) is only available to subscribers ($129/year), and you can only see the first few lines of the article.
Pantyhose for Dudes Are Actually Selling Quite Well - Business Insider
Men In Tights: What Do You Think of the Mantyhose Trend? - Style Caster [reported here at The Nylon Gene]
Men's Pantyhose is a Hot Trend Now? Really? - Guyism.com
Man-Tights: An Expanding Movement - Discovery News (Discovery Channel)
Mantyhose Has Got Legs! Men Are Snapping Up Tights, Italian Designer Emilio Cavallini Says - NY Daily News
Introducing Mantyhose. Yes Mantyhose - TIME NewsFeed
'Mantyhose' Is Happening! - The Cut: NY Magazine
Mantyhose - Are Men Really Ready to Wear Tights? - The Week (Lifestyle Section)
Panic in the Streets! Tights for Men Are Gaining Popularity - The Gloss
'Brosiery' and 'Mantyhose' Take Off as Men Seek Warmth, Comfort... and 'Fashion Statement' of Patterned Tights - Daily Mail (UK) [apologies for the long-winded headline]
Hose for Bros: Five Names for the New Mantyhose Trend - Racked.com
Real Men Shall Wear Tights and They Shall Call Them 'Mantyhose' - The Stir (CafeMom.com)
Mantyhose, Guylons, Brosiery: Men, Ready to Don Tights? - BrandChannel.com
Click-Worthy: Men Wearing Tights (or Mantyhose) Is a Thing - Divine Caroline.com
2012 Apocalypse Confirmed as Male Patterned Tights Go on Sale - Joe.IE (ManStuff)
Mantyhose Are a Thing - Fashionista.com (Fashion News Roundup)
Mantyhose: Tights for Men and Women - WDIV Detroit TV
Designer: Mantyhose--Pantyhose for Men a Fashionable Force To Be Reckoned With - ABC News
Keep your eyes open. There's sure to be more where this came from...
UPDATE: (Mar. 8) They just keep rolling in. Here are 11 more pieces that've run since I first posted this...
Would You Wear Mantyhose? - CBC News (Canada)
New Fashion Style: Men Wearing 'Mantyhose' - Opposing Views.com
Mantyhose May Be the Latest Trend for Men - ABC30-TV, Fresno CA
Men in Mantyhose? Male Celebs We Could See Joining the Trend - WetPaint.com
The Best Guests Come Bearing Gifts: Mantyhose, for Bros Looking for Hose - Guest of a Guest.com
Pantyhose for Men, Mantyhose, Emerging Fashion Trend - WPTV/ABC-TV5
Mantyhose: The Surging Popularity of Tights for Men - Digital Journal (NOTE: Features a pic of 'yours truly')
Will American Men Wear Mantyhose? - WXYZ/ABC-TV (Detroit)
Pantyhose for Men?! Seriously? - Women24.com
Fellas: Are You Man Enough for Mantyhose? - BestWeekEver.tv
Is America Ready for This Trend? Introducing 'Mantyhose' - KSEE-TV (ABC)
Hose Over Bros - The Soup (E Online)
[New for March 9th]:
Mantyhose for Sale: Men In Tights Might Just Be Fashion's Next Big Thing - International Business Times
Mantyhose Sweeping The Nation, Hosiery Manufacturers Report - Inquisitr
"Mantyhose": Pantyhose for Men - BangStyle.com
Mantyhose: High Fashion or Just Another Fad? - Christian Post
Mantyhose: Will Men Really Wear Tights, or 'Hose for Bros?' - Gather.com
x
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Men In Tights: What Do You Think Of The Mantyhose Trend? on StyleCaster
Recent Mantyhose Publicity
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Compression Tights--How Compression Clothing Can Help Athletic Performance
Compression Tights--How Compression Clothing Can Help Athletic Performance
As for the photo, I took it with the help of my wife (who snapped the photo of me as I was running), and modified it with PhotoShop to give the impression of movement with the blurring. It is one of my more favorite ones I did while still actively employed by ActivSkin, and I don't mind it being used elsewhere. As for the legwear, I was wearing ActivSkin A677s in black. These are full-compression, sheer hosiery with a fly opening in the front. They're very comfortable and provide good leg support.
BTW, the article linked above is a good one also. Alexis Mabury pretty much nails the reasons/benefits of compression tights for runners, cyclists, etc. She also includes references to scientific studies to lend credence to the discussion. Make sure to check it out...
