In the 1980s, the day wasn't over for career women until the sheer, nude-colored pantyhose was off.
Today, there is a generation gap between women who remember a time when stockings and pumps were required workplace attire and women in the 20-to-35-year-old range who show greater interest in alternatives like leggings, tights, trouser socks and even thigh high hosiery.
The casualization of the workplace and a 24/7 mentality have given women more options as to what they wear and less options as to the hours they are available for office communication. "The traditional waist-high pantyhose garment thrived in the 1980s, it was at a peak," said Sally Kay, president and chief executive of the Hosiery Association, a Charlotte-based trade organization. "But with the onset of the Internet in the '90s, and the ability to work from home, that's when we start to see sales decline."
"Pantyhose feels frumpy and old to younger generations," said Clare Sauro, assistant curator of accessories of The Museum at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. "Plus, if you've never worn pantyhose, you don't think to wear them now."
Source: The Associated Press