Category Archives: Pantyhose
Future of Pantyhose in Men’s hands?
Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous
Much of the feedback I got from a recent post, in which I featured our vice president, Kelly Linh, was about how great it was that I wrote about something other than celebrities in (or not in) pantyhose for a change.
Don’t think I didn’t hear you. I am always trying to think of new subjects. And I’m open to your suggestions. One just came from one of our longtime readers/commenters on this blog, libertariangman.
Here is what he wrote in a comment tonight:
Quick ActSensuous poll: What percentage of men do you think PREFER women in hosiery to “bear” legs? And by “prefer” I mean – it matters enough to them to notice whether she’s wearing or not, and to be mildly disappointed if she isn’t. One word of caution: Don’t let your biases influence your vote. Remember – if a significant majority of men preferred women in hosiery – we’d have never gotten into this situation where the hosiery industry was nearly killed off entirely. Women have never stopped wearing heels or short dresses after all.
Funny, I had been trying to come up with a subject for a new poll, anyway. I never would have dreamed of writing libertariangman’s poll because it seems like a no-brainer to me. Of course, I am thinking that the response would be overwhelmingly positive, but then again, I was surprised by the results of a similar poll I posted on April 28, 2010:
Pantyhose – To Wear or Not to Wear (ladies only please)
The answers attached to that poll ranged from:
I choose to because I believe in and wholeheartedly support the concepts of beauty, glamour, class and sexiness inherent in pantyhose
to
I choose not to because I believe in and completely support the cause for the bare legs movement … period
Surprisingly, (remember, I asked for only ladies to participate in this poll), not one vote came in for the negative response, and 19 out of 24 votes were for the positive answer. (Three other answer-choices were of the middle-of-the-road type.)
The results of this poll (it’s still open, by the way) tell me this: It wasn’t ladies only who responded. But, if by some miracle, this poll reflected the true answers of real women, then that’s great. Of course, let’s face it – we got a whole 24 total votes. Not exactly a good measure of anything really.
This is one reason I say I never would have dreamed of running libertariangman’s poll. First, it leaves the door open for women (masquerading as men) to vote that they don’t prefer women wearing hosiery. See how easy it would be for the results of the poll to be completely inaccurate?
Other thoughts I have about the poll, as worded by libertariangman:
“What percentage of men do you think PREFER women in hosiery to ‘bear’ legs? And by ‘prefer’ I mean – it matters enough to them to notice whether she’s wearing or not, and to be mildly disappointed if she isn’t.”
I probably would leave out the “mildly,” and say … “and to be disappointed if she isn’t.” Actually, in my way of thinking, I’d like to say “extremely disappointed.”
“Remember – if a significant majority of men preferred women in hosiery – we’d have never gotten into this situation where the hosiery industry was nearly killed off entirely. Women have never stopped wearing heels or short dresses after all.”
The way I see it, the reason we’re in this situation where the hosiery industry was nearly killed off is not because men don’t overwhelmingly prefer women in hosiery, but rather because women no longer care what men like or want them to wear. Instead, they don’t wear hosiery for all the reasons (dumb as they are) they continue to give:
- They’re old-fashioned
- They’re uncomfortable
- They’re irrelevant in today’s society
- They’re not in style
Of course, none of these reasons are valid. They are merely excuses. The main reason is that the bear legs movement was created in Hollywood, women jumped on the bandwagon, and the rest is history. And, as for wearing short dresses and high heels, let’s all just be glad that women haven’t made these things the enemy (yet).
So, I disagree that we wouldn’t be in this mess if men preferred women in hosiery. Nevertheless, I do think there’s a chance that if men had only made it known in those early days (late 1990s) of the bear legs movement that they had a strong preference for women in hosiery, the bear legs culture might not have taken off or become as strong as it did. Similarly, I believe that if men today would make their voices heard louder and in greater numbers, we might win back more women.
Professional model Kate Moss in sheer pantyhose.
Obviously, men have made their feelings known because there are hundreds of websites and blogs that promote pantyhose over bear legs today. But it’s not enough! Sadly, men are living up to the rap that’s always been on them – they don’t communicate their feelings well enough to women. If they would just care more and become more vocal, I really think it would make a difference.
And maybe that’s the point of the poll, as suggested by libertariangman.
Often, I’ve jokingly stated that men should ditch their neckties, or stop wearing socks, or maybe stop wearing belts, or even shoes. How about a three-piece business suit complete with sandals? Maybe that would send the message that men are tired of this ugly bear legs culture. Enough is enough. Women have had their fun. They’ve gone on a long vacation, and now it’s time to get back to the real world.
I think men probably have too much class to do something like stop wearing neckties to express their disappointment in the bear legs culture. I don’t see them stooping to the low level that women have just to make a point.