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Tights for Men: A History from 1510 to 2010 | Men's Tights Fashion
This is a good retrospective to remind us that tights were traditionally associated with men's wear (click link below to see blog post). The idea that tights are strictly a female garment is actually a very recent historical development. The blog, called, "Men's Tights Fashion" is relatively new. I'm not sure exactly when it appeared, since the blog posts aren't dated, but I don't think it's been around longer than this past fall. Although only a few articles are posted so far, they seem to provide a well-reasoned approach to the concept of male legwear--similar to what we try to provide here at The Nylon Gene.
I'm not acquainted with the blogger, but would invite him or her to share some background information below, or even write a guest post if so inclined?...
Tights for Men: A History from 1510 to 2010 | Men's Tights Fashion
Monday, January 17, 2011
Does Your Man Wear Tights? (TightsPlease.co.uk)
The vast majority of TightsPlease readers are women, so the article and accompanying survey are primarily directed at guaging the attitude of the female customers towards the 'mantyhose' trend. However, it's also evident from the article that they have a great many male customers, and they ask the question, "what are your men buying tights for?"
I hope that some TightsPlease readers have made their way here to The Nylon Gene, where we can certainly shed some light on that question...
Having spent some time as director of marketing for the original seller of tights/pantyhose made especially for men (http://www.activskin.com/), I am very familiar with the reasons men are buying tights (BTW, 'tights' in British usage is synonomous with what we in the U.S. refer to as pantyhose, as well as opaque tights). First, one needs to answer why men are buying so many pairs of tights/pantyhose from a website that sells women's tights/pantyhose? The simple answer is that there are a great many men who wear them for mainstream, legitimate reasons (see below) who aren't aware that there are readily available brands of hosiery made especially for men--and what the differences from women's hosiery are. This is most true when talking about mail-order hosiery, since there is no difference from ordering from ActivSkin or a website selling only women's hosiery. Even the question of overseas shipping becomes moot, because there are British-based distributors of male tights such as Legwear4Men, and several European-based companies. As awareness of existence of these companies has increased over the past 5-10 years, sales have also grown rapidly. This trend will continue away from women's tights to men's as awareness continues to grow.
There will continue to be a certain percentage of male tights wearers who stick with those brands they've become accustomed to and loyal. There are also a good deal of men who prefer to buy their legwear at retail outlets instead of mail-order. Male legwear has not become pervasive enough yet to enter the retail market, so these men must either buy women's brands or spend the postage money and order from the web. I mentioned the differences between men's and women's hosiery above. These include sizing according to male body proportions, somewhat more durable material (men aren't tolerant of the wispy-thin styles that run/tear at the drop of a hat), etc. However, those men who have not tried any of the men's brands before may not realize what they're missing by settling for women's brands. They may think there's no real difference because they've never worn anything else.
So what ARE the primary reasons men are buying tights (aka, mantyhose) in the first place? They can be summed up in a few categories:
Leg support: Women have known for years of the benefits of support hosiery when they're bothered by the subtle effects of poor leg circulation. One need not have gnarled up knots of varicose veins to benefit from a good pair of support pantyhose. They mildly massage the legs and help move blood through the veins to keep it from pooling during the day when on your feet for extended periods or being sedentary for hours on end. Somehow, 50% of the population has been left out when it comes to providing relief. Men are as likely as women to suffer from this complaint. A woman can wear a pair of sheer hose that keeps her legs feeling good at the end of the day and no one thinks a thing of it. It's now becoming more acceptable and commonplace for men to recognize the value of support hosiery. And, they need not wear thick black opaque tights--under long trousers--that are too hot in spring/summer, either. As men's legwear becomes more commonplace in the public perception, men are wearing them with shorts when the weather permits.
Warmth-Without-Bulk: In colder settings, hosiery provides a thin base layer under outer clothing that is much more comfortable than the long johns that were traditionally the only option available to men. Thin tights trap a layer of air next to the skin that adds insulation. When wind is blocked by an outer layer, hosiery is very effective at adding additional warmth without constricting movement. This is usefule for hunters and fishermen, construction workers, and even office workers. How many desk jockeys complain that their employer can't seem to find a way to regulate the climate control and sit shivering throughout the day?
