Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Don't Wear Pantyhose with Open Toed Shoes

Jimmy Choos

Ladies and gentlemen, it is now officially summer!* That means that in many parts of the globe, it is warm and sunny enough for us all to wear our sundresses, pink lipgloss, floppy straw sunhats, and oh yes, our fabulous summery sandals. (Sorry to our readers in the Southern Hemisphere, but you can think of this post next January when we're freezing and bitter and you're warm and tan). However, the problem with summer is that that scourge of the universe is upon us. You know it, we all know it. Pantyhose with open toed shoes, every May I have hope that we would have banished you from the universe, and every June you come flying back, stronger, reinforced, and with that seam bolder and bolder. Please let this post be one of the things that helps get rid of this nightmare forever. Don't, don't, wear pantyhose with open toed shoes.

In looking for a picture to illustrate this post, I google image searched "pantyhose with open toed shoes." The images that I saw will give me nightmares tonight, so to cleanse my spirit of those, I found that lovely picture up above. Do you see those fabulous shoes? Can't you think of the great outfit that you would wear to go with them, if your fairy godmother came and left them in your shoe size under your pillow tonight? And how you would make sure to have a perfect pedicure to go with them, to show the shoes off all the better? And can you think of what they would look like if instead, you had nylon stretching across your toes, in some weird "nude" color (or, God forbid, white). You just heard a record screech, didn't you?

I see this everywhere in the summer, though Washington D.C. was the worst town for it, even though in the summer there it is 95 degrees on a good day. (I hope that our new First Lady of Awesome will help get rid of this trend, but we all know that D.C. is very slow to change.) I have generally never understood why people feel this compulsion. For the one thing, it's just seasonally inappropriate. When it is 90 degrees outside or even hotter, why would anyone want to wear pantyhose? I sweat at the general idea. Here's a general rule: if it is hot enough for sandals, it's too hot to wear pantyhose. (A corollary to that rule: if it's cold enough for you to want to have pantyhose to keep your legs marginally warmer, it's too cold for you to wear open toed shoes.)**

And, okay, some jobs still make women wear pantyhose (still! In 2010!). If your job is so formal as to make you wear pantyhose, open toed shoes are usually forbidden. And even if they aren't, don't you want to save your pretty fun summer shoes for a time when you don't have to ruin their look with a sheer nylon horror?

Is it that your grandma told you that you have to wear hose when you dress up? Do you really want to dress like your grandma?

And I understand that sometimes we all want the control top power that a good pair of hose can provide. But you know, that's why Spanx were invented. Even men are wearing them now!

But you know, the worse thing is that people think that women must wear pantyhose, because the sight of a woman's bare leg is somehow classless and disgusting. Can someone explain this to me in a way that isn't pure misogyny and making women keep every part of their bodies covered? It's just another way of making women feel bad about themselves, and that their legs are too pale, or too scarred, or too dark, or too fat to be in the public view alone. Attention, ladies: having a sheer nylon cover over your legs does not change the way that they look.

Instead of covering yourself up, do your legs a favor. Moisturize well (I am a big fan of the Lush Buffy, myself, perfect for this time of year), shave (if you do shave, that is -- and if you do, I favor the Mach 3 Turbo blades with the Venus handle), do some self tanner if that makes you feel better, and slide into your awesome shoes with confidence.

*Yeah yeah, not officially until the end of June, but I count the beginning of June as summer.

**Not that I haven't worn open toed shoes when it's cold, I have; I just don't wear hose and don't complain about it. Also note: this is not about tights and peep toe shoes -- I have seen that done and awesomely, but it usually only works when they are very opaque tights and shoes of a different color so that they pop. It looks especially fun with brightly colored tights. But, again, this is just for peep toes, not strappy sandals.


P.S.: Right after posting this, I was in the elevator with a very smartly dressed woman...with the exception of her feet, where she was wearing open toe slingbacks with that pantyhose seam running right across her toes. Sigh.

30 comments:

  1. What are you talking about? What makes you such an expert in what a women should or should not wear? There is nothing wrong with wearing Pantyhose with open toe shoes. Why do you think they make sandal foot hose (w/o the dark toe). I wear pantyhose everyday even in the summer w/ sandals, and open toe shoes. I have NEVER and someone come up to me and say that didn't look good. As a matter of fact, just the opposite. I've had men and women tell me how nice I look wearing hose and shorts in the summer. It makes my leggs look better, and feel better. So ladies wear what you feel and look the best in. if it's hose with open toe shoes, then go for it.
    Donna From Philly.

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    Replies
    1. Agreed-plus, not wearing hose can take an extremely nice outfit, and just make it look blah. No matter how nice the legs are. Its a nice outfit without hose, but its not incredible until the hose are on!

