2011 a Great Year for Pantyhose

Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous

If the “bear” legs movement won the decade of the new millennium, pantyhose certainly got their legs back in 2011.

(NOTE: I’m putting quotes around “bear” just once and then running with it as-is. Seasoned readers get my play on words, which have their origin in one of my earlier posts: “Why Bears Don’t Wear Pantyhose.”)

No, I’m not proclaiming that everything’s back to normal; far from it. But I think greater strides were made in 2011 than at any time from 2000 on.

I do think 2011 gave us much for which to be thankful, and optimism for years to come. While things looked pretty bleak from 2000 through 2010, I am thrilled by the number of new and seasoned celebrities we saw wearing pantyhose in 2011.

In movies, on TV shows, in TV commercials, on singers/performers taking the stage, on game shows, across fashion runways, in magazines, and practically everywhere we looked in the community, we saw more pantyhose in 2011 than I think we saw in the previous 10 years. And if you want to see beautiful women in pantyhose, just do a google search, and you’ll find that pantyhose are indeed alive and well.

Pantyhose took us by storm in the late-1960s, absolutely ruled in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and enjoyed a good run through most of the ‘90s before “Sex and the City” reared its ugly head in 1998.

In the role that made her famous, actress Catherine Bach as Daisy Duke on the TV show, “The Dukes of Hazzard,” made sheer pantyhose famous.

And, in the ’70s, no one did more for pantyhose than actress Catherine Bach in her role as Daisy Duke on the TV show, “The Dukes of Hazzard.”  Bach took sheer pantyhose to icon status, wearing them with her signature short-shorts and heels on the show.

It’s difficult to imagine how and why so many women in the world would try so hard to distance themselves from the look made famous by Bach.

Looking at this picture of Catherine Bach, I can’t see how anyone could believe that pantyhose are old-fashioned and irrelevant in society today.  A look of sheer beauty and the truest sense of femininity is never irrelevant, and it never goes out of style.

I honestly didn’t believe the bear legs culture would catch on, and I never dreamed it would flourish, almost to the demise of pantyhose.

It has taken a great deal longer than I imagined, but women have begun coming to their senses again. That was clear in 2010, and never more evident than during 2011.

Still, through the darkest times of the 2000 decade, I was so pleased and encouraged by the vast number of men throughout the world voicing their displeasure over the bear legs movement. There are thousands of pantyhose forums, websites and blogs about the love and devotion that (at least) men feel for pantyhose.

I still can’t believe that so many women don’t seem to care that seemingly 99 percent of the male population loves them in pantyhose. The fact that women almost universally reject the beauty, femininity, class, elegance, and sensual characteristics inherent in pantyhose remains a complete mystery to me.

I should acknowledge that, along the way, there have been many women who never bought into the bear legs culture.  Occasionally, I read on an online forum about a woman or two who, like me, just don’t get the hostility other women have toward pantyhose.  It is so heartwarming and encouraging to read the words of some women who say they love pantyhose, and the attention and appreciation they get from wearing pantyhose for men who love it so much.  We can’t know about these everyday women on a large scale, so unfortunately, I cannot give them the praise they deserve. Still, we know they’re out there, so if you’re reading, thank you for remaining professional at the office, classy about town and always feminine in all situations.

Similarly, I’ve been delighted and encouraged by all the support from readers of The ActSensuous Blog this year. I greatly appreciate all your comments, compliments and well wishes.  So, in addition to my usual ranting and raving about celebs and the state of the pantyhose industry, in this year-in-review post, I want to share with you some things you might find interesting – the stuff you guys contribute.

Your comments

You guys write some well-conceived and thought-provoking comments.  You have a real understanding of what’s going on in the world of pantyhose.  You know the celebs who are devoted wearers, and you know the ones who aren’t.   In many of your comments, you attach links to pictures, videos and online articles about pantyhose.

I love it when you write about a colleague at work who routinely wears, or doesn’t.  I love when you write about your most memorable pantyhose experiences and the affects they had on you.

And, of course, I appreciate all the nice things you write about my different posts.  I couldn’t do this if I didn’t think you cared and appreciated it.  So thank you for all your support.

In case you ever wondered, most of those who comment on my blog are not ActSensuous customers.   Sometimes, it’s a bit embarrassing when a customer writes a comment and closes with how much he loves our products and our customer service.  I’m not asking for that, but it’s always nice to read the positive feedback, and I am sure it’s good for business.  So, to those customers/readers, I’ll say this:  That’s not what the blog is about, you don’t have to endorse us in your comments, but I know it comes from the heart, and I do appreciate very much your good intentions.

One reader complimented me a long time ago for keeping the blog separate from the business.  I never expected anyone to notice or care about that, but I always appreciated that this guy got it and pointed it out.  In fact, of the 48 (before this one) posts I’ve written since May 2009, only one was blatantly about ActSensuous – the one on April 25, 2011, called “Return of Pantyhose TV ads a Good Sign.”  In it, I shared my vision (OK, fantasy) of having a celebrity become the official spokesmodel for ActSensuous.  I wrote about the celebs I’d choose if I could.  That post was pretty popular and got some good comments, but I really thought it would get more response from you, telling me which celeb you thought would be perfect to represent ActSensuous.

And that leads me to this:

The polls

I thought polls would be a good way to be heard for those who don’t feel comfortable leaving a comment on a blog post.  What could be more anonymous than that?  Even I don’t know who clicks an answer on a poll on my blog. Yet, the response numbers seem low to me.

To those who have voted on my various polls, I thank you.  Your answers to the poll questions – your voice – give me an insight as to what you think about the state of pantyhose in society today.  To demonstrate that point, I’ll share with you the results of some of those polls, starting with:

• “Which celebrity would be perfect to represent ActSensuous?”

Following her breakout role in the movie, “The Devil Wears Prada,” Anne Hathaway has maintained a classy and feminine look, including wearing pantyhose for all the right occasions and venues.

Of the 50 votes this poll generated, Anne Hathaway garnered 14 (30%).  To put that in perspective, the next highest vote-getter was Milla Jovovich with 9 (20%).

They beat out the likes of Sandra Bullock, Bai Ling, Nicole Kidman, and four write-in names: Zhang Ziyi, Gong Li, Christie Brinkley and Morena Baccarin.

I was not surprised you chose Anne Hathaway.  I love that, even though she is so young, she gets it. While probably every celeb has her days when she just isn’t going to wear for any occasion, Anne is pretty consistent.  She has the maturity, the class and sense of femininity to wear for all the right reasons and at the right venues.  I believe Anne has a bright future as a Hollywood star, and I’d be proud to have her represent ActSensuous.

Of course I love Milla Jovovich.  She is beautiful, extremely professional, ultra classy and just plain cool.  She is a great actress, and if the truth were known, I’d choose her if I could.

Of the others, I love Bai Ling, Nicole Kidman, Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li, and I would be thrilled if any of them would even consider being the face (legs) of a pantyhose campaign, but that seems rather remote to me.

Christie Brinkley

Now, Christie Brinkley as the official spokesmodel for ActSensuous ….. that seems pretty realistic and very appealing to me.  I’ve always liked Christie.  She’s always been extremely professional, very classy and ultra feminine.

Those are some incredible legs, and she certainly understands the appeal of sheer pantyhose.

I would have thought the same thing about Morena Baccarin, but even though she can always be counted on to wear sheer pantyhose with her outfits in TV series (“The Visitors” and “Homeland”), I’ve never seen her wear during visits on late night talk shows.  I find that so frustrating because it kills my image of her.  I want to believe she is what I see in her TV roles, but have to face the reality that when she’s on her own time, she chooses not to wear.   That amazes me because she looks 100 times better in pantyhose.  Then again, isn’t that true of all of them?

• “Which Celebrity do you most want to see in pantyhose?”

Sandra Bullock performs a scene in her new movie, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” in Brooklyn.

This poll generated 91 votes, of which Sandra Bullock took 34 (37%).

She overwhelmed the likes of Jessica Alba with 22 votes (24%), Kate Beckinsale, Nicole Kidman, Bai Ling, and seven write-in answers, including Fran Drescher, Michelle Yeoh, Lucy Liu, Bette Middler, and Jenna Fisher.

Good for Sandra Bullock to win that poll.

It goes to show the popularity of the veteran action, dramatic and comedic actress among the ranks of pantyhose lovers.

Why not?  Sandra always has had the professionalism and class to wear pantyhose for the right occasions.

I would have liked to see Michelle Yeoh, Bai Ling and Lucy Liu score higher, but they do in the next poll.

• “Which Asian actress do you most want to see wearing pantyhose?”

The lovely and multi-talented Asian-American actress Lucy Liu sometimes wears pantyhose during public appearances, and when she does, she looks fabulous.

Out of 34 total votes (only 34 – what’s wrong with you people?), Lucy Liu won with 13 votes (38%).

Very impressive, as she beat out whom I think is the world’s most gorgeous woman, Zhang Ziyi, who came in second with 8 votes (24%).

This poll was won because of the popularity/familiarity of Lucy Liu.  I mean who doesn’t love her?

Ironically, from what I’ve observed, Ziyi is a much more prolific wearer of pantyhose than Lucy will ever be.

In fact, as much as I adore Lucy Liu, she breaks my heart by doing the bear legs thing much more often than wearing pantyhose.

Further, it seems the rare occasion on which we see Lucy Liu in pantyhose, she’s wearing the thick, black ones.  Yet, to behold her in sheer nude pantyhose is a breathtakingly beautiful sight. At least the black pantyhose she’s wearing in this photo are fairly sheer.

Zhang Ziyi (“Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” Rush Hour 2”) is only just becoming known to Western audiences, and since she lives in China, she’s not quite the household name Lucy Liu is.

Classy Chinese movie star Zhang Ziyi almost always wears pantyhose during public appearances.

But Ziyi is the Asian actress I most want to see in pantyhose.  To me, she is total perfection.

Other vote-getters in this poll were Tia Carrere, Michelle Yeoh, Devon Aoki, Bai Ling, Gong Li, Maggie Q, Karen Mok and Brenda Song.

Besides Zhang Ziyi, I next most want to see Michelle Yeoh in pantyhose.  I still love her more than any other Asian actress, and she is simply awesome in pantyhose, although, sadly, that’s a rare sight these days.

It’s so frustrating that Maggie Q doesn’t wear pantyhose on her hit show, “Nikita,” (or any other thing I’ve ever seen her in.)  There was a time (early 1990s) when Tia Carrere (“Wayne’s World,” “High School High,” “True Lies”) was the most beautiful thing that pantyhose ever happened to, but those days appear to be long gone.  I would guess most of you have no clue as to who Karen Mok is (“Black Mask” and “So Close”), but someday I’ll do a whole post about her.

Young model/actress Devon Aoki (“Debs” is my favorite movie of hers) is a frequent pantyhose wearer and looks amazing in them.   I haven’t seen enough of Brenda Song, but it’s neat that someone voted for her.