This benefit is also valuable to outdoor athletes. For instance, runners or cyclists who exercise or comete on chilly mornings need to keep the chill off their legs to avoid cramping. Hosiery provides just enough insulation to do that. Yet, since most types of athletic tights are thicker than sheer pantyhose, they tend to cause the athlete to feel overheated after body temperature rises during exertion. Some cycling tights have zip off legs, which is good, but zippers add expense and you still have to stop to remove them and find someplace to store them.
Performance Enhancement: It's fairly well known in athletic circles that muscle compression helps improve stamina/endurance by holding the muscles in place better and minimizing bouncing against each other. Support hosiery provides that same sort of muscle compression. So in addition to the aforementioned warmth-without-bulk benefit mentioned above, they can also enhance a runner or cyclists ability to stay the course longer. Also, since sheer hosiery wicks perspiration it's insulating effect transforms to cooling when this moisture evaporates from the legs. Thus, they can also be worn in warmer weather if the benefit being sought is performance enhancement.
Anti-chafing: When worn under trousers, tights or pantyhose are a great means of preventing chafing of the inner thighs in many circumstances. It's been an open secret for many years that horsemen often wear women's pantyhose while riding to avoid 'saddle sores'. Likewise, this same benefit applied for hikers on long marches. An added benefit is protection against ticks. They can't get attached to your legs when you're wearing nylon against your skin. That's also why the military have used them overseas to help ward off sand fleas, etc.
I've posted the text from the TightsPlease blog, along with a few inline comments that I think will help clarify a few misconceptions inherent in the article:
Does your man wear tights?
It’s come to our attention that more and more men are choosing to wear our tights!
They’re being worn for whole host of purposes, from meeting a basic need like our boys in Afghanistan – wearing tights to protect their legs from desert flies, or wearing tights to make a bold statement, like our cross dressing shoppers, who get a lot of enjoyment from wearing stylish, women’s tights! [As men become more comfortable with the idea of wearing tights, they will add them to their wardrobe for aesthetic, as well as practical, reasons. However, cross dressing is a very small proportion of the number of guys wearing tights.]
Traditionally, men wearing tights has always been a taboo subject. The only time men in tights is acceptable, is at the pantomime or on our favourite superhero! With the sheer volume of male shoppers that we’ve seen visit the site, it’s unlikely that they’re all shopping for either of these purposes. [As I've detailed above, men wearing tights is fast losing any of the former taboo. They're wearing them for very practical reasons, and the public is recognizing that fact by taking the sight of a guy wearing hosiery very much in stride]
So what are your men buying tights for? We’d like to find out more! For 5% discount off your next purchase with Tightsplease, fill in our Men In Tights survey now! We’d love to hear your views!! [Nylon Gene readers: Make sure to visit the blog or follow this link, and offer your input for the survey]
Lauren x
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The Well Groomed Bloke is Back (and wearing mantyhose)
Although I can't personally vouch for that last mental image, for the purposes of our Nylon Gene blog and it's loyal readers, I can share with you what the article has to say about the mantyhose trend...
"...Across the globe "mancessories" are big business, with everything from make-up to handbags being tailored to a male market.
From Givenchy Spring/Summer 2010
And if you thought men in tights went out with bows and arrows, think again. Givenchy's spring 2010 collection featured mantyhose and the trend has been embraced for their warmth and the circulation boost they provide.
The online men's fashion magazine e-MANcipate.net even includes detailed photographic instructions to help men get into their mantyhose and avoid ladders ('runs' in U.S. lingo --SN.).
How about guy girdles to hold in the beer belly?
The designers at Australian company Equmen prefer to call it male compression wear; briefs and undershirts designed to lift, flatten and shape a bloke's body.
The range has been embraced internationally and is sold at outlets such as Saks Fifth Avenue in the US and Selfridges in the UK..."
[Follow link to read the full article.]
We've not seen a great deal of publicity about the male legwear trend for a few months, so reading this reference in the Herald Sun article was refreshing and reassuring that our previous efforts to increase awareness among the public and media outlets in the past has not been in vain.
 |
Spring/Summer 2011 Collection (with a little kilt action thrown in) |
As with just about everything in the 'fashion industry' it's far removed from what the average 'bloke' on the street is going to be wearing. But it's also an indicator of the general shape of things in years to come. What starts out on the runway generally morphs into something similar, but realistic, before showing up here and there in general circulation. Obviously, since legwear has been showing up in men's fashion collections on more and more occasions, the idea that they aren't for men is evaporating.
