Pantyhose sales have been declining for a long time: the Washington Post (WaPo) saw it fit to print an article about declining pantyhose sales on its front news page several years ago: was it that newsworthy?  On The View, Michelle Obama admitted to not wearing pantyhose.

Now pantyhose are making a resurgence, thanks to trendsetter Kate Middleton (royal protocol frowns on bare legs).  To capitalize on the resurgence, L’eggs has launched a catchy new ad for its pantyhose (HT Shine from Yahoo!):

I can understand why women have given up on pantyhose.  Nylons run easily, and I’ve taken pantyhose out of the package only to rip before I can put them on my legs.  Also, pantyhose can be seen as constricting.  It’s hard to recall that pantyhose liberated women from garters and girdles.

Pantyhose never went out of style for me.  My calves are one of my best features, and I don’t always want to hide them under pants and long skirts.  Pantyhose also conceal razor stubble: I have pale legs, but dark body hair. It’s hard, however, to find nude pantyhose at my local supermarket or CVS. I never can get the right balance: pantyhose with too little spandex bag at my ankles, while pantyhose with too much spandex are too opaque and look like “old lady” stockings. What’s a good pantyhose that balances sheerness with the “leg-clingingness” that spandex provides?