Crossdressers-Haven.com

Ever since I have started to read about ladies fashions online I have been increasingly shocked to learn how much women hate to wear hosiery. When I was in my early twenties and working in an office I always thought that this would be far from the truth when I saw female work mates coming in wearing lovely black tights. From what I can gather ladies hate the feel of tights/pantyhose and only wear them for special occasions or required to wear them in the workplace. I feel exactly the opposite when I wear hosiery, I adore the way they feel and look and cling to my legs. I have always wanted to confide in women about my desire to wear womens stuff and chat about the tights they like wearing but would probably hear mostly stories about how they hate to wear them. My wife has always worn tights on a regular basis ever since she was a young woman. I don't know what she really feels about wearing tights but they are just everyday clothes to her and she sticks to the same brands. As I have come out to her twice about my dual life as Belinda it would be interesting to hear her views on the subject. As for me I will always love tights they have been an integral part of my dressing since I was twelve. I used to so envy the girls in my high school class for wearing them under their socks but they probably could tell me that they found them itchy and uncomfortable. I gather that there are chemicals hard wired in the brains of us crossdresssers which I accept but for me they will always be an expression of my femininity.

This may be a generational thing, Belinda. Lots of younger women now days go bare legged, while more mature women like myself prefer hosiery. I'm not quite 60 yo yet, and this is only my opinion. As a little girl, I wore tights with skirts. They were more durable, more affordable, and easier to find in child sizes. All grown up, I never wear tights. Bare legs are for Capri's or shorts. Skirts or dresses require pantyhose and they do feel more feminine!
Since I don't work in an office, jeans or slacks are my daily outfit.

Eileen

I notice today when out shopping that more and more women are returning to hosiery, could be because "old man winter is close by"

I'm not sure why pantyhose became so much a bother for many genetic women especially in North America as from all I hear and read in Europe and Asia women still embrace the wearing of pantyhose and tights. I grew up at a time when most women would not consider themselves completely dressed if they did not have a pair of proper fitting an appropriate shade/colour of pantyhose on. If they were wearing skirts or dresses this was especially true and even many wore pantyhose under their jeans or slacks.

I hear from women they say they find pantyhose to be uncomfortable, itchy or too warm etc. But this is a recent thing as again women did not seem to complain so much back in the day and IMO I find said complaints to be odd, as a CDer who wears pantyhose and tights, I find them to not be uncomfortable and ladies don't forget us CDers have our stuff to keep in place too. I do not find them itchy and only would if I did not keep my legs shaved. They are not too hot for most of the year here where I live. Yes, in Summer I may not bother putting pantyhose on if I'm going to be doing any physical work, but if ambient temps are say under 25c/80f. I do not feel hot in pantyhose. In fact and to address these concerns in detail...

Feeling hot is less of an issue as the thin feeling of pantyhose under pants or jeans causes the legs of my pants to slide more and move air better feeling comfortable.

As to itchy again it is not a concern for me unless I go without leg shaving and I get stubble. But Ladies most of you shave your legs too, on smooth legs the feeling of a good and proper fitting pantyhose is stimulating and energizing etc.

As to general comfort, today women wear yoga pants and jeggings, both are heavier and thicker on legs and are as tight around one's legs as pantyhose or tights may be, but I do not hear women complaining about wearing such. IMO yoga pants without a dress or skirt on look awful on ladies. They look like wearing very heavy tights and IMO no lady would wear tights without a skirt or dress on.


No, for me as a life long CDer and one who wears pantyhose and tights, if they are of a good quality and if one keeps their legs cared for and shaved the are not uncomfortable nor itchy. They feel great under pants or jeans, the slippery and sliding feeling stimulates my legs and even doctors say hosiery can help keep blood flowing through the day.