So, maybe it’s back to celebrities. If some of the biggest male stars out there would just go on record that they hate this bear legs thing, it might help. Then again, I’m beginning to believe that all of Hollyweird is hopeless, so that’s probably never going to happen.
What do you think? Do men overwhelmingly prefer women in hosiery over bear legs?
Let us know your thoughts. And/or take the poll.
I’ve edited the poll a bit. Ultimately, it might not tell us much of anything. But what the heck – we aint the Smithsonian here.
Friends Don’t Let Friends Go ‘Bear’-Legged
Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous
Remember the slogan “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk,” written several years ago by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Ad Council? That campaign created an effective awareness about the death toll from driving impaired, and introduced the concept of the Designated Driver.
I like to think that The ActSensuous Blog has similarly wide-reaching influence, and I’m sort of the designated person trying to drive women to wear pantyhose.
Let’s count the ways this blog has impacted what you’re now enjoying, shall we?
During the 2010-11 NFL season, I complained in my blog about Faith Hill’s awful “bear” legs in her Sunday Night Football intro song. What happened in the 2011-12 season? That’s right: She donned pantyhose and looked 100 times better. Oh yeah, I’m taking credit for that. (Hey, you’re welcome!)
Not convinced? OK, how about this: Devoted watchers of NFL Network have to admit they cringed every time they saw one of the show’s hosts, Kara Henderson, who always wore way-too-short skirts for those horrid pasty white legs of her’s, which she flashed all too often. And what happened not long after I called her out for this (Nov. 4, 2011: “Pantyhose happenings on my mind”)? That’s right. She has been wearing pantyhose regularly on the show – quite beautifully, too. Coincidence? I don’t THINK so.
Check out this video of Kara Henderson in studio on the NFL Network:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Ym7_Ji4Zf_s
I can picture how the conversation around the NFL Network studio must have gone: “Kara, we love ya, girl. But those bear legs of yours are killing our ratings. We get that you women today hate pantyhose, but listen, we don’t want you to end up getting The ActSensuous Blog’s next Grizzly Award. That’s the kind of thing that can end a gal’s career. So, c’mon now, why don’t you break out the pantyhose? Our ratings will soar, and Robin will probably heap loads of praise on you for how good you’ll look. It’ll be a win for everyone.”
Yeah, it likely went something like that, I’m pretty sure.
Now, if you Google Kara Henderson, you won’t find a single photo of her in pantyhose. But on NFL Network, she has become a pantyhose babe. But, I’m not done with the NFL Network yet. Now, it seems every female host on the show has gone all pantyhose on us. Check out this video of the lovely Lindsay Soto (now, Rhodes):
Wow. Those are some killer legs in beautiful sheer nude pantyhose, eh? Do you just see how influential the ActSensuous Blog really is?
I feel some of you slipping away from me. You want more evidence, don’t you? Fine, fine.
One of my regular columns on this blog is “Credit ‘Wear’ Credit is Due,” in which I recognize and glorify the little people (you know, like Ann Curry and Julianna Margulies) for dressing beautifully, including wearing pantyhose. Otherwise, probably no one would ever pay these budding celebs much attention.
You remember my post in January 2011, “Credit ‘Wear’ Credit is Due – Who’s that T-Mobile Girl?” In that one, I lavished so much praise upon the up-and-coming Carly Foulks for how pretty she looks in those pink dresses, high heels and very sheer nude pantyhose. Yeah, I put that girl on the map! And what happened after that? Verizon goes out and gets the beyond-beautiful model, Cherub Moore, to wear that fabulous gray skirt and dark wine-colored blouse, complete with gorgeous sheer pantyhose for last year’s Black Friday TV commercial. Need I say more?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w34kGqZb52c
Again, if you Google Cherub Moore (and, really, why wouldn’t you?), you won’t find one picture of her wearing pantyhose. But it’s pretty clear that when advertisers write spots for their clients, they think of me and the influence of The ActSensuous Blog. Obviously, they realize the value of featuring their lovely models in pantyhose. And, again, I take full credit for that.
Too much power?
But, as Peter Parker’s uncle taught us in Spiderman, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” (Did I mention Kirsten Dunst wore pantyhose in those Spidey movies because of me? But, I digress …) And now, I have to live with the fact that this far-reaching influence I wield actually could be starting to back-fire. That’s right. Those people who are equally devoted to the bear legs movement – the people I like to call, you know, the villains – are beginning to take notice of all the good I’m doing out there for truth, justice and the American way, and they’re fighting back.
