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How are you with going naked? I am referring to your legs girls! Yes, going naked with your legs while wearing a skirt or dress. It can be a challenging decision to make for many of us. It depends on where you live for sure. I don't think many girls living in the southern states would even consider covering their tanned smooth gorgeous legs with even sheer nylons. But for the rest of us who must negotiate through the seasons, when and where you expose those bare legs, is not an easy decision.
I know once spring arrives where I live on the west coast, north of Seattle, I can't wait to get out and try to get some color back on my cool tone white legs. But until I see a darker shade on my leg's, no, I will not expose these lily white legs to people without the modifying effects of select nylons which provide a cosmetic cover. Let the sun do it's thing first on my legs but not on my face please, I want to keep the sun damage to a minimum. If you are honest with yourself, you will admit that most CD's legs need covering. We don't have the hair or skin texture and depth of adipose tissue that produces the softness of a woman's legs unless you are on hormones or lucky enough to have feminine shapely legs.
I try to achieve soft and smooth legs by using a skin scrub lotion 3x a week, shave them every other day with a 5 blade woman's razor, then apply a moisturizing skin lotion after every shower. But still, they are nowhere near as soft and smooth as my partner's. I find until my legs have some color, I am wearing stockings or pantyhose, no if's ands or butts! Nylons create an illusion of smoothness and contour resulting in a more feminine leg. I am of Scottish decent and certainly seeing men in a kilt is acceptable and encouraged. But I've never seen a man in a kilt with shaved legs or wearing tights for that matter. No men in tights while wearing a kilt, I want to admire their strong muscular legs; yes, I'll admit, I like strong muscular men.
In my early days of dressing I would wear skin tone dance tights and a sheer hose over them to hide my hairy legs. I was fortunate because the hair on my legs is rather fair and blonde. For CD's if you don't shave your legs try the double and sometimes triple nylons if required or you can always wear jeans, a jumpsuit or long skirts and dresses. But make sure you still cover them with a higher denier count above 20 while in a dress. Back to baring those long legs. I am 5 feet 7 inches tall and only wish I had the gams of my CDing friends who are tall. Those legs need to be seen!
But I digress, so back to baring my legs. I have pulled out of my closet a bodycon dress to enjoy sashaying around the house in during the winter months. Yes, I would love to take it for a walk to a wine bar one evening; that will come later. After I slip, slide and wiggle into my bodycon, pull the hem into position, pop on some stilettos and appear before the mirror bare legs and all. Yikes! My legs just don't look like they did during the summer. With the tan gone, the skin colour has paled and they simply don't compliment the dress. Clearly, my legs would still attract the attention I'd want and expect in this dress but not in a positive way. They need help; they need to be encapsulated in a loving complimenting shade of nylon.
I'm sure many of you have experimented with buying various shades of nylons from tan, dore, bronze and beige. The names change depending on the company's product you might purchase and to be clear I am not discussing nylons with color but shades of "natural" at this point. My legs definitely aren't ready for showtime. Stored away in the top drawer of my dresser is a selection of pantyhose. I have them bagged in 10, 15, 20 denier in different shades so it's easy to pick out a package. I begin with a 10 denier natural shade Elegance made by Girardi, I slip them on and check in the mirror. Not quite, if it was the middle of summer they would be perfect but these nylons aren't giving my legs the coverage they need. I'll double up on the denier to 20, shade camoscio Elen by Girardi. Back to mirror, they look fine but don't blend with my bodycon. Let's back down to 15 denier desert shade, Brigitte by Girardi, they have a little shine to them as well. I step in front of the mirror, turn side to side, yes these will do the trick.
These pantyhose provide a shade that blends well with my skin and dress. They give a smooth appearance to my legs; gone are any blemishes I was concerned about. They aren't equal to my summer skin shade but that's not the intention. I want the nylons to blend with my present skin colour and give them a cosmetic look of smooth legs and soften the muscles of my legs. Girl, now you can sashay around the house. Choosing a shade of nylon is a frustrating endeavor. Over the years I have spent way too much money at Winners and TJMax on nylons. I eventually found my favorites at shapings.com. As you can tell I am a fan of Girardi nylons; they fit well, last for a reasonable time and can be found on sale! Besides they have several shades and denier to choose from.
So no, I won't bare my legs until the sun has done its magic. But once that has occurred, I love sashaying around in a mini, midi or maxi naked! The breeze on your legs can be breathtaking. For the rest of the year I am a stocking or pantyhose girl, besides trying on a pair of pantyhose when I was just a young boy began my love of Crossdressing! I will always cherish that day. I believe, they shade was beige, and the brand Hanes, and they were my mother's. Girls don't stick with the same of nylons shade or denier all year. Your leg's skin color changes and therefore your nylon shade needs to change to give you the best smooth, feminine, shapely legs possible. Until summers come when you can dare to bare your legs naked!
Over the years I have spent way too much money at Winners and TJMax on nylons. I eventually found my favorites at shapings.com. As you can tell I am a fan of Girardi nylons; they fit well, last for a reasonable time and can be found on sale! Besides they have several shades and denier to choose from.
