Women without hosiery . . .

Promoted by style icon and beauty, Anna Wintour, the no stocking trend for women seems not to be ebbing off. Last summer, I was treated to a cruel display of hammer toes, bunions, crusty heels, varicose veins, insect bites, stubble and flaky skin. This, inside office buildings, on the street, at church, and in restaurants. Women of all ages, have picked up on this uncivilized trend. It's hanging on, even into fall and winter!

What are they thinking? I don't care how young, or aerobicized, or waxed a leg may be . . . for dress up, there is nothing like a sheer black stocking. Let women choose whatever color they want to wear, but let them wear, some sort of hosiery! How do the rest of you feel, about this bare legged, display?

If Thom Browne can fool men into wearing suits sans socks, then going bare-legged seems to pale in comparison. Frankly, in Texas (for the most part), hosiery is viewed as a curiosity, or maybe something worn to a Christmas party or a January wedding. I don't miss it because I don't see it much, but it's an pleasant surprise to see it.

Well . . . you have missed. In Chicago, the sight of bare legged women, in wintertime, is jolting and bizarre. Or at least, it used to be. Now you see women without stockings at black tie events. Ridiculous.

I suspect I was born in the wrong city, or country. Here, in some quarters, starched jeans count as dressy wear and can be found at weddings.

I never consciously noticed the pervasiveness of the trend until it was pointed out to me a few weeks ago. Assuming a pair of attractive and well-maintained feet, I think it's preferable to some of the god awful seams and toe reinforcement that are often on display when a woman wears hose with strappy dress shoes.

As for bunions, corns, hammertoes, etc., I think those should be addressed irrespective of the hosiery issue. Hose shouldn't be used in place of proper foot care.

I hate ugly feet as much as the next guy, but hose with open-toed shoes looks arguably worse to me. I guess any time in Mainland China will do that to you.

I find few things sexier than a perfectly waxed, fit, tan leg exposed under a flirty, just above the knee skirt in cold temperatures wearing either open toed shoes or high boots. Obviously well groomed feet are also a must. Women's legs and feet, unlike men, are made to be seen. Hosiery leads to rips, unsightly seams, look horrendous with open toe shoes, and I've seen some women bypass leg grooming (and who knows what else) since the feeling is that no one is going to see it anyway. If you prefer your women covered up, there is always the Taliban.

Originally Posted by edmorel

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If you prefer your women covered up, there is always the Taliban.

Hey, they might be on to something. I can be spared the sight of chapped lips, ugly moles, unwaxed upper lips and the unsightly fullness of cheek that bespeaks monthly water retention.

Originally Posted by edmorel

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If you prefer your women covered up, there is always the Taliban.

I think you just Godwined the thread.
Nazi = old hat, Taliban = shiny new goodness

With that out of the way, thumbs up for bare legs, and thumbs down for hose. But that could be my age speaking (25).

Even a monk's robe . . . needs a sheer, black stocking. High heels, too.

Originally Posted by Ivan Kipling

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Even a monk's robe . . . needs a sheer, black stocking. High heels, too.


Hmm, very Taliban-ish.
Interestingly enough, most of the women in the front row are stockingless

Anna Wintour and her crowd are about as lowbrow, as lowbrow, gets. Each to his own.