And, as the Herald Sun article cited above asserts, that doesn't go hand in hand with guys becoming more feminine, either. One of the basic precepts of The Nylon Gene's message is that legwear (tights, sheer hose) have a legit place in male attire. Real men can, and do, wear hose.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Your Fearless Blogger's Photo Featured on Toronto Life
The article focused on a tongue-in-cheek review of the First World's ever-growing crisis, spawned by the First Lady's pre-inauguration comments that she never wears pantyhose. (BTW, one of the commentors pointed out that Ms. Obama has begun wearing them since moving into the White House). This was juxtaposed against a recent Charlotte Observer article questioning whether pantyhose were on their last legs? Maybe the subliminal message is that while women's pantyhose may be on their last legs--the men's lines still continue to pick up steam.
To be sure, there was a parenthetical reference to mantyhose in the article. So, we can be sure that writers out there have definitely become aware of its presence as a real trend. As for the photo, it looks like one that we did sometime last year while having a little fun with those de-motivators posters--a website where people can create their own satires of those smarmy motivational posters we've all seen in offices around the world.
-Ciao for now...
Saturday, April 24, 2010
"Plus, the chicks go crazy for guys in tights..."
John Hart, the creator of the Wizard of Id comic strip, apparently knows something we at The Nylon Gene have been advocating for quite awhile:
April 22, 2010 - Wizaard of Id
...and there's more below:
... here's an interesting one from several years back. Not a widely distributed comic (I've not seen it before in Columbus), but obviously of interest to Nylon Gene readers: (Obviously, Teddy is a 'fashion-forward' Nylon Gene reader, isn't he?)
Nov. 10, 2004 - Big Nate
Nove. 11, 2004 - Big Nate
And, a couple of funny Frank & Ernest strips, of uncertain age:
Finally, this Monty comic strip represents the undercover tights-wearer in many of the guys out there:
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Mantyhose & the 3 Secret Weapons for Entrepreneurs
Renee and Don Marton published an article on the Huffington Post on March 4th, entitled "Three Secret Weapons for Entrepreneurs". In reading it, I couldn't help but mentally evaluate how well ActivSkin Legwear models these weapons in their business model. The three weapons listed were: ...
Finding Underserved Niche
ActivSkin's underserved market is men who suffer from poor leg circulation--cramps, achy/tired legs, feeling of 'heaviness'. Although men are as likely as women to suffer from these complaints, there has not been a product analogous to support pantyhose (thus far) available to men. Yet, wearing support hosiery has a beneficial effect on this condition, and can prevent it from getting worse, too. Because of the nearly insurmountable association of sheer legwear and tights with women's wear, and the fact that no male products have been widely marketed prior to ActivSkin, men have been forced to just 'suck it up' and not complain too much about how their legs feel. That is, until the pain or discomfort gets so bad their doctor prescribes medical-grade hosiery--which everyone finds to be too hot, too tight, too expensive and too uncomfortable.
Buck The Conventional Widsom
ActivSkin certainly bucks the Conventional Wisdom, which says, "tights/pantyhose are for women ONLY!" ActivSkin has been in business for 10 years now, and has grown nearly every year since its inception. That shows that the conventional wisdom is mistaken, when it comes to men wearing this sort of legwear for legitimate, practical reasons. The CW also says that men wouldn't wear pantyhose or tights--even if they're beneficial--out of fear of being negatively labeled by peers. However, despite an uphill battle in the beginning, we've perservered and those mistaken misconceptions are slowly, but surely, fading away. Some men are still tentative about this emerging trend, but every month more and more are willing to give it a try--and once they do, many decide their leg health overrides those misplaced fears... A few even venture out wearing them with shorts--like myself.
Spot a Trend and Pounce 
Steve Katz, the founder of ActivSkin spotted a trend years ago when he discovered an online discussion board at the leggs.com website. Surprisingly, the bulk of discussion was being carried on by... men. Most notably, these men were focused on how they had discovered that women's support pantyhose provided definite, practical benefits to those with leg circulation problems. Others noted how they were also a good base layer beneath clothing for added warmth without the bulk of long johns. This discovery led him to circulate a survey exploring this hidden trend further, and ultimately led to the formation of ActivSkin (originally marketed under the brand name, Comfilon).