I didn’t write a post about this next subject (although I did think about doing it), but you guys beat me to the punch when you wrote some comments about the CitiBank TV commercial, in which (actual professional rock climber Katie Brown) says:
My boyfriend and I were going on vacation, so I used my Citi Thank You card to pick up some accessories: A new belt, some nylons, and what girl wouldn’t need new shoes? …
A few of you praised that commercial for its obvious reference to nylons of the hosiery variety. I loved that you picked up on that and made a big deal about it. But have you noticed that the writer(s) recently modified that line? Now, when the lady rock climber talks about picking up some things she’ll need for her vacation, she says “A new belt, some nylon (instead of nylons) …”
Are you kidding me? Is the writer of that commercial such a pantyhose hater that he or she (more than likely, she) had to take away that cute play-on-words in order to not encourage us pantyhose lovers? I can just picture some little Kelly Ripa-like writer thinking to herself: “I’ll show those pantyhose lovers!” Is it just me, or is this edited line a retaliation for all the excitement I (OK, you this time) generated about this commercial’s use of the word “nylons?”
Similarly, Cherub Moore has since appeared in (at least two Verizon commercials that I’ve seen), but now she’s actually wearing pants that do nothing for her lovely figure. I hope Verizon is happy with themselves for dressing her down, and making her look just average, after I (yeah-yeah, you guys, too) bragged about how beautiful she looked in the Black Friday commercial.
Are the writers/directors/producers of these commercials making adjustments based upon what we’re doing in this blog? OK, well, probably not. But it does kinda make some sense. We brag them up for dressing their spokeswomen in pantyhose during a time when, let’s face it, the majority of the world’s women hate pantyhose. You’d have to think those responsible for these commercials might realize that they could attract a larger audience for whatever they’re selling if they suck up to the bear-leggers rather than to those in the minority who appreciate and value pantyhose.
Reality setting in
Similarly, I’ve been sooooooooo disappointed lately in many of the celebs on whom I’ve heaped tons of praise for their devotion to wearing pantyhose. And when some of the usually-pantyhose-friendly ones don’t, I make excuses for them and blame it on the costume designer for dressing them in bear legs. But, when celebs appear on late night talk shows, or are out and about town, and dress in nice outfits but with bear legs, that’s clearly on them.
Stars I’ve complimented for their devotion to class and elegance, especially in dressing up and wearing pantyhose, have been letting me down lately. For example, I have never seen Morena Baccarin wear pantyhose on a single talk show or awards show. Not Dana Delany either. Not Jennifer Lopez. And lately, I’ve seen Milla Jovovich more often bear-legged than in pantyhose. And don’t even get me started on Angelina Jolie and her constantly popping her bear leg out from her high-slit dress during the Academy Awards show. Bimbo.
Actress Julianna Margulies is always professional and classy during appearances on late night talk shows, such as "The Late Show with David Letterman."
Still, the only celeb who seems to always do the right thing when it comes to how she dresses for public appearances is Julianna Margulies. But, is she wearing pantyhose in the photo above? If so, those are the sheerest nude pantyhose on the planet. I actually saw this episode of ”The Late Show with David Letterman” and thought she was wearing, but at least one of our readers commented on this post that she is actually bear-legged. I guess my eyes aint what they used to be, or more likely, I saw what I wanted to see. What say you? Did Julianna Margulies actually appear on Letterman bear-legged?
I’ve often written that Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock, almost always can be counted on to wear pantyhose during public appearaces. And, maybe to a large extent, that’s still the case, but increasingly, it seems that 99.5 percent of celebs are brainwashed and believe they have to appear in public bear-legged because “that’s what everyone is doing.” Pitiful.
One celeb I thought I could count on more than most to wear pantyhose during public events is gorgeous Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi, but she’s killing me these days. I really thought of her as very strong-willed and independent – someone who would always do what she wanted to do – not what everyone else was doing. Yet, while she once frequently wore pantyhose during publicity events, presumably because it is the right thing to do, and because she has the class and traditional values to do the right thing, it is increasingly rare to see her in pantyhose. Still, I have confidence in her. I believe (I need to believe) she’ll go back to doing what she knows is right. She looks incredible in pantyhose and even (gasp) bare-legged (no bear here for her), so I can only hope she chooses pantyhose just because she wants to.
And lovely little Lucy Liu? Forget about seeing her in pantyhose, which is practically a crime since she looks stunning in them. And the extremely rare times we do see her in pantyhose, they’re too often the thick black ones that just don’t suit her.
While it is great that Sandra Oh was honored recently in Canada's Walk of Fame, it's sad that she didn't think the occasion called for pantyhose with that nice dress.
But I am most dismayed by the way Sandra Oh dresses. I know what you’re thinking, but unlike her character on “Grey’s Anatomy,” she truly is gorgeous in a dress, high heels and sheer nude or suntan pantyhose.
Sadly, it seems lately that we’ll just never see her in pantyhose anymore.
She’s a perfect example of a star who grew up with traditional Korean values, used to dress beautifully and appropriately in the proper situations, but now has seemingly become just another brainwashed Hollyweird go-along-er.
