Spring in South Carolina- it’s about a week- a brief snap between ‘should I fasten my coat?’ and ‘Ladies don’t get butt sweat’. It doesn’t leave much time for adjustment. This year it’s happened at least twice already. The local trashy things don’t know whether to wear camo or a tank top- all the back and forth temperature is very confusing. Now add a self-imposed fabric buying ban and a few put-off remodel chores and you get one Anne off her game.
I’ve done that ‘sewing you’ll never see’ thing. Tops I had cut out and are now boring me. I’ve gotten so ‘tunic/leggings-centric’ that I can’t envision what summer means to me work clotheswise. I’m realizing I’m not a dirndl girl- sorry Mr B- I can’t be your brew pub staff in your dream brewery!
I don’t feel sundressy. I still feel tunicy! You know I’m drawn toward the flowing feel of gorgeous Eastern design. But how do I keep from looking a little costumy on me? I am not an exotic flower!
I don’t think I can sit like this at work, either. A good compromise?
I love this- good shape, detail, lightweight:
Ralph Lauren knows classy- maybe I can get a border print to Annie this up a bit….a few weeks ago I wore one color and one of our guest ambassadors stopped me and asked if I knew I was only wearing solid grey. Like she thought I was experiencing an alien takeover!
Ok, how about this Zandra Rhodes? Too much for work? I know Lagenlook is too much for me- too many layers drapped on this dainty barrel. But this has flow, scarf edging, funky details-
I’m dithering and only keeping you awake with the pictures, I’m sure. Ok, digression time. This- I love this:
This all day with slim pants or leggings- oh, I’m happy and I think work appropriate. But it’s 9000 degrees here in summer and people will start to wonder if I had the complete works of Vonnegut tattooed on each leg and must cover it up. But in a work setting, I feel naked and not quite professional without sheer hosiery- if the skirt is above my calves. Even tho I’m surrounded by people doing it all day long. But not my leadership group- who aren’t older than I am, but still…..this dress feels like it needs a little more coverage for me to be comfortable hopping up and down in meetings, visiting offices, whatever it is I do all day. I may be alone here, but let me say- I’m not constantly judging the hosiery-less. I’m envying them their freedom.
But when I try a shorter skirt without it- I feel NAKED!!!!
Fun blog post So what say Ladies? Where do you fall in the hosiery fight? Do you curb your style to your environment? What about the heat? Do you bother?
photo credits: pattern review, style.com, pinterest,google images. All images remain the property of their original owner.
Pretty Grievances 
Have you considered capri-length leggings? Maybe that’s all you need!
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Can I Capri in a business setting?
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I like no hose but I love tights in fall and winter. And I love those tunics too!
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What’s the shortest you’re cozy with hoseless?
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I agree about the hose-less-ness. I can’t stand the veiny goose flesh look on others, either. I’ve been seeing “sheer tights” on some of the young things lately, so I’ve dragged out my own and am loving being warm and covered again.
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Sometimes my inner granny thinks some women in my office are headed for a bbq- not a meeting!
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I detest hose – I begrudgingly had to wear them until my petition for linen pants came through… I love a midi or maxi skirt but yes, mini’s, or more than 1-2″ above the knee need tights/below knee leggings – I do hear your pain!
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Add being pale year round and the drama of finding a color that matches my pasty limbs- oy!
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I admit I prefer wearing hose unless it’s the height of the summer and I’m spending a lot of time outside. AC is stupidly cranked to subfreezing temperatures in public and office buildings and I spend most of the time inside during the summer months. I laugh at all the women who detest hose but then buy Spanx, which are just hose without the legs.
Capri leggings (like Gillian suggested) might be perfect for you. I know lots of women who wear the drapey summer look and they wear loose cotton tunics with capri leggings. Those same women also wear midi or just below-the-knee drapey skirts in the summer and look very cool and feminine.
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Maybe I can ease into it with a gaucho??
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Anne, how do you feel about knit tunics? I just posted about Marcy Tilton’s Vogue 9057. It’s an asymmetric tunic, which I lengthened 3 inches so it’s almost dress like (but had a side slit). The pattern has several options. I love tunics myself.
Re: pantyhose. Well here in Tampa, we are your sister city wrt the heat and humidity in summer, which has already begun. I’m old school, I guess, and I can’t go bare legged in a professional setting. Besides, we could have a ‘Whose legs are paler’ contest. Can’t say I like hose in the summer, but I love comfy tights in the winter, as long as they don’t bind at the waist! I will go bare legged in a casual skirt/dress in a casual, non-professional setting. This is Florida, after all, home of the dressy flip-flop. Looking forward to seeing what you make. The blue tunic over pants is really pretty. That would be nice with the pants made out of rayon, which I find very breathable in the summer.