The company was a success from the beginning, finding enough customers for this underserved niche to maintain and grow the business for the past 10 years. ActivSkin still works to 'get over the hump', achieving breakout status, but believes it to be within reach. The current economic conditions in the U.S. and around the world continue to depress sales in all market sectors. However, ActivSkin has been able to hold its own despite being a small company. One additional entrepreneurial weapon that the Sarah Blakelys of the world need is perserverance--the ability to stay the course until the right combination of factors can launch you to the next level. And, that's what ActivSkin has demonstrated all along.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
ActivSkin Legwear News
Many have been asking about ActivSkin's A866 footed and A876 footless opaque tights with fly opening. ActivSkin has been out of stock in some sizes of both styles since late 2009. No longer! I've just received word, they FINALLY came in yesterday!
The beloved tights were delayed due to supplier issues, first the holidays and then came difficulties acquiring the needed yarns to make them. ActivSkin regrets the long period during which they were out of stock, 
but is glad to begin selling them once again! These are two of the more popular styles and offer a comfortable level of full support that energizes your legs while providing some added warmth. If the weather where you are has been as cold as this winter in Ohio, you'll appreciate that!. You can check them out here: http://www.comfilon.com/catalogoptights.asp
To make up for the non-availability of these great tights for so long, ActivSkin is lowering the price on Styles A866/A876 for one month. Instead of the normal price of $19.99 (still a good value!), ActivSkin is selling both styles for $16.99 during the entire month of March. After that, they'll go back to the normal price of $19.99 a pair. So, hurry and get yours before they sell out again! Don't be be the last on your block-–act now and stock up.
Additionally, ActivSkin customers can save big on the overstock supply of Size Medium A549 Sheer Pantyhose for Men (with fly), now at HALF PRICE.
Go to http://www.comfilon.com/catalogsheerpantyhose.asp, and scroll down to A549. Look for the Overstock Sale block just below the main item and place your order.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
History of Hosiery
I am reprinting information here that was gathered together by Christopher James, a young graphic designer who also happens to share a great interest in men's legwear. Chris has a website, called Graphic Illusions, to showcase his work, and has recently added a "Leg-Gear" page to his site. I included a brief mention of Chris in my recent Examiner article (Male Tights-Wearers Gaining New Sense of Confidence), and I'm hoping to do a profile of Chris a little later on. For now, I just wanted to reprint the great information he's pulled together--mostly from Wikipedia. Although Wiki-info can sometimes be of suspect accuracy, I can attest to many of the facts cited herein, and believe all of it to be sound. Read on ...
How many people know that men were the first to wear pantyhose?
Centuries ago men wore hand knitted stockings made of wool. In 1589, William Lee of Calverton, Notts, invented the first Knitting Frame. Excited about his invention, Richard Parkyns (a member of the Parliament for Nottinghamshire) arranged for William to meet Henry Carey and Lord Hunsdon (members of Queen Elizabeth Privy Council).
With a pair of wool stockings to show what great work William’s new invention has done, they presented it to the Queen for approval. The Queen at first rejected the idea in consideration of what it would do to her poor subjects. It would bring them to ruin by depriving them of employment, thus making them beggars.
The Queen turned to Lord Hunsdon and declared, “Had Mr. Lee made a machine which could give me silk stockings, I would perhaps been justified in granting him a patent”. Then looking at William she said “To enjoy the privilege of making stockings for everyone is too important to grant to any individual.”
Not giving up on the dreams William had for his invention he worked making and selling wool stocking until 10 years later when he had finally perfected his invention to knit silk stockings. Unfortunately the Queen passed away in 1603, a bit too late for William to present his improvements.
William took his invention and moved to France where he met the De Caux brothers, and drew up a very complicated but precise contract in partnership for the manufacture of stockings made from silk and wool.
Tights were made as a close fitting garment for men of nobility such as King Henry VIII of England, the material would be made of silk or wool, rather than the coarser fabrics used by the so called “lower classes”.
The technology remained reasonably the same, until the 1930’s when a new circular knitting machine meant garments could be made in one piece, and no longer needed to be sewn together. A man named Julian Hill discovered that by pulling a heated rod from a mixture of coal, tar, water, and alcohol, he could create a filament that was strong, sheer, and silk-like in appearance. Further research led research led to the first synthetic fiber, which soon came to be known as Polymer. In 1937, Du Pont patented his discovery.
At the World’s Fair in New York in 1939, synthetic fibers were first shown to the public. Taking the “NY” from New York, and adding “Lon” from London (the origins of stockings) came the word “Nylon”. The first Nylon stockings appeared in New York stores on May 15th, 1940. Women of course started wearing the newer, lighter, softer, nylon stockings and well over 72,000 pairs were sold in the first day alone, causing the Japanese silk market to collapse overnight.
