The Girl's Guide
Issue 98: Pantyhose Traumatic Stress Disorder
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In Praise of Pantyhose
To wear pantyhose or not to wear pantyhose? That is the question posed to us women as the temperatures drop. I’ve received a fair bit of opinions and questions about pantyhose since starting The Girl’s Guide. Who knew nylons could be so polarizing?
Now, I have had just as many pantyhose snafus as the next girl. Have you ever had your stockings rip while you’re running late to a party? I call that Pantyhose Traumatic Stress Disorder. The situation gets even worse if you’ve neglected to shave your legs for a while.
Despite all of this, I’m still #TeamPantyhose. I think the right pair of hose is the perfect finishing touch for a dress or skirt in the winter – emphasis on right. Not all pantyhose is created equal. That’s why I recently tested out a pair from Sheertex, a brand that claims to create rip-resistant hose. I wore Sheertex’s Control Top Sheer Rip-Resist Tights in black all day on Wednesday. I didn’t take it easy on my tights – I ran multiple errands with baby in tow and ended up wearing my tights till almost 10 p.m. with no snags and no discomfort.
Is Sheertex worth the high price point? The tights I have are normally $89, but they are discounted to $35 right now for Black Friday (that’s a big discount!). It’s hard to want to spend that much money on a pair of tights, but if you’re spending $6 on a pair of hose you only wear once, that adds up, too. Sheertex even claims their tights can be put in the dryer on low heat, but I have yet to try that out. I also love that they have maternity options.
So far, I’m optimistic my Sheertex tights will be worth the investment, and I’ll be sure to report back if they’re not. This post is definitely not sponsored by Sheertex… even though it’d be a lot cooler if they did. So here’s a little bit more on the history of pantyhose and some more brands you may want to check out.
I was very surprised to learn that pantyhose was first made in 1959 in my native state of North Carolina. Nylon stockings were nothing new, but women used garter belts or girdles to keep them up. Allen Gant Sr., head of textile company Glen Raven Mills, and his wife Ethel Boone Gant got the idea for pantyhose when she found her garter belt uncomfortable and difficult to manage while pregnant, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
Pantyhose were considered liberating when they first came to market as young women no longer had to wear long skirts like their mothers. Ironically, pantyhose is considered stuffy and old-fashioned now. I think people hate on pantyhose partly because they don’t always register when a women is wearing it. A good pair of hose shouldn’t stand out (unless you want it to). After all, would you guess that Beyoncé wears as many as four pairs of tights when she performs? I bet not.
And Bey’s brand of choice, Capezio, is surprisingly affordable. (You may remember Capezio for its tap shoes if you took dance classes when you were younger.) Many of the brand’s tights start at under $20. And if you’re looking for something more avant garde, you may be interested in The Tight Spot, a UK-based company that delivers internationally.
A good pair of nude pantyhose shouldn’t make your legs look dull and matte, which some drugstore pantyhose are prone to do. When my legs are pale and blotchy in the winter, I always feel more confident in hose with a bit of shine to them. That’s a style secret that Kate Middleton certainly knows. She’s a big fan of iconic hosiery brand Wolford, but she’s also been known to wear extremely inexpensive pantyhose with gel grips on the soles so she doesn’t slip out of her shoes, according to People.
That leads me to another reason I swear by pantyhose – you’re much less likely to get blisters from your high heels when you have that added layer of protection.
So there you have it — the reasons to revisit pantyhose this winter. Don’t let me catch you bare-legged at a Christmas party!
Interview with Reagan Reese
In today’s newsletter, I’m excited to share advice from Reagan Reese, who is currently White House correspondent for The Daily Caller. Connect with Reagan on Twitter and Instagram.
What do you love about your neighborhood?
I live in a townhouse on Capitol Hill with four friends from Hillsdale College. Our home is just a few blocks from the Capitol and a short walk from Eastern Market and Hillsdale’s DC campus. Our home, which is 100 years old, has lots of character, including tiled fireplaces and antique moldings. We have a small front yard for grilling and bonfires. The space allows us to have our friends over for dinners, barbeques, evening drinks and afternoon tea. Last fall, we invited friends over for a literature exchange. Everyone brought their favorite book and either a bottle of wine or dessert to share. A friend brought a saxophone while another played our piano and sang throughout the evening to entertain guests. We served a fall cocktail and some hors d'oeuvres before toasting to good company and swapping books.