A case in point occurred in October 2011 when Sandra Oh was inducted into Canada’s Walk Of Fame for her long career in film and television.
If ever there were a time for Sandra Oh to wear pantyhose, this was it, especially since she grew up in Canada. Instead, she did the “ugly American” thing and showed up bear-legged.
Terrible, Sandra.
Always hope
Actress Miranda Cosgrove shows class and grace, appearing on the Red Carpet wearing a beautiful dress and pantyhose during a Screen Actors Guild awards show recently in Los Angeles.
As much as I appreciate when veteran celebrities do the right thing and wear pantyhose during public appearances, I think I love it even more when very young up-and-coming stars set themselves apart from the pack in the way they dress, wearing pantyhose with their pretty dresses and high heels.
You know how I’ve gushed over the likes of Lady Gaga and Katie Perry for being frequent wearers of pantyhose when out and about. And that can be said for Paris Hilton, too. I’ve almost resigned myself to realize and admit that EVERY celeb is going to have days where they just can’t be bothered to dress nicely.
But recently, I’ve been seeing two 19-year-olds, Selena Gomez and Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly) wearing pantyhose during public appearances.
I have to say I had never heard of Miranda until I saw her on a couple of late night talk shows and was so proud of her for dressing up and wearing pantyhose for the occasions. This is such a great sign of hope for the future.
So I’ll go ahead and give myself credit for that. I’m funny that way, ya know.
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:
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?
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.
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?
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.'
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.
A Treat when Pantyhose show up unexpectedly
Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous
Frequent readers of this blog know that I think pantyhose should be worn for the right reasons, during the right occasions and at the right places. OK, so pretty much, always.
Obviously, I want pantyhose at the office, the courthouse, the wedding, the funeral, the party, the stage, the TV studio, the movie set ….. you get the idea. When this happens, I am so proud and very happy.
Today, it’s hard enough to see pantyhose worn in movies where the occasion and venues would seem to warrant it. I like it a lot when it does happen. So imagine the thrill I get when pantyhose show up on an actress in a role and a venue where one not only wouldn’t expect them, but in which one would actually forgive the character/actress for not wearing them.
This weekend, I watched one such movie, “Blood: The Last Vampire.”
Beauty and the beasts
Now, I like a good vampire-killer movie, but throw in a Japanese setting, karate fights and samurai swords, and I’m all in, baby!
So, I was excited to watch “Blood: The Last Vampire,” but I certainly didn’t expect to see the young heroine, Saya, wearing a traditional Japanese schoolgirl uniform, complete with pantyhose so sheer, even I didn’t realize she was wearing until almost halfway through the film.
One-girl wrecking crew
I just wanted to check out the martial arts action sequences more closely, and when I put the DVR in slow motion to enjoy Saya’s beautiful spinning wheel kicks, I realized she was wearing pantyhose. Wow!
I was digging the movie anyway, but the fact that the actress, or the costume designer, chose to put the actress in pantyhose, even for the samurai sword and karate fight sequences, well, you had me at Japanese vampire.
Dishing out demon destruction
Like the “Resident Evil” movies being based on a video game, “Blood: The Last Vampire” movie is based on the wildly popular and multiple award-winning Japanese anime cult classic series.
I’ve read different accounts of the timeframe in which the live action movie version takes place, but most say it’s around 1966, during a period when the U.S.military is preparing to enter the Vietnam War. The setting is an American Air Force base in Tokyo. But while the base is on edge about the war, there’s already an unseen battle going on; a 400 years long fight waged by vampires and their monstrous bat-like creatures who feed on human blood.
Soaring into action
Enter Saya, the lone execution arm of a covert government agency that has been hunting demons for centuries. She is installed as a would-be student at a military school on the base to discover which of her classmates are demons in disguise, and to force a confrontation against the most powerful demon of them all, Onigen, who murdered Saya’s father when she was a young girl.
Sad soul
While Saya has the appearance of a 17-year-old student, she really is a 400-year-old samurai of extraordinary ability. Saya is a half-human, half-vampire, who preys on the demons who feast on human blood.
Joining forces with a secret government agency known as the Council, Saya is tormented at being a half-breed creature with the soul of her human father and the powers (and need of blood to survive) of her vampire mother.
She is obsessed about finally facing the most powerful of demons – the one that killed her father – and, en route to the confrontation she seeks with Onigen, Saya wages a one-girl series of battles in which she dispatches with her samurai sword hundreds of lower level demons.
