Tights are a type of fabric leg covering, usually extending from the waist to feet, and fitting as tightly as possible to the body (from which the name derives).

Wearing of tights has a long history going back several centuries, when they were worn by men. Today, they are worn primarily by women and girls and some men, as well as infants and toddlers of both sexes. A girl is any Female Human from birth through Childhood and Adolescence to attainment of Adulthood The term may also be used to mean Toddler is a common term for a young Child who is learning to walk or "toddle", generally considered to be the second stage of development after infancy In recent years, they have been sometimes offered as men's fashion. 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 Athletic tights are already considered unisex.

In American English, the difference between pantyhose and tights in women's and men's fashion is determined in the weight of the yarn used and the thickness to which the garment is knitted. Pantyhose (also called tights) are sheer, close fitting coverings of the body from the Waist to the feet Generally, anything up to 40 denier is known as pantyhose and anything over can be classified as tights. Denier Denier is a unit of measure for the Linear mass density of Fibers. In the United Kingdom the word "tights" is used in all cases when referring to pantyhose. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

There are many sub-classifications of women's and of course men's tights/pantyhose that describe the precise construction (such as control top, seamless, support). Although most tights are mainly nylon or cotton, lycra is normally included in modern blends to improve fit. Overview Nylon is a Thermoplastic silky material first used commercially in a nylon- Bristled Toothbrush (1938 followed more famously by Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp Spandex or elastane is a Synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity.

In women's and some men's fashion, unfooted tights are usually called leggings. Leggings are any of several sorts of fitted Clothing to cover the legs Athletic tights are often unfooted, although they may have a "stirrup" that goes under the foot to hold the cuff down near the ankle.

Contents 1 Historical background 2 Examples of current use 2.1 Athletic use 2.2 Health and beauty use 2.3 Sales of tights 3 References 4 See also

Historical background

Originally derived from the hose worn by European men several centuries ago, tights were made as close fitting as possible for practical reasons when riding horseback. For men of nobility the material would be made of silk or fine wool rather than the coarser fabrics used by the lower classes. Nobility is a government-privileged title which may be either hereditary (see Hereditary titles) or for a lifetime At the time of King Henry VIII of England, such was the male fashion for displaying a well turned leg that even the king padded the calf area under his hose.

Examples of current use

Tights are common in the world of theater, especially in Renaissance-era costumes, and dance, particularly in ballet. Theatre (or theater, see spelling differences) is the branch of the Performing arts defined by Bernard Beckerman as what "occurs when one The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere The term costume can refer to Wardrobe and dress in general or to the distinctive style of dress of a particular people class or period Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) is an Art form that generally refers to movement of the body usually rhythmic Ballet is a formalized form of Dance with its origins in the French court further developed in France and Russia as a Concert dance

The term "tights" has been used to try to ridicule certain traditional British uniform. A uniform is a set of standard Clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity Most famously the Serjeant-at-Arms at the Palace of Westminster, after a protester got past the security, were described in the media as "middle aged men in tights". A Serjeant at Arms (also spelled Sergeant at Arms, and sometimes Serjeant-at-Arms) is an officer appointed by a Deliberative ^[1]

Athletic use

For horseback riding, tights refers to light jodhpurs (riding pants that extend to the ankle) that are worn in summer or as an undergarment in winter. Jodhpurs are tight-fitting Trousers that reach to the ankle where they end in a snug cuff and are worn primarily for horseback riding. These pants, or 'riding tights', are cheaper to buy than jodhpurs or breeches (riding pants that extend to mid calf intended for use with tall riding boots). In warm climates they can be worn all year round.

Tights can also describe the leg coverings worn in cycling and other athletics, especially by runners and wrestlers. Cycling is the use of Bicycles or - less commonly - Unicycles Tricycles Quadricycles and other similar wheeled Human powered vehicles These tights are usually a thicker spandex-blend, and are usually footless.

Athletic tights received some publicity during the 2005-2006 basketball season, when players started wearing the ankle-length tights under their uniform shorts. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m "Hot Pants" redirects here For the James Brown song see Hot Pants (song Shorts are a Garment worn by both men and women over A prominent NBA player, Kobe Bryant, was one of the first to wear tights, and the style was subsequently adopted by several other NBA players, as well as some college and high school players. Kobe Bean Bryant (born) is an American All-Star Shooting guard The style sparked controversy, leading to proposals to prohibit wearing tights with basketball uniforms. ^[2]

Health and beauty use

Because the fabric used in tights is made of interwoven fabric such as nylon or cotton there are gaps in the fabric where modern manufacturers have been able to place other items which benefit the skin. They can use microencapsulation techniques to place substances such as moisturizers and other skin creams in the tights. These creams are said to act against the skin to create a health and/or beauty benefit for the wearer. Some manufacturers have even put caffeine in tights which they claim can reduce cellulite for the wearer. ^[3]

Sales of tights

After World War II, sales recovered, but towards the end of the 20th Century sales of tights started to fall by as much as 10% a year. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including This was mainly due to the increased prominence of trousers in fashion. Workplace dress codes were also a significant cause with the increase in casual wear, "dress down" days and the rise and rise of the trouser "power suit". The UK was particularly hard hit with sales decreasing from £400m in 2000 to below £300m in 2004. ^[4]

Since 2005 sales in tights and other hosiery has recovered. This is mainly due to the increase in male tights wearers and in skirts, dresses and shorts in fashion. Also a lot young women are using brightly coloured and patterned tights to make a fashion statement. On top of this, the rise of internet retail has helped the industry. The internet should continue to play a significant part in future sales growth as tights do not need to be tried on in the shops and can be delivered to consumers easily and cheaply.

References

See also

• Compression tights

Compression tights or Compression sportswear are specially made Leggings which mold to the user's physique

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