because sometimes you actually have to wear pantyhose

of course, there is no reason why the female body should be trapped and strapped and contorted to please men. of COURSE. but, just like table manners, certain items of clothing have become a matter of decorum. like pantyhose.

i wish i could have taken an inconspicuous photo, but imagine, if you will, a lady in a suit. a skirted suit. say, for instance, it's an ann taylor seasonless triacetate. a smart suit, you know, with a 3-button shrunken blazer and below-the-knee pencil skirt. a good suit. and it's been paired with conservative pumps and a button-down shirt. menswear chic. but the legs. are bare.

just because it hit sixty doesn't mean you don't have to cover your legs at the office.

get yourself six pairs of well-fitting day sheers (hanes travel buff is a great color for the whiter-than-white). honestly, pantyhose do not have to be shiny, unnatural and binding. and they're worth the money.

these are the exceptions to the pantyhose with suits rule:

1. linen suits don't require pantyhose because they're summery, especially with open-toe shoes, but for the love of god, if it's unlined, wear a slip.
2. evening wear suits (those made of satin and silk that you'd look like a tool if you wore to work) can go either way. it all comes down to the shoes: strappy sandals = no hose; pointy pumps = hose.
3. cotton suits that fall below the knee and are worn with open shoes. closed shoes are hose optional.

any time your skirt is above the knee and you're going for professional, opaque tights are pretty much required. no, that doesn't include your khaki mini, but you shouldn't be wearing that to work anyway. you are not allie mcbeal.