I love Gong Li, Maggie Cheung and Karen Mok, and they all look fabulous in pantyhose, but to me, there is just something truly remarkable about seeing Bai Ling in pantyhose. Maybe that’s because it’s so unexpected.

Bai Ling dressed beautifully, complete with brown pantyhose, during an appearance at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on Nov. 4, 2011, in Hollywood, Calif.

Bai Ling is an enigma.

She is extremely intelligent and has great talent.  She is incredibly beautiful.  But she fits in perfectly within the Hollyweird culture. I don’t really get her, but I can’t help but love her.

She is known for wearing the skimpiest and strangest outfits, and looking awesome in them.

But when she wears pantyhose, it is so heartwarming to me.  She kills me in a good way.

• “Pantyhose – To Wear or Not to Wear (ladies only please)”

This was not the poll that saw the widest margin of victory, but the winning answer got 19 of the 24 votes (79%). The winner, I’m happy to say, is this answer:

“I choose to because I believe in and wholeheartedly support the concepts of beauty, glamour, class and sexiness inherent in pantyhose.” Coming in second was the answer:  “I am not on one side or the other and would wear or not wear pantyhose based on the appropriateness of the situation/environment.” That answer got 3 votes (13%).

I wrote (ladies only please) at the end of the poll question because I knew what answer men would give, and I really wanted to see what women would say. I always wondered if the votes were indeed by women only. I don’t know, but there were 2 votes (8%) for the answer: “I choose not to on my own personal volition because I think pantyhose are uncomfortable, impractical and/or unnecessary.”  We know women cast that vote.

But here’s the real news: Not a single vote came in for the answers: “I choose not to because I believe in and completely support the cause for the bare legs movement … period;” or for: “I choose not to because the excuse now exists thanks to the bare legs movement.”

Hey, I’ll take our minor victories anywhere I can get them.

• Today’s “Bear Legs culture:”

This is the poll, attached to the post “Why Bears don’t wear Pantyhose,” that launched my whole “bear” legs terminology.  The answer that won this poll was: “Can’t die a horrible death soon enough.”  Still, it got only 60 votes out of 110 (55%).  Taking second place with 26 votes (24%) was the answer:  “Is to punish men (for being men).”  Sorry about that, guys.

OK, are you wondering what poll got the most activity and won by the very widest margin?  This won’t come as a surprise to most of you. It was attached to my first (and arguably best) post of 2011 (Jan. 9), titled “Why Not Pantyhose and Open-Toe High Heels?”  This post still gets comments and generates discussions, remaining one of the most popular on this blog.

• “Pantyhose with open-toe high heels?”

This poll generated 160 votes – by far, the most activity of all the other polls.  The winner was the answer: “Absolutely! Yes, please!”  You gave that answer 151 votes (94%).  I’m so proud.  Getting only 7 votes (4%) was the answer: “No way! No How! Never!”  And just 2 voters (1%) selected the answer: “Who cares?”

Professional singer/dancer and TV personality Paula Abdul always wears sheer pantyhose during public events, and looks perfect in open-toe heels.

More than any of my other posts, “Why Not Pantyhose with Open-Toe High Heels?” struck a huge chord with you.  This was the post in which I first bashed all the so-called “fashion experts” for making up hard and fast rules that dictate what they say is acceptable or not for you to wear.  That anyone listens to these people is unfathomable to me.

I had no idea when I wrote it that this post would generate so many comments and poll votes.  I am so glad you overwhelmingly support the wearing of pantyhose with dress sandals.

Even more, I love it when celebs (by far the greatest influencers of fashion) completely disregard the advice of the “experts” and always wear pantyhose with open-toe heels.

Looking at the picture of Paula Abdul, I can’t imagine how there could be even a few people out there who still think this look is wrong.

 

Wrap-up

As much as I love my self-appointed mission of being the voice of hope and reason for the return of pantyhose to favor in all aspects of society, I couldn’t write this blog without your participation.  I try to make my posts compelling and entertaining, hoping to generate comments and discussion among you.  And I throw in polls to give you another avenue to express your views about pantyhose.

Sometimes, when more time than usual goes by between posts, I’m struggling to stay motivated or to come up with something I think you’ll care about.  The point is I do this for you.  I hope you will continue to contribute, and I hope more of you will get involved.

Finally, I could say this (and probably will) until I turn blue, but we owe our thanks to so many wonderful celebrities all over the world who turned out in droves wearing pantyhose this year. There’s not enough space to acknowledge all of them, but let me recognize a few we couldn’t have done without this year.

Ann Curry: She is beautiful, classy and professional. We owe her so much gratitude for keeping the bar high in TV journalism.

Carly Foulkes, the beloved T-Mobile Girl:  Now we know it wasn’t a fluke. I don’t know how many commercials she’s made now, but she’s always in one of those famous pink dresses, with awesome pumps and sheer nude pantyhose.  She’s a young hottie who potentially can influence an entire generation to dress more femininely.

Julianna Margulies is one the most professional Hollywood actress, always dressing professionally, especially wearing elegant outfits with sheer pantyhose everywhere she goes.

Julianna Margulies:  She has always been professional and classy, and now, as the star of “The Good Wife,” she can do no wrong.

She’s a great actor on arguably the best show on TV, and so, in her we have a highly visible celeb who wouldn’t be caught dead not wearing pantyhose.

Hopefully, Julianna will influence those career women who don’t think there’s anything wrong with showing up for work with bear legs.

What I like most about Julianna is that not only does she always wear pantyhose on the job, but also out in public and on late night talk shows.  She’s truly a devoted wearer.

Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Rihanna, Selena Gomez and other young professional entertainers are doing the right thing.

Perry and Gaga, and Paula Abdul are practically pantyhose ambassadors because they wear not only on stage, but also out in the public eye.

These women are priceless contributors to our cause.

Kate Middleton: Obviously, much has been made of her commitment to wearing pantyhose, and rightfully so.  She clearly is all about class and elegance and doing the right thing.  In all fairness, she may be the one woman who singlehandedly changes the course of pantyhose’s fate in global fashion circles.

Yes, 2011 was a great year for pantyhose. We’ve made up so much ground, and I am looking forward to more of the same in 2012 and beyond.

Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

A Grizzly goes to London

Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous

Readers of this blog have come to know and appreciate my column, Credit ‘wear’ Credit is Due, in which I heap loads of praise on some worthy celebrities for their devotion to wearing pantyhose.

And we’ve had some great ones, haven’t we?  Ann Curry, Fran Drescher, The T-Mobile Girl (Carly Foulkes), Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Kate Middleton, and Carrie Ann Inaba (for doing a complete 180 and finally wearing pantyhose on every episode of the game show “1 vs. 100,” which she hosted recently.)

Minus that headline, I’ve also glorified some other devoted pantyhose wearers, such as Anne Hathaway, Julianna Margulies, Milla Jovovich, Meredith Vieira, Katy Perry, Parker Posey, Linda Fiorentino, Kim Basinger, Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock.  And there are many, many more who deserve such recognition.

Then, a couple of months ago, I introduced a whole different column.  This one shines the spotlight on those celebs who completely miss the boat, just don’t get it, lack the finest sense of true femininity, and always miss opportunites to show some real professionalism, elegance or class.

So, for only the second time, I am handing out the coveted (NOT) ActSensuous Grizzly Award.

And this time, the hardware goes to one Stacy London.

Fashion consultant Stacy London always wears beautiful dresses and high heels, but unfortunately, she's a devoted and vocal follower of the "bear" legs culture.

That’s right, the co-host of  TV’s “What Not to Wear,” a reality makeover show, in which London and her wonder boy sidekick, Clinton Kelly, use their superior brains and good taste (yes, I’m being sarcastic here) to completely trash the wardrobe of their guests and reinvent them in their own fashionwise images.

And, as many normal people have written in comments to online postings by or about these two “fashion experts,” they often do it in a completely arrogant and insulting manner.

A perfect "Beauty and the Beast" scenario as the professional and classy Meredith Vieira, left, who always wears pantyhose, interviews fashion expert Stacy London, who never wears pantyhose. Does London not see how much better Vieira's legs look than hers?

As readers of this blog know, I despise so-called “fashion experts” who make universal rules and tell everyone what they can and cannot wear, as if their likes or dislikes about fashion trends are somehow more appropriate and obviously more sound than what anyone else on the planet thinks.  It’s “fashion experts” like these two who’ve come up with the “rule” that one can never wear pantyhose with open-toe high heel dress shoes — a rule that, incidentally, is almost never followed by anyone with half a brain, and one that is standing up less and less to scrutiny everywhere.

So Stacy London, possibly the queen of all “fashion experts,” gets the second Grizzly Award (after Sarah Jessica Parker for obvious reasons)?  But it’s not just because she’s a “fashion expert.”  Rather, it’s because she’s on record as stating that she likes bare legs for all seasons.  That, and she’s using her credentials and influence to further her own agenda — a personal dislike and distaste for pantyhose as a fashion accessory.

Here’s are a couple of excerpts from a 2008 segment of TODAY.com where London is a style contributor, answering readers’ questions about fashion:

Q: I was watching “What Not to Wear” when you appeared horrified by the idea of wearing hose. I know it’s not really the style now to wear nylons, but I have terrible spider veins on my white legs. What do I do now that skirts are knee-length and those veins are so obvious? Any advice?

A: First of all, the only hose I really hate are the semi-sheer ones in suntan or black. They look dated and remind me of a time when women would walk to work in their suits, those hose, white sweat socks and white leather aerobic sneakers. Blech. Might as well throw in a whole can of hairspray, too. Too ’80s!  Stay away from anything that has a mid-range denier number that indicates the sheerness of the hose (10 is very sheer, 30 is semi-sheer and 50 is opaque).

I recommend a good self-tanner for the pale-leg situation, but also realize that won’t help with spider veins. Look for opaque tights and try them in a subtle color, like a burgundy or deep purple, when wearing a neutral-color knee-length skirt or suit. They will hide your legs and add a visual punch to your outfits!

Q: You indicated that pantyhose were no longer proper attire. You stated that in summer, go with bare legs and in winter, wear tights.  I enjoy wearing pantyhose and want to know if I am old-fashioned if I wear them?

A:  I did not mean to indicate in my last segment that pantyhose are no longer appropriate attire. My feeling is that those that are considered day sheer or mid-denier don’t look modern, but a bit dated.  The denier number on hose shows you how sheer the stocking will be. The lower the number, the more sheer they are.

For example, a denier of 10 will be supersheer. These are great for evening, especially with a little shine or a back seam, as they look natural and simply enhance the legs for evening. A denier of 30, is what I have most trouble with; it’s neither here nor there. It’s not sheer. It’s not opaque. You know? It’s like a relationship: Either you’re in or you’re out. This wishy-washy sheerness dates an outfit to the ’70s or ’80s, when this style was most popular. But when you get to a denier of 50 or above, and the stocking is clearly opaque, I think this becomes a more modern and relevant look. A shiny tight like this can be used for day or evening.