Not so dark
Saya is played by beautiful Korean model/actress Jeon Ji-hyeon. (Remember, traditionally, Asian people say and write their family names first, and their given names second. Because she’s young, I am going to call her by her first name here.) By the way, don’t be confused: For an English audience, Ji-hyeon changed her named to Gianna Jun, and the film credits list her as only Gianna. To complicate things further, some Internet sources list her name as Jeon Ji Hyun and Jun Ji-hyun. I thought Jun Ji-hyun was accurate, but a Korean movie data base site that I trust has her name listed exclusively as Jeon Ji-hyeon. My feelings about these things is that one should always believe the way the country of origin spells and pronounces a name. You’d have to think the Koreans know how one of their own spells and says her name.
Whoever cast her in “Blood: The Last Vampire” is brilliant. Ji-hyeon is one of Korea’s most popular young actresses, beloved for her starring roles in romantic comedies. Who could have imagined she could pull off such an impressive performance in an action thriller, relying on martial arts fight sequences throughout? In an interview, Ji-hyeon said she never imagined she’d play a part in an action movie, but that she had a lot of fun doing it and is hooked.
While I haven’t seen any of Ji-hyeon other movies, I am extremely impressed at the transformation she makes of herself from a romantic comedy legend to a role in which her very dark character doesn’t smile once throughout the movie.
Always lovely
I am so glad I saw ‘Blood: The Last Vampire” because I am now a Jeon Ji-hyeon fan.
I am so extremely impressed with her. For a 27-year-old, she is very professional and classy, almost always wearing dresses, high heels and pantyhose during public appearances and in fashion photo shoots.
It is so heartwarming to see a young professional displaying good taste and showing such grace and elegance in her young career. I am looking forward to seeing more of her.
“Blood: The Last Vampire” is done by one of the producers of “Hero” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” An extremely good story with wonderful acting and martial arts fights, “Hero” stars Jet Li, Maggie Cheung and Zhang Ziyi. It is one of my favorite martial arts movies because the story is so beautifully told (and I love Maggie Cheung and Zhang Ziyi). And, of course, you know all about “Crouching Tiger …”
While “Blood: The Last Vampire” might not win any prestigious film awards, it is definitely worth checking out. It often runs on the Encore channels.
Pantyhose in other Action Settings
In some of my earlier blog posts, I’ve gloated over how often pantyhose are worn by some of the female contestants and most of the female audience members at the site of the hit Japanese game show, “Ninja Warrior,” known as “the world’s toughest obstacle course.”
Talk about pantyhose in unexpected places! I so love the Japanese. How many female athletes competing in a brutal obstacle course would be wearing pantyhose in Western countries? And how many spectators sitting on bleachers at such a venue would be dressed in skirts, high heels and pantyhose anywhere except in Japan or other Asian countries?
Resident goddess
Back to pantyhose showing up in movies in which you wouldn’t expect them, I’ve often praised Milla Jovovich (and/or the costume designer) of the “Resident Evil” movies for dressing Milla’s character, Alice, in pantyhose for many of the scenes in which she’s shooting and kicking the crud out of zombies.
These rare cases are so impressive to me. While today, so many movies that are set in business or formal scenes feature lead characters who dress up, except for the awful bare legs look, it’s so rewarding to see that some actresses (and/or costume designers) have so much class that they dress their star characters in pantyhose. They truly get what so many others don’t – legs look so much better in pantyhose.
Delicate beauty, but ...
A couple of my other favorite action movies are “Beyond Hypothermia,” about a beautiful Chinese professional hit woman, who dispatches countless dudes, while dressed in lovely outfits, including high heels and pantyhose. There’s just something about a delicately beautiful and petite woman (Wu Chen-Lien at right) dressed all femininely, while toting a high-power rifle that’s bigger than she is, and wielding assorted semi-automatic handguns. Maybe it’s the juxtapositioning of the whole thing – pretty but deadly women, kicking butt, while wearing the most feminine thing in the world – pantyhose.
And, you’ve read before how much I love “Princess Aurora.” Don’t let the title fool you. This is a Korean movie, starring the immensely popular Korean singer/actress Uhm Jung-hwa, who plays a heartbroken mother out to avenge the kidnap/murder of her young daughter (who loved the character, Princess Aurora.)
Taking a stand
Despite the fact that this movie is pretty violent, it is a heart-wrenching, beautiful story, incredibly well-written and superbly acted. I love Uhm Jung-hwa and will buy anything I can find that she’s done.
Unfortunately, “Princess Aurora” is not available on DVD, but it is shown on IFC (Independent Film Channel) from time to time.
Besides that I love this actress and this movie, one of the reasons I am recommending you see this is because Jung-hwa wears stunningly beautiful outfits, complete with high heels and pantyhose throughout the movie.
While not quite as powerful or well done, another two movies I like are “Black Angel” and “Black Angel 2,” about a young Japanese woman who, years after witnessing the murder of her yakuza boss father, becomes an accomplished hit woman, who eventually extracts great vengeance on the new yakuza clan.
Real-life angel?
