Tights are more commonly thought of as a garment for women, unless medically required. But hosiery specifically designed for men are becoming a more common occurrence. Does this mean that more men are wearing tights nowadays? And why would they want to?
It may seem hard to believe, but tights were traditionally developed for men. Several centuries ago men, particularly nobility, wore silk or fine wool versions to be a practical garment for horseback riding. They even developed into a fashion accessory, with men often wearing them to show off their legs.
Since those times though, women have become the major wearer of tights and other forms of hosiery. It was once considered unusual for men to wear tights, but recently it's becoming more acceptable for them to do so.
Tights specifically used for horse riding are still worn by men, and a number of other athletic and sports uses makes it acceptable for men to wear them. Footless tights especially are seen in cycling, running, wrestling and other sports, with sports scientists even claiming that wearing them during sport can reduce muscle strain and injury.
Support tights are used by men just as much as women, and for exactly the same reasons. They exert extra pressure on the legs to reduce the pain associated with varicose veins and poor blood circulation, and can even help stop the problems from occurring. Men can suffer from the same aches and pains, particularly when on their feet a lot or when traveling, so are wisely choosing to wear support tights to combat the issue.
Nowadays, more and more men are choosing to wear them for fashion or comfort purposes as well as for sport or medical reasons. With the invention of the "metrosexual" man, who are comfortable with their sexuality and like to take care of themselves, why shouldn't they wear them?
They can often be more comfortable than thick socks, particularly in the summer, and will be far better than going bare-footed. Equally, in winter they can be worn under trousers as an extra layer against the cold, just as women do.
Men can now find tights specifically developed for their shape and size. Often being taller and more muscular than women, manufacturers realized that men would need tights of different specifications, so developed them to accommodate the demand. This surely shows the rise in popularity; manufacturers wouldn't bother developing new products if there wasn't a specific market there!
So, yes, more men are wearing tights nowadays. They may decide to opt for tights because of athletic or medical reasons, or simply because they find them more comfortable to wear than socks. Society is becoming more accustomed to the idea of men in tights as well, so there's no reason why men shouldn't be just as comfortable wearing tights as women.
George is the webmaster of http://www.tights4.me.uk. Why not visit us today and compare a quality selection of tights in the UK?
No comments:
Post a Comment