A silly fashion question

Okay, I'm not the best fashion guru, and I have a problem.

Our son is getting married in a couple weeks, and the mothers have been requested to wear all black. I bought an ankle length black dress and black toeless heels. I would rather not wear pantyhose, because I have a toe ring that I can't take off, and I wear an ankle bracelet that I choose not to take off for sentimental reasons. I think it would look worse to wear pantyhose over those, than to not wear pantyhose at all. Would that be tacky?

You know, it's funny you mentioned this, because three days
ago I was just reminiscing about a previous co-worker who did just that.

She was Miss Fashion, dressed to the T, everything in place,
office perfect, everything just dandy.

But it always got me that she wore an ankle bracelet under her
panty hose. I always wondered why she didn't put the bracelet on
after her hose. It just seemed like it would snag while putting the
hose on. Hmm. You've got me stumped. I don't think the toe ring would
be as noticeable, but the bracelet under the hose always got my attention.

My father was from the old school that thought if a woman wore
an ankle bracelet, it meant something along the lines of a prostitute
or easy woman. I just had to laugh about that one. What was that, a hundred
years ago? You know, one of those silly earring rules. If it was in a man's
left ear, he was gay, but right was okay. Oh my gosh.

Who makes these silly things up, anyhow?

Here is an interesting read on wearing bracelets under and over hose,
as well as in the office or any other non-casual situation:

http://www.austen.350.com/gold_anklets/A-bracelets.html

Interesting read. Thanks! I do, however, wear mine at the office, as do most of my co-workers. We are very casual though, and mostly wear capri's in the summertime.

I'm still at a loss as to what I should do. I guess I *could* ditch the ankle bracelet for the occasion.

There is no rule that says you have to wear them, but if you do, make sure they have a seamless toe and are not reinforced toe.

Don't forget the pedicure!

This message was edited Aug 10, 2006 9:17 PM

Joan, I know technically you are up there in the artic tundra (LOL) but will this still be a "summer wedding" with summer temperatures? I don't think you have to wear panty hose. I've seen many tastefull ankle bracelets. Also, people should not be looking at YOUR ankles but at the bride and groom!

Ah, the reinforced toe. Thanks for that tip if I decide to go with pantyhose.

Chele, yep, it's technically a summer wedding, and the temps should still be very warm. (Although someone told me the other day that the Farmer's Almanac is predicting snow for us the end of August). I won't believe that until I see it. So unless it does snow, I can forgo the pantyhose? That's what I really want to do, but not if it's going to have everyone gasping in horror. LOL But you are right, nobody should be looking at my ankles anyway.

The ankle bracelet is a 14 karat gold chain and the links are very small hearts. A gift from my hubby. It's not like it's a big clunky thing.

Just went to my nieces wedding. My SIL wore sandals and planned to wear pantyhose "just because". A friend and I told her we would put runs in them, if she did. She showed up sans pantyhose - first time in her life!

Yep, got the pedicure covered. :)

I'm so glad to hear that not wearing pantyhose wouldn't be a total disgrace.

ROTFLOL I was just going to say, treat yourself to a great pedicure and show off those sexy feet! No gardening the night before the wedding!!

LOL! Nope, no gardening a few days before the wedding. Not that there would be time anyway.

Interesting...I just came across this thread: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/632375/

Very interesting. I have some lemon juice too.

JoanJ, have a pedicure, and ditch the panty hose. With an ankle length dress, it probably will not be noticible. I am a barefoot person, and the mention of panty hose makes me shudder.

How about, instead of panty hose, getting a fake tan? At least on your legs. It would kind of look like you're wearing pantyhose, but without all the bother.

Luckily my job is pretty casual. Technically we're not supposed to wear jeans except on Fridays, but I often do. And on days that I have my karate classes, I wear my black gi pants and school tee shirt to work, plus crocs.

Now that's casual! Gosh, I don't even own a pair of pantyhose anymore. If I did, I'd probably be using them to stake plants. LOL!

Just be careful the fake tan doesn't turn you real orange!

I did think about trying that spray on tanning, and I might do it yet. I think they call it air brushing or something like that. I had a terrible time finding a dress that would cover all my varying degrees of tan lines. And I have tan lines on my feet! Luckily I did find a dress that covered the tan lines on my arms and neck, and the heels have open toes, but have a wide strap that goes across the top of my foot, leaving the back open. They are a slip on type, and cover the areas that are white from wearing flip flops.

At least I don't have tan lines from socks! Now that would be ugly.

Good grief, panty hose should have gone the way of girdles. Who thinks up these tortures for women anyway? Go without for sure. The pedicure and maybe even the tanning booth once or twice if you'd like to look like you just got back from the beach. I don't recommend the tanning gels or creams though, at least not around the feet and ankles (which is where you'd want the look). Those only look OK on the large expanses of skin. Have you ever seen someone whose knees looked like something nasty was growing on them? That was probably a tanning cream. Do a great pedicure, polish the toe ring and ankle bracelet to a brilliant glow and get out on the dance floor and dance.

I would be worried about the orange look, but I don't think that happens with the air brush tanning? I may be wrong though. If I was using the cream type you rub on yourself, I would be worried about that.

