Nude hose: how bad?

[dellacucina]

I have nice legs other than the fact that my veins are messed up, meaning it appears I have bruises all over them and I also have big disgusting varicose veins.

I am aware that nude hose aren't a favoured look, but I look best in knee length dresses.

I've tried that spray on stuff but it doesn't work for me?

Is nude hose so tragic that I should give up on skirts and dresses entirely? And what to do about the fact that they can be overly hot in summer?

@CinnabarRed - I love my seamed stockings. So elegant. I’ve about 10 pairs.

@StarlightLady - likewise! I'm very partial to a seamed stocking.

Don’t you find they’re expensive though? I really don’t get more than one wear out of them so end up with cheap multi packs. I can’t bear opaques in the summer but I get endless wears out of them in autumn and winter

@TigerDroveAgain the Boots support hose are practically indestructible, though I don't think they necessarily have the completely natural sheer look that one might prefer.

I wear nude hold-ups once the weather gets a bit warmer. I find them a bit cooler than tights.

Then bare legs once it’s above 20 degrees.

Virtually all the women in my workplace wear tights. I wouldn't think twice about it.

What denier are they op? I need coverage too.

I wear the Autograph tights they are very sheer and you can’t tell you are wearing tights

My legs are too thin for hold ups unfortunately. Every time I have worn them I have ended up with an embarrassing stockings-around-the-ankle situation.

The Boots support hose range from 15 denier (light support) to 30 denier (firm support)

There was a thread on here the other week saying bare legs at work was inappropriate. Now some are saying nude tights are frumpy. So to those who think bare legs are unprofessional and nude tights are frumpy, what do you do with your legs for work in summer?

Looking great OP, nothing wrong with nude tights in my opinion!!

Trousers Tomasina!
I would never wear black opaque in the summer, even if it’s cold, it just doesn’t seem right and looks winter.
So I wear trousers on a cold summer day and skirts or dresses if it’s warmer. I wouldn’t wear nude tights (although I would if in a v professional role) as I just think they can be seen and I don’t like that. Also I wouldn’t want to wear tights on a hot day.

This thread is an education. I thought nude tights were the cool ones to wear and the crime against fashion was sheer black tights or leggings with dresses.

@Ineedtoknowit oops, here I am now. I think the English summer is a bit of a myth and I hadn't even considered the appropriateness of black tights when I conceived of this thread!

This is the first I’ve heard of nude tights being grumpy, if they’re worn Nora Batty style then sure. Maybe it’s an age thing, my mum’s age group would all wear shear black tights and I wouldn’t be seen dead in a pair, so is it those in their 20s that think this?

Fair enough op! I know it’s not always hot in the summer and I always dress weather appropriately but I like to look seasonal. So for that reason I would never wear black opaques in summer, nor a scarf. Just looks too wintery but each to their own!!

I like a silk scarf in the summer though! Not that I have the insouciance to carry it off, but it's nice to aim for a look.

I am laughing at nude tights being grumpy (maidenover’s post).

Each to their own, but I wouldn’t be seen dead in them. Plus, they are never invisible or barely noticeable. You can always tell when somebody is wearing them and the colour is usually not quite right.

Bare legs all the way for me in summer. I’m in a senior finance job and nobody bats an eyelid. What workplaces insist that women wear nude tights? Certain shops? I am curious.

@CheckingOutTheQuantocks

A silk scarf with a sheath dress seems to me to be very summer appropriate

wombat my workplace doesn't really have a dress code but I choose to wear nude tights because I don't like bare legs for me personally. My legs are fat, pale, veiny, and all kinds of other undesirable things, and a bit of coverage is what it takes for me to feel comfortable. Not to mention chub rub prevention for my lack of thigh gap. I don't think bare legs are unprofessional or anything like that, but let's not pretend it works well for everyone.

I wear them because I have scars and blotches, there’s no rule against them where I work. Also in a senior job (not sure the relevance but if we’re putting ourselves into a hierarchy!)

I get that, Quantocks, hence saying each to their own (you probably wouldn’t be seen dead in some of my clobber!). Some posters suggested that covered legs were expected in their workplace, though, so I wondered what those workplaces were.

Perhaps they work for the Queen!

No hierarchy, Riddley. Just noting that stiff and formal professions like mine don’t insist on female legs being covered.

I don’t think anyone on this thread has said that they aren’t allowed bare legs though - mostly people with various skin problems who feel self conscious.

I do think tights are seen as more formal than bare legs, or at least were historically. I'm a lawyer and I don't think I've ever seen a female lawyer attend court with bare legs for example.

When I worked in the US it was explicitly expected that female attorneys would wear skirt suits and "pantyhose" (vom) to court.

See above:

“There was a thread on here the other week saying bare legs at work was inappropriate”

and

“Virtually all the women in my workplace wear tights”