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It's easy to find a cheap pair of pantyhose on the fly, for those situations where it's an hour before the big meeting and you realize you've got a run. But quality hosiery usually requires a trip to a department store, which just may not be in the cards when you're slammed with work — part of the reason I started this blog was because I was always working when stores were open! Hoseanna, a new site, is launching today, and it aims to help working women everywhere get the pantyhose, nylons, and tights you need, on your schedule. Because you can make a one-time purchase or sign up for a subscription (every month, every two months or every three months), you can even put pantyhose on “autopilot” — it'll show up when you need it, and you can cross it off your already massive to-do list. Their curated collection includes some brands that are new to me, including b.ella, Foot Traffic, Pretty Polly, and Boottights, as well as brands that everyone would be familiar with, such as Hue, DKNY, and Silk Reflections. Also, note that the first 250 women to register on the site will receive 25% off all purchases throughout the year + 1 month free shipping. And, through a fun giveaway going on now, 4 people can win a full year-long subscription to Hoseanna and a style makeover (details below!)
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Hoseanna's founders, Tracey and Katrina. I loved both women (they've been friends for years and have walked in our shoes, ladies — both of them had successful corporate careers before they went into business together!) but I also loved the idea behind the site: that while yes, sometimes women like to browse, a lot of times you just want CONVENIENCE when you're shopping. Especially for busy, working women, you don't want to have to spend your one free hour of the week to run to the department store to pick up a few new pair of hose.
I’m honored to be a Hoseanna brand ambassador alongside these leading ladies in the blogosphere :
The Marathon Mom –Nichelle Pace from Style Mom
The Corporate Vet – Natalie MacNeil, She Takes on the World
The Uniform Diva –Sara Keagle from The Flying Pinto
We'll all be filling out some fun questionnaires on Monday, so stay tuned!
Now about that giveaway I mentioned — Do you want to experience Hoseanna for yourself? Four lucky winners will win a free one-year subscription to Hoseanna! Each winner also wins a virtual style consultation with My Style Pill’s Christine Cameron to help build your best work wardrobe. Total prize packages value: $500. It ends on April 10th so enter today by heading over to the Hoseanna Facebook page. Don’t forget to give them a “like” while you’re there!
Readers, what are your favorite pantyhose brands? What other regular purchases do you make that you wish you could put on autopilot?
Katharina
Great idea, however it would be great if they carried more upscale brands and included a sizing chart for each brand.
M
Agree, upscale brands would be great – like Wolford. And maybe they could have a model try on some of the patterned tights so that you can see what it looks like on the whole leg.
I took a look at the website, and I think it’s a good idea, but seems to me that they would need a bigger selection if they are exclusively selling hosiery. Also, what about a discount if you sign up (and pay in advance) a subscription? Seems like if you are buying in multiples, you should get a discount.
MM
I love this idea! So clever. Because I don’t wear skirts, I’m not sure I have much use for hose in particular, but I definitely get the point and it’s exactly right. Now, I wish someone would do this with my favorite underwear (Tracey and Katrina, looking to expand?). I just want replacement underwear to show up at my door in exactly the same colors, brands, and sizes I already know and love. I hate making a special trip for something I care so little about, or frankly even thinking about the fact that I have to replace my underwear.
NYC
Great idea. If they start carrying DKNY tall pantyhose, I’m totally in.
Btw, corporette moment, I unexpectedly had lunch with someone major major today and had to say a little prayer for putting on a blazer this morning. A good reminder to dress up. You never know what is coming!
fresh jd
Also good to have a blazer hanging in the office for those occasions.
L
Ditto! I always wear a blazer in case of (1) meetings or (2) cold office. Plus I also love DKNY tall hose for the times that I wear hose. :)
Janie
How do you ladies decide what color of hose to get if you are unable to look at samples in real life and compare them to your skin tone?
Tired Squared
If you’re particular about matching your skin tone (which I am not), then I imagine you would need to test a few pairs and then set up “autopilot” with your chosen brand/color.
Do most people try to match their skin tones? I see so many women with legs that are darker than their arms…
AL
For nude hose, match to your real color (not the color you want to be). Otherwise, I think you look tacky. I’d equate it to not knowing how to put on bronzer – you either know how and look sunkissed or you don’t know how and look like an oompa loompa.
Tired Squared
Ah, I see. I’m a pretty standard “medium brown” so I have trouble looking too Oompa-Loompa-like!
Ann-on
Color matching seems to be a regional thing. Not many women here (west coast Canada) wear hose and those who do tend to wear off black rather than nude.