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  2. I agree. who are you to say you shouldnt wear open toed shoes with pantyhose.the look is fantastic. I don't think there's a man out there who doesn't like that. Women don't do it because of people like you who says its wrong. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT!!!!! Paint those toes and put on those hose ladies.

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  3. Yesterday I stumbled across a blog called "Chicago Looks," and one of the featured looks was this. The second picture immediately made me think of this post, and is proof positive that hose with open-toed shoes is a NO.

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  4. Oh, I have to agree. Pantyhose with open toed shoes look b.a.d. I have pale skin and I rarely tan, trying to avoid melanoma and all, and I would far rather bare my pale legs and wear open toed shoes than squeeze into a hot, uncomfortable pair of nylons with sandals.

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  5. Oh, and in rebuttal to, "I don't think there's a man out there who doesn't" like hose? I present my husband, who thinks they looks silly, uncomfortable and fake. Especially with sandals. Or shorts.

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  6. What does one do, though, to prevent blisters? My stupid delicate feet. :(

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  7. BandAid makes a blister block stick that works amazingly well to stop shoe straps from chafing the skin on your feet and toes. It looks like a tiny doederant stick, and you can find it at any drugstore sold near the BandAids. I bought some for use on a vacation when I knew I'd be wearing sandals all the time. It really and truly does work, to the point where all of the other girls on the trip would come to borrow it from me in the morning before heading out for the day. That stuff is a lifesaver.

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  8. I truly agree with Donna from Philly, the first post. Why are you making all the rules? Who died and made you queen? Wearing pantyhose with sandals also tends to keep your feet clean! I know that men love the look and besides who cares? Only people who have been brainwashed into thinking your way. Keep on the pantyhose with your sandals. Whatever you feel looks right with you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think its somewhat a part of the feminist movement to get women not to wear hose as little as possible. Feminist, really, being to keep women away from true femininity. Everything looks better with hose, and you're right, wear whatever you feel looks great!

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  9. Things I have learned today:

    1. There's a fetish for everything!
    2. BandAid Blister Block stick sounds like a godsend. (Also, Anon with delicate feet, I usually buy sandals from Børn or Sofft. They're expensive, but kind to my toesies)
    3. We need to write about pantyhose, like, every week, because the comments are hi-freaking-larious.

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  10. Thanks for the post! I more people need to understand how truly heinous pantyhose toes with open toed shoes looks. It's messy looking with that unsightly seam running across and honestly, it ruins the look of a nice Summery sundress and sandals outfit.

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  11. Pantyhose and open toed shoes look TERRIBLE. If you do it and think it looks good because no one has told you otherwise, that's because people are generally too nice/attached to the current arrangement of their features to walk up to complete strangers and critique their outfits. (Instead, we go "OH HONEY, NO" behind your back. And hope that maybe you read helpful blogs like this and get the hint.)

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    Replies
    1. I completely agree with you. I have no problem with tights (from sheer, skin-coloured ones to black opaque ones for winter), and have an impressive collection of seamed vintage stockings, but I would never wear them with sandals. NEVER! Sandals are designed to expose your feet, and stockings are designed to cover them. It's a complete contradiction.
      I do wear tights and have always done so when the temperatures drop, and I wear tights or stockings when I attend formal daytime events -- even in summer -- but not with sandals. There are plenty of shoes that accommodate stockings/tights -- yes, even formal evening shoes.
      On a different note, I have yet to meet a man who likes the look of tights and sandals as claimed by some above. My husband is a military officer, and my rather large social circle is approximately 70 percent male, and ranges in age from early 20s to early 40s. Most are completely indifferent about what women wear on their legs, but when I hear something the consensus is no nylons with sandals.

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  12. Ok, if you have ugly feet and wear the wrong hose, yes the look can be bad. If you have nice feet with painted toes and you wear the right hose, the look is fantastic.and if its 90 degrees out then don't wear hose, no one is saying you have to in humid weather, were just saying it looks good, and as for "SHEHEA" your husband is one of the few and is probably because you have ugly feet.

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    Replies
    1. I don't have ugly feet, and my stockings are Falke, which are quite expensive, but sandals and stockings looks completely wrong, and no, it is not a good look. My husband, my brother and several other men agree with me.
      Oh, and your assumption about "SHEHEA" is quite rude indeed.

      Delete
  13. Yes dear blog author, won't you please think of what the men like? And stop BRAINWASHING people by FORCING them to read your words on the internet! You just want me to be single with DIRTY FEET!!

    LOLOLOL. Who knew pantyhose were still such srs bzns.