The beautiful star who plays Black Angel is Riona Hizuki, who wears all black (naturally) dresses and pantyhose throughout the entire movie.
Seeing a trend with me here? I guess I like movies in which women assassins extol the virtues of dressing femininely while blowing (mostly men) away. Hey, I’m sure men would rather be done-in by a beautiful babe in pantyhose, than killed a little bit each day by women who go bare-legged. Guys, am I right here?
Recently, I watched the movie “Salt,” starring Angelina Jolie as a CIA spy (or Soviet Union double-agent?). In the beginning of the movie, her character wears a skirt suit with high heels, but sadly, no pantyhose. Too bad. I thought it would have been very attractive and sexy if she had been wearing pantyhose when she kicked off her heels to fight and flee once her cover was compromised.
How about you? Do you love it when you see pantyhose in unexpected places? What’s your favorite action (or otherwise) movie, in which the lead actress wears pantyhose throughout? Or, do you have a favorite pantyhose scene during a movie? Please share so that we all can enjoy!
Credit ‘Wear’ Credit is Due – Who’s that T-Mobile girl?
Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous
Every seasoned TV watcher understands the power of the remote control. One of the greatest inventions of our time, it allows one to channel-surf during obnoxious commercials.
But every once in a while, a commercial comes along that causes one to freeze and not touch that dial. For me, it’s those T-Mobile commercials pitting the new myTouch 4G phone against the mighty AT&T iPhone.
But it aint the pitch that keeps me glued to the channel – it’s T-Mobile’s new spokesmodel.
Turns out that she is causing quite a stir in cyberspace, commanding great interest and admiration. But mostly, everyone is asking the same question: “Who is that girl in the pink-and-white dress?”
T-Mobile's new spokesmodel in the myTouch 4G phone ads is generating a great amount of interest in cyberspace.
One writer put it this way, “Who is the gal working the Anne Hathaway-meets-Kim Basinger look?” Aptly said.
And another writer even suggested that she should play Wonder Woman in an upcoming movie. No argument there.
Model Carly Foulkes is the striking beauty behind T-Mobile's new myTouch 4G phone.
While much of the speculation in cyberspace was that she is Jessica Pare of “Mad Men” and “Hot Tub Time Machine” fame, it turns out, she’s actually fashion model Carly Foulkes, best known for her work with Abercrombie and Fitch, Artistry Cosmetics, Express, Gilly Hicks, Khols, Macys, Nieman Marcus, Tommy Hilfigger and one Elle Magazine cover.
What I love most is that Carly honors the gorgeous dresses she wears with beautiful high heels and, of course, some absolutely delicious-looking sheer nude pantyhose.
My question is: Does Carly get the credit for this very beautiful, decidedly feminine look, or does T-Mobile?
I mean if it were up to Carly, would she have chosen this outfit? Or would she prefer to wear jeans and a T-shirt, or even a dress, but – in keeping with the current fashion trend of today’s youth – no pantyhose?
In trying to identify her myself, I found a couple of other photos of her wearing dresses and pantyhose on stage or in magazine shoots, so she has convinced me that she deserves Credit “wear” Credit is Due!
But, I’ve gotta give some props to the creative talents at T-Mobile for creating the look. After all, their previous spokesmodel was Catherine Zeta-Jones, who always appeared in glamorous dresses, high heels and sheer nude pantyhose.
So, a good case could be made for T-Mobile’s good eye for beauty, class and grace, and knowing how to sell it.
Then again, here’s what always puzzles me: If you’ve got a beauty like Carly Foulkes as your spokesmodel, and she looks absolutely incredible dressed like this (left), why in the world would you ever have her dress like this ( below right)? 
Either way, I am impressed with Carly Foulkes. I believe that she really “gets it,” and that we’ll continue to see her looking lovely and classy in dresses, high heels and sheer pantyhose.
‘Burlesque’ a great movie/musical for Pantyhose
If not for her starring role in the upcoming movie/musical, “Burlesque,” Christina Aguilera likely would have made her way into my column, Credit ‘Wear’ Credit is Due. That’s because, long before Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Beyonce and a handful of other current pop stars, Aguilera has been a devoted pantyhose wearer on and off stage.
“Burlesque,” which opens in theaters on Nov. 24, gives me an excuse to recognize Aguilera now for her pantyhose prowess.
Born Dec. 18, 1980, Christina Aguilera is an American pop singer, songwriter, dancer, and officially now, actress. Known during her childhood as “the little girl with the big voice,” singing in local talent shows and competitions, Aguilera always aspired to be a singer.
Indeed, Aguilera has been compared to the likes of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. A review in the Los Angeles Times compared Aguilera’s vocal stylings to Barbra Streisand, Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin.
In the movie, the burlesque club apparently encompasses not just striptease and comedy routines, but modern dance and mini-theatrical plays, performed by barely dressed women in fishnets.
