Comments on: E-Mancipate: “Mantyhose” for Men

By: Ziz

Ziz — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:08:46 +0000

This is very interesting what has been written here….. As I have pondered over this question on gender and Pantyhose/Tights. Personally having looked at this subject and other so called gender specific wear we me in the Western world have a sad general wardrobe of dark no colours for our cloths or of really bad designs with stupid pictures or writing as in the casual wear market. As a man in my mid 40′s I do go and look for the more colourful cloths and push the boundaries between the so called fashion gender gap. Tights, Leggings, Robes, Skirts etc. As these really can be for either sex. Its the western perception forced on us by the… you can’t wear tights under your trousers even if it is minus 10 Degrees C outside go and suffer bad circulation and get a bit of cold rash on your legs your a Man…. As men we really have to take back some of the fashion ground and say we can wear this. I’ve gone to the local town center in tights and shorts and the local supermarket and not a eyelid batted at me for having tights on….. Men’s fashion needs to become a thing of beauty again elegant tasteful showoff the Peacock way and this comment I’m sure will get a back up or two…. I’ve seen lots of men with better legs than women out there so show them off.. just remove the hair from your legs… find the size that fits don’t let the wife and kids put you off… learn a bit of male fashion history… and your away on your way to a more elegant stylish way of dressing….

By: Paul Harrison

Paul Harrison — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:16:08 +0000

Men in tights from a 16th century Italian dance manual, showing off their athletic dancing legs:

http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/caroso/images.html

Note also that the women are the same height as the men (this may be because they are wearing platform shoes).

By: Steve Newman

Steve Newman — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:39:12 +0000

I guess I’m a bit late in the game to be posting here, but I’ve only just run across this webpage. The writer states, “I have a hard time imagining a project like this in the U.S.” Let me assure you that not only could a project like this be in the US, it was a US-based company that pioneered the whole men’s legwear (ie, pantyhose/tights) trend.

I work for ActivSkin, and we opened for business in 1999 as the world’s first company selling pantyhose and tights made especially for men. We’ve not only survived for 10 years, last year was our best ever for sales so far.

The e-MANcipate site depicts guys wearing legwear that’s a lot more ‘out there’ than the more basic styles we sell (BTW, the hosiery shown on their models is women’s hosiery–there are no men’s legwear firms making styles like that at this time, either in the US or overseas). Nevertheless, men are taking up this emerging trend in bigger ways every day. Media attention and word of mouth has done it’s job of overcoming the mindsets that placed such obstacles in the way of men wearing hosiery because it was considered ‘feminine’ and therefore ‘bad’. Now, we’re wearing them because we realize the benefits that can be found in support legwear.

For more information and discussion on this, visit my blog, The Nylon Gene (www.nylongene.com)

By: Darrell

Darrell — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:16:39 +0000

I’m a guy and I wear support pantyhose they fit and feel great and they keep my varicose veins in check and that’s more important than worrying about fashion or gender specific generalization of pantyhose. I do think the textured hose look better on women though.

By: thelephant

thelephant — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:12:19 +0000

let me just say all these pictures of guys in mantights make me feel funny in my girly tights.

By: Anon

Anon — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 01:13:59 +0000

Honestly, when I first saw this site, I wondered if it was a thinly veiled fetish community. Language about enjoying the feel of the pantyhose, etc. really felt like the primary purpose of the community was to address a vaguely illicit motivation for wearing pantyhose.

It struck me as similar to feminization or clothing-based fetishes (underclothes, stockings etc.)

PS; I feel unsure bringing up these sorts of references, please strike my comment if they are found inappropriate.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 01:13:16 +0000

It struck me as similar to feminization or clothing-based fetishes (underclothes, stockings etc.)

PS; I feel unsure bringing up these sorts of references, please strike my comment if they are found inappropriate.

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:37:34 +0000

I wear them for vein support in my calves, which throb if I don’t wear graduated support pantyhose. These kind are less tight around the midsection to allow the blood to flow up, and put less pressure on the male organs than regular hose. I would advise men who are interested in trying out tights or hose, to get some graduated support hose in the plus size, and then you won’t be disappointed. Try the Futuro brand at your local Walgreens, and be ready to kick youself for never doing it before.

By: Todd

Todd — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:25:26 +0000

Members of the US ground forces, (I.E. Army/Marines) wear them currently in Iraq and Afganistan, I have heard to keep sand flies, chiggers etc (whatever the local variety is called) from getting through to the skin.

By: Reagan

Reagan — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 03:39:01 +0000

This definitely feels “European” to me (I know, I know…whatever that means!) and the more I think about it, I’m surprised this wasn’t ‘invented’ sooner.

By: Anon

Anon — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:49:44 +0000

Well, they might be trying to seperate hosery from the genderized stereotypes common today, or they might be trying to increase the market for hosery…just like they are doing for makeup.

By: Sociological Images » E-MANCIPATE: “MANTYHOSE” FOR MEN | MaleOutfit.Com

Sociological Images » E-MANCIPATE: “MANTYHOSE” FOR MEN | MaleOutfit.Com — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:35:33 +0000

[...] View original post here: Sociological Images » E-MANCIPATE: “MANTYHOSE” FOR MEN [...]

By: Village Idiot

Village Idiot — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:04:55 +0000

Pantyhose were popular among some U.S. military units in Vietnam, but they didn’t really talk about it much.

In swampy tropical areas, wearing pantyhose while on patrol made removing all the leeches easy when they returned; just take off the pantyhose and and your legs were instantly leech-free. They also work as coarse pre-filters for dirty water before boiling or treating it to make it potable.

Ads with Marines on patrol in the tropics wearing hose, and/or using them to live off the land (defeating leeches, communists, and gender stereotypes along the way) might help make pantyhose manly since the military is unambiguously tough and masculine, and has set fashion trends before (such as very short hair for men).

Short hair became fashionable for men around WWI since they were or wanted to imitate the returning veterans/heroes from the front, and armies at the time had begun making the soldiers shave their heads as a prevention measure against lice, which was rampant in the trenches. Now long hair on men is somewhat associated with them being hippies in touch with their ‘feminine’ side (unless they properly accessorize with black combat boots, a leather jacket, and death metal t-shirt). And let’s not even get started about wigs. We don’t laugh at depictions of George Washington (our top Founding Father no less) with his long hair, powdered wig, and tights.

By: Usim

Usim — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 02:35:10 +0000

“Everyone looks good in leggings and some people look great!”

I really don’t want to see my husband in tights. He is the hairiest person I know, and I can’t imagine how “sexy” those swirls of leg hair under the tights would be (especially the sheer tights). Well, I guess I can, but I really don’t want to, and I really don’t think any of you honestly want to, either.

By: RSM

RSM — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 02:19:29 +0000

Leggings and tights for men is not a new trend – one that’s been around for years. It’s time to get over the body image constraints and go for the comfort. Just wear them. Leggings are perfect casual wear for women AND men. Having worn leggings for years, I’m aware of people’s comments both negative and very positive. After all, it’s not the leggings on the man but the man in the leggings. Everyone looks good in leggings and some people look great!
If more people, women and men, wear leggings then it will just be another apparel choice. At one time denim jeans were worn only by miners digging for gold. Now they are everywhere and no one asks if you’ve struck gold.
So never say never – when you do decide to wear leggings, choose a well made pair – not with cotton fibers that bag out over time but a high tech fiber that retains its shape. Go for the comfort and support. Leggings that go to the ankle look better than capri style that chop the leg. Plus the full length leggings support you from your ankle to your waist and give you an energetic lift.