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msrose

Do women still wear knee high hose?

msrose
9 years ago

I just can't get used to wearing work dresses without hose, so I stick to dress pants. I bought a new pair of shoes that are a little too big, but I'm afraid the next smaller size will be too small. That got me to wondering if most people wear knee high hose with the dress pants. I do, but the shoes may work if I didn't. I feel naked without them though. I work from home most of the time, but dress up on the rare occasion that I have to go into the office. I haven't been in awhile, so I haven't been able to look around and see what other women are doing.

Comments (40)

  • musicgal
    9 years ago

    Yes:) Not all the time, but if I am wearing a nice pair of shoes I want to protect... I do religiously. The feet have one of the highest concentration of sweat glands in the whole body so I try to find a lightweight barrier between my feet and my nice shoes in our warm climate.

  • gsciencechick
    9 years ago

    I mostly wear crew-type cotton socks if I am wearing shoes. The brand I usually buy is Gold Toe that I get from JCP. I like those much more than hose.

    Sometimes if I am having a long day on my feet, I will wear light compression knee highs with dress pants.

  • RNmomof2 zone 5
    9 years ago

    Yes. We have a dress code at work that socks must be worn. I think its a Board of Health thing.

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    9 years ago

    If worn properly (with slacks, that is), one should not be able to tell if someone is wearing knee-high hose. I can't imagine worrying about it. Now, if you were proposing to wear them with skirts, that would be a different matter-lol!

  • mitchdesj
    9 years ago

    worn with skirts, they would be called birth control :) lol ...

  • debrak2008
    9 years ago

    Excellent question! I agree no one should really know what you are wearing. I just bought some very light weight socks. I find them more comfortable than actual nylon knee highs.

    Here is another question...does anyone wear pantyhose with a dress? I have a wedding coming up at the end of June. I know most younger woman don't wear pantyhose. The only hose I see them wearing is like textured or fishnet. I plan to do some tanning to make my legs look better but I still don't know what to do.

    Personally I hate the feel of any type of nylons.

  • msrose
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    rnmomof2 - Interesting about the dress code. Does that mean women have to wear hose with their dresses?

    I'm glad to see many of you still where them. I posted about wearing hose with dresses before and I think the consensus was that most don't wear them, so I thought it would be the same for knee highs.

    My old pair of shoes were more of a loafer type of heel, so I wore trouser socks with them. I'm not sure socks would look right with these. What do you think?

    This post was edited by msrose on Sun, May 18, 14 at 13:43

  • RNmomof2 zone 5
    9 years ago

    Yes, no bare legs are allowed. I work in a hospital so the office workers if wearing a dress, wear panty hose.

    It kills me because I normally don't wear socks. I have to with my Crocs or Birkies.

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    9 years ago

    I wore nude hose to the wedding and I don't care if others thought it looked old fashioned. The control top make me feel slimmer and firmer too. Unless I'm wearing sandals, my feet get hot and I get blisters. Shoes can be uncomfortable enough without adding to the problem. I typically wear flats with pants so I wear trouser socks. But if I wear heels, I will wear knee hi hose for the same reason as above.

  • debrak2008
    9 years ago

    annie, do you wear trouser socks in the summer? When I do I always feel like I'm the only one. Everyone else is wearing sandals with bare feet.

  • ellendi
    9 years ago

    I put baby powder in my flats in the summer, so no need for stockings or socks.

    Debra, you need to find sandals for the summer so you can go bare too :)

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    9 years ago

    In the summer, I do wear sandals as they are cooler. And never socks with sandals.

  • luckygal
    9 years ago

    I wear knee-highs with pants in the winter when wearing dressy shoes. I have even worn them with a long skirt. Who's to know! ;D With casual shoes I wear socks. Occasionally I wear pantyhose or heavier tights with everything (pants, skirts, dresses) for warmth.

    And I don't care if I'm considered 'old-fashioned' - I always wear very sheer pantyhose with dressy dresses year-round. IMO unless one is under 30 and has very nicely shaped tanned legs pantyhose look better. Also they feel more comfortable with dressy shoes to me. For casual occasions I am barefoot with sandals from mid-April to end of September and I live in the north.

