While pantyhose and hosiery absolutely sound very similar, they are actually different leg garments. These garments are used to cover our waists down to our feet. They typically cover the lower parts of our body, including the thighs and legs and are often worn because they are stretchable, comfortable, and very form fitting and flattering.
The biggest similarity between the two would have to be the use of them. They are both used to provide coverage and enhance our outfit. They can also help to cover any skin imperfections we don’t want the world seeing like blemishes, scars, and hair. Pantyhose can also be worn under fitted dresses to help hide any panty lines there may be.
The Difference Between Pantyhose and Tights
Pantyhose often refers to sheer garments that are worn as a type of hosiery. They came about following the creation of stockings and provider a much thinner and sheerer material to wear when compared to the thicker and more opaque material used in stockings.
Pantyhose is a term widely used in the United States and not something that you will readily find with the British and other Europeans. They don’t have pantyhose and instead use the term tights, which refers to the same concept as pantyhose in America. Tights in this way encompass both thin and thick material for legwear.
The Nature of the Garment
Another difference is the nature of the garment. Pantyhose is usually considered something that is worn as an undergarment or underwear, which means that it shouldn’t be worn on its own but rather as a garment to supplement an outfit. Tights, however, can be worn on their own as legwear similar to the way you would wear any other type of pants.
Pantyhose is sheer and can be almost see through and depending on the color, can also reveal a bit more of your skin. The leg portion of pantyhose is made to be sheer and thin while the part you wear around your waist is a bit thicker and often made from another material like cotton. Tights have a similar consistency and thickness to a different type of fabric.
Tights have been an icon in fashion for many, many years and were even reported as being worn far earlier than pantyhose which was only introduced around the late 1950s. Tights are comfortable, form-fitting, thicker than pantyhose and are often used while exercising or participating in other similar activities. They are also stretchable and allow for better body movement.
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