When bare legs under a dress isn't an option.... (lotion, darker, smell)

[vrexy]

Originally Posted by ConeyGirl52

I wear nylons with skirts/dresses because I usually wear pants. Nude nylons actually balance out my otherwise pastey white legs to match the skintone of my forearms chest and face.

I recently bought a pair of Berkshire Platimun sheer hose. They are very fashionable. I had imagined them complementing a gray dress I had. They were an almost-transparent type of sheer with an almost not there sparkly sheen that did more to accentuate the fact my legs are pastey white than doing anything at all for the grayness of the dress. The texture and consistency were not appropriate for me. They did not compliment me.

Annual seasonal trends are always the latest thing, but if they do nothing for you then they are really nothing for you, lol. Trends come and go, Fashion has a primary role, which is to always compliment you. Complimenting comes first, then trend.

If you are wearing a long gown then you could go bare. Maybe use a sunless tanner if skintone is an issue and a light pair of cheap bike shorts (white and black are easy to find - anything beige-ish not so easy) with a nice pedicure are all you need. If you want a pantyhose, any normal weight that complements the skintone on your upper body would work. Your legs will not be noticed as much by anyone as your dress, face, hair and demeanor.

Why would she (or anyone else) want to wear a pair of cheap bike shorts under a dress?

[apexgds]

Originally Posted by reneeh63

Toeless hose are a great idea...but only when they work. I've found they never stop at the right place and tend to move around. How does that look any better than your grandma wearing knee highs with a dress?! Also, it can be pretty obvious you're wearing them unless you have just the right color - if you're very pale, it's definitely hard to find! Hey - if i had a tan complexion this wouldn't even be an issue!

This. I'm going against the grain to say I don't like toeless hose and find them distracting. If I see a woman wearing sandals and notice that she has really smooth even looking legs, it's going to cause me to look closer to see if she's wearing hose or not, and if toeless I'm going to try to find where the hose ends. So in effect, they've called MORE attention to her legs.

Either no hose or hose with closed toed shoes.

[ohmanon]

Google images of tea length mother of the bride dresses. There are some gorgeous and elegant contemporary styles that might be the perfect option between full and knee length and would not require hosiery.

[Pinkmani]

Get your varicose veins removed that way you'll be confident enough to wear whatever you want!!!

Or wear a tea-length dress...

[Scooby Snacks]

Originally Posted by theatergypsy

I wore hose my entire working life. I lived in D.C. for many years and if you've never, you have no idea of how swampy that city can be in the dog days. I owned no car and had to rely on public transportation. Yes, it was hot. Very. But no one, well, maybe Ladies of the Evening, but otherwise, no one walked about bare-legged unless it was at a picnic in shorts or playing tennis. In a professional atmosphere, we ALL wore hose. And while it was plenty hot on the way to and the way from, once at the destination - Work/Home, there was air conditioning or the option of taking off the hose. On many days, depending on whether or not the boss was menopausal, long underwear over the hose would have seemed appropriate!

Some women have a very limited view of what it will be like down-range. The perspective of age will make it apparent that we don't all look alike and some of us can't imagine appearing in public without make-up on our faces or hose on our legs. Wear what looks right on you and let the critics decide for themselves what they should wear.

I agree somewhat, since I've matured a bit myself. I don't know where in TX OP lives, and that's very relevant to the humidity factor, since TX has every climate imaginable because of the size of the state. The Panhandle is arid, with low humidity and gets a lot of snow and and temps as high as 105+ in the summer. In Houston, where I live, it's the 2nd most humid city in the nation (New Orleans, LA beats us by a whisker). Many times, being outside is like walking underwater and people will do anything they can to avoid clothing, especially tight clothing, touching their skin. And there are many variations in between. However, pantyhose is not as popular as it used to be, even in work clothing. With OP having pale skin, if she's going to go above floor length, pantyhose would probably be best with a close toed heel. It would just look odd to have a visible seam across a peep toe shoe. I don't wear pantyhose at all anymore, but I have olive skin tone, so it looks like I wear it all the time anyway.

[kayanne]

So many responses! I'm responding to many of you below, but to everyone, sincere thanks for your thoughts.

Originally Posted by saibot

I would do the same as you. And not worry about it, because everyone will be looking at the bride, not at you.

Yes, eyes should be on the bride. I told my husband I want to gracefully blend into the background. But I know that certain extended family members of my husband's ex-wife would take delight in finding reasons to criticize me, and I don't want my choice of clothing to give them one more reason.

Originally Posted by boogie'smom

I would start experimenting with light toned, professionally done spray tans a few weeks before the wedding. Tell the technician what you want. You don't need to look like you have a sun tan, you just want consistent color and coverage all over.

You also have time to experiment with some of the leg makeup that you do yourself. Joan Rivers makes a good one. You need to practice to get the right look. It isn't easy. I would start now.

Get a great pedicure and wear a simple dress.

Have you considered getting your veins removed? There are some new procedures that give great results.