    Of course, having said that IMO there are few dressy occasions in the summer that would require me to wear pantyhose. Even high end restaurants have more relaxed dress codes than they used to and few weddings are extremely formal.

    I think women need to decide what is most comfortable and flattering to them and not bow to fashion trends, especially those set by 20-somethings! I'm a 70-something and have lived long enough to set my own style! :D

  • TxMarti
    9 years ago

    debrak, I wore panty hose this morning. I hated wearing them in this heat, but no one needs to see my pasty white legs with a red shin rash.

    I wonder if there is a spray on tan that is diy but doesn't' look it, and I don't mean self tanning lotion. Something that goes on tan.

  • debrak2008
    9 years ago

    I should clarify, I don't mean wearing socks with sandals. What I mean is now that the weather is warmer here, it seems most women are wearing sandals or flipflops all the time. If I wear a dress shoe instead, should I wear trouser socks?

    Why is getting dressed so complicated for women?

  • jmc01
    9 years ago

    If I am comfortable with knee highs or panty hose or socks, and that includes the psychological comfort of knowing that I feel good and look ok, I wear it.

    I wore panty hose three days last week with skirts. I was working in Canada and it was chilly/rainy.

    I wore knee high nylons last week with nice slacks and dressy shoes.

    I am wearing nice slacks today and am barefoot wearing loafers.

    My comfort is most important.

    This post was edited by jmc01 on Mon, May 19, 14 at 8:44

  • 2ajsmama
    9 years ago

    Except for sandals, I wear socks or hose with shoes. I don't care what the "kids" are doing. Shoes (and some sandals, I don't wear the ones with the thong between the big and 2nd toes) rub too much to wear without some fabric between them and my skin.

  • demifloyd
    9 years ago

    Posted by marti8a (My Page) on
    Sun, May 18, 14 at 23:19

    debrak, I wore panty hose this morning. I hated wearing them in this heat, but no one needs to see my pasty white legs with a red shin rash.

    I wonder if there is a spray on tan that is diy but doesn't' look it, and I don't mean self tanning lotion. Something that goes on tan.

    *

    In summer months when wearing a dress or skirt and not stockings (yes, in recent years according to fashion experts they were considered ageing and a "no no" but since Princess Kate wears stockings they are apparently back in vogue) I dry off in the shower, leaving my legs a little damp, and spray on Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs. It comes in several colors--I accidentally bought the kind with a tiny bit of sparkly, so be careful and read. Local discount stores and drugstores carry it.

    I spray my legs, bottom and top, and take a damp hand and very quickly rub in very evenly all over, including feet and toes.
    It washes and scrubs off your hands and dries fairly quickly and stays put until you wash it off.

    I find it looks natural if you get the right color and I usually get compliments--people think I have very smooth, lightly tanned legs or that I am wearing sheer stockings.

    I have not worn knee high stockings in probably fifteen years.
    I either wear athletic socks, regular socks in boots or shoes in a dark color, sandals with bare feet or the no see foot covers in loafers.

  • SunnyCottage
    9 years ago

    I have ruined closed-toe shoes by wearing them without lightweight trouser socks or hosiery knee highs, because ... well, how to be delicate about it? -- Once my feet sweat into the shoes, they stink, and that smell never comes out. I don't have abnormally sweaty or stinky feet either (I don't think!) - but particularly in the Texas summer heat, my "dogs" can warm up. Even absorbent powder doesn't help the problem much. Now I always wear at least a thin layer of hosiery of some sort, and that alleviates the problem completely.

  • tinam61
    9 years ago

    I'm sure some women do but if you don't like the look of them how about some shear trouser socks? I have several that are fishnet, a patterned design,etc. but more sheer than regular trouser socks. I personally do not like panty hose or knee high hose. In only the dressiest situations will I wear panty hose and thankfully I don't have many of those occasions. From around April to October I wear sandals, slides, mules, etc. and no socks, no hose, etc. With full shoes or clogs, etc. for colder weather I wear socks, trouser socks, etc. I prefer a thin sock.

