MAN-TYHOSE? Panty-his?
Earlier this year, pundits from Paris to Pukatawagan were predicting that tights for men would be the hot new fashion trend, come fall. Form-fitting knits -- worn with suit jackets, shirts and ties -- were unveiled in January during Fashion Week in Milan, Italy. At that time, Fashion Wire Daily's Godfrey Deeny enthused that the look -- one part Brooks Brothers, two parts Baryshnikov -- would prove to be a male must-have and that "the feminine-in-masculine moment is all the rage."
"We followed the instructions to wear them without any underwear (and) we both at the same time said, 'YESSSS!!' The feeling was absolutely great." -- Woman on www.UnJeans.com
Well, 10 months have passed since models paraded down the catwalk, all Sherwood Forest chic, but the only things clinging for dear life round these parts are the last leaves on the trees.
"Never ... unless the world turns fabulously fabulous," says local fashion guru Anthony Polvorosa when asked whether he expects to see men wearing tights in Winnipeg bus shelters or boardrooms anytime soon.
"Looks that show up on runway shows are a little like Detroit concept cars: they don't always make it to the street."
Polvorosa, the owner of Provici Cosmetics and host of a weekly fashion segment on Shaw TV, acknowledges that the trend has already caught on in places like Tokyo's Harajuku district.
"But it may take several years for it to filter down to smaller centres like Winnipeg," he says. "So until someone has the guts to wear them out and about here, you'll just have to discover how comfortable they really are at home, with the curtains drawn."
WeLoveColors, a Miami, Fla., sportswear store, stocks 45 different shades (rubine? maize?) of men's nylon tights. "While we do have some male shoppers who enjoy our tights as a fashion item -- and are not afraid to boast about it -- it is not something we predict will rise in popularity among men as an everyday choice," says Oleg, a WeLoveColors customer service rep.
Same story at Mountain Equipment Co-op. The Canadian outdoor-gear retailer sells 10 varieties of men's tights, primarily for running or cycling. A few, however, carry the banner, "all-purpose use."
"But even at MEC, where staff are notorious down-dressers, male staffers rarely wear tights," says Harry Henderson, sales and service manager at the chain's Vancouver headquarters. Henderson admits to having occasionally worn his cycling tights on the job, but only when he "couldn't be bothered to change."
"Personally, I think men will continue to find tights too unmanly and immodest to be comfortable wearing them around the office," Henderson says. "The possible exception might be looser-fitting tights that are designed to be street clothes rather than athletic apparel."
Tights for him date back several centuries to a day when noblemen suited up in limb-hugging leggings -- made from silk or fine wool -- while riding horseback.
King Henry VIII (1491-1547) was also a fan. He even stuffed the calf area of his hose to add definition to his physique. More recently, hip hoopsters like Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade caused a stir when they took to the basketball court sporting leggings beneath their shorts. (National Basketball League officials cried "foul" on the practice following the 2005/2006 season.)
"It's the 21st century -- time to ditch the denims, bag the baggies and leave body image constraints behind," preaches Rick McMahan, the owner of RSM Distributors, a Vermont-based outlet that has been marketing UnJeans Freedom Pants, "the clothes of the future," for six years.
"Leggings are perfect casual wear for women and men," McMahan says when reached at home in Barre. Having worn tights for years, McMahan is well-versed in society's opinions, positive and negative.
"But remember," he says. "At one time denim jeans were only worn by miners digging for gold. Now they're everywhere and people don't ask if the jeans wearer if he's struck gold." (Good point!)
McMahan's UnJeans are priced at US$30 per pair, plus shipping, and can be ordered in black or navy blue.
His customer base stretches across the United States, and into England and Australia.
"When someone decides to wear leggings, I advise them to choose a well-made pair, not with cotton fibres that bag out over time but high-tech fibres -- with at least 10 per cent Lycra content -- that retain their shape," he says.
McMahan dons UnJeans wherever he goes -- restaurants, movies, the dentist's chair, even to his weekly Kiwanis Club get-togethers.
"Anywhere you feel jeans are appropriate, UnJeans are fine, too," he contends.
McMahan doesn't flinch when asked how his product would fare in a Manitoba winter.
"It gets pretty cold in Vermont, too, and I find that I'm comfortable in a single pair of UnJeans down to 20 degrees (Fahrenheit). Below that, I'll put on a second pair and be good down to 20 below."
The lack of pockets is another common concern, but McMahan pooh-poohs that complaint, saying it's more convenient to wear a belt-pack anyway. ("I'm actually more comfortable when my wallet isn't sticking in my butt," he points out.)
And as for the battle of the, uh, bulge (NB: McMahan recommends going commando under your UnJeans), no worries, he says. "I tell everyone that the human body comes in all shapes, sizes and permutations and that the elastic nature of the fabric lets it fit you exactly, allowing you the liberty to be you."
Perhaps the best argument for men in tights comes from the fairer sex.
"My husband and I received our UnJeans, medium for me, large for him," reports a woman on UnJeans' website (www.unjeans.com). "We followed the instructions to wear them without any underwear (and) we both at the same time said, 'YESSSS!!' The feeling was absolutely great.
"Plus, my husband looks so hot."
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