Sales of flesh-toned tights have soared 500 per cent thanks to the Duchess of Cambridge.
She has been credited with driving sales across the fashion industry thanks to her pitch-perfect style and global appeal. Thanks to the so-called Kate effect the nation is mad for the Duchess of Cambridge's ladylike style.
But the biggest coup for the Duchess has not been rising sales of the neatly fitted dresses she favours, or the flamboyant fascinators - it is the surge in popularity of nude tights.
The frumpy hosiery, once the preserve of grandmothers everywhere, has been given a major shot in the arm by Kate's patronage.
The Kate effect: The Duchess of Cambridge's fondess for nude hosiery has seen sales soar 500 per cent, George at Asda revealed today
Asda today revealed today that they have seen sales of their nude hosiery soar a staggering 500 per cent - and they say it's in a large part down to Kate.
'Our George customers love Kate Middleton,' a spokesman for George at Asda said today.
'George.com has been flooded with searches for skin-coloured tights which have become a wardrobe staple for the Duchess over the past year.'
They did concede that our recent inclement weather may have played some part in driving sales, saying that thanks to the rain and chill in the air, shoppers who would by now have been bare-legged are opting to wear the sheer stockings.
'Nude tights are perfect for this time of year for customers who aren’t quite ready to ditch the black winter tights, but want to bare their legs,' George's spokesman said.
In the nude: Hayden Panettiere wearing sheer tights last year, Pippa Middleton at a wedding last weekend, and a pre-pregnancy Carla Bruni-Sarkozy
'We have had a similar reaction to a number of George items that have been favoured by Kate including a 300 per cent sales uplift on our mac collection, as well as a 471 per cent uplift on our coloured denim after her appearance in a coral pair last month.
'We expect the Kate phenomenon to continue as she has now established herself as a British style icon and can’t wait to see what she will be wearing next.'
Last year Tightsplease reported seeing a 90 per cent increase in sales of nude tights year-on-year, while Selfridges reported a 40 per cent rise.
Of course Catherine is not the only famous name to favour sheer pantyhose. Her sister, Pippa Middleton, is also a dedicated fan of the look, as is French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.
Hayden Panettiere, Beyonce and Sarah Jessica Parker have also championed the nude tights revival.
BY HER MAJESTY'S ORDER: ROYAL PROTOCL BEHIND TREND FOR SHEER STOCKINGS
While it is true that nude stockings can hide a multitude of sins, they have not been in vogue since the Eighties and the result is a somewhat ageing look, at odds with her otherwise youthful style.
But would Catherine actually be wearing these tights if she weren't in the public eye? The fact that she is always wearing them, and closed-toe shoes for that matter, indicate that she is simply adhering to Royal protocol.
Royal protocol? Princess Beatrice, the Countess of Wessex and Princess Eugenie in sheer tights at Easter
Indeed, one will never see the Queen, the Duchess of Cornwall or the Countess of Wessex without sheer stockings and closed-toe shoes. Even fashion-conscious Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie comply.
And when Tom Hanks' wife Rita Wilson described the dress code for a recent white tie event at Buckingham Palace, the rules were the same.
She told Harper's Bazaar: 'The palace dress requirements say that women... must wear closed-toed shoes - and get this: stockings! Sheer disbelief - I don't even own a pair of sheer hose.'
Of course, like everything else the Duchess has worn since her engagement in November last year, sheer tights have been flying off the shelves.
