"The thing I cannot believe is so overlooked for women's fashions is the legs, and I am talking about hose and heels, I never feel an outfit is 100% complete until my legs look as special as the outfit I am putting on, and I am surprised how many women I see totally over look this".
Synopsis:
Casual/Career or Formal, all of the different outfits I wear from time to time not only are put together from a wardrobe perspective, but not long after I pull a blouse, skirt, or dress out of the closet, my mind is already thinking about hosiery and heels!.
I work in an office with a strict dress code, no pants/slacks period!, dresses or skirts are only accepted, and with a $100 a month clothing allowance, I only buy the sheerest hosiery.
I have the reputation in the office as "Miss High Heels", as the shortest heel I wear to the office is 3", and from time to time, 4", but only when I really want to show off my legs.
Choosing the Colour of Hose:
Usually the selection on colour of the hosiery comes first, either nude, black, and on an occasion white, and all at most 15 denier in sheerness, or below. My outfit determines the colour, but for "career formal", it is mostly black, when I want to "dress down", and if you can call wearing a skirt "dressing down", I will go with nude.
Chossing the Style of Hosiery:
A garter belt and stockings or pantyhose?, this is usually a last minute thing, depending on my mood, the length of my skirt and how I feel for the day. I enjoy wearing a garter belt and stockings, so much more comfortable in the crotch area especially in the summer, but not appropriate for my little career miniskirts. So, if the mood strikes me right, and my skirt length is just above knee length or longer, I usually wear a garter belt and stockings.
Chossing the Heel Height:
This is also a last minute thing, depending on my mood, the length of my skirt and how I feel for the day. Usually, my 4" black patent leather heels, from Classic Pumps get used on days when I have on "career sexy", you know, the short skirt peaking out from under the jacket, or when I want to make a splash at the office, they are great and I wear them my whole 9 hour workday!.
For shopping, or when I want a little more conservative of a look, I will wear my 3 1/2" leather heels from Classic Pumps.
Choosing the Colour of Hose:
Formal fashions, allows for more flexibility in colour and style, so instead of the standard black and nude; white, pink, and patterned hoisery can be considered. I prefer sheer black hose for most holiday functions, as they match the sexy velvet dresses I like to wear. The summer and spring allow for pretty sheer white hose.
Choosing the Style of Hosiery:
This is wear the fun begins, as mostly all of my formal fashions can be worn with a garter belt and stockings. I love to slip on a garter belt and stockings, meeting my spouse after getting dressed, I never let her see what I put on as far as hoisery, and challenge her to find out during the course of the evening.
It gets even more fun, as with some of my formal dresses just barely cover the stockings, and when I sit down, I make sure that my skirt rides up a little and watch as people, especially men oggle at the tops of my stockings peaking out!.
Chossing the Heel Style:
The choosing of the style is one of the most difficult choices and cannot be really decided until the complete ensamble has been decided on, ie., jewelry, hose, dress, etc. The strappy style of heels can "overdress" the most elegant evening gown, and if worn with too casual of an outfit can look WAY out of place, so choosing them over a standard 3" or 4" pump is a tricky decision. My favorite Strappy heels of course come from Classic Pumps and my spouse loves them as well, comfotable as well as sexy, they really do the trick.
Chossing the Heel Height:
My collection of formal heels is probably my largest, it includes silver sparkly heels, white pumps, red pumps, black suede heels, strappy white sandles, regular black leather heels, and of course 4" black patent leather heels, from Classic Pumps. The one thing they all have in common is that they are 4" in height!.
The dress and hoisery will determine which shoes are chosen, but one thing is for sure, for formal outings, I never wear anything less than a 4" heel, and yes, I CAN dance in them!, at least for a few faster songs, and of course slow songs.
Choosing the Shoes and Colour of Hose:
When it comes to choosing shoes and hosiery for the wedding, as a bridesmaid, you are mostly at the mercy of the bride. But to be honest with you, even though I have had to get tons of satin heels, I still love the way they match the dress and look in the pictures afterwards.
As far as height goes, well with my petite height, I usually get my way and end up with 3" dyed satin pumps, but on occasion have settled for lower "princess" style heels.
Hosiery is typically nude nylons, all matching for the girls, but on occasion, I have been in a few bridal parties were the bride had a sense of humor and we have had some fun, and worn a garter belt and stockings, and even on one occasion, we all were very "pretty and proper", and underneath wore some rather erotic lingerie and stockings.
I think I will never understand the "rule" that was made by someone, most likely a shoe manufacturer that states:
When the first long weekend in the Month of May hits, all women must change their shoes and purses to white; when the long weekend in the Month of September comes, all women must put away their white shoes and purses and change to black".
Well I do change my shoe colour around that time, but not that percise. I guess the only way around it is what I do, I have found that "Winter White" seems to be a colour acceptable for spring and Fall wear, and works out well. Although there is nothing like walking into the office on a hot summer day though with a crisp white pair of 3 1/2" heels.
Don't get me wrong, I love my 3 1/2" and 4" heels, they are so comfortable, even after a whole day shopping at my favorite Mall, but if I meet my spouse for dinner after shopping, the following pictures represent what goes on under the table (well almost, depends on how she feels, nylon to nylon can be rather exciting :)
I guess it is more of a habit, slipping your feet in and out of your heels, the nylons make it easy and if you get really good, dangling them becomes easy, and you know you are good when you can quickly drop your heel and stand all in one motion, and yes I certianly can!.
What could be sexier under a lovely babydoll set like this but silky hosiery, a lacy black garter belt and 3 1/2" black patent heels.
Drop me a line with your thoughts, questions, and comments.
I would like to thank the following to make this page possible:
My special friend and EXCELLENT photographer, Rose, thanks! (once again)
Of course my friends Barb and Walt at Classic Pumps