1.12.07

Sheer Bliss? Not Really.

Given that Indian winters can be quite cold (though they don't always dip into sub-zero range), I've often wondered why thick, opaque tights don't seem to be much of an option in the shops here. About all a girl has to choose from by way of hosiery is ten-denier tights or stockings, which, as might be evident from the description, are sheer. Very sheer indeed. That isn't really a problem in any weather, including the cold kind, because it's a proven fact that the skin on your legs is thicker and tougher than it is on your upper body. Which means that skirts, particularly of the shorter variety, are not completely ruled out as winterwear, if you bother putting tights or stockings on under the lot.
The problem, however, arises in the fact that bloody sheer hosiery is just so snaggable. Stockings snag on everything- from toenails when you're putting them on, to splinters (miniscule ones) in the chair you're sitting on, to even the slightest of rough surfaces that you might just have grazed against- and it's annoying, because even though they're a fairly decent way to stop the winter wind taking the skin off your legs, the constant vigilance is a bit of a pain. The rise of sheer hosiery may have been predicted a long time ago, but I'm actually wondering if I can make it work. The old legs do need some covering-up, after all, and wearing jeans all the time is so not my look. Though I have a long, long way to go before I look half as good as the femme in the picture above...
picture borrowed from The Facehunter.

9 comments:

indi said...

my sister audited for a sock company and managed to snag me some knee high socks, but that's about as high the opaque tights/socks got for me. maybe you could ask someone in delhi to source some opaque tights for you or dye thermals yourself.

Emma said...

Jesus, snagged tights are the devil's doing.

Rebecca, A Clothes Horse said...

I am constantly devising ways to disguise my runs.

Teresa said...

I read somewhere that a bit of clear nail polish will fix snag in stocking. Never tried it cause I read that tip in old issue of Seventeen magazine from 1999 that I skimmed through at the doctor's office.

WendyB said...

Ick...I hate the toenail snag. *shudders*

Maria said...

yeah, clear nailpolish or bit of hairspray will stop the snag from being bigger...and these tips are from my ballet teacher so :P

sheer knee-highs look so good!
and sheer hosiery in general!
why haven't I got them before?

Blue Floppy Hat said...

I must try the nail polish next time I get a snag, but I can never save my snags from turning into giant ladders! And unfortunately for me, I can't be punky enough to just flaunt the tears.
Thanks for the tips, everyone.

Unknown said...

I don't have any tips, but I loved the sheer tights in MJ's Spring/Summer 08 show... and my favorite pair of black opaque tights just got a huge snag which is now a gaping hole in the knee. :(

You should see if any online store has good sweater tights... warmer than pants in some instances! And practically snag-free, though you have to worry about pilling.

Dyson said...

My wife uses a drop of nail polish to fix small snags in stockings, and I once saw her repair a fishnet stocking with a needle and black cotton.

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