Nylon pantyhose became the miracle garment for women when it first appeared on pharmacy and hosiery store shelves. Imagine wearing stockings that provide you warmth and firm up your legs, without having to hide behind the thick layer of silk or cotton socks. Nylons were the answer to droopy hosiery as it conformed easily to body shape and stayed up regardless of how many washings you give it.
Sheer pantyhose regarded one with a sense of freedom despite the coverage it offered. Though it covered up most skin blemishes, there are still other imperfections that were not completely covered up by sheer pantyhose. Fashion, being under constant change to bring out the best in every woman, eventually brought about the invention of opaque pantyhose, which more or less camouflaged the problem areas that sheer nylons were unable to hide.
Features of an opaque pantyhose
The opaque pantyhose is generally made of thicker fabric, and depending on the denier scale of the fabric used in a pair, would show more or less of the legs. A pantyhose that is only a tad darker or thicker than the regular sheers or nylons is generally seen as flattering for women. Especially full-figured women benefit from this as the dark coloring gives the legs a slimmer look. These slightly darker nylons have a certain opacity in the scale of 30 deniers.
As the denier scale of the fabric goes up, the opacity of a pantyhose would be stronger. A pantyhose with a denier above 40 is considerably darker than ones that are worn for dress and are already considered as tights that serve more functional purposes aside from being accessories for aesthetics.
People who wear tights or opaque pantyhose
Tights are usually worn by athletes as these enable them to move more easily. These allows movement during sporting events to be more streamlined, especially in sports such as gymnastics and horse-back riding or equestrian events. Tights are also the undergarments of choice for many performers such as actors and dancers. Not only do these allow seamless movement during performances, tights are also integral parts of their dress as costumes smooth over them with ease.
Opaque pantyhose as part of new fashion trends
However, current fashion is bringing opaque pantyhose and tights onto the streets. Opaque pantyhose can be worn under miniskirts to offer some bit of coverage despite the minimal fabric of the skirt. Tights and opaque pantyhose are even seen as trademark clothing features of some pop subcultures. Opaque pantyhose and tights also come in different colors and styles, and are versatile pieces that can make outifts truly stand out.
Sources:
About.com
Wikipedia
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Wikipedia