Pantyhose for men

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In American English, the term pantyhose refers to a garment typically worn by women; however, some manufacturers also produce pantyhose for men (or male pantyhose). In contrast to women's pantyhose, pantyhose for men may or may not incorporate a "male comfort panel" and/or a fly opening designed to better accommodate male anatomy. Men are, in general, more intensive users than women, and therefore manufacturers targeting men aim to produce hosiery that is more highly reinforced.

Currently, most sales of male pantyhose occur over the internet.

Contents

[edit] History of Pantyhose for Men

Until the end of the 90's, men wearing pantyhose were considered crossdressers or transvestites, as it was illustrated in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

In 1996 L'eggs, a US pantyhose company opened a storefront together with a product-related bulletin board on the web. Soon they discovered that most of the visitors talking about their products were men. After conducting a survey in 1998, another US. pantyhose manufacturer came to the conclusion that in fact many men wear pantyhose just as a regular clothing item, and they would buy a well-targeted male product range if it existed.

In 1999 this company, G. Lieberman & Sons (GLS Hosiery) started to manufacture and market Comfilon, which is also known as Activskin. Comfilon was so successful that it inspired Levee, a German pantyhose manufacturer who created a unisex product line called WoMan in 2002. Since then each year at least one manufacturer has come to the market with a male product line, so as Collanto in Germany and Gerbe in France.

[edit] Uses

[edit] As normal clothing

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Men who wear pantyhose as a normal piece of clothing do it to improve athletic performance, energize and revitalize tired, aching leg muscles, and to stimulate circulation if they sit all day. In addition, compression can help reduce swelling and decrease the dangers of circulatory problems. And of course there are many men who simply like the soft material and the comfort that sheer pantyhose provides.

One can find opaque and sheer pantyhose for men, the denier ranging from 15 den to 100 den. They usually come in black, brown, and navy blue colors, and without patterns. Most men wear male pantyhose under trousers, without socks. An increasing number of men are wearing it more openly, most frequently with shorts. You can see a few examples of what male pantyhose with shorts looks like. There are endless first-hand reports saying that men wearing pantyhose openly as part of a male outfit is generally accepted, and in many cases ladies are even giving compliments to men they see in pantyhose. With regard to appearance, most men shave their legs when wearing pantyhose openly. However, in contrast to women's practice, shaving is not seen as obligatory for men to wear pantyhose.

[edit] Fetish

Main articles: Pantyhose fetishism and Transvestic fetishism

[edit] Medical reasons

Pantyhose and other so-called "compression stockings" can be worn to provide relief from leg/ankle swelling and varicose veins. They provide warmth and support for men who have Raynaud's disease, which cold weather causes toes and fingers to go numb. They are also worn as supportive therapy for vein disorders such as lymphedema and deep vein thrombosis.

[edit] In scuba diving

Some scuba-diving men have been known to wear pantyhose or similar under their wetsuits to get a bit of extra insulation against cold water. It also assists in putting on and taking off the wetsuit. Pantyhose are also an effective protection against box jellyfish stings.

[edit] Producing pantyhose for men

Reasons why manufacturers are now producing pantyhose for men:

Opportunities:

  • the female market has been in decline since the late 90's whereas the male market is growing
  • online hosiery retailers have reported that the majority of their sales are to male customers
  • the male market theoretically can be as large as female market
  • men require a different product from women on account of anatomical and lifestyle differences
  • media and fashion industry participants are finally getting used to the idea
  • men are likely to require a longer lifespan from their purchases and will therefore pay more per item for greater quality
  • surplus production plant and machinery may become available as manufacturers in the female sector outsource production to the countries in the emerging world
  • produce-on-demand methods allow the investment in stock to be minimised.

Threats:

  • the male market is still a niche market and cannot at present achieve economies of scale
  • there is still a way to go before men (and their wives) regard pantyhose wearing as a normal fashion choice and not as unusual
  • hosiery manufacturers perceive that by endorsing the male pantyhose market they may put off female buyers.

[edit] See also

Compression garment

[edit] References

[edit] External links