Where was the idea of women wearing pantyhose developed from?

Answer 1

I don't know WHY it happened but I am sure it is derived from tights worn by women in colder climates with skirts and dresses. Originally tights were worn by men when horse back riding. Here is a bit of history on pantyhose and then tights:

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blpantyhose.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tights

Object pantyhose are a gender issue. It is something that has moved from one gender to another and made appropriate at one time for men, and not women, and now appropriate for women and not men. Though many male athletes wear spandex or similar wear for athletics, this athletic wear has transcended to a feminine symbol.

Answer 2

In the 1920s the fashionable hemline for women's skirts and dresses began to rise enough to show a woman's legs and sheer hosiery that covered the legs was only available as stockings. They were typically made of silk or artificial silk (now known as rayon), and after 1939 with nylon.

In 1959, Allen Gant Sr. of Glen Raven Mills introduced pantyhose. Stocking manufacturers began using circular knitting machines to reduce manual labor and create seam-free stockings. In 1965, Glen Raven Mills introduced a seam-free version of pantyhose, which coincided with the introduction of the miniskirt. The miniskirt made it unfashionable to show the tops of a woman's stockings, and by the end of the decade pantyhose had replaced stockings almost entirely. This also contributed to a marked shift in foundation undergarment sales: younger women stopped buying girdles around this time. In the same period hosiery started adding spandex or elastane to give it stretch superior to crimping nylon. Glen Raven Mills still operates in North Carolina, U.S. as Glen Raven Inc.

Starting sometime in the 90s, pantyhose went almost completely out of fashion. Until recently, women, in general no longer wore pantyhose unless it was mandated by dress code, typically found at corporate companies and executive level. An exception to this was the wearing of special pantyhose such as fishnet or various pattern types, but this was a rather rare occurrence.

However, in the mid 1900s of this century pantyhose have been appearing once again in fashion and public, indicating the reoccurring cycle of couture once again is bringing the leg covering back into vogue. With the return to Paris runways and Haute Couture it should only be a matter of time before pantyhose makes a mainstream resurgence.

Answer 3

I HATED having to wear a garter belt and stockings when I first started wearing "nylons" many years ago. I could never fasten them properly, and I always had a stocking falling down. And the garter belts always smelled like rotten rubber, no matter how often you washed them. I sang publicly then, and prayed to God that they wouldn't fall down on stage. When I could finally find pantyhose ("tights") in my regular department store, I was so happy I almost cried. And then I prayed to God that the pantyhose wouldn't fall down when I walked on stage. It's always something.

Answer 4

For a start, it was easier than looking for two separate stockings. It also was a way of holding them up, rather than having garters, suspender belts etc. It was more practical, than a fashion statement.

Answer 5

to get rid of old fashioned girdles or garter belts to hold up nylon stockings. It was a great freedom for women back in the 60s

Answer 6

Before woman started cooking their skin in tanning booths, they wore pantyhose.

Answer 7

It must have been a gynecologist-it's a primary cause of yeast infections, from my past experience.

Answer 8

the dark ages with a chasity belt

Answer 9

good question

Answer 10

panty-hoes
combine them together, and u have something more classy :)