I think a shade matching your skin tone would look best with that outfit.

NEVER wear pantyhose with sandals. That is one of the first and most sacred rules of fashion. With a sequin dress go with black hose and solid heels or no hose and the sandals. Hose and sandals is tacky tacky tacky. Even the kind made for sandals not to go over your toes look bad.

Can I ask how old you are?

If you're younger, I would either go with the off black hose or probably actually do no hose at all.

I guess you could try them on and see how they look, but I wouldn't be caught dead in nude hose. Ok, maybe for a funeral, but not a cocktail party. I hate hose.

Here is a link that might be useful: Black Dress

Oh, I missed Michelle's post and I agree... I was thinking the shoes just had a back strap... but never wear hose with sandals.

Thank you for all the suggestions so far, but I think I will stick with wearing pantyhose. Who told you, michelle phxaz, that wearing pantyhose with sandals was taboo? I'm 26 years old by the way, carla, and I happen to know a little bit about fashion myself, though believe me, I am far from an expert! But I can tell you I see young female artists like Rianna, Beyonce, Gwen Stefani and Christina Agulara (who I listen to and watch regularly) wearing pantyhose with sandals all the time both on stage and off.

I think it would be tacky to wear a $200 dress and a $100 pair of shoes and then not wear any hose. But that's just me. That aside, on a personal level, I am a little uncomfortable wearing a shorter dress with heels with just my bare legs showing. I want to look classy, not cheap.

As for color of pantyhose I will be wearing this weekend, I guess I'm back to off black again.

If anyone else wants to chime in, let me know!

I think either a very natural tone, like your own complexion or the very sheer black. Be careful off-black doesn't look greyish. Also be sure to get the sandalfoot style.

I hate to wear hose but like you I would feel under=dressed with bare legs in such a situation. I'm sure you'll look fantastic! Have a wonderful time.

Hose are making there way back into style, but I haven't really noticed that it has really hit the main stream yet (at least around here - are you in New York or somewhere similar? - Then again, I don't remember those girls from Sex in the City wearing hose - LOL). I'm a little surprised it almost sounds like you don't/didn't know that hose were out and had never heard of the nylon and sandal thing. There are some very thin very sexy woman that can pull the sandal hose thing off, but not many, IMHO. The hose-back-in-fashion hasn't really hit many places yet; it is just generally models that are sporting the look. I expect it to be bigger in the fall and the hose to be dark and thicker even patterned tights (yuck). I doubt you want to go there for summer wear!

If you are very fashionable, and model like, you may be able to pull off wearing hose (or anything for that matter), but I'm still not seeing a girl your age in nude colored hose. I would actually suggest maybe a small black fishnet if you wanted to wear something. Are there any other girls your age going so that you could ask them? I guess it does depend on where you are. Nude nylons just aren't worn on people under 40-50 around here unless it's with a business suit. For parties (no matter how fancy) the look is still bare leg. I know some people don't like it, but that's what I see.

Of course, you have to dress for yourself and how you feel comfortable, so if you want to wear nylons, go for it. And, again, with the color... try them both on and see what you like better. I don't think all black would look bad. We used to wear all black outfits like yours all the time when I was younger. Very slimming and sexy...

Thanks for your kind words socks12345 and carla. While I do not live in New York or L.A., I have done quite a bit of modeling in my past. Not so much lately, but enough to be dangerous! The few times I walked down the runway, the models (including myself) always wore pantyhose. Usually a pair of Hanes Silk Reflections. At least that's what I wore. Either Travel Buff if we wanted a nude look or Jet Black. A lot of times we wore standard pumps or sling backs, but then other times we did wear sandals with pantyhose. That's just how it was. They were sandalfoot style naturally and very sheer so we didn't think anything of it. Infact, a lot of us girls thought it was just as sexy to wear pantyhose with sandals as it was to wear pumps. So maybe my views on wearing sandals with pantyhose are different because of my modeling experiences.

Don't get me wrong, I have noticed many women in my travels who simply refuse to wear hose. So I am very much aware that not every woman chooses to wear them. As for Sex in the City?? I agree with you. Don't think I ever saw them wear hose. Maybe once or twice?

Oh, and I think I may be one of those women you are talking about. You know, those that can pull off the sandals/hose look. Let's just say I have a very good figure for a 26 year old. I guess I must have if I did modeling for all those years. I workout everyday and eat healthy and that helps a great deal too with my figure. But enough about that.

I have tried on a pair of both nude and black pantyhose several different times with my outfit and I guess I like the black look the best. Jet Black seems to look better than off Black. But I wasn't sure and that's why I posted the question to begin with.

There are a few other girls my age going this weekend and they too will be wearing hose so they tell me. I'll let you know how it turns out!

I live in the LA area, and they sure aren't wearing hose here. I hate the look on most people, especially on me. And though I do not find pantyhose comfortable, neither do I find wearing shoes without stockings comfortable.
Glad to hear hose are coming back.

Christina, I did runway and print work for years, it has always been tacky to wear hose with sandals. Maybe it is coming in fashion (I am out of the modeling loop lately) but it still looks bad.

I had a wonderful time at the cocktail party this past weekend! I decided to wear black pantyhose with my sequined mini dress and matching sequined sandals and I have to tell you I made the right choice. I was told by numerous attendees (both guys and girls) that my outfit was simply gorgeous! I just couldn't believe how many compliments I had. There had to be at least a couple dozen other girls there too and for the most part they all were wearing black hose as well. Those that did not wear black were wearing nude. I did not see one person there who was going with the bare leg look.

