Brenda’s Fashion Advice: Make Your Feet Happy in Fishnets

Recently a question came my way after I got done touting all the wonderful reasons to wear nude fishnet pantyhose. Did you miss that sermon? Well, imagine me behind my fashion pulpit (wearing fishnet pantyhose, of course). Here are the basic tenets.

 

The Merits of Nude Fishnets

 

1. If you have uneven skin tone or even discoloration from scars or varicose veins, fishnet stockings can block the majority of that out while still giving your legs a bare look. When you don’t have even skin tone, a slight pattern tricks the eye into thinking it is.

2. There are long transitional months (at least in Northern California) when the weather is mild and not cold enough to want to wear tights but  too cold to be going bare in open-toed sandals. That’s when wearing fishnet stockings with pumps or boots is just right.

3. Wearing fishnet stockings helps bridge the gap between the top of boots and the hem of a skirt or dress if that skirt or dress is a little shorter than you normally feel comfortable wearing. Young girls may be wearing shorter skirts with booties and no hosiery at all. But if you’re more modest or over twenty-two-years-old, you might want the confidence that comes with wearing hosiery.

4. Nude fishnets are good for women of all ages and appropriate for any outfit. While black fishnets might seem too out there for everyday outfits, nude ones can feel mildly sexy but still appropriate. If the fishnet pattern is fine and not large-scaled, it’s subtle, almost like wearing sheer hose. While straight up sheer pantyhose in a nude color may feel “old” or boring to you, fishnets make you feel more youthful, maybe even a little rebellious, like you’re getting away with something. What’s not to like about that?

Note: I’ve seen fishnet pantyhose in nude, brown, and black. I’ve been talking about the lightest shade but if your skin tone is darker, try the darker tones.

5. Because the fishnet pantyhose blends into your skin tone, it can be worn with any color. They’re also neutral enough to wear with any pattern in your skirt or dress. Just think of them as a texture to your outfit. They add interest and go with anything.

So, fishnets are pretty much perfect for all occasions. Have I converted you?

 

“Could there be a downside, Brenda?” you ask.

 

Well, there could be one. Some people find that the fishnet diamond pattern digs into the bottoms of their feet and makes them uncomfortable after wearing them for an hour or two. Now that wouldn’t be good!

I thought about people with sensitive feet and all they’d be missing out by not wearing fishnets so I came up with a solution. Or at least that’s what I thought. In my head it seemed like it should work so I decided to give it a try. Last week I wore nude fishnets with a dress that felt too short to wear unless I had tights or fishnets on. I was excited about wearing boots with my dress, so I decided to test out my theory. Here are the steps I took.

 

Happy Fishnet Feet in Four Steps

 

Step one: Start with happy feet.

Step two: Slip into a warm sock if your feet are at all cold.

Alternate step two: Slip into a Ped or a low cut athletic sock if it’s warm outside and you’re worried about getting too hot while wearing your boots.

Step three: Put your fishnet pantyhose over the sock or Ped and pull them up like you would any pantyhose.

Step four: Add boots, dress or skirt. Accessorize as you so brilliantly do. Check yourself out in your full-length mirror and say, “Boy, do I look great!” Now go out into the world. See if that extra cushion makes your feet happier.

 

I wore my fishnets and boots together all day. When I got home my feet were as happy as they could be after standing on them for five hours.

But I had a different problem. The waistband on the fishnet pantyhose was too binding and dug into my waist. I would have been uncomfortable wearing them for an hour.

 

Bonus Tip

But I solved that problem fast. I pulled the pantyhose up past my waist and positioned that tight band right under my bra. Fishnet pantyhose are so stretchy. They would have gone higher.

The circumference of your body right under the breasts is often smaller than the circumference around your waistline. This is true for me, so that band didn’t feel as tight as it had on my waist. After five minutes, I forgot the band was even way up there! I considered showing you a picture to illustrate this Bonus Tip but thought better of it. Just picture it in your head. You pull those pantyhose up and keep on going until you get to the lowest part of your bra and stop right there. I had absolutely no slippage all day.

DKNY nude fishnets have been my favorite brand but I’ll probably do some research and see if I can find them with the newer technology that makes them less tight on the waistband. If you find some, let the rest of us know, okay?

In the meantime, try the fishnets with extra cushion and let me know if it’s working for you.

Enjoy!