Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Are Hose Totally Out?

Here is my fashion question for you: Are hose totally out or are they sometimes still in??? That is the question I received from my friend, Lysa, on a blog post the other day. So what is it? Well my sistahs, I know you'd love for me to tell you panty hose are totally out, but, really now, how could they be? I have been told that women in NYC dress up in their power suits and go hose-less, but, I'm sorry, it is about 10 degrees outside, my legs want a little warmth! Tights are a good option to cold weather woes if you don't want to wear sheer panty hose.
This past fall/winter brought us all kinds of new shoes with the sneak-a-peak toe. They came in flats and heels for casual and dressier types. Here's a link to the style I'm speaking of. For this type of shoe, then hose showing thru are out. So you might want to try the toeless type of hose so it doesn't look like you have them on. However, with all that being said, panty hose are more out than in. We've come to the day where bare legs are more in style and sunless tanners are a way of life, thus making your legs appear tanned and healthy. I still wear knee highs with my slacks cause I've tried going without them (winter only) and my feet and ankles are just too darned cold! If you do opt for panty hose because you feel your legs just look better in them, then make sure the color is the exact color of your arm. Yes, I said arm. This way it looks like skin, but isn't! So, my friends, panty hose are still in...just a bit differently than before. And, hey, look at it this way, at least pantyhose work as a sucky-in-your-cellulite-on-your-legs kind of thing! And that can't be all bad! I'll take any other questions regarding hose...anyone? love ya, Shari

20 comments:

Alyce said...

Hi there..I found you from a post on Rachel Olsen's blog. I am so glad I did.. I might need a little help/encouragment from you based on your line of work.
As far as the hose..I've had a issue for a while. I am glad that you said to find a color is the exact color of your arm. I'm still searching! Every time I go to look at the sample near the hose in the store, what I want to try is missing! I have not worn skin colored hose since my teens!!! I always wear black or ivory. I see others wearing them and think, wow, that looks good on them..but on me, I feel like I'm stuck back in my teens again. What do I do about that?? I did purchase some thigh highs the other day. I might would wear those w/ my pants. IF, they will stay up..My thighs are much bigger than the last time I wore that type of hose..but, I'm trying to lose weight this new year anyway. Glad I found your blog..I will bookmark it!
Blessings,
Alyce from VA

Valarie said...

Hey Shari! Question. If you remember I told you our vocal teams at church MUST wear black skirts/dresses on the platform so should we also be wearing black hose? Does it mostly depend on the look of the entire outfit or are skin colored best for what's "in"? Also, would you PLEASE - in big giant letters - tell all those sweet sista's of ours to STOP wearing hose with their strappy shoes?! hahaha LAND SAKES you know that kills me! hahaha (yes, I said LAND SAKES!) hahaha
Love ya girl.
Val

Shari Braendel said...

ANSWERS TO ALYCE AND VALARIE'S QUESTIONS: Oh my, oh my...Valarie, you're killing me about the strappy shoes and hose....I don't think I have to tell them, YOU JUST DID! So, girls, there you have it...don't wear ANY hose with strappy sandals of any type, ya hear me?! To answer your question, when wearing black, you MUST wear black shoes..please. As far as hose, it is best to go a shade lighter when you have a black dress and shoes on cause it can look very daunting if all in black...so wear either nude (your arm color), or wear a very sheer black or grayish color. Textured hose are good, if you insist on wearing black hose. Now, for an answer to Alyce...you,too, were cracking me up with your thigh issues...funny! Thigh highs do tend to be a little on the hard-to-stay-up side...so be careful with those...and girl, please ditch the ivory hose...go right now....now, I say, and throw them out! And I am going to do a little research right now to tell you what color hose to wear and what brand. I don't want to steer you wrong so hang with me...I'll be right back cause I have to do a web search on this....check back shortly. I think it's Hanes, Barely There(color) but I want to make sure. Hugs...back in a minute! love, Shari (and I'm so glad you are bookmarking my site, thank you!)

Shari Braendel said...