If you want to t save some money overall and wear stockings or pantyhose that lasts, you should at least treat yourself to some Sheertex. They almost always have something on sale.
@sweetmelissa I've been "cursed" with short, stumpy Asian legs, not so much, hairy, but with scars that I must spare the public from viewing...so to complete the "look"...the "illusion" I require, not only must I wear stocking...preferably thigh highs...they MUST be opaque, the darker, the better...otherwise, "why even bother"...!!! After all my years of dressing, it is no longer an inconvenience, just part of my normal routine to "look my best". Yet, I am so envious to hear of all of you whom are not plagued with what I must go thru....you are all so blessed....how much I would give to have "legs to die for"...!!!
We all do what we can with what we've been given. The fact that are still comfortable dressing and it works for you is all that matters.
@sweetmelissa TY...my feeling, exactly...NOT going to stop me..."never, ever"...!!!
@sweetmelissa I love stockings for the way they make my legs feel and look. I have freckles on my legs and stockings help to even out the skin tone. Still though, I do like to go bare legged during the warmer weather. It just feels cooler and more comfortable to me.
@sweetmelissa I’m a huge pantyhose fan and have only ever dressed without them to go out maybe twice. Other than that I’m in pantyhose a lot. I keep my legs smooth 365 days a year and like you I use lotion after a shave and when I get my pedicures I get the deluxe with a great massage with a cooling lotion she using. Feels amazing when I’m done and straight home to put on a fresh new pair of hoses.
Thank you, Melissa, for a well-written article on an area of the female arts that is
very useful to many of us. I live in Atlanta, Georgia. Our summers tend to be very
hot and humid, yet if I am going out sometimes for a dress up evening I will wear
very sheer nude pantyhose, along with a pair of high-heel sandals. The effect
it has must be good, because I often get compliments from both women and men
on the way my red painted toes show through the pantyhose.
I note here in my area, at the first sign of warm weather, in the spring, what few women who wear pantyhose to work, can't seem to wait to get rid of the pantyhose in favor of bare legs and sandals. Here again I continue to wear pantyhose until it is
very hot when I too change to sandals. From the approving looks I get, my wearing of pantyhose must be appreciated, especially by the guys.
I'm impressed, even with the heat, I don't know how you do it. I'm sure you must use very shear hose! Thanks for commenting on the article. Cheers, Melissa,
I also live near Atlanta. I wear ultrasheer hose. Every once in a while I will go barr, but it depends upon what I am wearing.
I also live near Atlanta. I wear ultrasheer hose. Every once in a while I will go barr, but it depends upon what I am wearing.
Kilts are very useful for those of us in Scotland as it is an acceptable way of going out at least partly dressed. Anything more would probably be unwise where I am but at least it's something. As for shaved legs, been doing that for ages & nobody pays any attention anyway. The downside is it's blummin freezing most of the time (currently snowing here) so for now at least it's leggings under the jeans anyway. Roll on summer.
LOL, I so enjoyed your description of life in a kilt and it must be fun except at you say when it's blummin cold! Cheers Melissa
And I would guess that you probably wear knee length woollen socks with your kilt - and maybe even a sgian dubh tucked into a sock.
If I have been neglecting the razor, I prefer dancers tights. They are more durable than pantyhose. I also wear thigh-high nylons. Especially for formal occasions.
But mostly I have naked legs year around. I love the tickle as my him swishes across my bare legs when I move. I love feeling the gentle breeze lifting my skirt and caressing my legs. I live a couple hundred miles south of you, but we have much the same climate. I learned years ago that skin is waterproof!
I'm impressed with your description of how you manage you're legs and treat them to a variety of nylons!. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Cheers Melissa
Thanks Melissa for the interesting article! I'm one of those who rarely doesn't wear pantyhose of some description even in the summer!
I have two reasons for this. The first is that I have some scarring on my lower legs that I hate the look of, and 20-30 denier cover them up nicely. They are purely cosmetic and don't affect my leg shape as I often get compliments from men and women on my legs.
The other, I just love wearing pantyhose!
In the summer I wear sheer 10-15 denier, but the odd time I will get brave and go naked!
Hi Melissa. My decision to go bare legged is almost completely determined by temperature. For reference, I live near New York City.
In the colder temperatures, I'll be wearing tights. When it's in between, I'll be wearing a more sheer pantyhose. And when it gets warm (warm enough for me to wear shorts in guy mode) I'll be bare legged.
The exception to all this is if I'm going somewhere dressy. In this case I'll wear pantyhose whatever the season.
My skin is olive tone, so has some color all year round. As for keeping it smooth, I have been getting waxed for over 8 years now. Even when the hair does grow back, the hairs are much finer than they used to be. My biggest exceptions are the knees and the back of the forearms, which still have some significant hair growth. But the rest of me (including most of my legs) is smooth, even just before the next waxing appointment (5 to 6 weeks).
If I'm going to the beach, I'll use Nair on the top of my legs, my pubs, and my behind to smooth out areas that I don't get waxed (and that don't otherwise get exposed). It doesn't last that long, but then it doesn't need to either.