OK, first, the country’s leading fashion expert comes out and blatantly tells women to go with bare legs in the summer?  She also tells women to use self-tanner for pale legs?  Seriously?  Second, she recommends opague tights in a subtle color, “like burgundy or deep purple?”  (Those colors are subtle?)

Stacy London actually wore this outfit during the Keep A Child Alive's 5th annual Black Ball Nov. 13, 2008 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, NY.

Hey, look, I respect others’ opinions, and the fact that London is considered a fashion expert, if that’s her best advice about leg coverings, then too bad for her and anyone who listens to her.  While I completely disagree with London about everything she says about pantyhose, I’ve got no problem with her actually saying it.  She’s entitled to say what she wants.  Where I have a problem with her is on her point about denier ratings.

She specifically says that it’s pantyhose with a denier rating of 30 that she finds objectionable.  She even cautions “If they come in an egg, you don’t want to wear them,” referring to the L’Eggs brand (owned by Hanes) of the 1970s and 80s.   But she’s wrong.  L’Eggs and their competitors (the most widely-known one being No Nonsense) made their pantyhose in a 20 denier rating.

As she said, denier rating determines how sheer the nylon fabric is.  The lower the number, the more sheer the pantyhose.  When I created ActSensuous in 2001, I looked into the 10 denier rating she referred to, and yes, they are super sheer, but the fabric is coarse and not very natural looking.  They are not soft or silky at all, and while there may be a market for them, it’s not a very big one.  You almost never see anyone wearing pantyhose like these.  And, yes, denier ratings as high as 50 are available, but they are tights that are thick and, in my view, not suitable in some venues, such as a formal dinner engagement, nor for proper business attire.

No, my problem with London’s remarks are about the pantyhose of the 1970s and 80s being so awful.  I loved pantyhose in the 70s and 80s, and I’ve never known of a 30 denier rating.   But what do I know?  The pantyhose of those decades were made almost entirely of 100 percent nylon fabric in a 20 denier, which is exactly why I made ActSensuous in a 20 denier.  I think those are precisely the kind of pantyhose that true pantyhose lovers love.  Those are the style, the look and the feel that we all miss.  Maybe London meant to say a 20 denier rating is what is so awful.

By the way, ActSensuous has hundreds and hundreds of customers from all over the world, literally from Atlanta to Bangkok, from California to Denmark, from New York to New Zealand.  We’re big in England, France and Australia.  We have customers from China, Korea and Japan.  I don’t think there is a country in which we don’t have customers.  And they all tell us ActSensuous are the softest, sheerest and sexiest pantyhose they’ve worn.  But, really, what do we all know?  We’re not “fashion experts” like Stacy London and Boy Wonder.

In doing the research for this post, I ran across this forum on the Internet:

http://askville.amazon.com/honest-opinion-Stacy-London-Clinton-Kelly-Wear-show/DiscussionBoard.do?requestId=8011723&page=1

To the question:  “What’s your honest opinion of Stacy London and Clinton Kelly of What Not to Wear?  Do you like this Show …?,  most answers were negative, but even some of the supportive ones came out against their obvious negative slant against pantyhose.

I particularly love this response:

LindsaySheers said:

… Why is (Clinton Kelly) telling me what all men find sexually alluring on women?

A lot of gay men know a lot about fashion, but to get such advice on that subject, I would like a 2nd & 3rd & straight opinion.

… These two complete followers of Brittany and Sarah Jessica Parker have agreed that they do not like pantyhose, (fine), however, they dictate to their audience and columns that, “No one likes them.” “Everyone looks bad in them.” Etc…

I think my legs are my best feature and every boyfriend I have ever had have all confessed to me, after that shyness period passed, that they were all ‘ga ga’ for me (girls in general) when wearing sheer silky pantyhose (hence my nickname, given to me by my current boyfriend sitting kind of to the side here & still a little shy) and tights, but mostly the sheer nude/tan/beige hues.

Lastly, the show was/is not only incorrect on so many levels, but caters to and from their mindset only. Falling into this show would have you most likely ending up as a follower. Be a trendsetter, not a follower. Be stylish. Be sexy. Be yourself. Not what they insist on.

Let me tell you something: this LindsaySheers gets it.  Good for her.

If ever a case could be made for wearing pantyhose, click on the image to see the expanded version. Stacy London looks very lovely in this photo, but wait until you get to see a closeup of those legs.

You know, I want to like Stacy London.

She’s a beautiful and charismatic woman, she’s very intelligent, and she has accomplished great things in her life.

Before co-hosting “What Not to Wear,” she started her career as an editor at Vogue magazine, then, became a stylist for celebrities and designers, then, a fashion contributor on many Today show formats.

She is or has been a spokeswoman for several brands, including Revlon, Pantene, Woolite and Dr. Scholl’s^® For Her Comfort Insoles.

Along with Kelly, she’s written a book, “Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding the Style That’s Right for Your Body.” 

I actually felt a little bad when I named Sarah Jessica Parker the first recipient of the ActSensuous Grizzly Awards because, when researching her for the piece, I actually found several pictures of her wearing pantyhose.   That’s right, the one celeb universally “credited” with creating the bare legs culture with her “Sex and the City” TV series and movies, actually wears pantyhose fairly regularly.   It was more symbolic that SJP had to get the first Grizzly Award.

But I don’t have any reluctance about bestowing upon Stacy London the second Grizzly Award.  I can’t find a single photo of her wearing pantyhose.  Granted, some of the pics of her on the Internet are of low resolution and too small a file to really be able to tell if she’s wearing or not.  But based on everything London says and stands for, I am pretty sure she is not wearing pantyhose in any of the pics on the Internet.  Certainly, she comes across as if she hates pantyhose, thinks they are old-fashioned and irrelevant today.

The dynamic duo, Clinton Kelly and Stacy London of TV's "What Not to Wear."

I liked “What Not to Wear” when it debuted in 2002.

I watched quite a few episodes and I remember longing to see London wearing pantyhose with those beautiful dresses and high heels she always wore.  But it never happened.

I thought that was such a missed opportunity on her part — a chance for her to show professionalism, class and elegance in the role she held.  But, to her, it wasn’t a missed opportunity at all.

This lady just doesn’t believe in pantyhose … period.

Like LindsaySheers, I too was upset and offended when I saw a video of London and Boy Wonder “explaining how to wear pantyhose,” especially when they admitted the video was made only because they were getting so many inquiries from consumers about why they never talked about pantyhose.   Then, when they said that nobody looks good in suntan pantyhose and no one should ever wear them, I realized that there is probably no one more deserving of the second ActSensuous Grizzly Award than Stacy London.

Here’s that video:

http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/what-not-to-wear-how-to-wear-pantyhose.html

So, what do you think?   Could there be a more worthy recipient of the ActSensuous Grizzly Awards than Stacy London?

Who’s the hottie in that Verizon Black Friday TV commercial?

Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous

  I hope all of you enjoyed your Thanksgiving Day celebrations and Black Friday shopping sprees. 

  In January of this year, one of my more popular blog posts was Credit ‘wear’ Credit is Due – Who’s that T-Mobile Girl?  That one got a lot of responses and still is frequently read today.  Actress/model Carly Foulkes is the hot little number rocking those pink dresses and sheer nude pantyhose.  

  Sometimes when I write these things, I secretly worry that as soon as I draw attention to someone for being a devoted wearer, all of a sudden she’s going to stop.  Thankfully, that hasn’t been the case with Carly, whom I praised in my post for having the professionalism and class to wear pantyhose with that outfit during an era in which that isn’t always done.  But I also gave credit to the person at T-Mobile, or the advertising company, for his or her decision about how to dress Carly for that spot. 

Actress/model Carly Foulkes is affectionately known now as "The T-Moble girl."

It’s impossible to know whether Carly had any say about wearing pantyhose, or if it was solely the decision of T-Mobile or the ad campaign manager.  Perhaps the credit should go to designer/stylist Debra LeClair, who, according to a T-Mobile representative, created the custom-made, vintage-silhouette-inspired pink-and-white dress, and worked on the campaign and photo shoot.  

  In any case, the reason Carly made my Credit ‘wear’ Credit is Due column is because in researching her, I found that she frequently wears pantyhose in public appearances and other ads.  So, she’s a hero in my book. 

Enter the new hottie 

  Now, comes an amazing TV commercial by Verizon.  I saw it often while watching the NFL games over the holiday weekend.  It’s the one in which an absolutely gorgeous young lady portraying a Verizon employee walks up to a display at a Verizon store where she touches a bunch of smart phones and similar devices to wrap them in ribbons and bows for the Black Friday holiday sale.  This stunningly beautiful woman with long wavy brown hair is wearing a gray skirt and wine-colored blouse, and at first, that’s all we see of her, even when she walks across the floor to place some of these gift items under the store’s Christmas tree.  When she kneels down, that’s when we see she is wearing some absolutely delicious-looking sheer nude pantyhose.  And quite beautifully at that. 

  Unfortunately, it’s a brief scene, but oh, so lovely.  Man, when I see something like this, I just feel so much pride.  In this day and age, the Verizon people, or again, the ad campaign people for them, could easily have dressed the actress in pants, or gone with the skirt but with “bear” legs, reflecting a sign of the times.  Instead, they went with a professional and classy look, perhaps signaling that if “bear” legs ever really was an official sign of the times, it’s not embraced by everyone, and T-Mobile certainly was going to feature its actress in appropriate business attire.  

  I believe cases like this are all the proof we need that this ugly “bear” legs look has about run its course.  Just look at all the TV commercials for department stores and see what women are wearing.  Every dressy outfit includes pantyhose.  Finally, maybe people are coming to their senses again. 

  Unlike in the case of Carly Foulkes, this time, after hours of investigating on the Web, I could not identify the actress in the Verizon commercial.  So, I cannot tell you whether or not she is indeed a pantyhose kind of girl, or show you any photos of her.  But here’s a link to a video of this commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w34kGqZb52c&NR=1  Watch it in full screen mode for the best view of her legs at the end. 

  After the first couple of times of seeing this TV commercial, something strange happened, and I want to share my thoughts with you and hear your thoughts about it.  I’ve never seen anything like this before, but all of a sudden now, when the actress kneels down to place the gifts under the Christmas tree, they’ve cropped most of her legs out of the picture.  My first thought is why would they ever do such a thing?  She is so beautiful.  My second thought is this:  The powers that be probably figured they didn’t want the viewer looking at this gorgeous girl’s legs instead of the Verizon smart devices for sale.  

  Is that possible?  Could that really be the reason?  Nothing else makes any sense to me.  Anyway, you certainly can see (in fact, even more of) the actress’ legs in the YouTube video.  Hurry before someone edits that part of the scene from it, too. 

  Do any of you know who this girl is?  If so, please let the rest of us know.  I am so impressed with her. 

