50 Years of Pantyhose

Love them or hate them, the once-ubiquitous women’s accessory was a revolutionary invention that helped transform women’s fashion

  • By Joseph Caputo
  • Smithsonian.com, July 08, 2009, Subscribe
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Pantyhose
From the runway, to the office, and now stored away in women’s dresser draws, pantyhose have gone through several life cycles. (Reg Charity / Corbis)

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Allen Gant Senior

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The story of pantyhose runs in the Gant family. Since the late Allen Gant Sr. introduced the first pair in 1959, his descendents have watched the garment move from high fashion to optional accessory. Three generations of women have now experienced waist-to-toe stockings, and few would be surprised to discover that a man invented pantyhose. But here’s the twist—it was at the request of his wife.

According to Allen Gant Jr., the inventor’s son, Gant Sr. and his wife Ethel Boone Gant were on the overnight train to North Carolina, returning home from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, when a pregnant Ethel informed her husband that this would be her last trip with him—at least until the birth of their child. It was nothing personal, just a matter of comfort. Managing her stockings and garter belt over her expanding belly was becoming difficult, and being a proper lady, she would not be seen in public without her hosiery.

The year was 1953 and if you were a woman, a night on the town meant either squeezing into a girdle or slipping on a garter belt. Formal dress dictated that females wear such intimate, and often uncomfortable, articles of clothing. How else could you hold up your nylons?

Allen Gant Sr., then running textile company Glen Raven Mills, was inspired by his wife’s lament. “How would it be if we made a pair of panties and fastened the stockings to it?” he asked Ethel. She stitched some crude garments together, tried them on, and handed the products to her husband. “You got to figure out how to do this,” she said. Allen brought his wife’s experiment into the office, and with the help of his colleagues Arthur Rogers, J. O. Austin, and Irvin Combs, developed what they later called “Panti-Legs.” Their product—the world’s first commercial pantyhose—began lining department store shelves in 1959.

“It was wonderful,” a 74-year-old Ethel Gant told the Associated Press 30 years later. “Most people my age loved them from the very beginning and couldn’t wait to get a hold of them. I don’t think we’ve ever changed our minds,” she said.

Allen Gant Sr. had at least one satisfied customer, but the panty-stocking combo did not grab most women’s attentions at first. Though the convenience of not having to wear a girdle or garter belt was a plus, what helped pantyhose take hold was the rise of the miniskirt in the mid-1960s.

For the fashion-conscious woman looking to wear a skirt shorter than stockings are long, pantyhose were the perfect fit. When iconic models such as Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy donned their mini skirts, demand for pantyhose exploded and women flocked to the stores for pairs of their own.

“When Twiggy came along, you couldn’t even bar the door,” says Gant Jr., who now holds his father’s previous position as president of Glen Raven Mills. Simultaneously, new kinds of sewing techniques and fabrics—like spandex—brought the cost of the pantyhose down while increasing the range of sizes that could be offered.


The story of pantyhose runs in the Gant family. Since the late Allen Gant Sr. introduced the first pair in 1959, his descendents have watched the garment move from high fashion to optional accessory. Three generations of women have now experienced waist-to-toe stockings, and few would be surprised to discover that a man invented pantyhose. But here’s the twist—it was at the request of his wife.

According to Allen Gant Jr., the inventor’s son, Gant Sr. and his wife Ethel Boone Gant were on the overnight train to North Carolina, returning home from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, when a pregnant Ethel informed her husband that this would be her last trip with him—at least until the birth of their child. It was nothing personal, just a matter of comfort. Managing her stockings and garter belt over her expanding belly was becoming difficult, and being a proper lady, she would not be seen in public without her hosiery.

The year was 1953 and if you were a woman, a night on the town meant either squeezing into a girdle or slipping on a garter belt. Formal dress dictated that females wear such intimate, and often uncomfortable, articles of clothing. How else could you hold up your nylons?

Allen Gant Sr., then running textile company Glen Raven Mills, was inspired by his wife’s lament. “How would it be if we made a pair of panties and fastened the stockings to it?” he asked Ethel. She stitched some crude garments together, tried them on, and handed the products to her husband. “You got to figure out how to do this,” she said. Allen brought his wife’s experiment into the office, and with the help of his colleagues Arthur Rogers, J. O. Austin, and Irvin Combs, developed what they later called “Panti-Legs.” Their product—the world’s first commercial pantyhose—began lining department store shelves in 1959.