We cross-posted Joan. Ditto the spray-on tanning. Don't do it on the more porous and flexible portions (feet, ankles, knees, elbows, hands). Tanning booth twice before the wedding if you do anything.

Oh Stella, you sound so like me.

We did it again. I don't think it's as much the orange look as the way the pores absorb more of it in those areas. Kinda gives you elephant skin. Know what I mean?

And again. I don't know your age Joan but I'm thinking we're probably pretty much at the same points in our lives.

Hmmm....I'm scared of tanning booths, so I won't do that. I had a brush with a mole turning bad on my back, and I blamed it on tanning booths in my younger days.

Hi Joan, I vote too that bare legs are just fine, especially since you'll be wearing such a long dress. As long as you shave, it's all good!
I can't remember the last time I wore pantyhose and the one pair I did have, I used them to hold a bar of Irish Spring to deter squirrels from my garden. I don't know how people could even stand wearing them; so bothersome.

Lol Jody, I'd rather be a bit pale than that fake orangey colour!

Erynne

I'll be 46 in December. Old enough to know better, but still young enough to try it anyway.

Cool! At least nobody has voted FOR the pantyhose....yet.

If you've been exposed to the sun a lot and have had a scare with a possible melanoma, avoid the tanning booth like satan. For me it wouldn't be an issue. I work for a dermatopathologist, hence, I see a lot (and this is mostly patient's from Laguna Beach so I mean a LOT) of melanomas cross my desk. I haven't been what I call a "sun bunny" since the early 70s when I moved to California. Too many horror stories and aging-too-fast skin experiences. I know you travel and I know you spend a fair amount of time in the sun anyway so your ankles probably aren't fish-belly white. And exactly how many people are going to be staring fixedly at your ankles I might ask? Just go and dance is my advice.

If you don't shave, at least braid the stuff will ya? LOL

I got quite a chuckle at the comment about sock tan lines. Would you have worn combat boots with your dress???

The biggest trick to sunless tanning-exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! Get rid of dead skin before you put on the tan. Dead skin really messes up sun in a bottle. Oh! Lesson learned! Salt water does bad things to fake tan too. LOL

I think fake tans have gotten better from when they were first introduced. Some tanning salons can airbrush a tan on you that's better than a home spray-on.

Actually, I don't do the tan thing any more than I can help. I'll tan a little in summer just walking around, but I don't try for it. My mother had skin cancer, so it worries me a bit.

I remember when the fake tans first came out. My brother sprayed a tan on and was so proud of that tan.

Then he took a shower and it all went down the drain.

The pedicure definitely sounds like a good idea, and if it were me I'd apply some lotion to my feet and legs that morning. That would probably look better than pantyhose anyway.

Show of hands, does anyone here know where in their house they could even put their hands on a pair of pantyhose? I think I have some somewhere, from my job hunting, interview suit days, but darned if I know where it is right now.

There's nothing wrong with white legs as long as the rest of you matches!

Has anyone tried the sandpaper mitts for removing hair on the legs? I have found them at Walmart.

Hey, you're right about that Badseed. I forgot to mention that part. The growth on the woman's knees was mostly from her not doing a little buff job first. I have a great Japanese bristle brush thingy that you use (dry) before showering. Amazing how much smoother and younger my skin looks if I use it religioiusly. And it's great for circulation, which helps pink-up the paleness too.

Okay, if you insist, I'll shave too. ;)

I kinda like the combat boot idea. That would save a lot of problems, and I would be able to wear them pruning the rose garden after the wedding. You might be onto something there.

The whole tanning thing is starting to sound like too much work, and in order to get rid of all the callouses and rough spots, I'd have to exfoliate to the point of being skinless.

Again, "And exactly how many people are going to be staring fixedly at your ankles I might ask?"

Sandpaper mitts that remove hair? Never heard of such a thing. I can manage to gouge myself up pretty good with my intuition razor that's not supposed to do things like that. I can't imagine what I'd do with sandpaper.

Very fine grit; exfoliates while it removes the hair. I love them, but have a hard time finding them now.

One time at the Rose Bowl Flea Market I saw Diane Keaton in a way-too-big 40's navy with white polka dots house dress....and combat boots. Doin' her Annie Hall thing. It was perfect and I think you should go for it if it strikes your fancy. North Dakota weddings will never be the same.

I can guarantee no one will be looking at the bride!

Well, yes, there's that isn't there? You really don't want to steal the bride's thunder.

I have been unhappy with the spray on tans. I always turn orange and then it peels off all over the inside of my clothes. And if the dress is ankle length, anyway, well, why bother?

I think the choice of black for the mothers is unusual enough that it indicates some departure from the fashionista scene, and you could go nylon-less and bejeweled and be perfectly beautiful and comfortable, and no one would mind.

That said, you know, if you're really worried you aren't doing the right thing, ask the bride. "How would you feel...?".. and do as she suggests. It's a small concession, and it'll make it nicer for you and the other important person involved, no guessing games and everybody who matters is happy. (Your son is important, of course, but I don't think he cares much about things like panty hose and anklets. ; )

Enjoy it. That's really all that matters. Congratulations on such a happy time. : D