Would you consider men wearing tights fashionable?
Like it or not, mantyhose, as a fashion alternative, is gaining popularity. Whatever you call it - brosiery, guylons, hose for bros, unisex hosiery and pantyhose for men - men's tights aren't revolutionary, and might become one of common items in the years to come.
In 2009, Italian hosiery company Emilio Cavallini launched a range of unisex tights.
"I did a search on the Internet and discovered there is a cult following for mantyhose," the company's VP Francesco Cavallini told WWD.
"All of the men at our company, including myself, wear-tested a range of tights to rate the comfort level, and we came up with the concept of creating tights that both men and women could wear."
The tights are made from a mix of cotton and nylon, costing around $27. Patterns include stars, stripes, spots, skull patterns, black, white and chequered styles.
And the trend is gaining momentum. "The mantyhose are most popular with customers from Germany, France, Scandinavia, Canada and the U.S.," according to Cavallini.
Mantyhose is mostly purposed to keep warm, worn under trousers, said the designer. However, some men have paired tights with shorts, making fashion statements.
"The unisex tights are mainly black and white, but I believe the men buying these tights want to make a fashion statement," said Lisa Cavallini, sister of Emilio.
Do you think men can really pull off tights? Leave us a comment!