 

Update (Dec. 7 )

With my thanks for a first-time comment on my blog from a reader, whose online name is las artes, we now have indisputable visual evidence of who this very beautiful and charming actress is — Cherub Moore. 

Thank you, las artes, for pointing me in the direction of the WhoIsThatHotAdGirl (WITHAG) site for finding credible documentation when it comes to identifying relatively unknown but budding stars. 

While not much is known about Cherub Moore, with all the interest her appearance in that Verizon ad is generating online, I can’t imagine she’ll be off the radar much longer. 

Check out this link to view this fabulous TV commercial again, and to see a mini-profile and photos of the enigmatic model/actress Cherub Moore.

http://whoisthathotadgirl.tumblr.com/post/13509132832/q-who-is-the-hot-girl-in-the-verizon-black

 

 Last week, one of our longtime customers/readers of this blog, Carl, suggested that the lovely lady in the Verizon Black Friday TV commercial was Katie Savoy, who actually made an earlier appearance in a different Verizon commercial.  It’s the one where she is sitting poolside with her boyfriend, who is watching an NFL game (Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers) on a smart device.  She decides to take a dip in the pool, while he watches his favorite Viking, Adrian Peterson, score on a long running play. 

When Katie emerges from the pool, the boyfriend sees her as Adrian Peterson.  The poor guy.  But, it’s a cute commercial.  

http://www.youtube.com/v/QYFmbWzIsxo&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3

It was a good try, and I bought into it, but I just couldn’t reconcile that, as lovely as she is, Katie Savoy just didn’t quite have the exotic look we all saw in the Verizon Black Friday commercial.  

Thank you, Carl, for finding us these pics of Katie in pantyhose/tights.   

In any case, perhaps, like Carly Foulkes who appears in a series of T-Mobile commercials in which she always wears a beautiful dress with heels and pantyhose, it would be great if we get to see Katie and Cherub in a series of Verizon commercials all dressed up.

Cheerleaders of Homewood High School Patriot Band in Alabama perform during Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 24, 2011, in New York.

Loving a parade 

  Nothing rings in the holiday season like the world-famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City, its 85th annual event. 

  It’s also a venue at which one can see lots of pantyhose.  From cheerleaders to the majorettes of marching bands from all across the country, from dance troupes to celebrities performing, most often, the costumes include pantyhose. 

  And  never is that more evident than on the 36 pairs of lovely legs that belong to the Radio City Rockettes, the world renowned precision dance company based out of Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, NY, which has been performing during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade for more than 50 years.  

Members of the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes perform during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on Nov. 27, 2008, in New York City.

  The Rockettes, most famous for their perfectly timed “eye-high” kicks, also star in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, happening now through Jan. 2, as they have for more than 75 years. 

  Obviously, the Rockettes are known for their fabulous legs.   Could you ever imagine in a million years the Rockettes performing “bear”-legged?  Of course not.   Do you think any of the members of that company would even want to?  No way! 

  So that means all those pantyhose haters out there — those who say pantyhose are uncomfortable, out of style, irrelevant, etc. (those I like to refer to as, you know … WRONG) — actually think the Rockettes would look just fine and that it would be perfectly OK for them to perform “bear”-legged?   Those people can’t be that dumb.  It must be that they are just turning a blind eye to reality in order to not have to face the fact that they just have no sense of femininity, class or elegance. 

Interesting notes 

  Dana Delany wore a nice dress and sheer pantyhose during her guest appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (aired on Thanksgiving Day.)  See, now I would expect that of her, but I mention it here because more times than not, I’ve seen her appear mostly “bear”-legged at these venues.  So, I hope this is a sign of better judgment on her part. 

Lady Gaga, left, is interviewed by Katie Couric during Gaga's Thanksgiving Day special on Nov. 24, 2011 in New York.

  Good job, too, by Lady Gaga, who, even though she wore a pants suit during her interview with Katie Couric as part of the artist’s “A Very Gaga Thanksgiving” special, did wear very sheer pantyhose with her high heels.  It looked nice, and I love that she shows her professional side during high profile interviews such as this one. 

  Of course, Lady Gaga wears more exotic pantyhose and wears them more provactively during her concerts, and HBO aired “Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden” on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011.  

  Finally, and this is weird:  Amy Sedaric appeared last week on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” wearing a strange dress, high heels but no pantyhose.  The weird part is when Dave complimented her about her shoes, she caressed her “bear” legs and said she really wants to do a pantyhose commercial (but apparently there are no takers.) 

  Then, Dave asked her what happened to pantyhose, noting that they seemed to have gone away.  She replied that they had and she couldn’t understand why, and then she emphasized that “We need to bring them back in a big way.” 

  OK, that part I like, but puh-leeeeeeease, Amy, don’t try selling that when you’re not wearing pantyhose.   Those “bear” legs of yours weren’t doing us any favors.  Nice try though! 

  Thanks for reading, and best wishes to all of you for a happy holiday season.

Pantyhose happenings on my mind

Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous

  It seems that the current-but-maybe-not-for-much-longer “bear” legs movement came upon us all of a sudden.   One day things were normal and good, and then suddenly pantyhose were public enemy No. 1 (among women that is).  

  It’s been a long decade-plus of the awful bear legs look, but gradually, in ever-increasing numbers, pantyhose are gaining their legs again.  Have you noticed? 

  They’re in movies and TV shows more and more.  They’re in TV commercials all the time.  They’re even on fashion runways, and that’s a real good thing.  They’re in magazines, too.   And now, they’re also the subject on more and more women’s minds as one can see on Internet discussion boards, where there’s always that question: “Are pantyhose back?”  To which some answer: “I never realized pantyhose were out.”  Love that.

  Yes, it’s looking more and more like pantyhose are starting to cling to more willing wearers each day.  With that in mind, here are some recent pantyhose happenings that are getting my attention:

Celebs deserve our thanks

   Probably the biggest reason that pantyhose are once again in mainstream consciousness is the vast and ever-growing number of Hollywood actresses, entertainers and pop stars wearing during their performances.  

As fabulous as she looks like this, it's surprising Cameron Diaz doesn't wear pantyhose more often.

  In only my second ever blog post (June 2009) titled “Calling out Professional Entertainers,” I blasted celebrities for instigating and perpetuating the bare legs movement (back then, I hadn’t come up with the idea of referring to it as ”bear” legs.)   My, how far we’ve come.  I am so proud of the many veteran celebs who never left, or have now come back to pantyhose.  And that includes Cameron Diaz, who until recently, I thought would be the next recipient of my new column, “The Grizzly Awards.” 

  But I’m even prouder of the young, up-and-coming celebs who are outright pantyhose goddesses.  Yes, we’ve still got a long way to go, but I think it would be difficult to name more than a few young celebs today who are just complete bear leggers — ones you’ll NEVER see wearing pantyhose.  

A young, rising star, Selena Gomez has the class and professionalism to wear pantyhose on stage.

  I think we have to recognize and thank the likes of Jessica Alba, Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Juliana Margulies, Milla Jovovich, Nicole Kidman, Kate Middleton, Sofia Vergara, Paris Hilton, Zooey Deschanel, and of course, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Beyonce’ and Selena Gomez. 

  There are hundreds of others who deserve credit, but this is a good start. 

  Since nothing influences fashion in everyday life like what we see our favorite celebs wearing, I think we’re in a very good time and place right now with all the professional performers out there donning pantyhose. 

 

Waitin’ all day for Sunday night

  Hey, Jack, it’s a fact … the outfits Faith Hill is wearing this year during the intro theme to  Sunday Night Football are soooooooo much better.   

While this photo appears "doctored up" a bit, Faith Hill's bare legs during last year's SNF theme were an eyesore.

  Last year, she wore that way-too-short black dress with some funky, chunky (OK, ugly) shoes, and Casper-white bear legs  that (I have to say it) looked awful.  Sorry, Faith. 

This year, she wears mid-calf length pants, but with pumps and pantyhose.   

While a leather skirt would have been better, Faith Hill looks so much better in pantyhose during the SNF intro theme.

As I’ve written before, doesn’t she (whomever I’m dissing at the time) see herself on TV later and say “What was I thinking?” or “Why didn’t someone tell me ?”

  Well, one of those things must have happened in Faith’s case.   Thank you.

  Another win for pantyhose.   

More football 

  One of the hosts on NFL Network on DirecTV, Kara Henderson, was doing the bear legs thing during interviews with fellow analysts and guest coaches and players.  Uh, Kara,  “Come on, man!”  (Yeah, I know — that’s a bit featured on ESPN prior to Monday Night Football — but I couldn’t resist.)

  Again, she must have seen herself on TV or someone told her how awful her legs looked.  Now, she wears pantyhose and looks sooooo much better.  Good call.  

  Remember, I am writing just random thoughts here.  Suzy Kolber is one NFL analyst, host, sideline reporter I always liked.  She is very professional.   She used to wear pantyhose with nice suits and heels all the time.  Lately, I’ve seen her wearing pants more than anything.  I hope she doesn’t allow herself to be influenced by the vast majority of other female NFL types and stop wearing skirts and pantyhose and heels.  

Why always black pantyhose? 

  Seems when we see a celeb wearing, especially one who typically doesn’t, it’s always black pantyhose.  I mean sheer black pantyhose are nice, and certainly better than bear legs, but somtimes, I think women think it’s all they can wear.

Popular movie star Jessica Alba looks awesome in a black dress, black heels and sheer nude pantyhose.

  There used to be a line of thinking that was one should always match one’s pantyhose to the color of one’s dress. 

  And we all know how popular the LBD (little black dress) is.  I always thought that thinking was lame. 

  OK, you’re wearing a black dress, but you know … your face, your neck, your arms, your hands … they’re not black (unless you’re Minnie Mouse).  Why do you think your legs should be black just because you’re wearing a black dress? 

  Nude and Suntan are such a nice, refreshing look these days when it seems that all we ever see is black. 

Those awful ‘fashion experts’ 

  If you’ve read this blog, you know how I detest those people called fashion experts.  They probably gave themselves that title.  Since my post, “Why not pantyhose and open-toe high heels?” remains the most popular on this blog, you know how hard I’ve been on these monkeys for making that “rule” that you can NEVER wear pantyhose with dress sandals.  

Veteran model and entertainer Christie Brinkley looks incredible in sheer nude pantyhose, especially in those open-toe high heels.

  It still amazes me that everyday people seek out the advice of these fashion gurus.  It’s not like these guys’ opinions have any more value than your own good judgment, but I still see on Internet threads cases where someone wants to know if it’s OK to wear pantyhose with dress sandals.  Recently, and I love this, I’ve been seeing the fashion police cave a little on this issue.  The last piece of advice I read was that it’s OK as long as the hose is sheer at the toe (well, duh), or (and get this), if it’s thick, opaque hose.  Well, OK, I s’pose that’s better than their previous blanket “NO WAY” answers.  

