Tights at work?

The days of having to wear tights or sheer tights (pantyhose) for work are long gone - in most jobs - except maybe certain sales positions:

Pick a card guys

So why wear tights to work?
Maybe it was part of 60s, 70s or even 80s to wear tights at work, but not in naughties surely.  Still there are good reasons for wearing tights at work even if you don't wear them in your spare time.

• Comfort.  Tights keep you warm in summer.  Who needs to be warm in summer?  Anyone in a office with modern air con!  They obviously keep you warm in winter.  And they keep you warm on the way to the office or if you nip out to see a client or do a job.  Of course match your tights to the season.  60 or 80 den opaque in the depths or winter, and 10 or 7 denier in summer to protect from a over-zealous air con or the vagaries of the British weather.

• Tights are more business like.  Bare legs or leggings suggest leisure ware.  They say "I'm not really here as a professional, but to arse about and still expect someone to pay me"

Clearly a working girl

Gemma selling on TV - you only trust her because she is smart with heels and tights

•  Tights are more feminine.  Now let me explain before all the feminists shoot me.  You want to succeed in business as a woman using female strategies of consultation, consensus and even listening to people, not as a woman pretending to be a man.  I do believe that trouser suits encourage male like behaviour.  Men will treat you better if you look feminine.  No, this does not mean you have a adopt a submissive role, but it is something you can use to your advantage.

• Tights allow you to show off your legs.  If are to be taken seriously you don't want to look like the office slut.  On the other hand if you look a bit sexy guys will treat you better, agree with you more and do things for you.  (Basically the guy's sub-conscious is running a program to get you into bed and unknown to him its modifying his actions).  More crudely a nice pair of legs may gets a guy thinking with his cock (or more correctly that reptilian part of his brain that controls his dick), and this will disrupt his more rational thinking and give you an advantage in a argument.

I think she just sold her legs

• Finally tights show an attention to detail.  You bothered to get your outfit right - down to the accessories, therefore you have a eye for detail.  Of course this does not apply if your tights are old and saggy, laddered or a complete mis-match for the rest of your outfit.  Or indeed if the rest of your clothes are a mess!

Got the details right girls?

Now the alleged downside of wearing tights to work.

These girls work hard in their tights

• Tights are not suitable for many jobs.  No, tights are not suitable for some jobs.  Working on a farm or a building site is best not done in tights and heels.  But in this age of retail / services / media / IT most of us work in an office or shop environment.  Airline stewardesses have a difficult and physically demanding job, but they provide an excellent service in tights.

• Guys will keep looking up skirt.  If you are wearing opaques or sheers with a boxer brief then they won't see a lot even if they get a peek.  Besides while a guys brain is up your skirt (so to speak), you have an advantage because its not on the business in hand.  (Although he is probably going to get on with "some business in hand" at home).

Nothing showing here

OK, some rules for tights at work

• They can be opaque or sheer (pantyhose).  Opaque are warmer and harder wearing.  They may be good if you want to distract - but not too much - with that little skirt.   Sheers are more sexy - but still in a restrained way.  I wouldn't go for patterned (leisure wear) or fishnets (a little too much on the office slut side, but they can work if you the rest of your outfit is right). 

They'll never give you the job in those!  OK the guys might....

• Tights should be black, tan or navy.  Wear traditional colours showing that you are here to walk - even if they think they can get you to be a bit naughty.

Traditional work tights

• Choose reinforced toes for robustness.  When you have to kick off your heels because they hurt or you need to get things done quick - you don't want holes in your tights toes.  Not the professional look.

• Wear tights with heels (wear heels even if you don't wear tights).  Heels add to your height - helpful with tall male colleagues.  They give you a feeling of confidence, and finally they add to that restrained sexiness.  You can always take them off and work in your stocking feet.  I think sandals and tights are hot, but not for work. Sandals suggest a party.  Boots are fine - a good power look.

Another rule broken

• Tights are wasted with trousers, and in any case trousers encourage that male outlook you should get away from.  Length of skirt will depend on the nature of your work.  The empirical approach is to keep wearing a shorter skirt each day until it looks as though there might be a problem, and then go to the next longer length.  Shorts are good in young retail environments, but too informal for most offices - although they could work well in a advertising, media or other image work company.

Finally.....

A good way to help the planet by getting guys out of their cars and onto the buses