Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Discussion of fashion elements and looks that are traditionally considered somewhat "femme" but are presented in a masculine context. This is NOT about transvestism or crossdressing.
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Daryl
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Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by Daryl »

As most of you know by now, I am one of the full-time skirters. I've never had a problem in winter, even when the mercury drops to the minus double digits, because I have a long cashmere coat and a good assortment of heavy socks that come over the knee. I always looked at women wearing pantihose or tights with short jackets in winter with a bit of pity of the "things we do for fashion" sort.

Lately, having discovered a source for pantihose and tights in my size range, and having started wearing my short leather jacket more than a long coat, I've started to look at that differently. I have been wearing nothing but pantihose on my legs when going out, with short highish-heeled booties. The temperature has been up and down from freezing by about 5 degrees and so far I've been perfectly comfortable. When it gets a little colder or I plan on being outside longer, I will switch to tights, which are much heavier than pantihose, and see how that goes.

Basically, I'm just reporting my surprise that pantihose actually adds as much warmth as they do, and also that I am a bit surprised that I like them so much. I find that once I have "dressed for going out" I tend to stay dressed like that long after coming back home, and I've been finding the pantihose and skirt modality quite comfy, not at all the burden that (some) women have led me to believe they were carrying all the years they felt they were "required" to dress like that. If I'd known what I know now back when I went into the office everyday, I'd have dressed like that quite happily every day, except in warm weather. Sure, pantihose could be made to be a little more suited to the male anatomy, but they are so stretchy that's not a big deal, and until G. Lieberman starts carrying true plus sizes at decent prices, I can do without a fly too.
Daryl...
partlyscot
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by partlyscot »

I tend to wear thigh highs rather than pantyhose because so far they don't stay put without pulling something over them. Never mind finding ones long enough.
I usually wear pretty opaque stuff, for me, sheer ones just don't fit my self image. Do agree the combination is surprisingly warm, with a knee length wool skirt, I find it more comfortable than say regular denim pants.
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denimini
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by denimini »

I found that the waist of the panyhose was higher than the waist of the skirt making having a "P" probelmatic, especially in cold weather where the requirement is more often and more urgent. I found that very long socks were a good alternative. Not that I am really an experienced cold weather skirter.
partlyscot wrote:I tend to wear thigh highs rather than pantyhose because so far they don't stay put without pulling something over them. Never mind finding ones long enough.
I usually wear pretty opaque stuff, for me, sheer ones just don't fit my self image. Do agree the combination is surprisingly warm, with a knee length wool skirt, I find it more comfortable than say regular denim pants.
I bought some of these long socks on eBay and they stayed up on my skinny legs and were almost a long as possible on me.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fashion-Sex ... 2842a7bba1
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bridkid
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by bridkid »

Fair play to all you lads who can wear tights etc. I just can't get on with them. It feels like I might as well be wearing trousers...
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r.m.anderson
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by r.m.anderson »

For those that wear kilts - the kilt over the calf sox should be adequate in all but the most extremes.
The legs don't need much attention in staying warm and with a regulation kilt length breaking at the
knee - the sox over the calf leaving about 4-5 inches of open flesh to chill out - unless one is in the eye
of the tiger winds should be hackable for a few hours until shelter can be obtained - if not then the
ole knee knocking kicking in the after burners of self preservation should get the warming party going.

Get acclimated or get out of the weather !
"YES SKIRTING MATTERS"!
"Kilt-On" -or- as the case may be "Skirt-On" !
WHY ?
Isn't wearing a kilt enough?
Well a skirt will do in a pinch!
Make mine short and don't you dare think of pinching there !
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Dick Ackerman
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by Dick Ackerman »

I wear thigh socks that are about the weight of regular socks held up by a Hockey garter belt. This is very comfortable and allows the freedom many of us prefer thanks to our skirts. This combination is very warm thanks to the mico climate that develops under our skirts.
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by crfriend »

bridkid wrote:Fair play to all you lads who can wear tights etc. I just can't get on with them. It feels like I might as well be wearing trousers...
That's down to personal preference, and we all have those. I regard this fact as healthy.

The above having been said, the sensation of tights vs. trousers is not even remotely comparable. Trousers rub and drag constantly when one is in motion; tights become a second skin which moves in unison with the body. The trick is getting sizing right. If you can't get the things pulled up properly, or if they "fall down" (for want of a better analogy) you are going to experience problems.

If you cannot abide the thought of full tights, then long socks are just as good; just don't commit the faux-pas of allowing the tops of them to show from beneath the hem. On the plus side of this tactic is that frequently long socks can be had in heavier weights than can be tights. (In this I use the term "tights" in it's UK meaning; this includes US "tights" and "pantyhose".)

I freely use both tactics as need presents.
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by lazerr »

I have also discovered tights as a good alternative to pants in the winter. Much warmer, especially with the right skirt.