  I love countering their idiot opinions with the fact that some of today’s most popular Hollywood stars (again, the number 1 influencers of fashion) always wear pantyhose with open-toe high heels.  It’s like these so-called fashion experts think they know better than everyone else, yet, the whole world is doing exactly what they tell us not to do.

Thanks but no thanks 

  The other day, I stumbled across a video made by the stars of the TV show “What Not to Wear.”  I used to watch that show, but after you’ve seen 5,000 episodes, you start to realize it’s pretty much the same story over and over again.  In any case, I never saw the show’s beautiful star, Stacy London, wearing pantyhose, and I hate missed opportunities (meaning a beautiful fashion expert who has great legs, but sadly, doesn’t enhance them with sheer pantyhose).  And now, she’s making TV commercials and still not wearing.  Guess she is squarely behind the bear legs movement. 

  So I was surprised to find a video she and her partner, Clinton Kelly, made, titled “How to wear pantyhose.”  Wait, they are talking about wearing pantyhose?  Well, I certainly wanted to hear what they had to say on the subject.

Not only is singer/songwriter Katy Perry immensely talented, she also has the class and professionalism to always wear pantyhose in public appearances. Now, how can fashion experts ever say that suntan pantyhose don't look good on anyone?

  Turns out their advice was pretty much that most women don’t want to wear pantyhose, but if you do, “That’s cool.”  Kelly advised that if you’re going to wear pantyhose, make it look deliberate; not a half a shade or two off your skin tone, but rather make it appear that you’re intentionally wearing hose, such as opaque tights.  He’s standing next to a mannequin wearing a dark blue dress, with black tights and black shoes.  

  London talks about denier ratings (the sheerness or thickness of the fabric).  Her mannequin is wearing a black dress. London recommends a very low denier (sheer) black pantyhose with a back seam to make it more elegant.  

  OK, I don’t have any real issue with their advice, except that both agreed that whatever you do, you should NEVER wear suntan pantyhose because, Kelly said, “They don’t look good on anybody.”  What?

  Meanwhile, London appears to be wearing some kind of dark blue, almost purple, dress that just didn’t do anything to flatter her lovely figure. 

  And worse, she is wearing some really ugly shoes.  Ironically, it looks as if she is wearing pantyhose (must be my eyes are bad) and if she is wearing, they sure look like suntan to me.  

Here’s the link.  See what you think:

http://video.tvguide.com/What+Not+to+Wear/How+to+Wear+Pantyhose/10335428?autoplay=true

   On one hand, I’m glad they talked about pantyhose, but I am disappointed that they admitted to covering the topic only because they had been getting questions from many viewers about why they don’t talk about pantyhose.  London’s and Kelly’s remarks have a bit of a negative tone about pantyhose, but they didn’t do any real damage.  But look at the face that London makes as she’s signing off.  Her expression seems embarrassed, almost apologetic, for even mentioning pantyhose. 

  What really bothers me is that they put down suntan.  I can tell you suntan is still far-and-away the most popular pantyhose color among devoted wearers.  I love suntan. 

  Fashion experts … whadaya gonna do?

New fall TV shows reflect where pantyhose are in society

Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous

 Never before have I paid as much attention to a fall TV series lineup, anticipating how much pantyhose would factor in the new shows. 

 Not surprisingly, it’s a mixed bag — win some, lose some.  Just as in real life, some characters who should be wearing pantyhose (career professionals) are, and some aren’t.  Then, there’s a pleasant surprise or two, such as Whitney Cummings, a young, hip, strong female character, who in scenes such as a wedding, wears, and in real-life venues, often wears during promotional appearances and talk shows.  Good for her. 

 Of course, two of the new shows were obvious suspects for displaying a lot of pantyhose — “The Playboy Club,” starring Amber Heard as a rookie Bunny in the 1960s-set mob drama at the famous Chicago Playboy Club, and “Pan Am,” featuring Christina Ricci, also in a 1960s-era drama about the world famous airline and its even more famous flight attendants, then-known as stewardesses.  

Amber Heard starred as a new Playboy Bunny in the 1960s-set drama already cancelled by NBC.

A “hare”-raising experience 

Sadly, “The Playboy Club” already has been cancelled, a victim of poor ratings, according to The Hollywood Reporter.   Well, that, and the whole hissy fit thing that the Parents Television Council (PTC) threw, calling for advertisers to boycott the show “for objectifying and degrading women.” 

Amazing the influence haters can have.  I suspect these PTC folks are the same as those pantyhose haters out there.  Too bad because many television industry types and viewers have come out in defense of the show, stating that it was in no way demeaning to women. 

 Some people must have nothing better to do than complain about nothing, and perhaps, it’s even sadder that the likes of Campbell’s Soup, Kraft, Lenovo, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Sprint, Subway and UPS Store all caved to the pressure and pulled their ads from the show’s second episode.  Then, PTC ramped up the pressure on Capital One, Chrysler and Samsung to follow suit.  Apparently, at least, Chrysler planned to continue adverstising on the show.  

 To their credit, the show’s executives pointed to some impressive ladies who were real-life Playboy Bunnies before they became famous in their own rights, including Lauren Hutton, a great actress and the world’s most famous supermodel (the first to earn $1 million a year).  Hutton was a Bunny from 1963 to 1964 at the New York Playboy Club.  Ever heard of Deborah Harry, lead singer of Blondie?  She was a Bunny from 1968 to 1973 at the New York Playboy Club.  And there was Dr. Polly Matzinger, a world renowned immunologist, who was a Bunny in 1969 at the Denver Playboy Club. 

 I guess if the whole concept of Playboy Bunnies is so demeaning to women, we should also feel sorry for all the famous women who are on record as having at least dressed up as Playboy Bunnies.  That list includes Cher, Farrah Fawcett, Sally Field, Goldie Hawn, Barbara Walters, Renee Zellweger, and Reece Witherspoon, to name a few. 

 And maybe we should offer therapy to some famous men who married Playboy Bunnies.  They include singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, Hall of Fame tennis player Jimmy Connors, and legendary talk show host Larry King.   And, let’s not forget some famous individuals whose mothers were Playboy Bunnies.  Better include some therapy for singer Jon Bon Jovi, actors Dean Cain and Corey Feldman. 

Models pose during a fashion show to mark the launch of the new Playboy Club London earlier this year in London, England. The show featured Bunny costumes dating back the the 1960s and the event featured an auction of one suit to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness in October.

 The costume designer, Isis Mussenden, for “The Playboy Club” TV show was meticulous in recreating the famous Bunny costume, matching the original specs for material, colors and the way they were designed to fit.  And, like the real-life Bunnies, Mussenden had her actresses wear two pairs of pantyhose under their costumes, a nude pair over the top of a black pair.  Obviously, it looked great, but I wish she had explained who originally came up with that idea and why it worked. 

 So, strike one show where we would have gotten lots and lots of pantyhose in each episode.  But, while “The Playboy Club” hops off the air, another hose-friendly show takes flight. 

Christina Ricci, second from left, stars in another 1960s-era drama, 'Pan Am,' about the famous former airline, its pilots and, mostly, its stewardesses.

High-flying drama 

Right out of the gate, “Pan Am,” starring Christina Ricci, captures the 1960s-era romanticism of jet travel and the international intrigue that goes along with it.  Of course, in the show, the stewardesses are wearing stockings, historically accurate for the time period, as pantyhose wouldn’t take off for a couple more years. 

During interviews with “Pan Am” costume designer Ane Crabtree, the attention to detail in accurately recreating the famous stewardess uniforms is a popular subject.  Here is an excerpt from one online interview:

Question: In the pilot, Miss Havemayer (Veanne Cox) warns Colette (Karine Vanasse) against wearing stockings that are too dark. Why is that?

Crabtree: Stockings were to be worn at all times. From one of those old manuals, I read this great quote, “A subdued, light color beautifies and gives a natural good look to the legs.” So they didn’t want too dark, which is what Miss Havemeyer says in the pilot, and they didn’t want too light. They just wanted a subtle, beautiful color on the legs. A dark color wasn’t desired because it’s too fashion-y or too flashy, too tawdry. It’s always sort of rounding back to the not being ladylike effect.

Q: How many pairs of stockings do you go through on the show?

Crabtree: We wear real stockings that don’t have stretch. You know stretch would be so much easier, however, stretch will show up as shinier on camera and that wouldn’t be true to the period. They need to be sheer, but because they’re so sheer and so delicate, they rip. We go through two pairs of stockings per girl, per day. It gets very expensive because they’re delicate. We’re going up and down stairs a million times, doing all sorts of crazy things. So, you need doubles because they’ll shred when you are getting (in and out of your shoes).

  I love the look of the beautiful uniforms, and I just pretend that those stockings are really pantyhose.

Singer and film star Zooey Deschanel makes her TV series debut on 'New Girl,' about a woman who moves in with three single guys after a breakup with her boyfriend.

Four’s company?

I haven’t seen “The New Girl,” but I know its star, Zooey Deschanel, is a devoted pantyhose wearer, so I have high hopes for this comedy about a woman who moves in with three single guys after a breakup with her boyfriend.

 Actually, that doesn’t sound like my kind of show at all, but I like Deschanel because of her devotion to wearing pantyhose, although being from the United Kingdom, she calls them tights.  Here’s a quote from her website, HelloGiggles.com:

I am a year-round tights girl. I will wear tights even if it’s 100 degrees outside. Tights are my safety blanket. In them, I know that I can do a sweet row of cartwheels anytime, anywhere without anyone catching a glimpse of my knickers.

 Well, OK, whatever.  I just love reading the actual words of a celebrity who’s a true pantyhose lover.  Thought you would, too.

 Not surprisingly, there are some new shows this fall that fall short because their characters should be wearing pantyhose, but aren’t.

Kat Dennings, left, and Beth Behrs star in '2 Broke Girls,' a comedy about two waitresses looking to turn their lives around.

Two bear-legged girls

Actually getting some positive reviews, “2 Broke Girls” is a comedy about two young women who are down on their luck, waitressing at a diner.  They strike up an unexpected friendship and try to raise enough cash to launch a cupcake business. 

I’d never heard of the two actresses, Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs, and after looking for photos for this blog post, and not finding a single one of either of them wearing pantyhose, I won’t be watching this show.  I don’t get how anyone would make a show about waitresses working at a diner, and not have them wearing pantyhose.  That just seems unrealistic to me, and it completely turns me off about the show. 

Charlie’s Grizzlies 

 I caught part of the first episode of the new “Charlie’s Angels.”  Of course, I wasn’t expecting to see the angels wearing pantyhose, but I held out some hope since Drew Barrymore is a producer of the show, and she has the class and good sense to wear pantyhose in her films.  Since every photo I’ve seen promoting the show has the angels bear-legged, I’m not impressed, and won’t be watching “Charlie’s Angels.” 

Bringing it home

 Of all the new fall shows, I think “Homeland” is going to be the most successful.  This thrilller tells the story of CIA agent Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) who believes, based on intelligence she’s just gathered, that recently freed P.O.W. Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) was turned by his middle eastern captives and was set free to carry out a terrorist attack on the U.S.  