Okay, I'm back! I'm so glad I checked! Alyce, go to www.Hanes.com and click on "womens" and then scroll down to "hosiery". You will see several different kinds of hose displayed so click on one, (there's a cute thigh high with lace you might like!) and it will take you to the right page. Click on the "leg" and it will change colors...I like the one called BuffBeige...it looks like it is very close to a natural skintone. Try this and let us know...you'll be our guinea-model! (No guinea pigs on this site!) Hope that helps! I'm gonna go get a pair to try myself and we can compare! Now, for all you African Americans out there...do not try this color, I promise it won't work for you! love ya, Shari

Alyce said...

Oh Shari..I think I might need your email to have these discussions!
I don't want to ditch my ivory hose!! I am a little embarrased..I'm usually on top of things fashion wise..Oh man, this decade I've entered into (last year), I feel soooo older. And the sad part is that I am really not (ok, since you were wondering ;-), 30, almost 31). I really didn't know that my ivory hose were OUT. I mean, they are not white..they are ivory, one step up from beige. You know what gets me..why do manufacturers keep making this stuff, if we aren't suppose to wear it. ARGG! OK.. I will go buy myself some buff beige hose. Can I wear them w/ my ivory shoes? The shoes are cute. I havent bought Hanes in a while. Maybe I can find an equivalent.. I normally just get the George brand from Wal Mart. They work for me. But I'll try the Hanes, I think I am going to Belk Friday anyway. I do have a gift card. Ha. Well I am rambling on and on.. Thanks for the tips!!
Alyce

Rachel Olsen said...

Alyce, I always need the palest shade of hose and that sample is alwasy misisng from my store's smaples too!?! I'm so glad you followed the link when I mentioned Shari last month. You will love her - and she will tell you like it is! She once walked behind me, grabbed both my bra straps AND HIKED THEM UP two inches or so and said, "This is where they need to be. Do you want me to set you up with my professional bra fitter?" Oh yes she did. And did I mention we were in a public store with people standing around us when she did this?! But I'm so glad she got me taken care of - I look much better in the right size bra. Listen to her when she bans your beloved ivory hose, she knows what she's talking about.

Shari, I read something the other day that said a hot 2008 trend would be colored jeans. Does that mean colored hose will be making a comeback too? I don't know if I can take a comeback of the 1986 jewel-toned hose colors. Please, say it isn't so. Hugs ~ Rachel

Alyce said...

Rachel..Ha..I bet Lysa would love to flash back to the 80s..with all those colors, she'd have fun w/ her music.
Shari, based on what Rachel is saying, I'd love to have you as a friend that I'd see often..I might need that one on one consultation.
I've been fitted twice for bras at Victoria's Secret. I only wear those. After gaining some weight..I had to get refitted. Its wonderful that my boobs got bigger, but when I lose the other weight, I bet they go too. It was wonderful to have a bra that fit! Couldnt believe I had managed to get into the Full Coverage size..but its so much more comfortable.
Anyway..
Rachel you look fair skinned and I am too in the winter..so tell me what shade and brand hose you wear. I think they are an awful article of clothing too. Can't wait for May, when I ditch them all!
Blessings,
Alyce

Shari Braendel said...

Oh dear, colored hose...I hope not, too. No word on that from my trend reports so that's a "no" for now. And did I really hike up your bust line 2 inches? Ah,yeah, I'm sure I did! And for you, Alyce, please don't feel the need for my e-mail address, I look at this much more often and I think it's good for everyone to read the comments, then we're just not fixing your fashion dilemnas but some others as well! I will say I am a little concerned that you have ivory shoes...hmmm...are they summer sandals? Pumps? I have this thing about anything close to white shoes unless they are tennis shoes sooooo, fill me in, girl. What are they like? And if I give you the thumbs up to wear them, then BuffBeige hose will be perfect with them. What do you wear your ivory shoes with? Please do tell all! I will report in with my answers tomorrow. Hey all the rest of you...any more hose woes? Questions? love ya, Shari

Charlene Kidd said...