At first, I ad some issues with ease of bathroom breaks, but now it is nothing. As already stated, there is no comparison of tights with pants as far as comfort while walking or hiking.
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by partlyscot »

bridkid wrote:Fair play to all you lads who can wear tights etc. I just can't get on with them. It feels like I might as well be wearing trousers...
Pantyhose isn't as bad as trousers, though it's not my favorite. That's another reason I tend to use thigh highs. (Sometimes known as stay ups) If I can't find thigh highs in the colour, style, or weight I want, I will cut the legs off suitable tights(pantyhose) sew the edges with a stretch stitch, and use them as stockings with a garter/suspender belt. As someone else said, you can get some very long socks which can do the same thing.
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by Ralph »

denimini wrote:I bought some of these long socks on eBay and they stayed up on my skinny legs and were almost a long as possible on me.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fashion-Sex ... 2842a7bba1
I only wish I could find socks like that to fit me! At the widest point my calves are 17 inches (~44cm) around. Highly stretchable tights tear after just a few wearings, and less flexible socks just never get past my ankles. Likewise my feet need extra-large shoes (10 inches around x 10.5 inches long) so the foot part of socks can be unpleasantly tight. I'm limited to tights and pantyhose made specifically for plus-sized legs.

NB - I'm sure our friends in the UK are aware of the distinction, but just to clarify: In the US we tend to use "pantyhose" to refer to sheer fabric, waisted/footed legwear and "tights" to refer to heavier denier, opaque waisted/footed legwear.
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

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We tend to use the term "tights" to refer to anything with stockings seamlessly attached to the pantie. Doesn't matter what the denier is. We may say "thick tights" to refer to the thicker materials such as would be worn in winter but that's about as far as it goes. "Sheer" maybe to refer to the thinner, more translucent ones. We don't use the term "pantyhose" at all even after long exposure to American terminology. Just as we never use "diaper" - it's always "nappy".
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by shadowfax »

Sinned wrote:We tend to use the term "tights" to refer to anything with stockings seamlessly attached to the pantie. Doesn't matter what the denier is. We may say "thick tights" to refer to the thicker materials such as would be worn in winter but that's about as far as it goes. "Sheer" maybe to refer to the thinner, more translucent ones. We don't use the term "pantyhose" at all even after long exposure to American terminology. Just as we never use "diaper" - it's always "nappy".
Just to add to Sinned's explanation above, here in the UK, the denier number of the thread used to knit the tights is prominently displayed on the packaging.
Up to and including 20 denier would be thought of as sheer, translucent tights. What an American might call pantyhose.
Anything above 20 denier would be known as semi-opaque leading to opaque tights (50 denier and above). What an American might call tights.
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Daryl
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by Daryl »

Sinned wrote:We tend to use the term "tights" to refer to anything with stockings seamlessly attached to the pantie. Doesn't matter what the denier is. We may say "thick tights" to refer to the thicker materials such as would be worn in winter but that's about as far as it goes. "Sheer" maybe to refer to the thinner, more translucent ones. We don't use the term "pantyhose" at all even after long exposure to American terminology. Just as we never use "diaper" - it's always "nappy".
We Canucks follow the American terminology in this. Even though the two garments are really identical in construction, there is a big qualitative difference in how they feel when wearing them, so it seems fair to actually think of them as different things. One could wear tights without shaving one's legs (if one still had hair on one's legs) because they are heavy enough to cover just about anything. All pantyhose are at least a little bit translucent. If wearing tights but not showing enough leg for anyone to figure it out, people would think one was simply wearing ordinary socks.

So, in the UK, are there "adult nappies" or does the word "diaper" get used once out of the context of babies?

I know a woman who objects to the word "pantyhose" and the word "panty" because she claims the terms infantalise women because they are juvenilisations (like adding "y" or "ie" to the end of almost any word to make it more like baby-talk). She thinks they should just be called "women's briefs". I don't know what she would make of "nappy" but if I have the chance I will try to refer to briefs as "briefies" just to annoy her.
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Daryl
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by Daryl »

Ralph wrote:I only wish I could find socks like that to fit me! At the widest point my calves are 17 inches (~44cm) around. Highly stretchable tights tear after just a few wearings, and less flexible socks just never get past my ankles. Likewise my feet need extra-large shoes (10 inches around x 10.5 inches long) so the foot part of socks can be unpleasantly tight. I'm limited to tights and pantyhose made specifically for plus-sized legs.
My calves are the same size as yours. I wear these in the deep winter... https://www.sockdreams.com/long-cuffabl ... socks.html

I find they are not "scrunchable" in any sense if I cuff them on my thigh, but they do tend to stay up and not slide down too quickly. Of course, they do slide down over time but I've never had them fall below my knee as a result. I have worn these to work, riding the tube and bus, all day at my desk, in and out of meetings, and so on, and found them quite adequate. I've never found garters of any kind an acceptable solution, so socks that will stay put on their own has always been a must.

Sock Dreams is a great resource but it did take me quite a bit of trial and error to find socks that suited me there. Now that I have, they are my only source for long socks, whether those stop at the knee or go over it.

I don't buy tights and pantyhose there though. I strictly get those from a local chain that caters to plus size women. The ones I buy are cheap like regular-size products, so wearing out quickly isn't really a big issue. I can get a good 2 weeks out of a pair of pantyhose, now that I've learned how to put them on and off without damaging them. It's the small bits of damage you do to the fine material that adds up over time, and then the tearing begins. Even just bits of dried skin on hands and feet can make picks in the material and start the damage rolling. Having tights or pantyhose that fit and aren't too tight at the seams, and learning to not damage them, is the key to making them last as long as possible.
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Re: Cool Weather, Pantihose, and Pleasant Surprises

Post by Sinned »

Daryl, we NEVER use the term diaper - it's only ever heard of in American films/programmes. It's always nappies here. As for adult nappies I think the term her is "incontinence pants". I suppose that you could get proper adult nappies but they would come under the fetishes category for those with a yen to act out the adult baby thingy.
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