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We are talk in’ the same talk- we have the dress shower shoe too! Knit yes- I will be eyeing your tunic with great thoughtfulness!
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Summer hose, oh yeah. I have to wear a formal suit to work on many days and am well acquainted with the torture of humidity + pantyhose, but there are a few options. Years ago I tried some of those self-hold up stockings. They work great until the silicone dies – as one leg once did while I was riding the subway to work. I walked the few blocks to work kind of slouched over to one side and holding on through one side of my skirt. Being NY, probably no one noticed. This year I’m going to give it a go again with a garter belt. I’m even thinking about making a new one out of something breathable. As for the potential chafing issue – that Bandaid anti-blister stuff works great. For hose-less days, bike shorts are also an option. It sort of reminds me of elementary school, when girls (me) would wear shorts under their skirts so the boys could not lear at their underwear during recess jump roping…
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I am a big fan of the bike shorts under tunics and dresses to keep the ‘chub rub’ at bay!
I lost the elastic on a pair of tights I was wearing with knee high boots and that’s as far as they got- I scuttled Geisha style between cars all across the work parking lot!
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I’m curious to see what solution you come up with! Lots of inspiration photos and cool tips above. I have nothing useful to add, between living in New England and not having pasty skin…;-p
As far as hose goes up here, bare legs are the norm in the summer for women of all ages, sizes, colors. Some do wear Capri leggings under tunics and dresses, but oh! That’s got to be sweltering. I wear bicycle shorts under my skirts/dresses to combat chub rub, but this year I’m determined to find a fabric-less solution. Bare legs are divine!
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Ebi love, the south is a curious place- Very judgy and slow to embrace anything different. We aren’t in the ‘cool’ south!
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The ones that go without hose in our office tan in the sun or in tanning booths – I don’t like doing either. So unless it is really warm, I like hose or Capric length leggings under a tunic top… Or Capric pants/trousers. No offence to anyone… But I wouldn’t have wanted to be his tattoo artist… And no offence to anyone…. But What muscles !
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He’s worth a look, isn’t he!
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Was about to direct you to the Marcy Titlon Vogue pattern too…… http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v9108-products-49846.php?page_id=174
I’ve just ordered it. For me, it’s opaque tights all the way to mid May, then fake tan legs and summer boots! Naked legs in summer will only ever be worn with maxi skirts or at best, below knee.
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I’m seated so much- I hate all the positioning of skirt to cover bits- I need protection!
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Hate to wear hose…. the only reason I EVER do it is for the control top part. When I was in Ohio, wearing hose was and everyday thing, but moving down here, the humidity just makes wearing hose on a hot day and experiment in torture…
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That run from the car to the Ivey building is awful!?
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I have always prefered hose. I like Hanes sheer support because it looks great and will help protect against vein problems. Hose are the legs make-up.
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Yes! I feel complete and polished with hosiery on. Sadly…..
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Some lovely items there. I think that blue and orange option is great. I don’t do hosiery. I let my lilly white legs out and open to the public…….. oops…….. that didn’t sound quite right. Let’s just say I don’t do hose.
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Oh Beajay- you made my day!!
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I don’t like wearing pantihose in summer, BUT I also don’t want to show *too much* bare leg (or bare anything!) in the office – bare shins and knees is about my limit :). My office is pretty conservative, but I think maybe that tunic +pants look would pass muster… It’s stylish but it’s also covered up! Are you going to give this style a go for work?
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I am definitely going to try it- hoping if I keep my fabric choices subtle it won’t look too off the wall!
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I wear cropped or capri pants when it’s hot. My hose never last and I don’t like wearing them.
But I don’t bring home a paycheck anymore either.
Dealing with the chub rub makes it hard for me to wear dresses or skirts. And summer humidity makes leggings out-of-the-question.
Thanks for another great post. And the comments were good too!
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I must be part Panther- I tear up my hose almost immediately!? Such a money pit and you can’t find the selection you used to in the past. So annoying!
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Tights for me: I like the ultra sheer ones that Boots make. I’m also uber pale and don’t do tanning, but these have a very subtle amount of shine that looks like bare legs but much nicer. I only go bare legged out of work, or with maxi dresses. Some of those tunics are seriously glam!
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Want to go Bollywood with me??
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I already do! I worked for 12 years in an area that absolutely teems with gorgeous sari shops, and they sell their tunics CHEAP. I can also easily buy all those lovely pre-embroidered neckline decorations. Yay!