In 1942, during World War II , nylon production was switched into tent and parachute manufacturing for the military forces. During this time, women who desired the look of wearing stockings would shave their legs and oftentimes draw a vertical line up the back of their legs to simulate the effect.
In 1953, Allen Grant Sr. of Glen Raven Knitting Mills developed a commercial equivalent named “Panti-Legs”, but didn’t introduce it to the markets until 1959. During this time another North Carolinian, Ernest G. Rice invented his own design (similar to what’s used today) and in 1956 submitted a patent titled "Combination Stockings and Panty".
It wasn’t until the 1960s that a combination of factors made them a veritable fashion necessity: improved manufacturing made them cheaper; spandex (or elastane) made them more comfortable; and the miniskirt made thigh-high stockings obsolete.
After the 1980’s pantyhose sales to women started to fall, as they began to prefer the “bare-legged” fashion. Pantyhose where no longer required in many workplaces as part of the female dress code. While sales remain low today by comparison, alternative styles are seeing growth. Fishnets, patterns and colors, opaque tights, low-rise, footless shape wear, and pantyhose for men.
About 14 years ago, L'eggs introduced an online discussion board on their website. Although intended for women, they soon discovered that the majority of respondents were men discussing the fact that they wore women's pantyhose. More surprising was that the reasons given were practical, legitimate uses such as leg support, added warmth, and so forth. More recently, L'eggs has done research and discovered that nearly as many men enjoy buying, and wearing their product as women. Currently, there are many companies, worldwide, making or selling pantyhose for men, sometimes referred to as 'mantyhose'.
Some of these are:
* ActivSkin
* Aries
* Doyeah
* Ela
* Levee
* Collanto
* Emilio Cavallini
* Gerbe
* Levee WoMan
* Lexwear
* Legwear 4 Men
* Lida
* TIM
* Shapings.com
* Hosiery Museum
* Luxelegwear
* Hosieria
Some examples of men today who wear pantyhose are:
NFL football players (who wear them under their uniforms for warmth); Hunters/Campers often wear them for warmth and to protect against ticks and other insects; Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan have worn them under their uniforms for protection against sand fleas; Men with varicose veins or other circulatory problems often wear support pantyhose in lieu of medical hose to improve blood circulation.
There are thousands of men in the U.S.--as well as overseas--wearing pantyhose for hundreds of reasons. Men have been wearing pantyhose since the invention of stockings, and men are still wearing pantyhose today.
Many decades have passed since women have taken over legwear fashion, and men are finally taking back what was originally theirs. Although not really "taking back," since we don't want to be selfish... Women look great in hosiery, too... Men just want to show the world that tights and pantyhose are indeed a unisex article of clothing.
[Thanks, Chris, for assembling a great piece on legwear history. -Steve]
Friday, February 12, 2010
Examiner.com: Male Tights-Wearers Gaining a New Sense of Confidence
Just a quick little heads up for any Nylon Gene readers that may have missed it: I published a new article yesterday on The Examiner. It's titled: "Male Tights-Wearers Gaining a New Sense of Confidence." In it, I spotlighted a few of the men who are beginning to shed the old reluctance guys have often felt in the past about acknowledging to anyone that they wore tights or hosiery. The reluctance arose from a fear of insinuation that they might secretly be a cross dresser, when in reality they wear them for completely practical reasons like leg support or added warmth, etc. Guys like these in the article are who are going to make a difference in changing public perceptions of men's legwear. Read it and send these guys some kudos!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Charnos Launching a Men's Legwear Line?
Yes, you read that right. Unfortunately, it was a misunderstanding, Charnos--the British women's hosiery company--is not actively planning to launch a men's line of nylon hosiery. The notion surfaced late last week as a result of a Twitter conversation between the owner of the SheerGeek blogsite and Charnos Hosiery, which I picked up on with TweetDeck and chimed in with my own $0.02. (Click on the preceding link to see the complete conversation on SheerGeek's website)...
In a nutshell, Charnos posted the following on Twitter: "Tweet us your height, and what size hosiery you usually wear (S,M,L,XL)"
SheerGeek replied with, "When can we expect to see you enter this growing market?"
To which, Charnos replied, "We actually are testing the mantyhose market as we tweet! One of our tights testing team is a male: http://bit.ly/8HZsDP"
Well, you can imagine how many bells and alarms a bit of information like this is likely to set off. Many of the thousands of men currently wearing tights and sheer legwear are wishing to see an established major hosiery company launch a men's line, and thus would probably inundate them with calls and emails.