Nonny
Hey, welcome fellow Lotus-lander! Nice to know there is another one of us here.
E
I try to come close to matching, but I don’t go for an absolutely perfect match. So looking at colors online is close enough for me.
FitnessKat
Probably my favorite brand of pantyhose is Donna Karen “the nudes”. I also wear Hanes Silk Reflections.
It is so true, buying hose is something that’s easily forgotten but a real pain if you don’t have when you need them.
MissJackson
This is a great idea. I actually have a “frequent buyer” card at the store in my local airport where they sell Hue hose (about the best you can muster at an airport) because practically every time I travel for business (hello, depositions) and start packing, I realize that I don’t have hose (and since I pack the night before if I’m lucky, there is never any time to make a trip out for them).
If I wore a suite more often, or if my need for hose was on a more predictable schedule, I’d sign up for sure. I only wear hose when I have client meeting/depo/court appearance, though. Sometimes that’s 5 times a month, but sometimes I go for months without needing hose.
When I have more time to plan, I am actually a fan of Nordstom’s store brand hose. They are a nice mid-range price (I think they run $10 per pair) where the quality is reasonable but I don’t feel like it’s an enormous waste of money if I put a nail through them on the second wearing.
The “airport hose” that I buy are Hue and they don’t have a waistband which is acutally pretty awesome. Also the “natural” color is indeed natural for my pasty self. http://www.amazon.com/HUE-Womens-Sheer-Waistband-Pantyhose/dp/B0002V396E
femmesansparfum
Thanks everyone! I’m a college student coming up on interviews for pre-law-school jobs and I’ve been trying to find out what brands of hose look nice and last for more than one wearing. I only ever wore those $2 drugstore hose that come in boxes, but I just bought a 3-pack of Hanes Silk Reflections and I feel more like an adult now.
On a related note, I absolutely swear by Ann Taylor tights. I had a pair of opaque black ones that I wore at least 100 times before they got a hole in them.
Ann-on
I’ve had very good luck with Jockey hose. They’re more semi-opaque than sheer, but they’re as comfortable as tights and I’ve had pairs that have lasted for *years*.
mamabear
Ugh, nude hose. I know there have been hosiery wars on this board before and I don’t want to start them again. I agree with the other west coaster above – we don’t really wear them out here (I’m in SF.) However, if you’re going to wear nude hose, may I ask that you please don’t wear them with open-toed shoes? Lady in my office? Please?
That is all. Thanks!
Frump
I used to feel like you, but after seeing all the young women in my office this winter wearing very well-matched-to-their-skin nude hose, I feel forever changed. I actually really like the look of a nice, very sheer/skin toned pair of hose with an outfit. It really polishes it up. In fact, I was so impressed with how nice everybody looked in their hose (and I too managed to find a brand that matches my skin very well) that I have even considered wearing them in summer. But then I remember that summers where I am are horrible and it would probably look a little odd… so I think I’ll do well-kept, bare legs in the summer just to go with the season, but I have much less aversion to hose now after seeing how nice they can be when people wear them well.
shrink
I can’t live without my hosiery. I love Filodoro in particular. My office is AC year round in Texas and we park and walk into the building so the hot, clingy aspect of hosiery is minimized or absent. I do match to skin tone after enjoying a brand’s selections. I also amange a summer vs. winter skin tone selection as a result. I also like some summerweight hosiery -(“Sevilla” by Cecilia de Rafael) but for socializing and weekend events, not work as I find them far less durable for everyday in the office. Many times it’s only when my legs catch the lights a certain way do people remark that I’m wearing hosiery, even when shopping for shoes. It’s all about finding the right weight/denier and shade IMVHO. Thanks for the nod to those of us who wear hosiery!
Taylor
Women have been wearing hose since the 20’s. It used to be sexy ladies! I find it interesting that so many women express a personal aversion to the hose today when we all know that we all wore them every day to work with our skirts up until 7-8 years ago. Yes, I know that it is no longer in style to wear hose. I don’t wear gloves or hats to the office but I don’t think they are ugly. I hate shoulder pads but I know that soon I won’t be able to purchase a jacket without them. God, do you all remember the stupid cheapo pads in T-shirts back circa 1989? So, mamabear, I get that you don’t like them, but I wish they would come back in style because my white, pasty, and sometimes blotchy legs look so much better in hose, even in the South Florida summer!
GingerR
I wear stockings until Memorial Day and then again after Labor Day. In the summer months I self-tan and go bear legged. I feel more put together in stockings. I also live in the Washington DC area, which is known for being an un-stylist backwater!
I like Silk Reflections or DKNY.