Hi! I’m new to this board and have a question.

I will be a bridesmaid in an upcoming June wedding at a church in the evening for a co-worker who has become a good friend. She has decided (insisted) that her bridesmaids wear pantyhose for the wedding. The wedding is in Texas and it will be hot. To complicate matters, she is making the bridesmaids wear super high heeled stiletto sandals. She wants my pantyhose to be a light beige shade so it’s obvious I’m wearing them. I’m very fare skinned and she wants my legs to have more color I guess. What kind of pantyhose should I wear as far as the toes are concerned. What kind of hose do I wear with opened toes? I know nothing about pantyhose and never wear them. I’ve just heard terms like sheer toe, reinforced toe, sandal foot and so on. She said she didn’t want us to wear open toe hose or footless hose. She wants full foot and toe coverage from the pantyhose. I don’t want to ask the bride because I don’t want her to think I don’t know what I’m doing. This is my first time as a bridesmaid. I need an experts advice! Thanks

Gena Conti, Owner, Designer, Milliner at Gena Conti Millinery

The BRIDE is Queen, of course… and I understand your concern.

My concern is more for the ‘safety’ than the ‘look.’

There are plenty of brand name pantyhose selections available out there in retail world with nude toe (nude to waist, etc) … suitable for sandals. HOWEVER, make certain your toenails are short, well & smoothly filed & ‘pedicured’ in order to avoid ripping through the hose while walking, dancing, etc.
High Heels put more strain on the toe area of the foot. Make sure the sandal fits properly and you might consider placing a “grip strip” inside the shoe to help prevent slipping.

I’d suggest carrying along an extra pair of panty hose, just in case you experience a toe tear or run.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Donna, Wedding Queen, President; Top Wedding Sites, Inc

It’s really not proper to wear pantyhose with open toed shoes. I guess your bride is not aware (and what’s funny is that the creators of these hose actually call their stockings without the reinforced toe “sandalfoot”, which may be why some ladies feel as though they need to wear stockings with sandals. Could you find a way to get that message politely to the bride? Perhaps you can print this thread out or find somewhere online or in a fashion etiquette book that you can show to the bride?

If you don’t like how your fair skin looks without hose, gt some airbrush makeup in a can that is especially made for this purpose.

I’m with you, stockings on a hot Texas day sounds horrible. Brides — try not to micromanage your bridesmaid’s appearance. If you love them enough to ask them to be a part of your wedding, then allow them to be comfortable by choosing styles that suit your besties.

Thehappytexan

Thanks ladies for your help! I talked with the bride and mentioned the pantyhose and possible alternatives. Unfortunatley she is still insisting I wear pantyhose so I’m following through with her mandate. She told me to get light beige with a sheer toe to be worn with my sandals and I’m getting control tops. She also wants me to get a french pedicure on my toes but I don’t see the point in having polished toes with hose on. Maybe they’ll still show through the hose. Oh well, It’s a new experience so I’m looking at it as a special time to share in her new happiness. Maybe I’ll end up enjoying wearing hose. Thanks again!