The Clothing Chronicles March 23, 2006, #219 FashionForRealWomen.com ================================================ In This Issue: Message From Diana Feature Article: To Wear or Not to Wear Hosiery ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> MESSAGE FROM DIANA I'm so glad you all are enjoying ACCESSORY MAGIC! The feedback has been phenomenal, and makes all the challenges I went through to get it to you all worthwhile. Thanks again for all your kind notes. Kind of makes me think I should be putting out new ebooks more frequently than every once in a great while ... So what's on tap for today's article? One of the biggest points of contention around these days besides the low-rise waist: to wear or not to wear hosiery. Enjoy! Diana diana@fashionforrealwomen.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Instant Thank You Letters Have some "thank you" notes you need to write but keep putting off? Wish you knew exactly what to say WHENEVER a thank you note is required, for stuff like wedding gifts, business gifts, or other such times? Then take a look at "Instant Thank You Letters," where you'll find a "thank you" template for every occasion. From baby shower gifts or support during an illness to job interviews and trade show appearances, you need never face a blank note card again. "Instant Thank You Letters" - it's like having your own personal secretary! http://www.dianaprefers.com/books/thankyou.html   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> FEATURE ARTICLE To Wear or Not to Wear Hosiery Should you or shouldn't you wear hosiery? It's a question that hits my inbox a lot from readers all over the world. They see women "going bare" in magazines and on the red carpet, but when they try to carry the trend over into their everyday lives, they run into pesky things like cold weather and disapproving bosses. Or, as Kathleen from Ontario, Canada wrote me recently, "I was told by my 20-something co-workers that pantyhose are old lady-ish! I thought I was really out of touch." So what's the story? Should you - or shouldn't you - wear hosiery? It depends. Basically, it boils down to a very simple concept: The more clothes you wear, the more formal the situation. The less clothes you wear, the less formal the situation. Want a polished power look that's all business? Wear hosiery. Want to let your hair down at a summer barbecue with your friends? Go bare. It really depends on the situation, as I said. Oh, and how great your legs are, of course. Neiman Marcus LaRedoute Business suit with hosiery Summer dress without hosiery Now I know many fashionistas who would argue this. Since the trend right now is to go bare, they'll go bare and suffer for fashion. That's their prerogative. But frankly, hosiery has a lot of benefits that have been overlooked in this whole "dare to go bare" campaign, including: It can make your legs look better by hiding imperfections Control-top hose can make your tummy look flatter and your bottom look firmer It can wick away perspiration on your feet, extending the life of your shoes and making your feet smell less It can pull together elements of your clothes to give you a polished, finished ensemble It can help keep you warm The last two reasons popped into my mind this week when I encountered two 20-something fashion devotees in different situations. The first encounter was on Saturday night when my husband and I went out to dinner. While waiting a few minutes for a table to be cleared, we were joined in the waiting line by three college students, one of whom was dressed in a hoodie, tee shirt, knee-length skirt, and sandals. Oh yeah - it was about 32° F degrees outside (0° C degrees). The girl kept jumping from foot to foot, trying to warm herself. Later, sitting at a table near ours, she ordered hot tea and complained that she just couldn't seem to get warm. Gee! What a mystery! The second occurred Monday afternoon when a chic brunette happened by my window. The young woman had her hair pulled back into a slick bun and her eyes were tucked behind a stylish pair of shades. She was also wearing a dark wool pea coat with a red muffler, a black wool pencil skirt, black vertically striped hose, and little black ankle boots. Even though ankle boots with skirts are usually hard to pull off, this gal nailed it with her hosiery. In fact, she looked divine. I wish I'd had my camera handy. So what's the lesson here? Don't blindly follow trends, particularly if they make you feel uncomfortable. While going bare may make sense for you, it's clearly not a trend for everyone - nor is it appropriate year 'round, unless you live in a warm climate. If it's hot outside and you're headed to a casual gathering, skip the hose if you want. If it's cold outside or you're headed to a situation where polish counts, wear hosiery. Stockings have been around since the 300's (A.D.) in various forms and will likely be around a few more centuries. So take this latest "go bare" trend for what it is and do what makes the most sense for you. When will it end? Since a quick glance at the fall runways shows lots of hosiery in various flavors (sheer, opaque, pattered), my guess is this fall. As with all trends, only time will tell ... Need some other tips when and how to wear hosiery? Download a copy of ACCESSORY MAGIC to see how easily you can use accessories to define your style and stretch your budget. http://www.accessorymagic.com ************** Until next time, Diana Pemberton-Sikes diana@fashionforrealwomen.com http://www.FashionForRealWomen.com http://www.FashionSavvy.com http://www.WardrobeMagic.com http://www.FashionJobReview.com ------------------------ Published by: Top Drawer Publications, LLC 256 S. College Ave. Newark, DE 19711 USA Copyright © 2006 by Diana Pemberton-Sikes All rights reserved. Want to get your wardrobe together in a flash? Try our best-selling ebook,  Wardrobe Magic Archives index   Terms of Use | Privacy Policy © 2006 Top Drawer Publications, LLC All rights reserved. 256 S. College Avenue • Newark, DE 19711 Phone/Fax 302-266-0156 • Email: sales@topdrawerpublications.com