“Homeland” also stars Morena Baccarin as Brody’s wife.  That’s right, Morena Baccarin, the gorgeous former head alien, Anna, of the recently canceled “V” (The Visitors), who wore beautiful dresses, high heels and sheer nude pantyhose during every single episode.  During the the first episode of “Homeland,” Baccarin and Danes had scenes where they wore pantyhose, and I’m hoping that will continue to be the case all season long. 

Returning hits 

Veteran TV actresses Jeri Ryan, third from left, and Dana Delany, next to Ryan, always look awesome in high heels and sheer nude pantyhose on 'Body of Proof.'

 Thankfully, we have a couple of reliable favorite shows back for a new season — “The Good Wife,” starring Julianna Margulies, who, along with Christine Baranski and Archie Panjabi always can be seen wearing pantyhose; and “Body of Proof,” featuring Dana Delany and Jeri Ryan, seemingly competing for who has the nicer legs in pantyhose and heels. 

Of course, there are many new and returning shows I’ve left out of this post for space reasons.  Which shows are you watching, or already disappointed in?

Why that Bear still won’t Wear — the Grizzly Awards

Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous

It was one of my first ever (and still favorite) posts.  It was Oct. 9, 2009.

Originally, it was called “Why women don’t wear pantyhose” but when I added a poll at the end, which I accidentally titled:  Today’s “Bear Legs Culture,” the name stuck, and I renamed the post “Why bears don’t wear pantyhose.”

In that post, I debunked the dumb reasons women give for not wearing pantyhose, and I proposed that we refer to those women from now on as having “bear” legs instead of bare legs.

Many of you picked up on that, and in your comments or letters, you refer to women going bear-legged.  Thanks for playing along.  I love that.

Since 2009, thankfully, we’ve seen quite an increase in the number of women wearing pantyhose.  We see it on TV, in TV commercials, in movies, in magazines, on the runway, and on stage.  That is great.

Yet, the majority of stories on Internet-based magazines, features and blogs about pantyhose remain negative, if not hostile.  And women still are giving dumb reasons for why they hate and won’t wear pantyhose.

So, like in October 2009, I feel it is my duty to set these bear-legged women straight.  Here’s their lame excuses for not wearing pantyhose, my response, and the logic behind my thinking:

Bears:  Pantyhose are hot. (Read that with a whiney tone).         

Robin:  Wrong, bimbo!   It’s that you’d look HOT if you were to wear pantyhose.                                                                                                    

Logic:   I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating.  You work in an office.  It’s air-conditioned.  In fact, you drive to work with the AC blasting in your vehicle.  And if pantyhose really were too hot, why then during the winter, do you complain it’s too cold to wear pantyhose?  Sorry, hater.  You gotta do better than that.

Bears:  Pantyhose are uncomfortable.

Robin:  What?  Pantyhose are soft and silky.  They’re the most delicate, decidedly feminine thing a woman could ever wear.  Pantyhose don’t weigh a pound soaking wet.  How could they be uncomfortable?

Logic:   If you wear control top or the super support kind that are made with too much Spandex, yes, pantyhose could be too tight and uncomfortable.   But instead of just swearing off pantyhose altogether, you should try 100 percent nylon pantyhose that are ultra soft and silky.  Then, if you still say that pantyhose are uncomfortable, you’re just looking for a reason to  hate on things that are feminine and that men want you to wear.

Logic II:  I know for a fact that pantyhose are not uncomfortable because it was not one of the correct answers to a question on Family Feud.   The question was “Name something women wear that hurts.”  A lovely Korean family correctly guessed 1.) Bra, 2.) Girdle, 3.) High Heels.   But when one of the family members guessed pantyhose, he got an “X” and the other family got a chance to steal the points.   They correctly guessed:  4.) Thong.   And that family won the game.

The lovely girls in the Korean family were wearing pantyhose and looked very beautiful, and I was sorry that they lost.   But, I think we can all agree now that pantyhose are not uncomfortable!

Bears:  Pantyhose are old-fashioned.

Robin:   Really?  Try telling that to Kate Middleton, Anne Hathaway, Milla Jovovich, Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Julianna Margulies.  Not convinced?  Tell that to Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Beyonce’.

Logic:   This has got to be the dumbest excuse women give for not wearing pantyhose.  Consider this:  Undergarments were invented in the 13^th century.  Pantyhose were invented in the late 1960s (stockings during the 1950s).  High heels were invented sometime around the 15^th century, and the first shoes were said to have been invented between 1600 and 1200 BC.  So should we all stop wearing shoes and undies now because they’re even more old-fashioned than pantyhose?  Come on, haters!

Bears:  Pantyhose are not necessary because my legs are tan enough, and pantyhose are irrelevant today because of relaxed dress code standards, even at the office.

 Robin:  Big mistake!  Sure, for informal occasions, bear legs look fine, but tan as they may be, they’re still no match for how much nicer they’d look in pantyhose.  Don’t kid yourself.  Unless you’re Zhang Ziyi (and even she wears pantyhose more than the average bear), those bear legs of your’s still have flaws.  Between uneven skin tone, blemishes, etc., your legs are less attractive without pantyhose.

Now, if you’re shopping at the supermarket on a day off, by all means, go bear-legged.  But, if you’re going to a wedding, a funeral, a fancy restaurant or any formal venue and you don’t wear pantyhose, you have no class.  If you work at a McDonald’s or Taco Bell, you don’t need to wear pantyhose.  If you work in a business office and don’t wear pantyhose, you are completely unprofessional.  Period!

Logic:   We’ve dumbed down enough in society.  Do we have to dress down, too?  The everyday people in almost every civilized nation in the world have more class, more grace and more elegance than us.  And they all dress better than we do.  It’s beyond time we improve in these areas.

When you break it down, the reasons women give for not wearing pantyhose have little or no merit.  They are giving very lame excuses.  Pantyhose were the standard of elegance throughout the 1960s, 70s, 80s and most of the 90s.  Women wouldn’t think of being seen in public without makeup or pantyhose.  And pantyhose were the standard for professionalism in the business world.

But during the 2000s, an excuse was created for not wearing pantyhose, and millions of women jumped on the bandwagon and have been trying to justify going bear-legged ever since.

As you know, in this blog, I’ve recognized and praised professional entertainers who are devoted pantyhose wearers in my series: Credit ‘Wear’ Credit is Due.  And while we’ve seen more and more entertainers wearing lately, there still are far too many women going bear-legged.

So, I am starting a new series.  This one will recognize those celebrities who never or almost never wear pantyhose.

Introducing …

That’s right, the Grizzly Awards will “honor” those celebrities who contribute to the bear legs cause by never wearing pantyhose on their TV shows, in movies, awards events, appearances on late night talk shows, and whenever they are in the public eye in general.

And the first celeb to receive this “honor” has to be:

Sarah Jessica Parker

You know the story.  SJP is “credited” with creating the bear legs movement because her character and others on the TV show and movies, ‘Sex and the City,” ditched the pantyhose with their fancy dresses and sexy shoes as they gallivanted through New York City — the fashion capital of the world.

That started it all.  Hollywood always has influenced fashion, and what SJP’s charaters did was set a bad example for women everywhere.

For the first time, pantyhose were seen as being out of style.  Then, as more and more celebrities followed suit, and everyday women in droves jumped on the bandwagon, pantyhose were practically run out of existence.

Worse, the anti-pantyhose sentiment that resulted from SJP’s show grew into outright hatred for pantyhose, which became villified among women on a global scale.

In fairness to SJP, when I searched for a photo of her for this post, I found as many pics of her wearing pantyhose as not.  That really surprised me.

Here’s what I want to know:  When SJP looks as awesome in pantyhose as she does in this picture at right, why wouldn’t she want to be seen this way all the time, or at least much more often?

As I’ve written before, I have no way of knowing whether it was SJP or the costume designer for “Sex and the City” who ultimately made the decision to feature her character without pantyhose.

Is it possible that SJP doesn’t really have an agenda against pantyhose?  Is it time for us to forgive and forget?  I’d like to say yes, but the bear legs movement that was created as a result of her character on “Sex and the City” persists today in way-too-high numbers.

And she is bear-legged in her TV commercials for Garnier, so it doesn’t seem as if she’s trying too hard to distance herself from the bear legs movement.

Fair or not, the bear legs culture has a figurehead, and the pantyhose industry has an arch enemy.  Every good story needs a villain.  Whether truly earned or not, that person will always be Sarah Jessica Parker — our first honorary recipient of the Grizzly Awards.

Stay tuned.  There’ll be more recipients in future blog posts here.

NOTE:   My thanks to Bridget Brown, owner of Solarity Design, a professional graphic arts design company, and an ActSensuous customer, for her clever artwork featuring bears and our pantyhose.

Pantyhose snagging more appreciation lately

Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous

While all the haters out there continue to rear their ugly heads, pantyhose keep raising their pretty legs, and finally, it seems that more and more people are taking notice. 

In one of my first blog posts ever, Calling out Professional Entertainers (June 2009), I blamed Hollywood celebrities for their too-casual look.  Far too many of them still show a lack of professionalism and class in the way they present themselves in the public eye, but there has been a huge improvement. 

And in my Credit ‘Wear’ Credit is Due series, I’ve recognized and appreciated many actresses, entertainers and other celebs for never buying in to the ugly bare legs trend and always wearing pantyhose.  I’ve done the same for many of today’s new crop of young performers who deserve credit for embracing pantyhose and setting a good example for young women everywhere. 

Hey, I realize I can’t save the world.  There is a yin and a yang in life.  One cannot know soft if one has never experienced hard.  One cannot know cold if one has never experienced hot.  I could go on.  I won’t.  (You’re welcome). 

OK, one more: One cannot know beautiful if one has never seen ugly. 

Which brings me to this:

Madonna, left, and Britney Spears, right, who wore this costume at a much older age than Miley Cyrus, had the class and good sense to wear pantyhose underneath.

Now, let me just say that I know nothing about Miley Cyrus.  I am sure she’s a nice enough girl.  I realize she’s young, and maybe not all that bright yet.  But she is a professional entertainer.  She has to take some responsibility for her actions.  

Those who say pantyhose are old-fashioned or unnecessary think this look is attractive?

Maybe she just grew up (not sure those are the right words) during a time when none of her gal pals owned a pair of pantyhose or even knew what pantyhose are.  Maybe they don’t have pantyhose in the parts from which she hay-als.  But that didn’t stop Daisy Dukes, did it? 

Could it be that she wanted to achy breaky her daddy’s heart with that outfit?  It seems to me that someone associated with the production from which this picture was taken should have stepped in and told her how awful she looked.  Couldn’t someone have showed her a picture of herself before she went on stage?      

Again, I don’t mean to single out Miley Cyrus.  There are many entertainers just like her.  But it does go to show just how professional, classy and glamorous so many other professional performers are.  