Tre : Un numero perfetto
On The Center
SKIN al vulo!- chen* blackpearl choco
SHAPE .:69 Bounce Shape's:. Jannelle NEW
HAIR /Wasabi Pills/ Orion FEM Mesh Hair - Chocolate
BRA ::LC:: Colorblock Bandeau [Violet] NEW
PANTS ::LC:: The Cape Trouser [Canary] NEW
BAG {*I loveFashiOn*} Floral Bag 4 NEW
On The Left
On The Right
SKIN IT GIRLS - Sui Summer / Brown brows
SHAPE .:69 Bounce Shape's:. Desire NEW
HAIR /Wasabi Pills/ Matchgirl Mesh Hair - Night shadow NEW
TOP .:Useful Things:. short one shoulder hoodie mesh NEW
SKIRT [DDL] Take Me Out (Skirt) BP NEW
BAG *LpD* - *Delicious* Vintage Bag
EARRING + RING FZaPP Earrings ZaPP Gold CREACTIVEVENT D NEW
SHAPE .:69 Bounce Shape's:. Jannelle NEW
HAIR /Wasabi Pills/ Orion FEM Mesh Hair - Chocolate
BRA ::LC:: Colorblock Bandeau [Violet] NEW
PANTS ::LC:: The Cape Trouser [Canary] NEW
BAG {*I loveFashiOn*} Floral Bag 4 NEW
On The Left
SKIN .::CENSORED::. Cindy Skin eyeshadow black NEW
SHAPE .:69 Bounce Shape's:. Nikki NEW
PIERCING ::[annaA]:: Lip Piercing "Anna's New One" _ dark NEW
EARRING {*I loveFashiOn*} Earring-Striped Multicolor NEW
NECKLACE {*I loveFashiOn*} Necklace-Striped Multicolor NEW
SKIN IT GIRLS - Sui Summer / Brown brows
SHAPE .:69 Bounce Shape's:. Desire NEW
HAIR /Wasabi Pills/ Matchgirl Mesh Hair - Night shadow NEW
TOP .:Useful Things:. short one shoulder hoodie mesh NEW
SKIRT [DDL] Take Me Out (Skirt) BP NEW
BAG *LpD* - *Delicious* Vintage Bag
EARRING + RING FZaPP Earrings ZaPP Gold CREACTIVEVENT D NEW
Gawk ! For Chic
On The Left
SHAPE .:69 Bounce Shape's:. Jannelle NEW
DRESS Gawk! Aquamarine Simple Summer Dress ( EXCLUSIVE for the CHIC Birthday 2012 - ) NEW
On The Right
SHAPE .:69 Bounce Shape's:. Desire NEW
DRESS Gawk! Lemon Simple Summer Dress ( EXCLUSIVE for the CHIC Birthday 2012 - ) NEW
BAG {*I <3FashiOn*} Floral Bag 3 NEW
*LpD* - *Spring* Dress (Designed for Modavia)
Kiss & Kill
On the Left
SKIN *JeSyLiLO*:::SIS*6*:::*TanSkin NEW
BAG {*I <3FashiOn*} Floral Bag 2 NEW
PANTS GoK- Spiked Color Diped Green NEW
On the Right
PANTS GoK- Spiked Color Diped Orange NEW
Im Sexy Lady
LINGERIE *Crazy* Studded Lingerie NEW
COLLAR + CUFFS SuPerBia Accesories - Leather Set - Black -
TATTOO SuPerBia Tattoo - Summer Sun - NEW
America
SKIN IT GIRLS - Sui Summer / Dark brows NEW
BOOTS *ATHOR*_Dietrish_BLACK_
TOP .:Useful Things:. bandage top mesh black NEW
Emily Dreams
SKIN IT GIRLS -Harper Cocoa / Dark Brows
MAKE UP EYES SuPerBia Make Up - Eye Shadow Intense - 1 NEW
HAIR RAW HOUSE :: Lion [Black 02]
EARRING SuPerBia Accesories - Gypsy Earrigns - Black - NEW
NECKLACE NHA! Necklace Beck
BELT SuPerBia Accesories - Brave Belt - Black NEW
DRESS -(BR)- My Super-Bitch - Leo NEW
TATTOO SuPerBia Tattoo - Emily Dreams - NEW
RING NHA! Ring Litsy - Gold
BOOTS HouseofFox :: EdgyBoots[Black]
SOCKS Izzie's - Overknee Socks
Dakota
SKIN + MAKEUP MONS / Dakota Skin Tan Tone NEW
HEADPIECE SuPerBia Accesories - Flower of Life - Fat Pack - B-SSF Event NEW
TANK [GLUE INK] Aztec Tanks (Lemon) NEW
PANTS *Mayden Couture* - Katherine MESH Pants NEW
NECKLACE [EY:NO] Filigran Necklace (silver /gold) NEW
Mayflower
DRESS .:villena:. - flower dress peach NEW
HAIR [LeLutka]-RYKIEL hair -
HEADPIECE + EARRING + RING FZaPP Set Abacaxi-de-Campos Mesh -By FZaPP NEW
BAG {*I <3FashiOn*} Floral Bag NEW
Madame JoJo's
This legendary club, founded a long time ago by Soho’s well-known entrepreneur, Paul Raymond, has been somewhere I have wanted to visit since first hearing about it probably in my late teens when a Sunday colour supplement carried an interview with Raymond, the then Madame JoJo and “the boys” (as they called them). I used to wonder if I could ever get a job there as an entertainer or waitress. Until now I never had any opportunity or excuse to go.
