Anyway.  Some women love jeans, others make a religion out of shoes.  While I do love shoes with a passion scarcely to be believed (I hate jeans.  I know, lock me up in a padded room.) I'm a legwear chick.  I'm totally a hosiery fanatic.  And I know I'm not crazy...there's plenty of women like me!

That's weird because I haven't really allowed myself the freedom to explore all the awesome ways to wear hosiery.  Sometime early in 2007 I became a complete minimalist.  I swore off wearing anything that would get me *really* noticed because of self-esteem issues.  After twelve months in which I experienced a combination of a tiny, worn-out wardrobe and a massive boost in self-confidence, I'm feeling the first twinges of an urge for self-expression.  Since my style is two parts preppy, two parts sophisticated, and a half-part nerdy, I won't be getting tattoos, weird piercings, body suspension, or fetish wear.

So playing with hosiery is the perfect way to explore creativity for me.  But how?

This winter, the old staples of comfy brown, gray, and black tights are definitely in order.  But aside from the $54 Wolford tights I want (and never buy another pair of black tights for decades because Wolfords are divinely inspired), I have plenty of room to make a statement.  Caramel and purple are among the colors that Anna and I have decided must go into our drawer, along with maybe patterned pantyhose and tights in basic colors.  But I'm feeling braver.

I've always liked white tights, ever since they got popular in 1995, when high school girls took to wearing them with mary janes like little girls.  The rest of the fashion world, just two years ago, might have gathered in the square to stone me to death for such heresy, but I always thought the look was adorable, and never saw why it should have gone out of style, except for the fact that, yeah, admittedly, the wrong pair of white tights on the wrong girl can make your legs look a little shorter and a little more stumpy.  The wrong pair on the wrong girl.  But that can be said for anything, including jeans.  *pointed look*

Glamour did an article on white tights last fall.  In it, they cite Gossip Girl, an awesome show because I totally idolize most of the female cast for their confidence and pride in showing off their legs in brave ways.  It's especially nice to watch from a town like the one I'm in now, a small city in northern Ohio where women don't have any style and would be afraid to show it even if they did.  Gossip Girl is totally an inspiration to me, because chicks like Blair and Serena are kindred spirits, fashion wise.  They love their plaid and they love their hosiery.  (Blair is a walking hosiery store.  I love it.  She's given me so many ideas.)

Anyway, Anna and I see it just a bit differently.  She's not afraid to wear them, so long as they have pretty patterns.  I fully agree...I love pretty patterns.  But I want to wear them plain, too, like Blair does.  Of course, in this day and age, that takes some serious confidence, and I'll have to work myself up to the challenge.  But with a cute sweater, a short skirt, sexy shoes, and a killer scarf, I think it could be done.  I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

On a final note, would I wear them with anything less?  To the office, perhaps, with a cute but modest cardigan and a sober skirt?

I'm not THAT confident.  That takes bigger stones than what I've got.  If you've done that, get in touch with me and tell me your secrets, seriously.  You're totally my heroine.