Beginning in the early 18th century, burlesque was a form of musical and theatrical parody, in which a serious or romantic opera, or a classical theatre piece, was adapted in a broad, often risqué style that ridiculed stage conventions.
The popular burlesque show of this period eventually evolved into the striptease which became the dominant ingredient of burlesque by the 1930s.
Stockings were around as early as the 16th century, mostly in the black wool variety, until silk stockings debuted in the 17th century. These garments helped define the burlesque era.
During the 1920s, silk or artificial silk (rayon) stockings ruled the flapper era of the Roaring 20s.
After World War I (1914-1918) short skirts were fashionable and long silk stockings were worn. Nylon was invented in 1930 by Dupont, and after World War II (1939-1945), nylon stockings became popular and completely replaced silk stockings until the late 1960s, when pantyhose replaced stockings and never looked back.
Previews for “Burlesque,” look very exciting – lots of great music, dancing and pantyhose-adorned legs in action.
While pantyhose hadn’t been invented during the burlesque era, today, Hollywood and modern live burlesque-style shows can and do take creative license in adding the sexy wardrobe accessories to the costumes for movies and musicals depicting the jazz, burlesque and flapper eras from as early as the 16th century, to the roaring 20s, through today.
And here’s something I love: when some of the dancing girls in these movies wear nylon stockings, they usually are wearing very sheer-to-waist pantyhose underneath them. But mostly, I love that the majority of the dancers in these movies just wear pantyhose, as if no one would notice or care that that makes the film historically inaccurate. I don’t care. I love that pantyhose are viewed as so important and necessary by the writers, directors and/or costumers of these productions.
During the 2000s, there have been quite a few successful movies depicting the jazz, burlesque and flapper eras.
‘Nine’
Set in 1960s Venice, “Nine” was directed by Rob Marshall (who also directed “Chicago”) and also starred Kate Hudson, Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson and Sophia Loren. It was released in December 2009.
The original Broadway production debuted in 1982 and ran for 729 performances, winning five Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
‘Chicago’
Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Roxie Hart (Renee’ Zellweger) are two criminals-of-passion who find themselves awaiting trials for murder in 1920s Chicago. Velma, a vaudevillian, and Roxie, a housewife with aspirations of having the same profession, fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows. The film also stars and gets fabulous performances from Richard Gere, Queen Laifah, John C. Reilly and Christine Baranski (“The Good Wife“).
Directed and choreographed by Rob Marshall, and adapted for film by screenwriter Bill Condon, “Chicago” won six Academy Awards in 2003, including Best Picture.
‘Moulin Rouge!’
The movie/musical of 2001, directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann, was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Nicole Kidman, and won two: for art direction and costume design.
The movie stars Ewan McGregor as Christian, a young, English poet/writer, who falls in love with Nicole Kidman as Staine, a cabaret actress and the star courtesan of the Moulin Rouge.
The production is lush and elaborate, featuring the musical setting of the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, France.
I haven’t seen “Nine” yet, but I plan to buy the DVD. “Chicago” and “Moulin Rouge!” were great movies for showcasing pantyhose. It appears that “Burlesque” will be a great movie for pantyhose lovers, too.
I just hope “Burlesque” delivers a story with as much charm and fun of “Chicago.” From the previews I’ve seen, it certainly appears that the glitter and glam is there. We’ll find out beginning on Nov. 24.
By the way, I intentionally left out the movie, “Showgirls,” which was great for pantyhose, but a weak and poorly written/acted storyline in my opinion.
Perhaps this trend of movies/musicals depicting the jazz, burlesque and flapper eras will do as much for creating an attraction for pantyhose among young women, and sparking renewed interest in pantyhose among more seasoned viewers, much the same way pop stars, such as Madonna, Lady Gaga and others, have been doing recently.
What do you think? Do you like these kinds of movies/musicals that feature beautiful ladies in exotic costumes, including pantyhose? The genre seems like a dream come true for those of us who can’t get enough of our favorites celebrities embracing pantyhose on the grandest of stages.
What’s your ‘feeling’ about pantyhose?
Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous
What is it that we love so much about pantyhose? Is it the look, the feel, or both?
Most people will admit that pantyhose look better than bare (bear) legs. I believe true lovers of pantyhose love their feel as much as their look.
What is silky?
Almost universally, people say pantyhose have a silky feel, probably because that’s the word they’ve always heard associated with pantyhose. But when they describe how pantyhose feel to the touch, most people use words such as “smooth,” “slick” or “slippery.”
I have always thought of pantyhose as “silky,” but to me, “silky” means extremely soft and delicate like the silk of a spider’s web.
