I Tried Kate Middleton's Nude Pantyhose Look
On my way home from the gym, I have a unwelcome realization: Hose may physically cover my legs, but I still have to shave. (Smushed up hair under see-through fabric does not sound cute.) One Skintimate run and 45 minutes later, I slip into a mod shift that I love for its Sally Draper vibes, and immediately start to worry that such a midcentury silhouette will seem like a throwback with sheer stockings. To make the outfit less '50s schoolgirl prim, I tie a denim jacket around my waist and put on big statement earrings—now I’m ready to…uh, sit down at my kitchen table and write? Because it feels really weird hanging around my apartment in such a head-to-toe look, I pack up and head to a coffee shop to work. On my way down the street, I catch the eyes of passerby, convinced they’ve noticed the light netting over my lower limbs. The rest of the afternoon I spend a lot of time self consciously straightening my knee forward for examination, smoothing my calf, and furtively glancing around to see if anyone's watching. As I get a tea to sip on my home, I want to explain to the barista that I’m only dressed like this for work—never mind that the bottom half of my body's covered by the counter.
THE TAKE-AWAY: The hardest part of getting used to sheer hosiery again is completely mental! For a good part of my trial run, I was convinced strangers were judging me—when actually, no one could notice the difference at all. (More on that soon!) Comfort-wise, I found the fit preferable to black tights; thanks to the extra-light material, it felt like I was wearing nothing at all.
DAY TWO
I have an interview with model Jourdan Dunn, a.k.a. one of the most beautiful people on the planet, today, so I’m determined to make these bad boys look good. Because it’s gray and drizzly out, I decide on a pleated wool mini skirt, slouchy sweater, and ankle boots and, surprisingly, find myself grateful for the extra leg coverage when I step outside—just that tiny barrier between my naked skin and the elements really makes a difference! While I wait for Dunn on set, I tell a couple of other editors about my hosiery experiment, and they can barely believe I’ve got a pair on. As two girls touch my calf for confirmation, I’m called in. Jourdan doesn’t notice anything out of the ordinary about my outfit except we are basically wearing the same exact shoes. It was a good day.