As much as I complain about the frequently rubbish weather where I live on the North East Coast of England, the one thing I am grateful for is that it rarely gets hot enough to require me to go bare-legged! 🙂
I am a life-long devotee of tights (alright, pantyhose!) and you will very rarely find me not wearing a pair. When it does get warm in summer, I will wear a pair of 10 denier (colour dependent on the outfit), and as the temperature drops I will move up to 15, 20 or 40 denier, perhaps layer a couple of pairs of 10 denier or anything really - as long as it looks glossy and feels sexy! lol
I do enjoy a chilly winter breeze around my sheer tights-covered legs though 😀
I just love the look and feel of nylons on my legs. I also wear tights or leggins as well. There is nothing like the look of shapely legs in heels and the fabric against a freshly shaved leg while moving about. I only go bare if the temperature is above 75
The older I get, the more I realize that there is a time and a place for everything. In my early days as a young girl, back in the early 70's, I wouldn't even think about not wearing hose when I wore a dress. Mom always told me to wear panties with pantyhose, can't imagine why. That's a whole other topic. I had a garter and stockings too, but they get to be a little complicated. Thigh Hi hose soon became my go-to accessory when I wore a dress or wanted to be 'dressy' in slacks. A couple of years ago, I discovered Westmore beauty skin color corrector. There a a lot of different manufacturers, but that one has worked best for me to 'Finally" go bare-legged. I rarely wear hose these days unless I attend a wedding, funeral or other formal outing. I don't always wear the corrector, but I'm much less self conscious about going without hose. Just my two cents-worth.
Well I definitely will not be baring my legs in any forseeable future - except in shorts in drab mode. My legs are certainly too hairy and I won't be shaving any time soon. I'd love to have gorgeous, smooth feminine legs but my biological make-up and what I'll allow myself to do in the context I live in conspire against me. Winter here in the UK is a blessing as I can enjoy wearing opaque tights and stockings, and longer dresses and boots. And I'm actually surprised by how well fishnets hide the hairs on my legs and define their shape - enough to feel happy in shorter dresses.
I have thought about this option for years. I guess that for the most part the feel of pantyhose on my legs complete the outfit. When going out I have been wearing them. In the future since the legs are smooth and shaved, perhaps they will be left behind
I live in the middle of the good old U.K. and hence know a lot about cold and rain; the whole point about hosiery is therefore divided into two separate areas for me; style and necessity! However; the good thing, ladies, is that these two matters are not necessarily contradictory. I've always found that - having rather pale legs myself - black is my go-to shade... except that in the summer, a much paler shade goes very nicely with a short skirt. Being quite tall, I find that no matter what denier my tights are, they still tend to not be too opaque (when you've got to stretch them, that just tends to be the way of the world.) They still tend to be quite warm though... Overall, however, I prefer patterned, lacy and colourful tights above all; they seem to work whether it's summer, winter or anywhere in between! Holly XXX
(preliminary note: as this is an international site, all temps mentioned are in C)
I will first say, ordinarily I love being in tights, adore being in white tights, and less so but still enjoy pantyhose, with preference of black then nude. But to me this comes with a sort of "price": with tights on, I cannot feel the vast majority of my dresses and skirts on my legs, so I just have to trust that they're in their proper place. Which I guess is a long way to say, regarless of season, I feel a little more comfortable going bare legged so I have some "feedback" as to where my dress is. Although my legs are never likely to look as good as many, especailly GGs, it's not that I am wary of people seeing my bare legs, per se.
Still, I'm not quite at the stage where I'm confident enough in myself where I don't much care what people see when they see me. In other words, I'd rather not stand out. Therefore I want to look like the average person. As I live in the Buffalo, NY, US area, this time of year, because of cold, the average is wearing some sort of pants, and fairly rare to see a dress. But when you do see one, it's almost always paired with black tights (or at least some dark color, like grey or navy blue).
Quite a bit rarer still, but not totally unseen, is someone wearing a dress with bare legs, even when the temp is -10 to -20 out. One of the things I'll remember for a long time about my first day driving to a new job is, the outside temperature was -18, yet I saw someone bare legged in a skirt walking through the snow along the sidewalk. I couldn't help thinking, those legs must feel pretty unpleasant about now.
So maybe 88 times out of a hundred, if it's 5 degrees or less out, I'll have on black or grey tights. Maybe another 3 times out of 100 I'll have on white tights. But I do like it best, even despite the cold, with nothing (except a dress) on my legs, and will occasionally go out that way. But I feel a little awkward when I do.
Love both, stockings and bare, but as I have very feminine legs in heels I prefer bare legs, feels better and more me.. but I suppose it's a preference really.. the silky stocking gets me, very sexy and feminine x
I have moved around so much in my life and still move quite frequently, so that being said, depending on the latitude is obviously going to be how much gets bared and if I have shaved my hairy legs too. I loved wearing nylons and pantyhose in the winter while living in the mountains.
Now I am in SW Florida and I bare my legs all the time. I am naturally tan and can get very dark, when in sunny places. I have an olive complexion, so my skin is kind of greenish when I don't get much sun. I don't like it much, so I won't bare it.