No, no spray tan or leg makeup. The LAST thing I need to worry about is makeup rubbing off on my dress, or a spray tan that has started wearing off unevenly. Been there done that to those options.

Regarding vein removal, I have been through this twice before in my life. It requires several sessions, a lot of money, a fair amount of discomfort, and less than thrilling results. But, I am actually planning to call me dr about vein treatment this week. I had already been looking at her aesthetic clinic website this morning and talking about it with hubby. But even if I go through several treatment sessions, I don't expect my legs will look good enough to go bare. (If you can't relate or understand, just count yourself lucky).

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

As a 46-year-old woman, I believe it is unreasonable to expect ALL women who qualify for mother of the bride age to go bare-legged at a wedding.

Kayanne, don't worry about spray tanning or camouflage of any kind. There's nothing wrong with very sheer nose with a peep toe shoe at a wedding. You will look GREAT and appropriate.

It is smart to consider the groom's mom's style of dress as the two of you will be in lots of full length photos together. You also will very much be the center of attention at certain times.

Find some very sheer hose. It's no big deal.

Thank you for your kind, caring, understanding words of support.

Originally Posted by gentlearts

You should wear whatever makes you feel beautiful and comfortable. From your description, I am thinking that a knee length, or slightly below knee length, dress with panty hose in a medium tone, with pumps or peep toe would look nice.

You do not need to conform to any sort of preconceived notion of "should". Women of a certain age (I am one) have certain cosmetic issues that we did not have as young women. It is elegant to recognize these issues and dress accordingly.

Just as an example, my niece got married a few years ago and her grooms mother wore a very low cut long dress that looked totally bad. Nobody wanted to see those leathery, droopy old boobs. My point is that you will look nice if you do not try to pretend that your deficiencies do not exist.

Thank you for a great laugh and for your understanding!

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

Fortunately, I doubt the OP plans to wear any of those.

Well, not to the wedding, but perhaps the rehearsal dinner.

Originally Posted by emm74

I would not personally want to wear hose in the summer. But if you are going to be more comfortable that way, then it will be fine with closed toe shoes. Or if you want to wear sandals, getting the toeless hose others have mentioned - NOT "sandal foot" as that still looks bad, but the ones that stop partway down your foot and then hook over your toes.

And I wanted to say that you are very thoughtful to want to dress in a way that is consistent with what your stepdaughter's mom is wearing - I'm sure your stepdaughter is grateful she isn't dealing with family drama!

Thank you. I would love to wear a simple floor length dress, as that is what generally wear when I want to be dressy in summer, but even if it's not a formal gown, it could conceivably be misconstrued that I was trying to "outshine" Mother of the Bride.

Originally Posted by Csiko

You're going to wear nylons or anything under a skirt/dress in the summer? Where do you live, Nome?
.

LOL, I live in San Antonio (so I know heat); the wedding will be in Chicago. I had no idea anyone found it unthinkable that a woman could wear nylons in the summer. It's the men in their suits and ties that I always wonder about! I don't love pantyhose (especially the binding waistband and the feeling that something just isn't lined up right!) but I never found them stifling hot.

Originally Posted by reneeh63

Toeless hose are a great idea...but only when they work. I've found they never stop at the right place and tend to move around. How does that look any better than your grandma wearing knee highs with a dress?! Also, it can be pretty obvious you're wearing them unless you have just the right color - if you're very pale, it's definitely hard to find! Hey - if i had a tan complexion this wouldn't even be an issue!

I'd never heard of toeless hose until I read about them in the other thread about nylons. I did kind of wonder about the same things you mentioned.

Originally Posted by theatergypsy

Some women have a very limited view of what it will be like down-range. The perspective of age will make it apparent that we don't all look alike and some of us can't imagine appearing in public without make-up on our faces or hose on our legs. Wear what looks right on you and let the critics decide for themselves what they should wear.

I suppose we all had that limited view when we were in our 20s and 30s, or frankly any age that was younger than what we are now. Yeah, no "fashion expert" can dictate that bare legs trumps nylons every time. That's ridiculous.

Originally Posted by vrexy

Why would she (or anyone else) want to wear a pair of cheap bike shorts under a dress?

I didn't understand that either.

[dizzybint]

Kate Middleton wears fine nude tights and looks stunning... I dont think wedding clothes would look right either with bare legs..

[Flamingo13]

I can't believe some of you people telling her to get surgery, pay for spray on tan(s) (which she said doesn't work), etc. - WEAR nude color pantyhose, and they are FINE w/peep toe shoes (just don't wear the reinforced toe pantyhose) - jeez people, it's only been the last several yrs. that people stopped w/the pantyhose - they will be back! EVERYTHING comes back in style.

[Rubi3]

Doubtful anyone would notice you were wearing nude nylons.

[Bluesmama]

Well, I returned to wearing hose. Tried the "leg makeup" and thought it was crap. But I don't like white'ish legs and I simply could not get used to baring mine. But I don't wear dresses or skirts very often, anyway (except in summer - and I suntan mine).