do you wear tights or not

[N0HEQ]

I'm not certain that I understand any of this. Tights aren't even needed in the cold winter months since an ankle-length wool skirt is warmer & more comfortable. In the summer I'm thinking that tights would be ridiculous with a miniskirt. Shaving. It works but it is tedious. An epilator is a much better choice since once every six to eight weeks makes the entire (well almost the entire) body smoother than shaving every day or two. Hairy legs are best observed in the primate section of the local zoo. At least that is one man's opinion. That reminds me of a woman who stated that she wears pants all of the time since she hasn't shaved her legs in several years. What a sweetie!!!

[Pythos]

To the last poster.

Tights or hose with a mini complete the look.

Now on a hot day, but not blistering hot day, hosiery of low denier, are the best. They are NOT hot and uncomfortable as so many have opined...if there is a breeze of some sort. If there is not they are still more comfortable than jeans or khakis due to the fact they move with you opposed to resist nearly every move you do.j

I do think many here have not tried legwear out under a skirt, and just assume from the complaints many females have made that they are uncomfortable. If they are of low quality and improper fit...OH GOD are they uncomfortable, and annoying.

But if they are of good quality (leggs makes nice hose, as does activeskin), and fit properly, and are put on correctly (not put on like pants and with little or nothing under) they are like a second skin, and feel great. They do indeed massage your legs, and just feel nice to the touch. You know, the opposite of how clothing meant for men not only hides our bodies, but also blocks of sensations.

[RichardA]

An epilator is a much better choice since once every six to eight weeks

and can lead to nasty ingrown hair I've been there, read the book and seen the pictures not nice

[rick401r]

I only wear tights (pantyhose) in the winter. I also shave my legs in the winter but let it grow out for summer.

[crfriend]

I'm not certain that I understand any of this. Tights aren't even needed in the cold winter months since an ankle-length wool skirt is warmer & more comfortable. In the summer I'm thinking that tights would be ridiculous with a miniskirt.

Interestingly, it seems that this topic is one of the most misunderstood ones when it comes to what's OK for guys to wear (or not) and I suspect that's because there are many misconceptions about it. The level of discourse I'd like to see here primarily relates to how tights/legwear function as an accessory to skirted garments.

We all know that there are plenty of guys who wear such garments for added warmth in the winter months under their trousers; there is also a subset of guys who wear them for tactile reasons (jockeys, for instance, as a friction-reducer); some who find that they help with assorted peripheral maladies; and some who simply like them. The big problem here is that there's also a heavy-duty fantasy/fetish overlay that tends to "drown out" all other reasoning, and that seems to be the "elephant in the living-room". that nobody wants to acknowledge or talk about.

This author's viewpoint is that tights just constitute one more item of garb that can be used when one perceives either a need (e.g. warmth) or desire (e.g. it'll make an outfit look better) to do so. Nothing more; nothing less. As far as long skirts go, I can vouch that those can be quite warm, but if you're wearing wool -- especially the low-grade stuff -- you'll likely be miserable unless you've got something between you and the fabric.

Shaving. It works but it is tedious. [...] Hairy legs are best observed in the primate section of the local zoo.

This, too, is a matter of personal preference. Some guys are lucky enough that they can grow a decent pelt on their legs that can look reasonable -- these guys can flip a coin and go one way or the other any it likely would not matter. On the other hand, if I don't do something about the hair on my legs, it looks like the moths have been at me, so I've been shaving my legs for years -- years, in fact, before I started wearing skirts, so the two are not really connected in any meaningful way.

Indeed, great gobs of hair mashed up under sheers does look a bit naff (again, my opinion) but under opaques nobody'd be any the wiser for it. Hair does tend to make tights slide around, mainly down, which can cause some technical and comfort problems, but shaving can "correct" this fault if one feels the need. So, in short, shaving/epilating becomes just one more option; the main "gotcha" here is that if you're a guy, likely your girlfriend/wife will not take too keenly to stubble (you likely wouldn't take too keely to it the other way 'round) so it becomes a maintenance issue.

[Pythos]

and let's not omit the fact. Shaving one's legs IS NOT inherently feminine. I don't know why the masses think this. It was Roman soldiers that started the practice, or at least that is what I have learned in my research on the topic. For some odd reason smooth skin is also considered feminine. Lord only knows why. It is all cultural non-sense for the most part, most of which needs to go the way of the do do.

Short skirts were originally a male only garment. Tights were also only a male garment, as were heels, and many styles of boots. Women wore long clumsy dresses, and usually flat shoes, so as not to be taller than the men.

I have heard a moron say that high heels were designed by men to limit women's movements. Typical popular myth. The high heel was born out of combat and the need for better engagement in war horse stirrups. They became fashionable thanks to a SHORT king. He liked how heels made him taller.

It is very funny to read and learn how certain things came about, and how little people actually try to learn before spouting off a bunch of derisive non-sense.

[crfriend]

and let's not omit the fact. Shaving one's legs IS NOT inherently feminine. I don't know why the masses think this.

It's just a widely-held perception. After all, more than a few classes of professional athletes shave their legs, and they're not considered "unmanly".

It was Roman soldiers that started the practice, or at least that is what I have learned in my research on the topic.

I'll not dispute the assertion, but I'd be interested in why the practise arose. If there's historical precedent, there's likely a rational reason behind it.

For some odd reason smooth skin is also considered feminine.