It’s only the second trans club I’ve been to in London, the other being the Way Out Club in the City. This is a dedicated venue and is much better. Not large but adequate, its décor is pleasanter, its stage show better and the crowd is more mixed with “normal” people visiting not just TGirls and Admirers, ie couples (straight and gay), groups of female/gay friends. In other words, it’s always been a place with a trans slant for anyone to hang out in, as I expected. The loos, however, are inadequate and not nice, and the bar is small and fairly pricey. Located on Brewer Street in the heart of Soho, it could not be more central. Website: http://www.madamejojos.com/
Yesterday (a Wednesday, which is Trannyshack night) I went with two friends – one transsexual and one straight male – and we enjoyed an evening of drinks and dancing, cabaret and chatting. The music is a little too loud for extended conversation, but not deafening as it is in, say, the clubs of Leeds.
The cabaret was not bad. Dusty O the compere introduced two new York girls, who were energetic and excellent, Holly Day (in blue) and I will remember the other’s name in due course. There were other numbers from Mitzi Mackintosh and our old friend Vanilla Lush who was celebrating eight years in the establishment. It was quite fun.
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| High-energy greetings from New York. These girls have fantastic legs. |
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| Mitzi Mackintosh from Australia doing a mad rendition of Mame. |
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| Vanilla Lush. |
I’d go back. It’s a reasonable place to spend a couple of hours.
Sue x
Daily inspiration-
How do you get your inspiration for the outfits you wear ?
I get a lot of my inspiration from the past 70's,80's,90's early 2000's
Who has had the biggest fashion influence on your outfits ?
I gather inspiration from pretty much everyone especially the very unique! Including Allysa Stone and Violettae and so many more
What made you start posting your pictures on chictopia ?
I am considering getting one but haven't yet set up an account
What blogs and websites do you follow and why ?
thefabulousstains.blogspot.com
www.badlands777.com
www.johnnysbird.com
violettae.blogspot.com
jeangreige.blogspot.com
www.fashionsalade.com/le-happy/
chrissychrispy.blogspot.com
And so many others I cant name them all but these cites are where i get my inspiration from
Would you describe yourself as a trendsetter or fashion follower ?
I don't think i am a trend setter, i mean I wear what I like and not everyone likes it, I do follow certain styles but none really pertaining to this decade
How would you describe your style ?
Grungy,punk&bohemian
Does the hosiery you wear dictate the clothes,outfit you wear ?
Not really I feel any& all hosiery really vamps up an outfit
What is in your hosiery drawer or closet ?
Print tights,knit tights,thigh highs& fishnets
How do you choose your hosiery ?
When I see a pattern I like I have to have it! Thats all lol
Where do you shop for hoseiry ?
Anywhere I can find it really
I've gotten some from norstrom ,forever21& urban outfitters
What was the last item of hosiery you brought, how much you spent etc ?
My tie dye tights they were $14 from urban outfitters
Do you prefer sheer or opaque tights,stockings or holdups,socks or kneehighs,sheer toe or reinforced ?
sheer tights
I love ankle socks& thigh high socks
reinforced definately
Do you ever wear 10 denier tights or sheer hose if so how long do they last you ?
I have had 10s they rip easy but by applying clear nail polish it saves them! it prevents the rip from getting any bigger and is save to wash.
How does wearing tights make you feel emotionally ? More feminine,better with girly outfits not thought about it ?
I guess I do feel feminine, well I love pairing girly colors like white&pastels with black tights but they go great with all styles
Do you prefer the feel of tights ? Do your legs ache less, prefer than pants ? not thought about it ?
I do prefer them! they are like a second skin! just yesterday I wore tights& an oversized t shirt& i was good to go!
When do you wear hosiery,daily-once a week etc ?
Almost daily like 3-4 days out of the week
What is your hosiery staple ?
My knit tights
What are your style tips for wearing tights ?
Always spice it up! I love the way simply black tights look over thigh highs
How do you put on tights?
Roll them to the toe&pull them over my legs (minimizes rips)
Do you keep a spare pair of tights in your bag ?
No I probably should though
The best and worst things about hosiery, Love-hate ?
I have long cat claw nails& they don't work well with my tights because the snag
Do you recycle your tights if not how many pairs of tights do you throw away each month ? What was the last pair you pt in the bin,trash?
I try very hard to keep my tights in circulation the last pair I threw away were my sheer tights with little hearts all over them they were tearing all over (which i don't really mind) and got stretched out
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