Dude looks like a lady

by Kate O'Brien

The male species has come a long way since the days when using moisturiser was seen as vain. Now we have embraced the metrosexual man in all his lovely-smelling, soft-skinned glory.

Numerous designers now boast men’s beauty products in their ranges. Now we even have mantyhose. Hang on a minute; what’s that? Mantyhose? Yes, you heard right, mantyhose: tights for men. Errol Flynn, eat your heart out.

Once the attire of choice for everyone from royalty to peasants, tights have fallen out of favour since days gone by. But this could all be about to change for sales of tights among male shoppers has apparently been on the silent increase over the past five years, and it seems that the trend is finally ready to set-up shop in the mainstream.

Dawn Barber, founder of uktights.com, believes this is a trend that will only get bigger: “It is my hope and belief that in 25 years time, both men and women will wear hosiery on a daily basis.”

The website, which has been running since 2005, stocks the French hosiery brand Gerbe, which offers a range of tights specifically for men, and features extra material in the crotch area to accommodate the, ahem, male anatomy.

Barber says of their 50,000 customers, approximately half are men: “Some are builders, police officers, milkmen or postal workers who are out in the cold all day. But for some, it’s simply that they love the feel and warmth of tights.”

Meggings

We were introduced to mantyhose’s slightly tamer incarnation in 2007 with the infamous man-leggings or ‘meggings’ as they have come to be known. Then 2009 saw the ever-radical Martin Margiela sending male models down the runway in a flourish of skin-tight sequins.     

Mantyhose is even endorsed by guyliner’s biggest client, Russell Brand himself. Brand has been seen parading around in a wet-look pair from Sass & Bide for more than a year. At £95, these slinky, ruched leggings were originally designed for women, but Mr Brand has obviously seen fit to stamp his unique brand of masculinity on them.

And he’s not the only one: outlandish Mighty Boosh star Noel Fielding has also been seen out and about with lycra-clad legs, while Marc Jacobs was seen modelling his own Louis Vuitton graffiti design.

UK brand, Unconditional, has recently released a range of ‘meggings’, which is sold exclusively at Selfridges. Costing £70, they are available in black, charcoal and beige. The store’s director of menswear, David Walker-Smith, described them as the “secret weapon of the city’s most stylish men.”

So ladies, if you don’t want your man, brother or even dad to have the slinkiest legs around the table this Christmas, I suggest you start booking those salon appointments.