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  14. I wish you fashion people would get it together.
    I have been researching the topic of peep toe shoes worn with hose for over an hour now with inconsistent results. I can't figure out if I will look like douche if I wear hose with my peep toe shoes to a wedding tomorrow or not.
    Some say hose with peep toe shoes is a horrible look. Others say it all depends on the type of hose, the color of the hose, whether the hose is sheer or opaque, or even the location of the hose seams in regards to the toes. Some people claim that everything is contingent on the size of the peep toe hole of shoe in question, and on how many toes are actually exposed.
    I have seen posts that even go so far as to say that the hose seam across the toes is sexy (mostly men claim this) and still there are others who opt to purchase hose with no toes. . . The whole thing is weird. You people need to get your sh*t together and decide on some definitive rules and stop messing with me.

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  15. Stop. Think. No wait, I will do that for you. Don't.. post crap like this!

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  16. before making dumb rules like this, remember, everything depends on WHO is wearing it, and HOW.


    http://kelindakelinda.blogspot.com/2011/01/breaking-rules-week-tights-sandals.html

    http://www.alreadypretty.com/2009/10/reader-request-tights-and-sandals.html

    These ladies look awesome. Far from what the gal in the Chicago Looks pic looks.

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  17. Look it is up to the individual and who are you to critize.

    As for that Band-Aid blister stick...sorry I'm allergic to it. And trying wearing a band-aid with on a sweaty foot and it's 1/2 sticking out of the peep of your peep toe shoe. It's attractive at all.

    I have foot issues (from breaking them playing high school sports), but sometimes I like to wear a peep toe sandal with a dress. In fact, my orthopedic surgeon suggested that I not wear them, but if I do, to wear hose to help avoid rubbing in certain areas and causing blisters. No need to call me names and such. It's more practical for me.

    Besides if you want to walk around sweating in your $250 dollar shoes, leaving bacteria that can infect your blister ridden feet the next time you wear them and causing odor that I can smell sitting next to you on the metro...who am I to stop you...

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  18. I think there is only a small minority of women that are so against hosiery that they will stop at nothing to try and prevent others from wearing it. Absolutely ridiculous. Quality hosiery, sheer or opaque, can really complete an outfit (key word, quality, not the cheap, uncomfortable brands). Most women cannot pull off the bare legged look very well and I find these are the same women criticizing hosiery when they could really benefit from it. Don't listen to them, look at Kate Middleton and try to tell me sheer hosiery doesn't work.

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  19. To the person who posted the two links, those people are wearing OPAQUE TIGHTS, not hose! It's OK to wear opaque tights with open toed shoes.

    HOSE with open toed shoes is a BIG no-no and I'm so glad people are speaking out about it online, because girls only talk about it amongst themselves, behind the backs of the girls who do it.

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    Replies
    1. I have to disagree with you here. Even if the tights are opaque, covered feet and sandals do not go together. I don't care what some fashion editor says, but common sense tells me that sandals are summer shoes, and if it's cold enough to wear tights (either sheer or opaque) one should not wear sandals.

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  20. NEWSFLASH: Most all women cannot pull off the no nylon/bare legged look. If one can, more power to them, I am envious! But most can't and never will.

    I have great legs...WITH and only WITH nylons. The outfit to me doesn't look complete without nylons.

    I am amazed at the women who THINK they actually look good bare legged. Most look awful, especially their knees.

    I don’t wear open toed shoes with nylons because I am not a huge fan of it. But since I HAVE to wear nylons for my legs to look good, I would wear them with opened toed shoes IF I found a pair that I liked.

    But in the end...one really can wear or not wear anything one damn well pleases.

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  21. I cold now so I do wear pantyhose and nylons most of the time.But in the spring and summer I wear open toed heels that usally are high heel slides so I need bare feet to keep them on.I like the look of bare leggs on me and work at making them look good.

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  22. I say wear nylons with open-toe shoes if you so desire & don't think about what people think of your foot attire. Wear what makes you comfortable & make your feet sexy. I have a massive foot fetish & it is a complete turn on when I see women with open-toe shoes with nylons with nails painted (preferrably in dark nail polish).

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  23. I say wear nylons with open-toe shoes if you so desire & don't think about what people think of your foot attire. Wear what makes you comfortable & make your feet sexy. I have a massive foot fetish & it is a complete turn on when I see women with open-toe shoes with nylons with nails painted (preferrably in dark nail polish).

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  24. I've always liked the look of pantyhose and open toes.Maybe it's a weird fetish thing?It's mostly worn by older women which is fine,but I think it would look good on more younger women too.Not all the time obviously,but I fined it pretty sexy for some reason:)

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