  • dedtired
    9 years ago

    I wear sandals as often as possible, or ballet flats. No socks, no hose. I have a collection of socks that appear to be opaque knee highs to wear under pants. I can't stand wearing knee highs because they strangle my legs at the knee, or worse, fall down. Now there is an attractive look.

    I can't remember the last time I wore panty hose.

    I worked in a hospital and wore open toe sandals with a low heel all the time, no hose or socks. I did not have a clinical position there. I had to wear a suit or something similar every day.

    Thank heavens that is all behind me now.

  • rosesstink
    9 years ago

    If I'm wearing shoes (except peep-toes or sandals) I'm wearing socks. I've never liked going sock-less in shoes for the reasons SC stated. When I was diagnosed as having dyshydrotic eczema my doc recommended wearing only white cotton socks. I can't go that far but I do only wear cotton socks. Even with heels - you can buy some pretty thin cotton socks.

    BTW I haven't worn a dress or skirt in over a decade so the bare legs thing isn't an issue for me.

  • ladyamity
    9 years ago

    Over 60 here.
    The three or four times I wear a knee-length dress in a year's time, I am very old-school/old fashioned and wear panty hose.
    I can't wrap my mind around not wearing panty hose with a dress. Being as I hate wearing dresses anyway, panty hose are like my security blanket.
    Nobody wants to see darkening varicose veins and rather large sun spots on these legs, believe me!

    Maxi dresses during the summer go with sandals, non-reinforced toe knee-highs.

    For slacks it's opaque trouser socks (no texture/no print) that fit to just below the knee.....my fat calf keeps them from sliding down.

    At a wedding three weekends ago, not a one of the eight bridesmaids wore hose with their knee-length dresses.
    Neither did any of the close members of the wedding party that I could see.
    Of course the wedding party women all had very tanned, nicely shaped legs.
    The Mother of the Bride, notsomuch.

    Even slipping on a pair of deck shoes/without laces, I have to have something between my feet and my shoe.

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    9 years ago

    Then again, there's this....

    Here is a link that might be useful: Socks with heels

  • bonnieann925
    9 years ago

    Like tinam61 I wear trouser socks in the winter. In the summer I wear the little lacy "peds" that do not show under my flats. I can assure you that panty hose are NOT out! For women who work in professional environments-banking, accounting, law, to name a few-they are an essential part of wearing a skirt/blazer.

    I go without socks/peds/trouser socks during the summer when in sandals. Love the freedom!

  • msrose
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks, everyone. I'm glad to hear so many of you still wear them. Can I wear trouser socks with the style of shoe I posted above or would you wear knee high hose instead?

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    9 years ago

    Classic pump? Knee hi hose...

  • TxMarti
    9 years ago

    Thanks demifloyd, I'll look for it!

    I actually googled diy spray on tan and didn't come up with a lot, except there was a homemade recipe for making really strong black tea and spritzing it on with a spray bottle. I tried that but it didn't make much difference.

  • busybee3
    9 years ago

    i would definitely wear knee hi hose with the shoe you show, tho i guess you could wear tights with them in the winter if you were wearing a skirt, so a thin sock would probably look like tights... i would still wear knee highs- or nothing. a younger woman probably would wear a thin sock or nothing.
    the only shoes i always wear socks with are sneakers. prefer barefeet in almost everything else- if the shoe hurts me in barefeet, it usually does with a thin sock too. as far as pantyhose preventing shoes from stinking- i have never experienced that one way or the other. i know my feet can sweat through pantyhose and socks and i know my kids' sneakers stink even though they wear socks!
    i will wear pantyhose for dressy occasions, unless the dress is tea length or longer--- i'm sure if i was 20 years younger i would go bare legged with all dresses.