Finally and this is looking at it all as a CDer and a man. When I'm dressed up as Lacey and to the nines so to speak, pantyhose or tights finish the look. They make to me, my nice but obviously more muscular looking legs look slimmer, and sleeker. As a man IMO 9/10 women even younger ones who may have good legs still look better with pantyhose or tights on. They make women with lesser looking legs look more appealing, women with average looking legs look good and women with great looking legs, look stunning! On top of that and as one who has worked in business, marketing, sales, customer service etc. a woman wearing pantyhose or tights with a skirt or dress looks more professional and as such will often yield better business results! Sorry ladies but we all live in a visual world. PC wont change this. IMO let the power of your femininity and sexuality work for you. CD'ers often emulated a feminine look and appeal to make the male in them feel better. Many genetic women have had the anti-beauty, anti-sex appeal side of feminism colour their POVs. But, one can be an equal in this world so to speak but still strive to be a woman and one can care to look well turned out etc.

High heels also make such a difference. I say embrace them as well and you can enjoy the added look and feeling that they bring of being a woman and still if you are confident carry yourself well.

As long as humans use our eyes as a part of living visuals will matter, good and/or bad. SUCH IS LIFE!

Hi,

I spos im one who does wear them and depends on the do im going to, For our Bands say at a big get together I do as I wear my long skirt with a slit 1/2 way up in front and its double lined so it calls for light to dark tights with my white blouse and head wear . the reason I like it is because im a drummer - percussion so the skirt works well for me as iv written about with over 300 people attended for our school prize giving . the 4th just gone ,

Most times I wear skirts and no tights as I don't need to , yet I dress nicely just the same , My other do,s I attend theres no need as the skirts I wear are long so don't need to , they are Edwardian and Renaissance garb 1400 -1700, as well yet going back to that time they did wear tights and brightly coloured so for both men and women and children so nothing new there ,

Okay pantyhose or tights depends on what the cotton or todays materal is used or was in the day .
and the reason behind it cold or hot , or fashion ,

I would have to say yes they can be a bit uncomfortable at times if say in Thailand no way would I wear them because I sweat to much .

...noeleena...

Eileen (SO) wrote:This may be a generational thing, Belinda. Lots of younger women now days go bare legged, while more mature women like myself prefer hosiery. I'm not quite 60 yo yet, and this is only my opinion. As a little girl, I wore tights with skirts. They were more durable, more affordable, and easier to find in child sizes. All grown up, I never wear tights. Bare legs are for Capri's or shorts. Skirts or dresses require pantyhose and they do feel more feminine!
Since I don't work in an office, jeans or slacks are my daily outfit.

Eileen

Eileen over in here in the U.K it is the opposite the younger women wear hosiery and the more mature ladies tend to wear pants with trouser socks underneath. My wife is 51 and hardly ever goes without tights even when she is wearing pants. I am 55 and have hardly ever dressed as Belinda without wearing any tights.

I find tights too restricting and hot to wear. Knee high nylons are great for pants, as are trouser socks. Except for snowy weather, I prefer what used to called gym shoes and shortie socks that barely show above the shoe. I can't stand sandals or my bare feet in shoes.
Only for more than casual events do I wear skirts, which needs pantyhose. Not just for looks, but peace of mind. There should be something between panties and a gust of wind. This GG finds pantyhose comforting to wear.

It's discussions such as this one that I wonder if I've been dressing feminine enough all this time. Hubby wears skirts more often than I do, with pantyhose.

Eileen

I don't find tights anymore restricng than pantyhose, I wear control tops in either. Sure they are warmer but in the cold of a Detroit area winter that warmth can be very welcome. Sheer hose is much dressier and appropriate in almost every situation but with the wide variety of colors and styles tights offer the opportunity to go a little funky when you are in the mood for that.

The no hose thing is somewhat generational. I like you Eileen grew up in an era when a lady wore hose with a skirt ans didn't complain. However as the cooler temperatures of fall and winter set in I have seen a lot more women wearing hose. Granted most wear tights but I have seen more than one 30 something with sheer hose. I do have to wonder how they can complain about pantyhose being too restrictive yet not think twice about pulling on a pair of sweater tights?

