Pantyhose - once reserved for women only, now men are wearing them too

What makes pantyhose so popular is the fact that over these years, they have become a rage for even some men who’ve tried wearing them and were left smitten by its charm.

Lately for women, pantyhoses no longer feature in their formal wear. Women are opting to go bare-legged as they feel that pantyhoses are uncomfortable and hot. However,opaque pantyhoses or tights seem to be making a come back, and yet they do not complain that tights are hot and uncomfortable.

The fashion tights lend an extra dose of feminism to women. There is a variety of patterns and colours to choose from. You can have a problem settling for your ideal style statement but you can’t complain of the lack of variety.

Contrary to the popular belief, pantyhoses are not just for women. Men, particularly comfort-conscious men, are increasingly more comfortable wearing the soft undergarments and shorts that are often associated with women. The comfort satin-like feeling not only put the men at ease, even medically, pantyhose have reported tremendous positive reviews.

According to studies, men working long hours standing or sitting at a particular place have reported reduced leg pain, swelling and fatigue. Even the coaches are recommending sportsmen, like athletes, cyclists, fliers and swimmers, to wear tight fitting hosiery to assist them in their sport. Some footballers have worn pantyhose in cold weather to great effect. Pantyhose, it is believed, provides comfortable warmth to athletes better than the thermal underwear (long johns).

In fact, men wearing pantyhose has a rich historical significance as the European aristocracy was widely known to wear pantyhose. And the modern generation has taken this tradition forward and tried to remove the stigma attached to men wearing hosiery.

The soft-n-silky tights/pantyhoses, no doubt, lend an alluring charm to the overall personality of women. A confident woman wearing sexy pantyhose has the world at her feet. And a confident man wearing pantyhose to benefit his body comfort spreads a magnetic charm that is completely unparalleled.

SUMMARY
A suitable leg-wear (pantyhose/tights, leggings, etc) is for everyone irrespective of age and sex.

Pantyhose colours

As we all know, pantyhoses comes in various colours and even the natural skin tone colours have a few different shades. It takes some trial and error to find the correct colour that matches my skin tone (which is on the tanned side). If the colour of the pantyhose matches your skin tone, it will be less obvious to the public and will hence draw less attention to oneself.

Recently bought some Solidea brand of support pantyhoses in a number of differnt colours. Mainly in Camel (see photos) , Bronze (see photos), Caramel, Paprika.

This one on the right is photographed under normal room lighting. It kind of matches my skin tone quite well.

The one on the right is probably how the legs will look like under strong lighting (like that from a camera flash) . That's a stark difference from my skin tone !!!

The picture on the left shows me wearing Solidea pantyhose in Bronze colour. The colour tone is a little darker than the tone on my hands as you can see.

Night out at the movies

Went to catch a movie with my wife on 12 Aug. Wanted to watch a funny movie, so we settled for Money No Enough 2. It was quite a last minute decision. Nonetheless, I was dressed in my crew neck Tshirt and bermudas. Of course, I had my Hanes Ultimate Contour Shaper pantyhose in Barely There colour (suntan). The fit of this pair of pantyhose was great, has light support for the legs, control top to hold the stomach in. This was one of my favourite pair, sad to say that Hanes has discontinued this range of pantyhose.

As usual, we had to queue to purchase our tickets and went straight to buy our drinks and popcorn. All this while, no one (not even my wife!!) seem to notice I was wearing the pantyhose, even when I was walking under bright lightings on the way to the cinema. The pantyhose helped relieve my legs of aches from sitting in the cinema, and at the same time, it keep me cool since the cinemas tend to be cold at night.

The movie was very funny, esp. for those who understood Hokkien. As usual, the movie threw some quick "punches" at the government, like ERP gantries, baby bonus, etc. At the same time, it also brought out important family values, like family members should help each other.

At the end of the 2-hr movie, my long legs (I am 6' tall) were not even feeling tired from sitting down at the cramped seats. Thanks to the Hanes pantyhose.

Pantyhose Brands - Solidea

I recently bought some Solidea support pantyhose. I would not say that they are cheap but definitely very good quality and to me ... worth the price.

The waistband is not binding, very comfortable. Though on me, they tend to roll down a little, but that's ok with me. The toe portion fits great, not too tight. Compression at the ankles is good and the fit is very nice. The pantyhose feels soft and smooth against the legs. BTW, it has a hint of shine in it, even under indoor lighting.

These pantyhoses are available online from http://www.legluxe.com/. Shipping is reasonable within US, sometimes even free if your purchase is above a certain amount. Apparently, Apothecary+Co at Raffles City basement also carry Solidea Pantyhose but I have yet to check out the variety.

If you are looking for good support pantyhose, give Solidea a try. I personally find them nicer than Futoru (from pharmacies like Guardian or Watsons).

Solidea is definitely among my list of favourite brands, along with Hanes, Leggs.

Men in Tights - making the news

Found this article which was published on 6 Aug 08 in Scotland.