So for those of you who say wearing pantyhose is out style, think again! Oh, and I was not the only one there wearing pantyhose with sandals either (michelle phxaz) so although you may think it looks bad, a whole lot of other girls out there don't think so! You should try it sometime!

You know Christina77, you sound a little "FULL" of yourself.

How odd...

Do you live in a very small town?

I live in a large metropolitan area, and attend a few formal functions, and haven't seen an attractive girl your age in hose in many, many years. I could see a few girls showing up with hose (especially the older crowd, the heavier set girls and maybe a girl who likes to defy or just doesn't know the fashion trends) but all of them... that's just really odd. Glad to know you at least fit in!

"Full" of myself??? You must be kidding........ I just enjoy life to the "fullest", that's all.

I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, then moved to Chicago, Illinois where I did some of my modeling. Growing up in Atlanta the women I were around usually wore hose. Same thing with Chicago. There were far more women wearing pantyhose than did not. So I have done my fair share of time in large metropolitan cities. I now reside in a medium sized city several hundred miles west of Chicago. That being said, most women here I come in contact with on a professional as well as personal level still wear hose. I can only comment on what I see in my daily travels and in my area of the country pantyhose are without a doubt 'in'. Yes, carla, I fit in here! Sorry you think that is odd. It is very much normal to the girls here though!

christina,

Hose were probably worn when you were very young because they were in then, but for the past few years (like 5 plus) the bare leg has been the fashion. It's really not just an opinion, but more of a fact and I seriously can't believe you didn't know that especially if you were in modeling business. Now there are people who choose not to follow the fashion (and that's fine). I know some professionals that just refuse to cave buy they stick out as most have caved. I'm just more shocked that it appears you don't know the trends especially at your age and with your background.

Here is a link that might be useful: Article

It all depends on the legs (unless you choose to wear hose regardless). I have seen women (and men) who are at least 80 with lovely legs - they no doubt had such legs at 20 - and look great without hose. My weight is in my legs - and they are very pale with inherited varicose veins. My legs look and feel dreadful without stockings - at 58 even worse than at age 20. If you want to wear hose, but still keep to a bare look, you can easily find hose that are so sheer you can hardly see them. I can't wear panyhose - must wear stockings or stay-ups - and the choice is not nearly as great.

carla,

I read your article. Thanks. But I already knew about the pantyhose vs. bare legs argument that's been going on for awhile now in the workplace. As I stated in an earlier posting, I realize that not every woman likes to or even wants to wear hose. Call me old fashioned if you want to. But I like wearing pantyhose and I think they are very fashionable and so do a lot of girls I am friends with and work with. You act shocked that there are actually a lot of women these days who still wear them. Especially young girls like myself. Maybe things are changing in parts of the country. Trends have to start someplace. Who knows? I don't know what else to tell you. But like I already said, the part of the country I live in, pantyhose are being worn to both the office and evening affairs. Really!

Pantyhose I understand, most women's legs unless evenly toned or tanned look better sheathed in hose. But the webby-nylon-covered toes thing in sandals just screams "no!" to me. It's up there with dress shoes on the beach and black socks with sneakers on men. Sansabelt pants. Birkenstocks with an evening gown. Knee-high nude nylons with shorts. Pink fuzzy slippers at the office. Flip flops with a wool suit.

Christina, it is good to know you fit in where you live and are comfortable wearing pantyhose with sandals. That is what is important.

I hate to get into a heated discussion over this. But I think bare legs would look stunning. Buy some tanning lotion (the good stuff) and put some shimmer on your legs and arms (if you are going sleeveless.

I went to a very chic party in Florida a couple of years ago, wearing a black dress and strappy heels and no nylons. I was 56 at the time and felt like a million bucks.

But you have to be comforable, no matter what. And above all, enjoy yourself.

Whatever you decide, I bet you will look smashing.

.....Jane

I cannot imagine wearing BLACK PANTYHOSE in the middle of July. I haven't heard of anyone throwing a 'cocktail party' since the Kennedy administration era. Things are more casual and sensible these days. July means BBQ or patio parties and sundresses with sandles and no hose. The last time I wore hose I was getting married and that was many moons ago. Maybe I'm just out of the loop. :)

Wow Christina77! I applaud your resolve and determination. Your protagonists were attacking from all sides in their futile attempt to sway you to the dark-side (the erroneous belief that hose w/open-toed shoes looks tacky), but you wouldn't budge. I tip my hat to you. I am a man and I do not claim to speak for all men, however I do know of a good number of men who share my opinion. I believe that open-toed shoes with sheer sandalfoot pantyhose is sexy as long as you have a good pedicure going on and you aren't wearing any cheap (i.e. saggy, cheap looking) pantyhose or reinforced toe pantyhose. In fact, once you are spotted wearing them you and the other young ladies who also opted to wear pantyhose with open-toed shoes, I dare say that you became the center of attention just as you said and the men (and some ladies) probably couldn't take their eyes off of you. The pantyhose haters are indeed entitled to their respective opinions and I wouldn't recommend you waste a moment of your time trying to persuade them to see things otherwise. It seems there are two camps: (1) those who love pantyhose, and (2) those vehemently opposed. I bet you looked elegant and stunning. Stay true to yourself and don't change for anyone!