I have had a blast reading these comments. I do not have any words of wisdom, but I am definitely a hose (nude of course), because I like to be warm. Have a great day.
Charlene

Shari Braendel said...

Charlene, I really don't think you are a "nude hose" as you say you are...are you sure?????? love ya with smiles! Shari

Rachel Olsen said...

Yes, Lysa, Marybeth and I are all pretty much the same age and all love us some 80's music! The 80's fashions, however, I could live without.

Let's see, I bought some nude hose a few weeks ago for a speaking engagement, let me go check the package ... Hanes Silk Reflections in the color Travel Buff. It matches the inside of my arm almost perfectly - but I am quite fair-skinned as you can tell in my photos.

Shari, maybe you need to do a blog post that covers your rules about how to match your shoe color to outfit color or hair color - that was helpful to me when I heard it. :)

Alyce said...

Shari..
I will be glad to take a pic of my shoes..and the skirts I wear them with, but then how do I post them?? I can't describe them. I think they are cute. I've had them a few years, and don't wear them much. Because I don't have much to wear them with. I need you to see this I guess.. so tell me what to do w/ a pic. Alyce

Shari Braendel said...

Hi Alyce, I've been trying to figure out how to post pics on this blog cause all my bloggy friends seem to do it so send my a pic to my e-mail address...
shari-p31@earthlink.net and I will find a way to do it. Also, the travel buff color that Rachel talked about is a great color and she is very pale...so it might work for you, too!

Alyce said...

Hey Shari
I don't know if I am as pale as Rachel, but I will try to search for some updated hose tomorrow.
Ok..I've taken some pictures of the shoes and the skirts I've worn w/ them. I will email them to you as soon as I can. I may have to send them in separate emails..I only have dial up..out here in the boonies!

Amy Carroll said...

I am laughing so hard that I'm having trouble breathing. How can this blog be so funny and so informative at the same time?!! I will wear tights, but I've avoided hose for a very long time. Thank goodness that I attend a church where it's ok to wear pants. I usually wear pants or boots and tights during the winter. Love a pair of sweater tights! Rachel, I love travel buff, too.

From one pale girl to the others,
Amy

Charlene Kidd said...

Shari,
If I am not "nude" hose,I am not sure what I am!!! My husband is still laughing at your age comment on my wedding dress buttons. I posted some pictures, check it out.

Anonymous said...

OK - all this talk about skin color 'pales' in comparison to my irredescent, lily, see-through white skin! The only additional color it gets is pink when my nose gets cold! I much prefer the term "fair" because our Lord made us the "fairest of all"! Alyce, I too have ivory hose and ivoryish shoes. But have to admit I've not worn them in many months. I too have thigh highs and the thighs that don't necessarily go with them! :0) And oh my - I have been waiting for the jewel tones of the 80's to come back for 10 years! I am a 5' bantum (sp?) rooster, compact woman who has used her 'poofy' hair to add a couple of inches to my height for years. I'm glad poofy hair is coming back! 'Just beat it, beat it...' and 80's music makes me giddy!!
This fall/winter has been boot season for me when I'm wearing a skirt. I have brown and black tights that I wear with the appropriate boot color. I do admit that I just bought long, girly socks with the individual toes to wear with my pink rainbows! :0) um, not only have I been waiting for the 80's style, but the age I was in the 80's too!
Love to all - Dawn

Shari Braendel said...

Charlene, I need you to re-read your "nude hose" comment....Yes, you should wear nude hose...but you said YOU were A Nude Hose! hugs, Shari

Rachel Olsen said...

Dawn, thank you for commenting here and making me feel a little less pale. I was starting to get a complex until you and Amy came along!

I do like big 80s hair becuase I too could use a few inches in height. Also a little poof in the hair balances out the hips, ya know what I'm sayin'? And I like jewel tones, just not plastered to my legs as hose. I'd prefer an emerald sweater (or ring). So I suspect you and I would get along just fine.

Except I'm not so sure about the toe-socks. That might bother me. And it may have made Shari faint. :)

Blessings! ~ Rachel

Anonymous said...

Great post. Can’t wait to read the next ones :).