What does your life look like right now?
About two months ago I took over as the White House correspondent for the Daily Caller, so I am still in a bit of a transition period in my life as I try navigate the new job. I begin my day by checking President Biden’s schedule and then determining my day around his plans, like whether I’ll visit the White House campus for a press briefing, which stories I’ll write, and what phone calls I’ll schedule. After work, I typically try to hit the gym if I am not heading to company karaoke, meeting up with some friends for happy hour, or on a date night with my boyfriend.
What's the biggest lesson you've learned about friendship during your time in DC?
It’s good to make new friends. After graduating college, I didn’t see myself really making friends in the city outside of those I already knew (lots of Hillsdale alumni around D.C.) But I quickly realized that wasn’t the case and I’ve been blessed to meet so many new people that have made DC a place I never want to leave.
I’ve also learned that time really has nothing on true friends. My best friends from college all live near each other in the Midwest which has made it easy for them to see meet up with each other. Being pretty far away and working a busy job left me without seeing my best friends for an entire year (and honestly with a little bit of FOMO when they get to meet up together.) In September, I went up to Michigan to reunite with them and I got a little nervous things wouldn’t be the same even though they were the people I still felt the closest with, despite not being able to talk every often. But after the first hug, it felt as if we had been together just the day before.
What are your can’t-miss DC activities?
My cannot-miss activities and places within Washington, D.C., are the Military Bands Capitol Summer Concert Series, laying flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, breakfast at Jimmy T’s, a University of Maryland baseball game, an evening at Georgetown Piano Bar, and a monthly meetup with friends at Shelly’s Cigar Bar.
What's your advice to a college student who wants to become a reporter?
I asked Mollie Hemingway this exact question while we were filming a video for Hillsdale College. I was a senior in college and was dead set on landing a job at a national outlet in DC upon graduation. Mollie reminded me to not worry about making a “huge splash” right away, to instead focus on doing good, quality work. To focus on mastering the writing, to master being on TV and to get a feel for everything before going for that “huge splash.” Journalism is a fast industry. It’s competitive, it’s hard, it’s easy to feel like you need to be doing more or aren’t breaking big enough stories. So I often remind myself of this, and new college grads looking to enter the field should too. Everything in due time.
The Haps
There’s a New Speaker in Town
If you hadn’t heard of Congressman Mike Johnson before last week, you’ve probably heard of him now. Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, was just elected Speaker of the House. He spoke with friend of the ‘stack Mary Margaret Olohan about his Christian faith and other topics in an exclusive interview — read it here.
Here are more links to what I’m reading and watching this week:
Ladies in Lavender: I enjoyed this short story by William J. Locke after watching the film adaptation starring Maggie Smith and Judi Dench.
The Millionaire Slut Apologists: Hit podcast Call Her Daddy made bank off of lost young women, Patricia Patnode writes in The American Mind.
Why Meta is getting sued over its beauty filters: What’s the harm in letting teen girls loose on a platform where unreal beauty is commonplace?
Homeschooling Is Cool Now, China Takes Pandas Back, and AI Fears: Problematic Women features a very special guest — a 7-year-old homeschooler! My family started homeschooling when I was the same age.
Joe Biden Grew More Worried About AI After Watching ‘Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning,’ Says White House Deputy: From Hollywood script to executive order in three easy steps.
Now and Then - The Last Beatles Song (Short Film): Stop everything you’re doing and watch this.
Trick or Treat!
Welcome back to the official Girl’s Guide Halloween Costume contest, where everyone’s a winner. Thanks to everyone who sent in photos!
Very insightful, especially for those of us who still wear pantyhose regularly to work and other functions. It's always nice when you find a good brand of pantyhose that withstands multiple wears and spares the headache of constantly having to put on a new pair after snags and runs. They may not be as popular as they were in the previous decades, but a good pair of pantyhose really completes the look in such a refined way.
I'll also say wearing slips underneath skirts and dresses are quite an asset when wearing pantyhose. I have a collection of white half and full slips in different lengths that do wonders in preventing skirts and dresses from clinging to the legs when pantyhose are worn. A lot of times, the lining built in some skirts just doesn't cut so I always wear a slip underneath regardless.