What’s the deal with pantyhose? Is it still a must in the office–or anywhere else?

As it’s skirt-wearing season, this questions comes up a lot–especially since hose seems to be making a little bit of a comeback, especially patterned stockings. I’m not a big fan of pantyhose, although men seem to like it (and occasionally wear it themselves, apparently). However, what men don’t understand is that women usually dress either to please themselves or to impress other women–not for men.

I really think in this day and age are unnecessary. Unless you are older and/or prefer to have more coverage on your legs, skip ‘em.  As for the office, some workplaces are more formal than others. You may be stuck with them if you work in a conservative field such as finance (in which case I suppose having to wear hose is a small price to pay for still having a job) or the law. Hose should be either sheer (no horrible suntan shades, please), black, or navy, and you should spend a bit more for quality, i.e., don’t buy the stuff in the plastic eggs at the drugstore. I hate the fact that hose are so fragile and expensive. If I worked in an office where they were part of the dress code, I would demand that the company reimburse me. After all, men don’t have to wear items of clothing that cost at least $20 a pair and last two wearings if they’re lucky.

Tags: chicago reader, pantyhose