I am not sure all women hate them but you have to see this from our side. Lacey you talk of the old days before business casual and how every woman wore hose and heels to work 5 days a week. To those of you who dress occasionally pantyhose is a turn on and I can appreciate that but try it from the other side. Get up at 6 AM for work and by 6:30 your pantyhose is on. Then a full day at work and if you are lucky you are home by 6:30 PM and can shed your pantyhose. That means you have been in them 12 hours, half the day! Now that is 5 days a week and doesn't take into account the nights you stop somewhere on the way home or go out which may mean you are in them as much as 16 hours. The weekend? Well you have a date Saturday night so you are back in them and of course you wear hose to church on Sunday. That means you probably spend easily 60 to 75% of your waking hours encased in nylon and spandex. Couple that with the squeeze of control tops, the fact the waistband of your pantyhose, slip, and skirt are all starting to chafe at you. Now factor in that even well fitting pantyhose will over time decide to try to migrate south you have to makea trip or two to the powder room to get the crotch back up in place and readjust them perhaps you can understand how we see them.

Lacey you talk about tights and leggings or yoga pants, all 3 are very different although you want to lump them together. Tights are just a heavier version of pantyhose and although stylish they can offer the wearer the same issues as pantyhose. I don't know about what you consider yoga pants but I have several pairs and while I do wear them to my yoga classes I also wear them around the house as well as when running errands. Yes they are snug but have a lot of stretch and not nearly as encasing as pantyhose or tights. Leggings are as you say a heavier version of footless tights and are widely accepted today. I remember when they first came out back in the late 80's I think. They are comfortable asnd I do wear those as well. Yes they are as tight on the leg as hose but there is a modesty issue with them same as slacks or jeans. One doesn't have to be as careful when bending or reaching as she is in a skirt. I usually pair my leggings with a tunic style top so my tush and potential panty peek through are not issues.

As Eileen said the no hose is as much a generational thing. We who grew up in "the good old days" wear hose when we wear a skirt, well maybe not with a maxi skirt in the heat and humidity of summer, but for the most part we do. You say back in the old days women never said a word about the discomfort of pantyhose yet for most of the first thing we did when we got home from work was kick off our heels and shuck the pantyhose. We just suffered in silence as did our mothers and grandmothers in their constricting girdles in days of yore. We did complain about them even back then but the vast majority of us understood pantyhose was more comfortable and practical than the alternatives. Also it was just part of being a woman in that era. If you remember men wore suits and ties at that time. Certainly no man ever complained about wearing a tie, did he? Men generally never heard us complain but when it was just the girls the subject would come up from time to time. I know I had more than one of those discussions, some in the powder room as we wrestled them back in place or realized we had a run.

I know by now you are saying this Diana is one of those hose hating feminists. Not hardly! I love the feel of a nice pair of hose on my legs and appreciate the soothing comfort of a light support pantyhose like Sheer Energy when I have a day in heels. I also know how much nicer they make my legs look. Today I am meeting a friend for lunch and after we are headed to the mall to look for holiday dresses. I will be in a skirt with nude pantyhose and heels, helps one picture yourself in a dress better when you try it on. Enjoy your hose girls but don't look down at a woman who decides to go with slacks for the comfort and ease in certain situations.

Diana's post says it all as far as I am concerned. I am one of those who grew up in the era when women wore hose all the time and understand what they went through. Having been FT for 10 years now I wore hose when wearing a skirt back in the old days, even in the sometimes oppressive heat of the Valley here in the LA area., like many others suffered in silence, just assuming that it was just part of the role. When women out here started going sans hose I said to myself "Never!" Well come summer I decided to try it just for running around and yes it is more comfortable and a heck of a lot cooler. That was probably 3 years ago and now the only time I wear hose is if I am going to someplace formal or as a treat for the BF!

I can understand the fascination with hose and yes there is something sensual about pulling on a pair of sheer stockings but for everyday comfort I will go bare legs. I think at the age of 62 I have earned the right to be comfortable!