Beyonce' is among some special young performers today who have the class and professionalism to wear pantyhose on stage.

We might expect those good qualities from entertainers like Jennifer Lopez and Madonna, who emerged on the entertainment scene during the 1980s – perhaps, the greatest pantyhose era in history. 

To me, it’s a very pleasant surprise and a real sign of hope for some semblance of class in today’s society when young entertainers, such as Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Beyonce’ and others choose to wear pantyhose on stage (and often in public in general.) 

Last month, Lady Gaga performed an impromptu concert for the audience before she appeared as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live.  Apparently, while setting up the stage, some fans began chanting for her to perform a couple of numbers.  And so she did. 

Lady Gaga wows audience members before the taping of her recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Not sure what to make of her outfit, but I’m not complaining.  I didn’t see that episode, so I have no idea what she wore on the set for the part that was televised, but before taping began, she rocked that audience with “Born This Way” and “Judas.”  

Maybe Lady Gaga is a bit over the top, but I love how she always brings attention to pantyhose.  And while she has been a positive influence on her contemporaries when it comes to wearing pantyhose, this outfit makes me think that Lady Gaga wants to be the undisputed Goddess of Pantyhose on stage.

Knowing that practically every man with a pulse loves women in pantyhose, I have to believe that when girls see how much their boyfriends go ga-ga for Lady Gaga, the girls would develop a different perception of pantyhose than the one the haters out there want everyone to have. 

Of course, you know how much I’ve gushed about the likes of Nicole Kidman, Milla Jovovich, Julianna Margulies, Anne Hathaway and others who are devoted pantyhose wearers.  But the one celeb who has garnered the most positive attention for pantyhose the world over remains Kate Middleton. 

On Monday, a positive story about pantyhose appeared in the Detroit Free Press by Associated Press writer Samantha Critchell: 

http://www.freep.com/article/20110822/FEATURES03/108220307/A-glimpse-stocking-Thanks-Kate-Middleton-hosiery-back-style-again?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p

 Thank you to one of this blog’s readers, peter_a, for pointing this out to me. 

And earlier this month, Melanie Coulson, a columnist for the Ottawa Citizen wrote a positive piece: http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2011/08/10/thank-you-kate-for-bringing-back-pantyhose/

 My thanks to another of this blog’s readers, Carl, for telling me about this article, and that Lady Gaga performance, too. 

Yes, it appears that pantyhose haters will always exist.  It just amazes me that they have singled out the most beautiful, feminine and classy thing a woman can wear as the object of their hatred. 

And, yes, there will always exit those who simply make bad wardrobe choices, those who just don’t “get it” and a few who will blindly jump on the bandwagon of any fashion trend.  

But all that makes it even more pleasant and heartwarming when we see the many celebs and everyday women out there who are continuing to wear pantyhose.  And isn’t it nice to see pantyhose snagging some positive press again?

Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous

Madonna, left, and Britney Spears, right, who wore this costume at a much older age than Miley Cyrus, had the class and good sense to wear pantyhose underneath.

Those who say pantyhose are old-fashioned or unnecessary think this look is attractive?

Beyonce’ is among some special young performers today who have the class and professionalism to wear pantyhose on stage.

Lady Gaga wows audience members before the taping of her recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Britney Spears

Jennifer Lopez

Katy Perry

Rihanna

British singer Jessie J performs on stage with a broken leg Saturday, Aug. 20, 2011 at V Music Festival in Hylands Park, Chelmsford, England. If any performer had an exuse to not wear pantyhose on stage, it would be Jessie for this event, but she had the class and professionalism to wear even with that therapeutic boot.

Madonna

Two Jolie thrillers – One a thrill for Pantyhose lovers

Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous

This month, I’ve watched two very different Angelina Jolie thrillers on DirecTV, both of which I had missed at the theater.  One was a Hitchcock-inspired thriller set against the beautiful backdrops of Paris, France and Venice, Italy, “The Tourist,” complete with classic film noir glamour in its costumes.  The other was a better action-oriented, spy movie that wasn’t worth its “Salt” when it came to the costumes.

Oh, the difference a movie’s costume designer can make. 

Responding to one of my earlier posts, “A treat when pantyhose show up unexpectedly,” Julio commented about Jolie wearing pantyhose throughout “The Tourist.” 

“The Tourist,” tells the story of an American tourist, Frank, (played by Depp) who meets a mysterious beauty, Elise, (Jolie) on a train, while traveling through Europe.  While the flirtatious encounter appears innocent, we soon learn that Elise deliberately crosses Frank’s path as part of a much more sinister plot, leading to a whirlwind romance and dangerous pursuits, as both dodge deadly criminals through historic streets of Paris, and the winding canals inVenice.

Angelina Jolie looks stunning in 'The Tourist.'

While “The Tourist” is a pretty good thriller on its own merits, the movie is helped by the beautiful scenery, which includes Jolie herself. 

Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood dressed the characters in classic, contemporary clothes “to complement but not overwhelm the breathtaking settings of Paris andVenice.”   

Atwood, who won Oscars for costume design for “Chicago” and “Memoirs of a Geisha,” told People Magazine, “My inspiration for Elise’s costumes were the Hitchcock movies – minimal elegance.  In a Hitchcock movie, everyone looked great, even if (he or she) was not a particularly chic or fashionable character.”

Jolie dressed in classic film noir glamour in "The Tourist.'

Mission accomplished in “The Tourist.” 

 

From the outset, one cannot take one’s eyes off Jolie.  In the opening sequences of the movie, Jolie wears a cream silk dress, a mocha wrap, elbow-length leather gloves, towering stilettos, and very sheer nude pantyhose, which in some lighting seem to have a cream tone themselves. 

It was so nice seeing Jolie in those very sheer and soft-textured pantyhose, especially because of the shoes she wore with that outfit, supplied by legendary designer Salvatore Ferragamo. 

Those suede, rose-colored stilettos with gold metal heels quickly earned their own identity (the Elise), named after Jolie’s character in “The Tourist,” and available at retail for $750 a pair.

Knowing Atwood’s work on such films as “Chicago” and “Nine,” as well as her devotion to classic film glamour, it’s no surprise that Jolie wore pantyhose throughout the entire film.

What is a surprise, however, is that wonderful scene our reader, Julio, described earlier.

Said Julio:

Another lovely surpise happened in “The Tourist” starring the always sexy Angelina Jolie.  About halfway through the movie, both she and Johnny Depp start to undress, each in their own rooms, and there it was – a very short glimpse of Angelina stepping out of her shoes, revealing the most lovely pantyhosed feet.  Too bad the surprise only lasted a second, but the image lasts forever.

Right then, I made a mental note to see “The Tourist,” and I got that opportunity, as it was on one of the Starz channels last night. 

That scene is exactly what’s been missing in film for decades.  When Elise slips out of her heels, the camera doesn’t cut away or pull back, or come at an inconvenient (for us) angle.  Rather, the scene is shot close up, and we get a close, clear look at Jolie’s very pretty nylon-covered toes, albeit, for only a couple of seconds.  It’s the sexiest such scene I’ve seen in about a hundred years.  

It makes me wonder why a scene like this is never shot today, and why it was shot in “The Tourist.”  For the past, well, ever really, a scene like this – if it were done at all – would be shot far away, the angle would be wrong, and the actress would have curled her toes in a way that the audience wouldn’t have gotten a good look.  And, if she were actually in pantyhose, they would have had a reinforced toe, or would have been so dark or so thick, you wouldn’t have been able to see anything. 

But in “The Tourist,” this scene is delicious.  The pantyhose is so sheer and delicate that they do what they’re supposed to do – enhance the beauty of what they cover.  This is what so many women today don’t get.  

If those stilettos Elise was wearing were open-toe or even peep-toe shoes, all the “fashion experts” would have said that the character shouldn’t have been wearing pantyhose with them.  Yet, this scene in “The Tourist” clearly shows why that thinking is just ridiculous.  The pantyhose Jolie wore were completely sheer.  One couldn’t even see a seam (not that it would matter to me because I think it’s sexy anyway), and the nylon made Jolie’s feet absolutely beautiful. 

It makes me wonder how this scene even made it into the final cut.  It wasn’t essential to the story in any way, but it was done so beautifully and tastefully.  Could this mean that someone with influence over the script – a writer or director – “gets it?”   Is this a case of someone giving the millions of people out there with a foot fetish or a pantyhose fetish (or both if we’re truly tortured souls) what they so long for – a closeup of pretty toes in pantyhose? 

Or, could it be that this scene was shot to focus our attention on those fabulous shoes, and Jolie’s pantyhosed feet were just a freebie for us?  I guess if you’re the sexiest shoes on the planet, you deserve a closeup, and ….. wait for it ….. the lovely lady wearing you had better be in pantyhose to honor your true beauty and sexiness. 

More often than not, I am disappointed in movies because the costume designer ruins the look of its female lead by dressing her in fabulous costumes, but bare legs.  

Jolie flees CIA headquarters in Washington, D.C. during a scene from the movie, 'Salt.'

A case in point is the other thriller starring Jolie, “Salt.”  Jolie plays a CIA agent named Evelyn Salt, who, while interrogating a Russian defector, is told (as her superiors listen) that she is actually a Russian sleeper agent who will assassinate the president of Russia during his upcoming visit to New York City. 

The movie then goes into practically nonstop action, as Salt employs all her spy skills to elude capture.  She runs, climbs buildings, jumps on moving trucks, and pretty much just kicks everyone’s rear end who tries to stop her, while she tries to learn the truth about her identity and clear her name. 

 In this movie, Jolie is at first dressed in what would seem to be the usual “spy wear” for a female agent, a skirt suit, pumps and ….. wait, no pantyhose?  That can’t be.  I can’t believe a CIA agent based in Washington, D.C. would be bare-legged.  

This is all the more disturbing because it follows the same thinking as another disappointing spy show, starring Piper Perabo, who is almost always bare-legged in the TV drama, “Covert Affairs.”  

While I have no way of knowing whether real-life female spys routinely wear pantyhose as part of their usual dress, I know this: costume designer Sarah Edwards didn’t do Jolie any favors in calling for bare legs with her suit.  

I hate missed opportunities, and so when Salt tries to extricate herself from CIA headquarters, there’s a scene where she kicks off her pumps, exposing some Casper-like white tootsies with bright red toenail polish.  I thought then (before I saw “The Tourist”) that this scene would have been really sexy if she had been wearing pantyhose. 

Now that I’ve seen just how gorgeous Jolie’s feet were in pantyhose in “The Tourist,” I feel even stronger that costume designer Edwards blew it in “Salt.”

For those who think it doesn’t make much difference, consider these movie stills from “Salt” and “The Tourist.”  

When seen in their expanded state, who could honestly say that Jolie’s character in “Salt” looks equally as lovely as her character in “The Touist?”