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/article1519126.ece

Can't say I agree with his dress sense (matching a tie with the bermudas shorts). But it was nice to see him in hose. While some comments were not so positive, it could spark a new trend.

I feel it could have been a better start if he wore nude or tan coloured pantyhose. Black could be too "load" for the society to accept. Well, it's a start. After all, this is the generation of the metrosexual men, whereby men do go for facials/spas, use facial products to keep their face looking good. All these were once considered unmanly for men, but have over time become a norm for men.

Hope to see the same for men wearing pantyhose, support pantyhose in particular since it is wron firstly for leg health reasons and then for looks.

National Day Observance

Today my company had a National Day Observance Ceremony following by a walk to Hort park. Again, I was wearing my Solidea support pantyhose (70den) under my jeans, so I was prepared for the long walk.

The observance ceremony start with the singing of the Singapore National Anthem, followed by the recitation of the Pledge. Then we had a short workout to warm up the body .. . and it's off we go!!

The walk to Hort park was pleasant, though tiring (esp. on the legs). The bridges connecting the various parks were very nice .

I doubt anyone noticed I was wearing pantyhose since it was under my jeans, though it will show a bit when climbing stairs.

At the end of the day ... my legs did not feel tired at all.

Healthy Legs boost Stamina

Leg vitality starts with healthy legs. When the system of muscles, veins, and valves in your leg and foot becomes weak it disrupts normal blood circulation. This means blood flow in your legs gives in to gravity and pools in veins and valves and will cause varicose or spider veins which is not only unattractive but also will make your legs feel heavy, tired and achy.

Simply wearing graduated compression hosiery regularly does wonders to help legs stay healthy, vital and supple. Of course, coupled with sensible diet.

Exercise helps boosts your leg muscles, which helps your veins pump blood. Make regular workouts part of your weekly routine. A brisk walk (especially while wearing your compression hose) will go a long way toward improving your leg's overall health and beauty.

If you sit for a long time like when flying or on long car trips, stand up and walk around every 2 hours or so. Wearing graduated compression stockings will help blood circulation even while sitting. If you stand for long periods sit down periodically. If you lie down elevate your legs above the level of your heart whenever possible.

When circulation in your legs is kept healthy, you will not only look great on the outside, you will glow on the inside as well. Remember, take good care of your legs and it will take great care of you.

So men ... start wearing support pantyhose (female or male pantyhose) to maintain healthy legs. Step by step, we can change the society's perception that pantyhose are only for women (who in recent years, hates to wear pantyhose).

Varicose Veins: The Cause and Prevention.

Those blue bulging veins which protrude from the skin, usually on the legs and thighs are called varicose veins. Spider veins look like short, fine lines, "starburst" clusters, or a web-like maze. Spider veins usually appear on the face, thighs, ankles, and feet. While all of the causes of varicose and spider veins are not understood.

The basic problem is that veins usually in the lower part of the body become engorged when blood does not circulate properly. The absence or weakness of valves in the veins, which prevent the backward flow of blood away from the heart, may cause poor circulation. In other cases, weaknesses in the vein walls may cause the pooling of the blood.

Varicose veins are more common in women, though men can also develop them. You may feel better if you avoid standing/sitting for long periods of time. Try to stay off your feet as much as possible and sit with your legs raised. Taking regular walks, and resting with your feet elevated, may improve circulation and reduce symptoms.

Wearing support hose is a good way to provide support for the veins. If you have them, put them in the morning upon rising before blood and fluid have pooled in your feet and ankles.

Varicose and spider veins are usually just annoying, and don't have to be treated unless you are bothered by your appearance, or the symptoms associated with them.

A day in my support pantyhose

Went to the Singapore Garden Fest at Suntec Convention Hall today. Spent the entire afternoon walking around the exhibition halls . Luckily I was well prepared, or else my legs would be aching while I typed this post.

I was in jeans and polo t-shirt, but I had my support pantyhose on my legs. This support pantyhose has good firm compression and are very smooth, so they glide over the jeans easily. My legs never felt more energetic in the support pantyhose.

The floral exhibits were very well done. There was one by the Singapore Floral Association, I think. It was a very innovative display. It depicted an underwater world with careful use of bubbles and the ceiling of flowing water. Very nice. By simply looking at that display, one could feel that you are actually under water looking at the underwater city.

Leg Health and Pantyhose

All of us probably know that long hours of standing or sitting can result in leg fatigue, leg aches and in the long term will lead to having vericose veins and other leg/vein related problems.

It is also said that support pantyhose can assist in blood circulation in legs and helps to relieve leg fatigue due to better blood circulation.

My job is desk bound and that means long hours of sitting at the desk ... and I tell you .. my legs do ache at the end of the day sometimes. Did not know what to do about it until doctor advise me to wear support pantyhose/socks.

At first, i thought ... men in pantyhose??? But thought I gave it a try ... Initially, it does feel uncomfortable, but after a few days ... it does feel quite comfortable, if the size is right. My legs do feel less tired and less aching with the support pantyhose.

Since then, I have been wearing pantyhose under my work pants. Been 2 years already. Will keep wearing them.