However, I don't know if this happened. I emailed them to inquire further, with the thought of writing an Examiner article on the topic after obtaining further information. Shortly thereafter, the following was posted to SheerGeek's blog by Ali Maynard of Charnos:
"Great to hear you are a fan of Charnos hosiery, but just to clarify Charnos is not going into the 'Mantyhose' market but we are really pleased to know that there are men out there who also love to wear Charnos hosiery.
Our resident male tights tester, Dan, is simply testing our existing range with a male perspective.
Thanks."
So, there you have it. It would seem, according to Charnos anyway, that they have no current plans to get into the 'mantyhose' market anytime soon. That's probably just as well, since we can't necessarily expect any of the large hosiery makers to cater much to a market that--while growing considerably--is still only a small percentage of the women's hosiery market. I still believe men who wear legwear are best off supporting the companies, like ActivSkin, who have been there from the beginning, working to provide what men are looking for and not trying to drive the market somewhere it doesn't want to go.
Still, this whole episode strikes me as rather strange. A Tweet was posted that DID say, "We are actually testing the mantyhose market as we tweet!" An odd way to phrase it if all they were doing is getting a male perspective on women's pantyhose. It could be there's more than meets the eye, and this was some sort of 'trial balloon'.
It is encouraging that a major hosiery maker acknowledges the fact that men do wear their products--as evidenced by their including one on their testing team. We'll see what happens...
[Follow Steve's Tweets on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/newmansa]
Friday, January 29, 2010
A New Men's Legwear Blogger on the Scene?
My Google Alerts notified me yesterday of a blog post entitled, "Tights For Men the Latest Fashion Trend" on a blog I hadn't noticed before. It's called Men's Tights Fashion/Fashionable Tights for Men and Pantyhose.
Currently, there are three articles posted there: "Men's Tights for Slimming Underwear"
"Mantyhose: The Male Pantyhose"
"Tights for Men, The Latest Fashion Trend"
The articles are fairly well written, incorporating many of the points supporting male legwear we've been discussing here on The Nylon Gene for some time. Some graphics or photos would be a welcome addition, and dates for the articles, but more importantly it would be nice to know who the author of the blog is.
The world is beginning to pay more attention to the men's legwear trend. So it behooves us to capitalize on it and provide as much credibility as possible by letting people see who these guys are, who want to transform men's tights and pantyhose into a regular male garment.
It is encouraging to see many more voices begin to speak up and chime in the chorus to support this emerging trend. It reflects an increase in confidence of the men who are stepping forward to place their name and face alongside the legwear--in effect saying, "I truly believe there's nothing at all wrong with men wearing hosiery for practical, legitimate reasons... and to prove it, I'm putting my reputation on the line to help make the case."
Likewise with the new offerings on the market for men's legwear--most recently from Bulgaria. Those capital ventures reflect a growing recognition that there's a market there to be tapped. These are all encouraging signs that have come about in only the past year. Let's keep 'em coming.
[PS, I plan to write more on the new developments in men's legwear products soon. Keep an eye out for it here, or on my space at The Examiner.com]
Another Manifestation of Philly Mag's 'Mantyhose' Story
Another article, entitled "Mantyhose is 'Great European Fashion Trend'" appeared on the SockShop website Jan. 27th describing how it is expected to, "...take the U.S. by storm, according to a new report." I suppose being "uber chic by next year," as the original Philly Mag (In Defense of Men's Tights) article puts it, is similar to taking the country by storm. In any case, this example shows the value of getting coverage from a larger, established news organization. The more prestigious the original venue of the article, the more spinoff articles there are elsewhere in the ensuing days and weeks.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Mantyhose Story Is Getting 'Legs'
I wrote to tell readers about the Philadelphia Magazine article, "In Defense of Men's Tights" last Friday. Now it seems to have been picked up on by Toronto Life. Karen Liu published an article yesterday called, "The Next Big Thing From Europe: Mantyhose". This story may have the potential to be picked up and reprinted in a number of markets. That's always a good thing for raising the awareness level of men's legwear--even when the legwear in question tends to evoke some strong negative reactions because of the style depicted.
It's a fairly short article that mostly refers to the previous one from last Friday. However, Ms. Liu does note that, "pantyhose for men, or mantyhose, were spotted in Givenchy's Spring/Summer 2010 fashion show", and also that We Love Colors, a company specializing in tights in a wide range of colors, now offers several lines of tights for men.
