tights

Submitted by kiki on May 29, 2008 - 2:06pm
Body: 

HI all,
so i need ideas.
i survived this last year wearing nothing night around my waist but it's getting trickier.
i need to really dress up for an event, and that means hose!
i thought i'd get suspenders and thigh high tights for that, but i also have a big issue in winter.
To add to this thought, my LS means no trousers right now as seams rub, & nothing that make me too hot, but on the other hand skirts can get cold! and long johns just don't suit the professional look on the odd day i have to go there.
so i'm feeling a bit stuck. i need to not get my pelvic area too hot or too compressed, but keep my legs warm.

any wisdom?

can you get wool tights for suspender belts? i was thinking of cotton maternity tights and cutting a hole in the crotch for air, but would they even stay up w/o a bump???

look forward to thoughts...

Kiki

alemama

May 29, 2008 - 2:16pm

or if you care to shop you can find some pretty cute leggings that are LOW RISE. These nice leggings and actually they also make tights are cut to ride right above the butt crack in the back and right above the pubic bone in the front. I got a pair from target- just look for terms like low rise on the label. I wonder if you can find crotchless tights in a specialty store?

granolamom

May 29, 2008 - 4:36pm

maternity tights stay up just fine without the bump. I'm still wearing maternity hose when I need to be dressed up.
I believe I've also seen thigh-high hose that don't need suspenders, they have elastic at the top like knee-hi's

louiseds

May 30, 2008 - 12:08am

Hi Kiki

I made myself a suspender belt because I couldn't find one that fitted well enough. They all seem to be pretty skimpy in the shops and built for titillation rather than function. Mine fits well just below the waist and ties with ribbon at the back, so it is adjustable. It comes down far enough front and back for a smooth line under clothes and I have made the elastic suspenders further adjustable. I do not wear hosiery very often, but sometimes need to in winter, when bare legs are inappropriate, and it gets cold too!

I have cut pantihose off at the top of the leg, and fold the tops down to reinforce the nylon in the clasp, just like Mum used to do with her stockings. I really think pantihose are hideous things, and it is such a pain taking a pee! I prefer to stay away from stayups as I have some varicose veins in the tops of my legs and prefer not to have clothing constricting my body.

I have just discovered in the bottom of a drawer, some old cotton & lycra bike pants from the 1980's, that come halfway down my thighs. I now wear these under skirts and trousers, and I can wear them over stockings. I am sure you can still buy them, but get a generous size so they are not too tight in the crutch.

Another idea is thigh length thermals.

Hope these ideas are helpful. I am sure you will work out something.

Cheers

Louise

kiki

May 30, 2008 - 4:08pm

thanks for the suggestions.
Louise, i think you need to go into business sewing POP friendly clothes for all us non sewers!
i went looking for suspender belts today and only found rather alluring ones that were very pricey. but i will keep looking...and will pursue the maternity tights. crotchless maternity tights perhaps??? hmmm....

thanks again
kiki

mom30

May 30, 2008 - 5:22pm

I wear black tights and put cuts in the waistband all the way around so it's nice and loose but not too much. I suppose you could just cut out the crotch too.

louiseds

May 31, 2008 - 2:08am

Hi Kiki

I am too far behind with my own sewing to go into business, but I am happy to pass on what I have done so others can do it too.

It just p5$$3$ me off that the only suspenders I can buy are up to size 14. They are lovely garments, but they do not have sufficient fabric in the right places to smooth out the mountain range that is my mid-50's body. That's fashion for you!

I also remember that it used to be possible to buy pantihose that was like a suspender belt and stockings in one piece. Kinda like pantihose that had the whole crutch removed and the sides removed as well. These would certainly be more comfortable than pantihose, which I find really pull in the pubic area and between my legs, particularly if they have no placket in the crotch. No having to pull them down for a pee either!

I think your idea of cutting the crotch out of pantihose is a good one if you can stop the fabric running with superglue or nail polish, both of which might be a bit scratchy. Maybe the maternity pantihose would be better.

The other idea for warmth is a slip, which also stops your outer clothing from getting hitched up on winter tights. I also wear slips instead of knickers sometimes in summer, which might help the LS!

As an aside I have built myself a body clone, so I can try garments on it when I have to do alterations to garments I have purchased. You can search it ("body clone"). I have posted info and URLs for the instructions in a different thread.

The only problem with it is that now I do not purchase garments that do not fit perfectly any more, because there is so much unpicking needed to make them fit properly, and some are impossible because I run out of fabric in places. It is quicker and less expensive to actually make the garment from scratch, and if you have good patterns and a source of fabric the shopping component is quicker and less frustrating too. But you need to enjoy sewing and be prepared to start with easy garments, which I did when I was about 12 years old!

If I purchase garments they are usually knits because they allow full body movement and belly expansion, so that is OK.

Cheers

Louise

Clonmacnoise

May 31, 2008 - 6:09pm

Kiki,

There are stockings that grip - they have rubber stuff at the top around the thighs.

Also, have you thought about wearing a pad when wearing pants? The pad really allows the crotch and the seams not to hurt. I did that for awhile and it worked.

Frederick's of Hollywood had crotchless stuff.

judy