  • 2ajsmama
    9 years ago

    I hope nobody thought I wore socks with sandals! I meant to say that ALL shoes rub so I wear socks or hose, I don't wear the flip-flop type sandals at all b/c they rub. Sometimes I will wear hose with a strappy shoe that I guess you could call a sandal - if they're dressy, have heels (even wedges). Casual open-toe sandals I don't wear hose - of course I'm usually wearing those with shorts!

    Even in my 20's and wearing miniskirts I always wore hose with heels. They help reduce the friction. Don't do anything for sweaty feet though - I had lots of pairs of hose with stained feet from the dye coming off the shoes.

    My kids' shoes stink - even 10-yr old DD's feet sometimes stink. But the 15-yr runner's are the worst!

  • newdawn1895
    9 years ago

    No socks or hose in the summer for me.

  • Acadiafun
    9 years ago

    The young people wear little pantyhose type slipper socks called "no show liners." They are a bit annoying when they slip into your shoe but they do give the illusion of not wearing hose or socks. I wear them too but miss the old days of knee highs.

    I NEVER wear pantyhose with a dress anymore in a social setting because it is too old fashioned. I need to make sure I have a spray tan and lotion for my legs to look nice. Last year I noticed even grannies with white legs and blue veins did not wear pantyhose with dresses. I keep thinking positive that one day pantyhose will be back in style.

  • mitchdesj
    9 years ago

    ajsmama, changing the insoles in their shoes helps with the stink, I like the gel insoles sold at the sports locker type stores.

  • Faron79
    9 years ago

    Not sure if my 52y/o Male opinion matters any here, but here goes!

    I like the look of Ladies wearing nylons/knee-highs. Unless your skin is Porcelain, I think they make a Woman's leg/ankle-area look so smooth and nice. Plus, the fashion-look of coordinating hosiery with outfits is something I like. This may sound weird, but nice hosiery looks a little more "sexy AND professional" to me!

    And yes...being a Male, I do enjoy beholding a nice set of legs!! We're s'posed to notice...aren't we...?!?!?!?!

    Correct me if I seem "lurid"! It's not meant THAT way!!

    Faron

  • msrose
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Faron - I certainly never thought of asking a man's opinion, but its interesting to hear it. You said what I feel. You have to have a certain type of skin (young or porcelain) to go without hose. I don't have either :)

  • 2ajsmama
    9 years ago

    Nice to get an impartial observer's opinion!

    mitch - DD is so little, do they make the insoles for size 1-2 shoes? I'm about ready to throw her sneakers away. She was getting a muffin pan out of lower cabinet today to make corn muffins for dinner, I smelled something rank and it was her socks!!!

  • debrak2008
    9 years ago

    I wash sneakers and sports shoes all the time in our washer and dryer. I have even put winter boots in the w/d.

    Years ago when I wore dress shoes everyday I would put those in the washer too. Yes, high heeled pumps. I would add towels so they wouldn't bang around and they always came out great.

    Never any issues with any shoes I put in the washer and dryer. I would never survive the smell if I couldn't wash all the sneakers and sport shoes in this house.

  • Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
    9 years ago

    What's interesting is that I have often agonized over what to wear to a special event only to find everything under the sun there and wondered why I bothered.
    In the fall and winter I wear boots with tights. In the summer, my skirts are longish. The very few summer skirts I have that are knee or above are extremely casual- so who cares what I look like. For a formal summer wedding, I have a longish skirt I would wear without pantyhose. If I worked in an office that required closed toe shoes, I would wear hose/knee highs or whatever the skirt required.
    It takes a lot more effort these days to pull off a great look with hose of any type but it can be done.

  • jamielcarlin
    7 years ago

    As a 46-year old plus-size woman, I can say yes. I think wearing knee-high socks are appropriate while wearing a dress. I wear a dress every day of the week (No Pants at all). I work in an antique bookstore, I have no problem wearing black, brown or navy blue knee-high socks with a dress. I only wear white bras and light-colored underwear (preferably white) under my dress (No Thongs, nothing fancy). So yeah, like I said earlier, there's nothing wrong with wearing knee-high socks with a dress.