Tights at work a psychologist speaks

If you can to wear tights keep them pulled up

Well the period of bank holidays is over.  Back to dealing with grumpy old men in the call centre cattle pen.  So that perenial questions - tights, trousers or bare legs at work?  Well a little by LisaMarie Luccioni (don't you love the way these guys have CAPITALS in the middle of their names), gives a few pointers.


1. Dress code of lack of dress code
LisaMarie is surprised at the lack of dress codes, or the ill-definition of dress codes, which means some women wear tights and do don't.  But if you do have a strict dress code - like Hooters waitresses or air cabin crew - then there is your answer.  My own view is it can't be wrong to wear tights, so if you aren't sure go for the tights option.  No one gets sacked for looking too smart.  Tights for girls are like ties for guys.  Sure, they may be a pain - but they tell others we are taking the job seriously.  And with low denier tights you can even wear with relative comfort in summer.

Pantyhose are very much part of Hooters dress code

Low denier tights with blouse and skirt for smart office work in warm weather

Off to court?

Sometimes there can be an unwritten dress code and not following that can say something negative.  A respondent to LisaMarie who has not been wearing tights for a while thinks they might be in her client's best interests:

"Perhaps members of my jury panel see the fact that I don't wear hose in a different way than I (and most women criminal defense lawyers here in Houston.) They might see it as a lack of respect, or in some other negative light. (Women can be so judgmental of other women, and older men can be harsh, too.)  ..... I'll consider donning a pair of hose for my next trial. It might make a difference, and sometimes it is definitely the little things that count."

Now it may not say much for male rationality , but I'd bet them jurers are less likely to send the guy to fry if they like his lawyers legs.

Tights are good with pale skin

2. Aesthetic of feet and legs
If your legs and feet look like crap it doesn't give a very good image and may distract your co-workers (my paraphrase).  LisaMarie mentions leg stuble, poor pedicure and lilly white skin.  I would add to that cellulite, poor leg shape (chubby) and well aged legs and feet (I can say that as an old hag myself).  Now of course trousers (pants in the US OK - no sniggering) or a long skirt may be an alternative.  But if you have reasonble leg shape why not show it off?  Baggy pants shout "I've got something to hide"! 

One of the responents to LisaMarie's article puts it very nicely:

Tights - a good move

"Even the most active and tanned or naturally non-pale of us, and even the youngest, has some imperfect skin, with veins, pores, hair roots, blemishes, dry patches, wrinkles, uneven coloration and/or blotchiness. Exposing acres of all this to our colleagues is not looking our best. We all benefit from the smoothing out of flaws, the evening out of texture, the enriching and enhancement of color, and, depending on what hose we wear, the provision of a flattering "outline" effect at the edge of our legs and/or a hint of extra glow.

It's like makeup. Most of us are acutely aware, by having stared in the mirror so much, of our facial flaws, and welcome what makeup can do for us. We typically wear at least some of it to any destination we care about (work, date, social gathering), and brush off rants that it's unnatural, stifling, etc."

We need tights at our age!

3. Occupation

Would you buy this house off me?

Hey I'm so creative

LisaMarie mentions banking, law and finance where tights give a suitable seriousness and gravitas.  I would also say that in these areas you need traditional sheer black or tan or opaque blacks.  It not just high flyers who need tights.  If you work in your local bank or solicitors office tights give the right impression.  And of course if you work at the local undertakers (sorry funeral directors) or in the office at your local crematorium black tights are de-rigor.  In such final situations sheer blacks much more than pants or opaques show that you have made the effort, its not every day that, for example, a guy see's his girlfriend sent off for incineration, and the least the staff can do is dress up for the occasion.  At the opposite extreme, bright tights, patterned tights or outrageous tights may be just the thing in the creative industries, to show you are, well, creative.  Bare legs will just show a lack of imagination.

Would teachers get more respect in tights

Even if you do not wear tights regularly in your job they may be a good move when called in to see the big boss or when being interviewed for promotion.

Which of us gets the job?

4. Power
Now this is one LisaMarie doesn't mention herself.  If your co-workers are leg men or indeed feet men (don't forget feet are one of the top body part fetishes), tights can make your legs look better, and make the guys much more helpful.  They won't be able to help themselves in an effort to mate with you (sorry guys are just like that), and they'll fall over themselves to be helpful, or (in  the case of custmers) buy things from you.

For the feet men in her office

Sexual power

This point is taken up by a male respondent to LisaMarie

"This is a Psychology Today blog, correct? Are you not missing part of the picture? We are animals. Animals are constantly going through sexual power struggles and pantyhose are a weapon in this struggle  Women who wear pantyhose have power over (many) men in the office...and in the courtroom.  Just examine studies of telemarketers wearing suits vs. telemarketers in shorts and t-shirts. Those in suits came across as more professional and effective as opposed to the casually attired.

Mad Men. This is the program which sets an example of the underlying current of sex and power in the office. Not one bare leg in at all. Every calf and thigh is covered in sheer nylon and the sounds of nylon, seductivly rubbing together has the men in the office...trembling.

A woman in a snappy power suit, serious heels, and high-quality hosiery COMMANDS attention and respect. Little miss Buffy in her bare legs is ignored...yes, ignored.  You want to be thought of in terms of your mind...but we are animals...and it's all about the plumiage....THEN your mind."

This is taking pantyhose power a bit far!

Now I'm note sure Mad Men is a good source of evidence (fiction, remember?) but otherwise I think this guy makes some good points - fueled by the fact he probably wanks himself off thinking about being under the hosed feet of a woman who COMMANDS attension.

Now in an all women work place it is different.  But here tights aid you in your competition.  Sure us girls are much less aggressive and competitive than men - right up on the point you want to a give that bitch in accounts a good kicking.  And if you can't give her a good kicking at least your legs in tights are better than her scabby cellulite inflated hairly bare legs.  The bitch couldn't even organise herself to put a pair of tights on, how the fuck can she run the office?

I COMMAND you

And finally a story from Walter

Femine enough to be respected

"I would like to tell a story.  Some time ago a close girlfriend of me had some sad feelings about her work (She's an accountant at a big company). Although she likes her work, there were no complaints or something, she didn't feel really accepted and respected.   I knew she didn't really dress up to go to work, mostly 'comfy' clothing like jeans and flat shoes...  So I gently said her maybe she should dress more feminin. Some make-up, skirt, shoes with some heel, pantyhose, maybe even a real business suit.  Well, some time later we met again and I thought omg what a woman!  Yes, she's wearing skirts and dresses (with heels and pantyhose) now, certainly for work and ... it works. Now she gets a lot more attention of her colleagues (male and female) and the work goes a lot easier and smoother. For meetings she now wears a business suit and she noticed she's really respected now"

Reference
Pantyhose at Work: A Woman's Bondage or her Best Behavior?Pantyhose at Work: A Woman's Bondage or her Best Behavior?