STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Bastet · Kate Spade

Pantyhose (or lack thereof) @ work?

ILoveChoo · Hermes

It probably depends on the office. We're business casual here and I never wear hose in the spring/summer. Noone has ever said anything.

shopaholic · Dooney & Bourke

i personally wont wear the pantyhose. i've seen other co workers come to work without pantyhose too. im sure its ok....i dont really think it matters that much to people.

Hermes

technically, it's unprofessional, but like others said, it depends on the office. it really depends on what I'm wearing - if it's a skirt that's below the knee, I may go sans hose, if it's at the knee (basically, knee exposure) then I wear them. My legs are not perfect and I think it's TMI to show that to my entire office. when I do wear hose in the summer they are very sheer (you can't tell I'm wearing them - but it's just enough coverage.)

member · Hermes

ILoveChoo wrote:

It probably depends on the office. We're business casual here and I never wear hose in the spring/summer. Noone has ever said anything.

I agree. My office is business casual, and I never wear hose ever and I wear open toed shoes all the time in the summer. No one has ever said anything to me either.

Are you the only one that goes sans hose? If not, I'd say you're ok.

jj · Kate Spade

I've done my own informal survey of nylons vs. bare legs in the summertime in DC. Some of my friends who are hill staffers are required to wear nylons with skirts. And DC is a conservative town in general. But honestly, outside of the Capitol, no one I know wears them. I've sat in meetings with the most high-powered female lobbyists, and they'll be wearing knee-length skirts and strappy sandals.

I think if you legs look nice and you wear skirts that hit below your knee, you're fine. Besides, it's too f***ing hot here for me to even think about wearing them!

Hedvig · Coach

This is probably an incredibly stupid question but I've been wondering how you can wear closed-toe pumps without hose without your feet getting sweaty during the day. I wear open toed shoes pretty much all summer so that I don't have to wear hose.

Lilykind · Hermes

I guess it's very different because I'm on the west coast and business causal here pretty much means "no denim" and "no stripper outfits

", but I have never seen anyone in LA wear panythose. It would be torture to wear them here in the summer too.

Cortney1982 · Chanel

Hmm..my rule for me is that if it's closed toe shoe pantyhose is a must.

Hermione · Kate Spade

i suppose i'm lucky b/c i've mostly worked in more creative environments (except my current job, but they are very loose with dress, as long as it's not revealing) and so i've never worn hose to work - my mom used to make me wear tights with my school uniform and i've hated them ever since - something about they way they feel makes me feel claustrophobic. i honestly think i might have to think twice about a job if i was to have to wear hose every day. maybe if i just wore pants all the time ...

anyway, point is - i never wear hose and it seems to be fine.

littlelatina · BCBG

IMO-Bare legs looks best to me-assuming your legs are nicely shaven, etc. I think hose look very 80's. If it's too cold for bare legs, then I would wear pants and boots.

My first job out of college was at a hospital with a strict, and I mean STRICT dress code. So to get around it I just stopped wearing skirts all together, and resorted to pants with trouser sox... ON the few ocassions where I didn't wear sox, guess what-I got sent home. So i have a strong aversion to hose, and IMO they are not attractive in any circumstance...Especially when women wear them with open toed shoes. UGH....

blubirde · Chanel

I'm a lawyer and I never wear hose. The only time I'd even consider it is if I was going on an interview and was wearing a skirt or if I was going to court and my skirt wasn't past my knees. Just this past week I wore a dress to court (with a jacket over) and I wore a little under garment thing to make sure there were no jiggles or lines or anything but I refused to wear hose. It didn't even occur to me to wear hose.

Kitty · Hermes

I never wear pantyhose. Ever. My office is business casual.

Kelly · Hermes

Cortney1982 wrote:

Hmm..my rule for me is that if it's closed toe shoe pantyhose is a must.

I second that. I just think it looks weird if you're wearing a closed toe with no pantyhose. If it's a peep toe I could go either way, but if it's an open toe I think pantyhose looks silly.

Bastet · Kate Spade

Thanks for all the advice! I think I'll retire the hose until it gets colder, and just not wear closed-toe pumps with skirts. I *hate* pantyhose, especially when it gets hot. My legs are super white, but otherwise nonoffensive.