Dressing for Fall and winter

[r.m.anderson]

We've not had anything like that since and the new Cordylines are 25+ feet tall. My Winter unbifurcated wear is thick opaques and a part-pleated skirt to about 4" above the knee. Sensible shoes, of course.

Tom

Very (very) NICE as always !

[TonautBrom]

So I decided to give sheer nude hold ups a go as they will hopefully not be too noticeable - and that meant I had to get rid of the leg hair. I’ve only worn them around the house so far but I’ve been surprised how warm they feel. This may make no sense at all, but has anyone found sheer hose to be warmer without leg hair?

[STEVIE]

This may make no sense at all, but has anyone found sheer hose to be warmer without leg hair?

I wouldn't think that they are warmer but they are certainly more comfortable.
Indoors, sheer tights will appear warm, especially if you are not accustomed to them.
Outside on a cold and windy day they have no insulating at all and a heavy longer skirt will be needed to keep your legs in comfort.
Trial and error is the answer but wearing a skirt in winter can be as much fun as in the height of summer.
Oh, and decent footwear too.
Steve.

[TonautBrom]

Thanks Steve - hope to give it a try next week when travelling for work.

[rode_kater]

This may make no sense at all, but has anyone found sheer hose to be warmer without leg hair?

I've also found that leg hair seems to interfere in some way. My first theory was that leg hair has some insulating effect and tights press it down removing that. My other theory was that tights are actually warmer, but because the tights are actually touching your skin while you're used to an air layer, it feels colder. It seems at least partially psychological, because at one point it felt as if my legs were cold while I was actually sweating. It also seems the more I wore tights, the less cold it felt.

This is all totally unscientific of course

[STEVIE]

This is all totally unscientific of course

Maybe not RK,
There was a study done in the 1960s which showed that the average girth of the female thigh increased.
This was attributed to the mini skirt fashion and a bodily reaction producing additional fat as an insulator.
On an individual basis the difference may have gone unnoticed but across a population and age segments too, maybe so?
Be quite interesting to tell the current tiny short wearers that they will develop tree trunk legs wouldn't it.
Personally, apart from the look, I just found hairy legs and tights damned uncomfortable.
The tights won.
Steve.

[Modoc]

In years past the onset of cold weather pretty much men back to trousers for me. Last year I experimented with leggings, tights, and thigh-high socks/stockings. Some of them worked out ok but nothing seemed like really what I was looking for. This morning in 20f (-6c)
temps I put on an ankle-length brown wool blend full skirt, a long-sleeved cotton blend t-shirt, a hoodie, and cowboy boots worn over calf-length thin wool socks. This outfit turned out to be quite comfortable and warm even when a breeze swept past. My comfort level with skirts is constantly evolving, at the beginning, I would have never considered anything long and flowy but now I don't give it a second thought.

[Uncle Al]

For those members concerned about leg warmth, I've found these tights to be quite helpful

They are fleece lined. They really keep your legs WARM
They are 200 Denier and very opaque
I purchased some years ago and found them again, on Amazon.com

G&Y Fleece Lined Tights -200D Therma Leggings Opaque Warm Winter Pantyhose

I purchased 2 pair and used the 10% discount code on the website.
They REALLY do keep your legs warm. I had to take them off as I got too warm in the house.

Uncle Al

[Barleymower]

Here in the south of England we don't get proper freezing temperatures. Mostly its down as far -5c on a frosty day. -10c would be really extreme and would not last long. Its more likely to be wet and windy. My daughter says her thick tights and pleated skort hold up better than trousers that cling in those conditions.
1. I'm not a fan of tights, they are too... tight. And
2. I'm not a fan of short skirts it's not a good look for me.

But on really cold days I find that as long as I keep my core warm then I can wear a midi skirt with bare legs. I wear shorts all year round anyway.

[Uncle Al]

FYI - A review of the fleece lined tights.

Since I've had a 30°F+ drop in temperatures over the past 3 days, I gave the
new tights a try. Being on blood thinners, my feet and legs are cold 90% of
the time. Today, they were not cold. I felt quite comfortable wearing them.
The waistband doesn't dig into my waist. They stay up with no problems.
I normally wear them backwards, when they have an expansion panel in
the back. Today, worn normally, with 'undies' they worked EXCELLENT
You may want to give them a try. It can't hurt

Uncle Al

[rivegauche]

I am not a fan of very thick tights. Once you go above 40d you lose the sensation of wearing a skirt or dress. If it gets really really cold instead of thickening the tights, wear a long heavy skirt such as a lined woollen skirt, and leather boots reaching to just below the knee. If the skirt is unlined wear a waist slip. If the skirt is straightish the wind won't freeze you and you will be warmer than you would be in trousers.

[Barleymower]

I am not a fan of very thick tights. Once you go above 40d you lose the sensation of wearing a skirt or dress. If it gets really really cold instead of thickening the tights, wear a long heavy skirt such as a lined woollen skirt, and leather boots reaching to just below the knee. If the skirt is unlined wear a waist slip. If the skirt is straightish the wind won't freeze you and you will be warmer than you would be in trousers.

I don't like tights at all. On the strength of your post I bought a pair of 15d tights in the hope I might like tights. Still no. I just don't like tights and don't want to de hair my legs..- my leg hair was very visible with such thin tights and my legs felt like they had been sucking mints.

[Faldaguy]

I am not a fan of very thick tights. Once you go above 40d you lose the sensation of wearing a skirt or dress. If it gets really really cold instead of thickening the tights, wear a long heavy skirt such as a lined woollen skirt, and leather boots reaching to just below the knee. If the skirt is unlined wear a waist slip. If the skirt is straightish the wind won't freeze you and you will be warmer than you would be in trousers.

I don't like tights at all. On the strength of your post I bought a pair of 15d tights in the hope I might like tights. Still no. I just don't like tights and don't want to de hair my legs..- my leg hair was very visible with such thin tights and my legs felt like they had been sucking mints.

I posted a similar 'solution' earlier in this thread, and concur there are better solutions than another bifurcated pants garment that merely goes by an alternate name -- to me it nullifies the comfort factor and seems contradictory, inconsistent and almost oxymoronic -- yet I guess sacrifices must be made for living in the proverbial "intellectual" cold climes!

[TonautBrom]

This may make no sense at all, but has anyone found sheer hose to be warmer without leg hair?

I've also found that leg hair seems to interfere in some way. My first theory was that leg hair has some insulating effect and tights press it down removing that. My other theory was that tights are actually warmer, but because the tights are actually touching your skin while you're used to an air layer, it feels colder. It seems at least partially psychological, because at one point it felt as if my legs were cold while I was actually sweating. It also seems the more I wore tights, the less cold it felt.

This is all totally unscientific of course

Today I took the opportunity of a business trip to London to try out my denim knee length skirt and sheer hold ups on what was quite a cool day. I travelled back to the station by bike, so there was a bit of breeze around my legs but overall I still felt pretty comfortable. Maybe that’s me set for the next couple of months at least then.

[timemeddler]

just out of curiosity, has anyone tried petticoats under their skirt if cold weather? I was wondering because I've heard some of the ladies at my square dance club make comments about them getting hot.