The Miracle Fashion

As we are escorted to our seats by the hostess, I can see the men and woman look in turn; the men looking at my wife as we pass, and their wives looking in consternation at their husband's simply for looking. It is not the sound of her heels crushing the peanut shells on the floor of the steakhouse that grab their attention, but rather the long expanse of semi-opaque beige fabric that stretches quite literally from her shoes to the hemline on her mini-skirt. The article of clothing is simply known as nylons. Certainly my wife is not the first woman to inject a little spirit into a marriage floundering along in a rut by adding a dash of spicy stockings, but nowhere in history has a single form of fashion had so much history, acceptance and usage.

Nylon was the first material to be manufactured by man and was neither discovered by accident nor extracted from a natural source. In nineteen thirty eight, the E.I. Dupont de Nemours Company engineered the material to compete with the fashionable, but fragile silk material used in hosiery of the day. The creation worked, and it is reported that mobs often became violent in the moments before a department store opened rumored to have the new nylons in stock.

There is little wonder the material became so sought after. The new hosiery could be crafted in different colors, shades, styles and sizes. A pair could be purchased that matched the same hue as her red dress, or be sheer to let the beauty of her long legs show through. At the same time a semi-opaque fabric could be purchased that evened out the tone of her legs to disguise flaws, or let an older woman enjoy the same sexy look as that of a younger woman.

The new hosiery could also be tailor made for the accessories the woman wore with the nylons. Reinforced toes and heels could be purchased for a rigorous night of dancing, or be sandaled toed to have class while been worn with a pair of strapped high heels. Seamed lines added flair and sex appeal, while studs, rhinestones and silk-screened designs made the nylons as unique as the woman wearing them.

Further options were available still. How the new hosiery was secured to the woman became as much of a style as the stocking choice itself. Knee-Highs, thigh-highs and full-length nylons were all stocked upon the shelves of the local department store. For more ambitious woman, or woman of the earliest era, garter-belts festooned the sexy leggings upon the woman. Spying the tell-tale signs of dark bands around a woman's thighs with tiny ribbons stretching up underneath her hiked up skirt has made many a man's day. Sill, as suggestive as these garter-belts were, nothing spelled out a woman's mood, desire and libido as a pair of crotchless pantyhose being worn upon a date.

With so many options available, the new hosiery became a staple in any woman's wardrobe and soon gained wide spread acceptance. From the most affluent neighborhood, a woman could be seen wearing a pair of nylons under her best church dress as she celebrated her Lord and Savior. At the same time, on a street corner not far away, a woman of the night wore the same leggings designed to seduce men of questionable morals. The leggings soon spilled over in the workplace as well, making the nylons synonymous with the noble careers of Secretaries, School Teachers and Librarians. Even in these modern times of relaxed dress codes, Airline Stewards and Waitresses are required to wear nylons as part of their uniforms.

But the use of nylons is not strictly limited to the female gender. Many men, particularly in the colder climates, understand the virtues of this miracle fabric. A few years back, while working for the railroad in the winter of the western United States, I had Supervisor that openly advocated the wearing of nylons. Hardly a cross-dresser or man of trans-gender, this tough, rugged railroader understood that nylons wick moisture away from the skin and add a layer of insulation. It is rumored that many football players also layer up with nylons under their uniforms in abnormally cold weather.

Other materials such as polypropylene underwear and long-johns exist for the sole purpose of keeping men warm, but their cost is prohibitive and they have a tendency to create bulk under already bulked up clothing. Nylons on the other hand are inexpensive, sleek and allow flexibility while adding another layer that is so crucial in dressing for cold climates. It is also undetectable warmth in most situations, but for the man willing to risk embarrassment should an accident or injury occur, the staple of female fashion will provide comfort on a cold, blustery day.

Even then, men still have many uses for the miracle fabric besides staying warm. Many men have snuck into their wives lingerie drawer to grab a few pairs for use out in their shops and garages. Hardly a material relinquished to white collar work as a woman's dress code, many blue collared tradesman have pairs of them stashed in their toolboxes and workshops to be used as a filtering media for paint and varnish, to make an emergency window screen repair, or even for use as a air filter for small engines.

Upon further review, it can be seen that nylons are indeed the miracle fashion. Crafted by man from man-made materials many years ago, it has enable man and female alike to keep warm, become a staple of uniforms, display itself in social hierarchy and most importantly, allow the beauty of the female form to be displayed in subtle, but intriguing ways. For the past 70 years nylons have stretched across the globe and endured beyond being a mere fashion craze. From the looks of the men as my wife sits down at the restaurant's table and nonchalantly crosses her legs, it is a miracle fashion that will endure for years to come.