Not exactly silky
When Lycra or Spandex are added to the nylon fabric, you get a “support” effect. That can be good for keeping pantyhose from sagging, or for therapeutic reasons. You get a smooth, slick or slippery feeling to the touch. If you run your hand over pantyhose like these, it will slide across effortlessly, as if on a glassy surface – like running your hand over a dolphin as it swims by.
I do understand how some people are attracted to pantyhose made with a bit of Lycra. They can look alluring and still feel petty nice. On the other hand (or legs), pantyhose made with a high degree of Spandex become real shiny (yeah, I know many people really like shiny) and elastic. To me, those pantyhose feel like a rubber band stretched to the max.
There’s a reason why women say they hate pantyhose and complain that they are too tight, too hot and just too uncomfortable.
Give and take
What I love is the extremely soft and truly silky texture you get from 100 percent nylon pantyhose. I love that when you touch that fabric, it touches you back. It gives. It moves. When you touch this fabric, you can really feel it, and you can make the person wearing it feel what you feel because the pantyhose will move on her legs, forcing her to “feel” the soft and silky fabric against her body.
And then, there’s the overall concept of 100 percent nylon pantyhose. There’s just something very sexy about the sense of vulnerability that truly silky and delicate pantyhose provide.
Most of the pantyhose you find on the market today are made with some degree of Lycra or Spandex. What bothers me is that women who think pantyhose are uncomfortable might never have tried anything but that kind of pantyhose. Perhaps they don’t realize they have a choice.
I can’t fathom how anyone would describe the feeling of 100 percent nylon pantyhose as “uncomfortable.” The way I see it, nothing could be more soft, silky and delicate than 100 percent nylon pantyhose. They make your legs look perfect, they feel so nice on, and they feel incredible to the touch.
Pantyhose can be practical: The right thing to wear at the office, proper for a formal or special occasion, or good for a massage. Or, pantyhose can be beautiful, decidely feminine and very sexy. You do have a choice.
Wearing Pantyhose an Issue of Values
Robin Maryland, president, ActSensuous
Ever since the global bare legs movement began right around the year 2000, I’ve tried to figure out how and why this happened.
We know that it was actress Sarah Jessica Parker’s character on Sex and the City that is universally “credited” with running pantyhose as a fashion staple out of Hollywood. As the show was set in New York City – fashion capital of the world – it’s easy to see how women everywhere would jump on the bare legs bandwagon.
Its effect has been felt all over the world – although nowhere more prevalent among modern nations than in the United States.
Initially, the reason women gave for arbitrarily ending their decades-long commitment to wearing pantyhose was that the accessory had gone out of vogue, as evidenced by the fashion fad Parker’s show spawned.
But fads in fashion typically don’t stay around long, and eventually, women’s excuses for not wearing pantyhose turned to:
- They’re uncomfortable (the fabric being hot, itchy and saggy most often cited)
- They’re not necessary (my legs are tanned enough)
I’ve never bought into the fad thing because I believe fashion always should be about good taste – especially when it comes to being professional in the workplace.
As for the excuse: “I don’t need to wear pantyhose because my legs are tan enough,” I think some women are just missing the point. It’s not that simple. Nylons do so much more than add a little color to your skin. They cover minor skin blemishes, soften lines, and enhance the shape of your legs, giving them a look of perfection that bare or oiled legs will never have. More than all that, pantyhose offer an allure, a sense of glamour and good taste.
If you read almost any blog about pantyhose, you’ll always find some women complaining that they’re uncomfortable. Oh, come now! That is a weak excuse given by those who are lazy, spoiled and apparently not well educated, as most of them can’t even spell the word pantyhose correctly.
I Googled this subject: “most uncomfortable women’s clothes” and was pleased to see that pantyhose, while they certainly made the list, weren’t exactly the Number One bad guy. Most women cited high heels, bras and thongs as the most uncomfortable things they wore.
Somehow, I got sidetracked to uncomfortable uniforms, and found that female police officers in almost every country except the USA wear much more feminine uniforms, complete with high heels and pantyhose. Check out this picture of Russian policewomen.
In the U.S., where everyone is spoiled, we can’t get most women to wear pantyhose with a business suit in an air conditioned office. Our women wouldn’t last a day in Russia, China, Japan, Korea, and most other countries, who clearly have higher standards of what constitutes proper dress, if not good taste.
But I’m not picking on just women here. I stumbled across one blog in which the founder of some computer software company wrote that he didn’t wear business suits anymore and couldn’t imagine why anyone ever would. His post elicited 416 comments – most agreeing with his point of view.
I think we have lost some of our good sense, our values and our judgment about how we present ourselves. Pretty soon, Casual Friday will turn into Casual Tuesday-through-Friday-but-wear-something-businessy-on-Monday, just for old times sake.
Here are some pics of female police officers in other countries. And if you think these female officers are decked out in dress uniforms for only ceremonial occasions, notice that they’re also dressed this way on the street for routine duty.
