Simple and Professional Stocking Guidelines

Sometimes it truly is the little things that make or break an outfit.  Or a person’s professional image.   Beginning my deeper look into professional clothing, here are a couple of sock do’s and don’ts.

In the common misconception department:  socks, like accessories, can be an accent color, match your shirt, or anything else in the outfit.

Truth:  socks should disappear.  Best practice is blending with the trouser or hem.  (Nude hose is generally an appropriate alternative with a dress.)

Also in the common misconception department:  because stockings are appropriate professional (office) attire (which statement I agree with) and mules are “in style” (which statement I heartily disagree with), if follows that wearing stockings with mules to work is acceptable.

Truth:  wearing stockings with mules makes you look (and sound) like an idiot.  Save the mules for Saturday!

It took all my self control not to title this post “Save the Mules!” lol

Anyway, I’m sure this is not a comprehensive list. What’s your pet stocking peeve?

8 thoughts on “Simple and Professional Stocking Guidelines”

  1. I’ll probably step on a few toes here (ha, ha), but I really despise stockings with open-toed shoes. Ewww… If you must, at least wear toe-less stockings.

  2. just wearing stockings-pantyhose-tights-nylons-etc. is a huge pet peeve — actually it’s worse than a pet peeve, they make me shudder — and haven’t them for . . . . maybe — 15-16 yrs . . . oh — last week when it was around 9F here in Seoul I did wear a some black tights w/ my wool shorts . . . but only because i really wanted to wear shorts in the middle of winter —

    plus i’m lucky in having naturally tan legs and people sometimes literally bend down and touch them to “check’ if I’m wearing anything!

    I don’t care if anyone else wears them though, although agree w/ Jenna wearing sandals and hose looks weird — plus some ladies wear nylons w/o shaving and it mashes their leg hair down — it doesn’t disguise it at all!!

    Women of the world should unite and just say NO to stockings/nylons, hahaha!!!!

  3. Many stylists abhor nude hose. Here, in my large northern North American city, they look very uptight. Even the bankers and brokers wear bare legs three seasons and opaque hose in the winter. Mules: not with hose. Besides looking kind of odd (like socks with sandals), they can casue the mule to y off the foot- I’ve seen women lose them in the middle of traffic.

  4. Inappropriately patterned hose in the office!
    There was a woman at the office I used to work at who wore fishnets with a net so wide I could have put my hand through it. Especially with her above-the-knee skirt, the hose looked like they belonged on a streetcorner.

  5. I wear nude hose several times a month and I despise how quickly they get ruined. I looked down this morning and discovered a huge run in my hose.. and I had only worn them once or twice before. I love black or grey tights, but they just don’t work with everything. My legs, bare, would NOT be appropriate for the office in any season. That’s not to say bare legs are not OK, but mine do not look polished and professional.

    What’s a girl to do?

  6. Well, I know this isn’t a popular comment, but I think there are stiffer stockings which don’t run as easily. Otherwise, the only thing I can think of, and this is a really good option in today’s fashion climate, is to wear boots. At least then only a little bit of your hose peeks out when you are sitting.

    I wonder if anyone else has suggestions?

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