It's also considered child-like and immature, and that's a common thread in the way that western culture seems to try to treat women. I suspect there's a connection there, and I am reminded of the phrase "soft as a baby's bottom" when it comes to certain shaving products.

Short skirts were originally a male only garment.

The specifics on this one likely belong in pre-history, so there's no written record, but I'd surmise that clothing in general was originally a male thing as the males tended to be exposed to somewhat harsher conditions than the females because males were doing the hunting (note: this argument does not work in the case of lions). Getting one's privates hacked up by saw-grass must not have been fun.

I have heard a moron say that high heels were designed by men to limit women's movements. Typical popular myth.

In cases like this we need to separate out precisely what the observer (or repeater) may be talking about.

The heel developed for a reason; the Romans learned that humans moved more efficiently with an elevated heel and designed their military sandals with a short (1/2" to an inch or so) heel to assist in marching long distances. The higher heel of the horseman's shoe or boot serves to form a positive interlock with the stirrup -- quite important when one recalls that at anything faster than a (horse's) walk the rider tends to stand in the stirrups to keep the pounding on certain parts of the anatomy to a minimum; this heel is, of necessity, deeper than that of the footman's heel, but not extravagantly so as the horseman also has to be able to function on foot when he doesn't have a horse under him.

Both of the above are quite distinct from the modern stiletto heel which is itself distinct from "court shoes" of bygone eras. The sorts of shoes worn by short kings could, indeed, be impractical things, but since said short kings didn't usually need to ride horses (carriages existed by then) they could put up with the limitations on mobility to focus on gaining a few inches in height (if not stature).

The standard joke, by the way, is that the super-high heels of today were designed by homosexual male designers who have it in for women. It's a funny story through-and-through, but I don't think for an instant that it holds its own weight; if women didn't like such extreme designs they wouldn't buy or wear them. So, there's something else in play there.

[rockpup]

I tried tights the other day. It was a bit warm out so I took them off soon after taking a pic. Gotta say, the look was better then fuzzy legs, but at 80f it was a bit too warm. Oh well, I'll figure out a style I'm happy with soon. This denim skirt was quite comfie.

http://rockpup.net/skirt/jsl1.jpg

I can see tights working out quite well up north, but for south FL I may have to shave to get away from leg fuzz. hehe

[tesjolts]

Rockpup, that denim skirt looks pretty good....where did you get it?

I think it goes better without tights

Tes

[Kirbstone]

Nice Pic. Rockpup. Skirt good too (you've got thre figure for it) but the pockets are always too small. 80 degrees F is definitely not tights weather ! Do you use that bit of kit behind you for crushing your breakfast fresh oranges?

[JohnH]

The only time I wear hose is when I am wearing a formal knee-length dress with heels. I wear denim skirts only if it is warm enough to wear shorts. In cooler months I alter between pants and long skirt long sleeve dresses, where I simply wear socks and boat shoes.

John

[N0HEQ]

Great comments. This site really is informative. Knee-length boots come in sizes large enough to fit most guys, allowing warmth without needing a skirt that reaches the ankles thereby limiting a guy's mobility. I confess that I personally enjoy the smooth hairless feeling all over my body. The epilator must be held correctly lest one experience some discomfort. The first few times are demanding of a man's threshold of pain. I just told myself that I could do this since more women use an epilator than men. After four or five uses there isn't must hair to be found so the procedure becomes painless. My loving wife takes the epilator to the places that I can't reach. No more hairy armpits. No hairy arms either. A great wife is God's greatest gift to mankind. I'm happy not to have hairy legs under that denim miniskirt. Legs smoother than a baby's butt. I can feel the movement of the skirt on the legs. That sensation adds a new dimension to skirt wearing. I also love all of those compliments from the ladies about the legs & the skirts. Skirts are far more comfortable than pants and are much lower in price too. My whole closet is filled with skirts purchased for less than ten dollars. I am so glad that women abandoned those skirts. Thank you, ladies!

[zizkov]

Tights conflict with my basic principle of why I wear a skirt, which is freedom, or perhaps better expressed as Air. However I do like shaven legs, seems more natural to me, for after 34 years of being bearded their seemed little logic of not continuing the now beardless effect further down. After 2 days without a shave my face now feels very uncomfortable, suppose that after a month it will be back to feeling natural but … beard would then go with hairy legs?
I do have a problem with what to do with my lower legs. I am very comfortable with wearing boots, in my case calf length, but I cannot bridge the gap between a skirt, which I only now wear at mid calf and a shoe, with mental comfort. Summer; no problem as sandals and skirt I am very happy with. So under 3º no problem above 15˚ no problem: How to get the gap encompassed?

[MSpookshow]

Seems I'm a bit different from most posters on this topic, but I always wear sheer tights if my legs are visible. Skirts, dresses, shorts, capris, it doesn't matter. I've been shaving my legs for over 10 years, and although I live in Florida my legs have nearly always been very pale. I don't think my legs look very good bare, so I always wear some form of hosiery. The key with tights is to buy the correct size, or even a size or so larger than indicated on the chart, and for the heat in Florida I find that the lower denier the better. I usually wear beige hose but I also really love a nice off black shade.

[Kilted Musician]

I wear hose and tights with shorts pretty much on a regular basis because I like the looks and feel of it. With skirts, usually not but that's subject to change... Quite often while wearing my kilts, I'll wear hose, mostly suntan but sometimes black sheers. I shave everything because I like smooth skin and it looks much better, IMHO. Here's a link to some pics of myself on my Flickr site...

http://tinyurl.com/4ukpsx9

--Rick