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Lucky Ducky!!
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Tunics whether exotic or calm should/could be so beautiful that no one would notice your legs covered or bare. I love them all as I spend every day on the floor and Lord knows what that would expose without cropped leggings. Anything below the knees is bare, and like BeaJay, my legs are open to the public as I straddle the platform pinning up bridal hems…sorry BeaJay…I just had to laugh! The black and red examples are work-suitable and with some killer jewelry or a scarf, the focus should/could be on your face. They should be used to your quirky ways of dressing by now!
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Capri leggins and tunic sounds good if the dress code permits. This is the number one modern dress problem. FBA, Apple, Pear, Chicken Wings, – all are surmountable. Sorting out what goes on below the hemline, that’s real headache.
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I almost always wear good old-fashioned pantyhose in the summer. I don’t like bare legs at work, even though I work in a very laissez-faire work environment where nobody would care. But I get the feeling naked thing! If I have a skirt that is knee length or longer I might wear bare legs but always with the bike short solution 😉 I’m so glad I can now say ‘well, Kate Middleton wears them’ to anyone who mocks me!
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We are approved by the royal firm!
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Why not pants? There are several fabrics that would make for nice cool slacks that cover while not being pantyhose. I personally can’t stand pantyhose–just looking at them I shred them. And they’re kind of itchy.
The capri length leggings might also be a good choice, but I’ve found that when it’s hot and sticky–and believe me, it gets hot and sticky here!–wovens are cooler than knits. I’ve heard great things about linen, maybe you could give that a try?
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Summer months are awkward since it’s freezing in the office and train. I’m in the blindingly pale leg camp so have to be in a very positive mood to bare my legs so I wear a lot of pants in the summer. I love the tuic/leggings look but the leggings would feel too hot and clingy in the summer. I wore nude hose ages ago but would get laughed out of the office now.
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I’m fortunate that the leadership in my department wears hosiery- so I dress adult for meetings and tunics for everyday. Hospital dress codes can be weird!
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having been blessed with inner thunder-thighs, i have found badelettes to be my saving grace in the heat of the summer. as they only cover the inner-thighs, i don’t have the oppression of full hosiery, or the ick of one extra line at the waist. i also go with capri-length leggings a lot – i think you can keep them professional looking with attention to your fabric choices and shoes/accessories. what do you think about lightweight lineny trousers? they could work with a loose tunic as well (like those lovely ones you posted above), as long as the proportions jive.
and ps, i’m not affiliated with bandelettes in any way!
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Are you sure? Wasn’t Bandelette your maiden name???
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actually, my title was lady bandelette of wessex, but i left it all behind when i shacked up with a handsome prawn fisherman.
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I knew you looked familiar!!
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What are bandelettes??!!
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picture just the inner-thigh covering part of bike shorts, or kind of like the top of stay-up hosiery. they’re stretchy lace with semi-sticky bands to help hold them in place. you could diy a pair if you could access the ‘stay-put’ stuff.
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I love your inspiration photos, especially the blue tunic and the green dress. (Or is that a tunic too? For me it would be a tunic.)
I haven’t worn pantyhose for anything but weddings and funerals in over 20 years. When I first started not wearing them I felt like I was doing something really bad and rebellious. It took me a long time to realize that everyone else was rebelling at the same time.
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A group rebellion is so much easier to manage!
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If the skirt is knee-length or shorter I’m not comfortable going hoseless in the office either! Strange maybe for my generation, but there it is.
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We are just genteel throwbacks, I guess!
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I LOVE that last green dress. In fact I just bought a mccalls pattern to try and make one with that silhouette. But I have the same leg issue. I have a hard time going bare legged when skirts are more than just above the knee. My issue is my lovely spider veins (hereditary! Thanks a lot, mom). Sometimes I just say screw it, but in a work setting I’m self conscious. I like the idea of Capri leggings, I think? I’m not sure. I’d like to see it work first.
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And you know where we live there comes a point where you absolutely cannot wear skinny jeans anymore! That would be my solution if it didn’t get so damn hot here.
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LOL! Our spring has been all sorts of schizophrenic here… one day we are flirting with full blown summer weather, the next, it’s wool socks and ten layers and put that fireplace on! I recently packed up my winter clothes and shoes, just for the weather to turn into freezing rain and downpour the very next day 😛
I’m really loving this new inspiration style twist of yours on the beloved tunic; me, I would go full on all-black Ralph Lauren, but i shudder to think what kind of embolism you would suffer if you tried that! ^_^
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I think we’ve settled into too hot now- I sure hope- my winter stuff is in its tubs getting offseason wrinkles!?
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