So tonight is a black tie holiday party for the medical staff of the hospital where my husband is a resident. He’ll be in a tuxedo; I’ll be in a cocktail dress.
I seem to remember reading a thread on here in the last 6 months or so indicating that pantyhose might be going out of style and one might be able to go without them…
…is it true or am I misremembering? And would it apply to a fancy event like this one? Do I need to wear pantyhose or can I get away without them?
The fancier the event, the more appropriate the hose.
But are they mandatory? I mean there was a time when they for sure would be, but I don’t know about anymore… Would people think it was weird if I didn’t wear them?
Here in Florida you could definitely go without pantyhose. Most women I know and also women I don’t never wear them. Some women might wear sheer black hose or opaque black tights with a cocktail dress, especially this time of year. I would. But sheer flesh-colored hose? I haven’t seen anyone wear those here in FL in a long time.
Black tie event involving tuxedos? No way. You need some kind of hose.
If it were a summer cocktail party or something, you could do without. But not a formal event in winter.
You should never wear panty hose. Those vile perversions should be banished from the face of the earth.
Yo should wear stockings with a garter belt. Infinitely better. Especially for…“after the party”.
I’d also have to vote for “formal event in winter = hose”, stockings or panty, your choice.
But I’m an ancient 36 year old hippie chick with no fashion sense, so whaddoo I know? 
I just talked to one of the other residents and she is wearing a cocktail dress and isn’t wearing hose.
I wouldn’t wear them, personally. Fashion-wise, hose are still (last I checked) either for excessively formal (and stuffy) situations, or for older women. (Or, if you’re none too pleased about how your legs look, but that’s not a fashion thing.)
Someone showed a picture here some months ago that showed several important women at a formal White House function and none were in hose. Formal open toed/peep toed shoes basically ended the hose requirement, I think.
I remember that thread and picture. I never got around to mentioning it at the time, but the thing about the women in that picture was that they were all wearing long gowns, so while you saw their feet, you didn’t see their bare legs. I happen to be one of the old fuddy-duddies who thinks most women’s legs look better in hose, and that wearing dress pumps with bare feet/legs looks odd. I would never do it, but that it mostly because my feet aren’t comfortable in most shoes without some kind of hosiery, and only secondarily because I don’t like the look of it.
Don’t wear them.
Mandatory? Nobody’s going to kick you out if you don’t wear them, but yes, some people will think it’s weird for you to go bare legged to an event that’s formal enough to warrant a tuxedo.
Wear them. I say, wear them.
I would. I can’t wrap my head around not wearing them to a formal event. Unless it was summer or a hot climate.
Do whatever makes you feel the most comfortable. You’re already breaking tradition by wearing a cocktail dress to a black tie event. Traditional black tie apparel for women is a long, narrow skirt (as opposed to the full skirt of a ballgown).
Things must be different here in the South - even for formal events I’m surprised to see women under 40 in hose. Definitely not mandatory at all.
Why haven’t I seen any/many on actresses at formal Hollywood red carpets? Even women wearing short dresses, I don’t recall seeing them.
Skip the pantyhose. They are out, old hat, passe!
Yup! Wear them.
I’m an old bat, but even I don’t wear pantyhose any more. Stockings all the way for me — or rather, tights. I have several black velvet type outfits/dresses I have for formal events, all suitable to wear with black stockings. Or boots. There is no way in hell I’m going outside in the snow with bare legs.