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When I was in high school, a boy who wore a skirt to class one day was sent home to change into more "appropriate" clothing. The next day, in protest of this arbitrary decision, every forward-minded man in the school came to class in a skirt. Their logic: if women can wear jeans in public, why can't men wear skirts? The result of the mini-movement was more than a few suspensions, as well as an interesting array of outfits: men wearing kilts, wraps, miniskirts, dresses, all with an inherently masculine aura around these traditionally female garments.
I tried to keep this experience in mind when I saw that lingerie companies were starting to aim some shapewear products at men. I wanted to feel as progressive as I was back then, willing to embrace garments as gender-neutral.
But now it's come to this:
Yes, pantyhose for men. This is a trend Buzzfeed turned us on to (if it can even be considered a trend) that I can't even begin to understand. For why do women wear hose? To hide hairy legs, keep bare ones warm in winter, or make wearing a skirt at work an utterly non-sexual act. So what reason to men have to sport nylons? According to Comfilon, one retailer, "This is NOT your mother’s panty hose! ACTIVSKIN tights for men and pantyhose for men are designed for male dimensions and anatomy. In sports they will help increase your lower body power and stamina, making them ideal for running, biking, skiing, football, soccer, and golf." But…aren't there already sports products for that kind of stuff?
I gotta say, this trend has nothing to do with gender equality in clothing or open-mindedness about gender roles. It's a marketing ploy, pure and simple–trying to sell men one of the few products they've never been a buying public for. And I'm not a fan.
What about you? Are there any redeeming qualities to men wearing pantyhose? Would you want your man stealing your No Nonsense?