I have to wonder how much credit the costume designer in movies gets, versus how much influence the actress has over what she wears.   I would have to think that someone of Angelina Jolie’s status would insist on her character wearing pantyhose if she felt strongly about it, but maybe it doesn’t work that way.

But how can Jolie watch herself in “Salt” after seeing how much more beautiful she looked in “The Tourist?”

Maybe next time, she’ll demand more say over her wardrobe and choose pantyhose.

Pantyhose on the brink of global acceptance?

Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous

I started ActSensuous in 2001 fully realizing that pantyhose were on their last legs, having barely survived the 1990s and Sarah Jessica Parker’s TV and movie series, Sex and the City, universally recognized as the origin of the bare legs movement.

Honestly, I thought that was a fad that wouldn’t last.   I couldn’t believe then that so many women throughout the world would jump on that bandwagon and ditch their pantyhose. 

It’s been a sad decade for pantyhose indeed, but I have never been more optimistic about a comeback than this year.   Even last year, I was seeing signs of wider pantyhose acceptance, as more and more TV shows and movies featured actresses wearing.   Then there were more women wearing in TV commercials. 

Katy Perry performs

And when some big-time entertainers, such as Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Beyonce’ starting attracting attention for their wearing, things were looking good. 

Then, there’s Julianna Margulies wearing in every episode of the best drama on TV, The Good Wife, and Morena Baccarin wearing in every episode as the beautiful and glamorous queen alien in V.

But perhaps the real measure of any product’s return to favor in the market is how often it becomes the topic of widespread media coverage.   And that’s what is happening right now. 

While so-called fashion experts, fashion magazine editors, and the legion of hose-hating women out there want you to think pantyhose have been run out of town for good, the delicate and dainty little accessory is flexing some muscles no one knew it had.

That’s because pantyhose have a new ambassador whose credibility appears to be beyond reproach and whose beauty, class, grace, elegance and charm are irresistable.  And that ambassador is Kate Middleton.

No matter the occasion or venue, Kate Middleton has the class and elegance to appear in dresses, heels and pantyhose.

Seemingly every day, stories appear in Internet fashion magazines commenting on Kate’s becoming a global fashion icon.  And recently, the subject of those stories has been Kate’s wearing pantyhose.   (Note: while pantyhose are referred to in the UK as sheer tights, and many of the writers switch between calling them tights, pantyhose and stockings, let’s just stick with pantyhose throughout.)

Funny how the main enemies of pantyhose, the “fashion experts” and fashion magazine editors, now are scrambling to try and outdo one another in covering what’s covering Kate’s lovely legs.   And while the coverage has been predominantly positive, it’s no surprise that a few of the online mags criticized Kate for wearing.   Some called her look “hopelessly old fashioned,” while others called her wearing pantyhose the “ultimate sin.”

That’s unfortunate, but not unexpected.  But what I like is that lately, the majority of the stories I’ve read (all by female writers), disagreed with those who criticize Kate, and actually defended her choice of wearing.  And many of the writers said they hope Kate’s influence ushers a return of pantyhose popularity because seeing bare legs everywhere is getting old.

Last week in a posting on CelebrityFix, staff writers delivered a piece in which Kate was photographed in a cable knit Alexander McQueen dress during a recent visit to Canada.   The writers realized it was a version of the sailor-style outfit that Sarah Jessica Parker wore in 2006.

 

 

 

The story in CelebrityFix posted this side-by-side photo composition showing Kate wearing conservative blue Prada high heels (and pantyhose, which wasn’t mentioned but is very obvious), while SJP wore red stilettos (and bare legs, again not mentioned, however it was pointed out that there was “no contest for which one has the nicer feet.”)

If anyone ever needed a visual depicting the merits of pantyhose versus bare legs, this picture ought to do the trick.   The bare legs movement has always baffled me.   I don’t get how any reasonable person could look at the image and not admit that the one on the left is far and away more attractive than the one on the right.  Why women continue to try so hard to look like the one on the right when they could look like the one on the left is beyond me.

A royal example

On Tuesday July 12, in the online Fashion and Beauty magazine Shine, staff writer Piper Weiss wrote a story with the headline: ‘Kate Middleton brings back Pantyhose.’  And the subhead read: ‘Bare legs are so 2010.’

Weiss wrote a positive piece, crediting Kate for bringing back pantyhose for a new generation, and praising her look.   Referring to bare legs, Weiss wrote that “egg-crate color is out, and clear, almost fairy-dusted iridescence is in.”

Also in her story, Weiss referred to a recent royal visit by Tom Hank’s wife, Rita Wilson, who complained that she was required to wear hosiery for an event at Buckingham Palace.  Apparently, Wilson told Harper’s Bazaar: “Women must wear closed-toe shoes — and get this — stockings!  Sheer disbelief — I don’t even own a pair of sheer hose.”

I feel sorry for Tom Hanks, first because his wife supports the bare legs look, and second, because she showed no class in complaining about what is considered elegant by the Royal Family and all it stands for.  

Another graphic example

Like the side-by-side picture showing Kate in pantyhose next to bare-legged SJP, in Weiss’ piece she notes that our own First Lady, Michelle Obama, a confirmed pantyhose hater, greeted Kate at Buckingham Palace recently, and the accompanying photo shows Kate in pantyhose and Obama doing the “ugly American” thing in not respecting another country’s culture, tradition and protocol, in this case, by showing up bare-legged.  

It goes to show that we’ve still got a long way to go, as long as women choose a look that is less professional, less classy and less attractive.  

But with Kate, and her sister, Pippa, constantly being at the center of global attention for having the class and grace to always wear pantyhose, there is plenty of reason for optimism.

Kate, Pippa give Pantyhose ‘royal’ treatment in UK

Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous

Earlier today, Prince William and his new bride, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, participated in a medal ceremony for the 1^st Battalion Irish Guards Regiment at Victoria Barracks in Windsor. 

It was Kate’s first official military function, as she awarded operational medals to soldiers who had recently returned from service in Afghanistan.

One of this blog’s readers, (peter_a), had long been singing Kate Middleton’s praises as a devoted pantyhose wearer way before her famous marriage.   He would tell me that Kate always appears in public wearing dresses, high heels and sheer pantyhose, and that I should write about her in my blog. 

He is right.  It seems that Kate is all about beauty, glamour, style and class.   Well, add to that … ROYALTY.

Like Prince William’s famous late mother, Princess Diana, royalty really suits Kate.   It’s not at all lost on the masses in the UK and likely throughout the rest of the world that Kate is picking up right where Princess Diana left off  – at least in terms of presenting herself to the public.  

During her time as a member of the Royal Family, perhaps no woman was more dedicated to service in global humanitarian efforts than Lady Di, and her energy for fulfilling those causes was matched by her devotion to dressing beautifully and elegantly when presenting herself to the world.

Credit Prince William for good taste in choosing a wife who is in every way a credit to the Royal Family.  

During the medal ceremony today, Kate wore a beautiful military-style dress in royal blue, with matching pumps and sheer nude pantyhose (photo at right).  She looked absolutely stunning.

Contrast that to the wife of the most powerful man in the USA.  She has come out publicly and trashed pantyhose, saying she hates them and will never wear them. 

So, while her husband has made history, she appears to want to go down as the first First Lady in modern history to dishonor all that the office stands for by making public appearances in “bear” legs. 

Guess she doesn’t feel that the job her husband holds is worthy of her demonstrating any class, grace, or at the very least, professionalism, in the way she dresses.  That’s making history in another way all together.  Swell.

Could anyone honestly believe that Kate would have looked as good, or that it would have been appropriate for her to go bare-legged with this outfit at this venue?

Like her famous sister, Philippa Middleton (affectionately called Pippa), is considered a fashion icon.  Fortunately, she too, has the class to always appear in public venues wearing dresses, heels and pantyhose.

ActSensuous has many customers in the UK, and from time to time, they tell us about the state of pantyhose (or, as they’re called there, tights.)  From what they’ve been telling me, pantyhose were no more popular in the UK the past 10 years than anywhere else on the planet.   But some positive news emerged this past Wednesday, when a blogger for The Huffington Post (an Internet newspaper/blog), Emily Singer, wrote a post with this headline: 

Is Pippa Middleton Responsible for Spike in Nude Tights Sales?

In her piece, Singer wrote:

“Catapulted to style stardom as a result of her sister’s wedding, Pippa Middleton’s clothing choices are almost as influential as her sister’s …

“But earlier this month, Jezebel (another blog site) pointed out that Pippa committed ‘the ultimate pantyhose sin,’ while she was spotted wearing nude tights in Paris no less.”

Wait!  Now, one isn’t supposed to wear nude pantyhose in Paris?  Oh, the rules.  Who can keep up?

Singer continued:

“And somehow, the skin-toned hosiery trend is catching on!  The Telegraph (a UK-based Internet news site) reports that sales of nude tights has ‘risen by up to 85 percent in the past year.’   The shocking increase has been attributed to a hesitancy to jump from opagues in the winter months to bare legs in the spring, as nude stockings offer an in-between of sorts.”

OK, some interesting issues here: 

First, I am glad to hear that sales of sheer nude pantyhose anywhere in the world are up at all – let alone by 85 percent.  That report in The Telegraph also states that UK customers bought 130,000 pairs of tan tights in April and the first half of May.

Second, it’s interesting that in Singer’s post, she didn’t make it clear what “the ultimate pantyhose sin” is, resulting in many of her readers writing in to ask for clarification.

I think Singer was referring to the bare legs culture in general, which has ruled the fashion industry for so long now, meaning that just the act of wearing pantyhose is “the ultimate sin.”

To me, one of the most encouraging aspects of Singer’s blog post is that the vast majority of comments I read were from women who seemed to be coming out in support of pantyhose.   I found this refreshing because, if you’ve read blog topics about pantyhose in general, you know that most men write positive things in defense of pantyhose, while most women wax on about how much they hate pantyhose. 

Somehow, I found my way on to another site: http://uk.ask.com/beauty/Pantyhose-Fashion – a sort of Q&A forum about pantyhose and fashion today.   Usually, I can’t read things like this because I end up getting really mad at all the mean things women write about how much they hate pantyhose, but surprisingly, I was thrilled to find that most comments were very much pro-pantyhose.   Most people lamented the bare legs fad, saying it never should have happened and that they looked forward to the return of pantyhose for its beauty, glamour and workplace significance. 

I also read many comments from men (and women) who blasted the bare legs look, saying it was boring and they were tired of it.   And men stated that women who wear pantyhose are much more apt to receive attention from men.

Finally, there were comments from confused readers.  Some asked in a hopeful tone if all this attention to the subject was a sign of the return of pantyhose to fashion prominence, while others confessed they never realized that pantyhose were ever considered “out” in the first place.  I love that.

      Back to Singer’s post.  She ended it this way:

“Will you follow Pippa’s lead and wear nude  hosiery on cooler summer nights, or have you sworn off the flesh-toned tights?”

Pippa and Kate, Dynamic Duo