I did a little searching on the Givency line and found the referenced legwear that showed up subtly in the Spring/Summer 2010 line. Even more notable is how much more pronounced it was in the Fall 2010 lineup. Some of us who follow these things have seen hosiery show up in designer fashion shows in the past, but these were typically from John Paul Gaulthier, et al, and tended toward the more bizarre end of the spectrum.
What's notable about the Givenchy items is how the look is somewhat closer to something you could actually see on a street somewhere, someday. Very little that appears on any fashion runway is something the average guy would be wearing in the foreseeable future, but the appearance of male tights and shorts in this lineup appears to bode well for the eventual entry of men's legwear into the mainstream. That's the trajectory that trends often follow. First, the fringe elements, then the 'hipsters' (as referred to in the article), and eventually the fashionable--where it begins to be truly commercially viable-- and finally the vast mainstream.
I posted a comment on the article's website, following one from Darrell at Legwear4Men taking the writer to task for overlooking the true U.S. roots of the male legwear trend (Ohio's very own ACTIVSKIN Legwear for Men). In it, I commented on the paradox of media coverage focusing on the wilder patterns that only a small fraction of men are wearing, compared to the basic, non-flashy legwear that most men wear today. I've reposted it here below:I have to echo what Legwear4Men said above. Media coverage of men’s legwear is an odd kind of paradox. On the one hand, it is rare to see feature stories on the plain ol’ tights or sheer hosiery the vast majority of guys wearing them actually have on their legs. Yet there’s a high level of coverage of the really splashy-looking tights (ie, the Emilio Cavallini checkered tights shown above) that only a tiny minority of male legwear wearers would wear. Myself, I wear tights/sheer hose for leg support, and wear them with shorts without reservation. Yet, I would never wear the checkered or striped tights in EC’s catalog.
Why the disparity in coverage between what real men are really wearing, and the styles that maybe 1% would be seen in? Maybe partly because plain and ordinary doesn’t sell as news. Maybe because it’s more ‘fun’ to display styles that are much more likely to evoke a good, “ewwwww”, or “ROFLMAO”, etc, etc.
I don’t get too excited over it, though. I’ve been closely involved with publicizing the emerging men’s legwear trend long enough (see my blog, The Nylon Gene, http://www.nylongene.com) that I can see the gradual, and sometimes grudging, increase in overall acceptance of ‘mantyhose’ despite the somewhat negative impact the wild patterns have on public perceptions.
Little by little, people are coming to realize that they aren’t representative of the legwear that makes up the bulk of the market, that there are some very practical reasons for wearing it (as in the Philly Mag article), and guys can wear it without sticking out like a sore thumb.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Philly Magazine - Mantyhose: In Defense of Men in Tights
He goes on to share several suggestions for those 'daring' men who decide to try out tights to fend off winter's chill, or otherwise energize their legs. These include a recommendation and weblink for Emilo Cavallini's new unisex line (which cost $27), or for a cheaper alternative, visit a local drugstore and buy a pair of women's tights.
Two of my own additions: First off, unless they've recently changed this, the Emilio Cavallini tights are not available in the U.S. direct from the maker. You'll need to find a reseller from whom to purchase them.
Secondly, there's definitely a middle alternative that the author must not have been aware of, and that of course is ACTIVSKIN's male tights. These can be had for $14 to $20 a pair, for opaque styles. If looking for a lower insulation factor beneath one's trousers, the sheer styles can be had for $9.99 and up. Visit the website and check out the catalogue.
Related Article:
Here's another one, (Men In Tights, Loving It [Hose]) which quotes and links to the aforementioned Philly Mag article. The predisposition is basically favorable toward men's hosiery, or 'mantyhose'. However, one misconception appears in need of clarification.The author concludes by stating that the 'fingertip rule' should apply to tops men might wear with their tights. The fingertip rule is used for women's tops and skirts, and says that they should be long enough to extend to the tips of your fingers when you extend your arms down your side. Like so many who are newly acquainted with the men's legwear trend, she supposes that we're going to be wearing tights with no other lower body garment (i.e., either shorts or long pants). Those of us in the know understand that this is a non-issue. Very few, if any, men would ever venture out in tights without wearing pants over them.
Otherwise, these are two good articles that should further advance the acceptance of men's legwear by society as a whole.
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