“It was wonderful,” a 74-year-old Ethel Gant told the Associated Press 30 years later. “Most people my age loved them from the very beginning and couldn’t wait to get a hold of them. I don’t think we’ve ever changed our minds,” she said.

Allen Gant Sr. had at least one satisfied customer, but the panty-stocking combo did not grab most women’s attentions at first. Though the convenience of not having to wear a girdle or garter belt was a plus, what helped pantyhose take hold was the rise of the miniskirt in the mid-1960s.

For the fashion-conscious woman looking to wear a skirt shorter than stockings are long, pantyhose were the perfect fit. When iconic models such as Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy donned their mini skirts, demand for pantyhose exploded and women flocked to the stores for pairs of their own.

“When Twiggy came along, you couldn’t even bar the door,” says Gant Jr., who now holds his father’s previous position as president of Glen Raven Mills. Simultaneously, new kinds of sewing techniques and fabrics—like spandex—brought the cost of the pantyhose down while increasing the range of sizes that could be offered.

By the 1970s and 1980s, pantyhose were a staple in every teen and woman’s wardrobe. As more women headed into the workplace, sales of pantyhose only grew. In return, hosiery manufacturers continued to market new colors, textures, sizes and technology. “The silkiest ever,” teased one Hanes advertisement. “No one knows I’m wearing support pantyhose,” declared another.

Those glory days came to an end in the 1990s, a shift that Hosiery Association President Sally Kay attributes to a more relaxed work environment. “You saw the fashion pendulum swing more towards the casual,” she says. The industry witnessed a decline in pantyhose sales, and an increase in other products, such as tights and—with the rise of pants in the workplace—trouser socks.

Today, many women no longer feel pressured to don hosiery at all. First Lady Michelle Obama, considered a fashion trendsetter, has placed the garment in the retired pile. “I stopped wearing pantyhose a long time ago because it was painful. Put ‘em on, rip ‘em—it’s inconvenient,” she said on talk show, The View, last year. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology is also not a fan. “It doesn’t look good for pantyhose,” she says, “The long term trend is for people to dress more and more casually.”

Though numbers are down, with 1.4 billion pairs of pantyhose sold in 2008, it doesn’t appear that pantyhose will go extinct anytime soon. For women in more conservative work environments, pantyhose are still a must. Some others still prefer the more traditional option. “Today’s consumer envisions hosiery as more of an accessory,” Kay explains.

Although Allen Gant Jr. doesn’t distribute pantyhose through Glen Raven Mills, his father’s legacy remains. “I don’t think he had any idea pantyhose would change fashion the way it did,” Gant Jr. says. From the runway, to the office, and now stored away in women’s dresser drawers, the garment has gone through several life cycles. But that’s the order of things in the industry. As designer Coco Chanel once said, “Fashion is made to become unfashionable.”

Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled dresser drawers.


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Comments (35)

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This is hard to even imagine how women lived without pantyhose before. I would probably go crazy if I'd have to clip the garter belt every single moment. By the way, if we talk about pantyhose, we should mention fishnet pantyhose as well. They have a completely different story. http://fiorehosiery.com/fishnet-stockings-and-pantyhose-origin-from-female-piratre/

Posted by Lisa on November 6,2012 | 07:31 PM

Thank you, this article is such an inspiration. I would love to create a detailed history section on my hosiery blog and I'll use some info from here. I was recently in DC and I went to the museums, but haven't seen any vintage hosiery. I somehow assumed that if it is published here, you may have some on display. Let me know if there is actually any hosiery there in Smithsonian museums. J

Posted by Jessica on September 21,2012 | 01:04 AM

I am 35 years old and I go without panty hose and I also wear them when I want to feel sexy and get the attention of the opposite sex. I feel in these times, its all about choice. No one dictates to me what I can and cannot wear. I wear whatever makes me feel good.

Posted by yevette on March 25,2012 | 10:58 PM

I seem to have come to this article late. Nevertheless...

I've been wearing medical compression hose for about ten years, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NO MEDICAL PROBLEMS!

By day I'm a carpenter, and my legs do a lot of work, stooping, lifting, climbing, walking. At the end of the day my legs are as good as "rested," and are ready for the rest of the day!

In spite of an occupation unusual for a woman, I'm a conservative dresser, and am prone to wearing, at home and out on the town, dresses and skirts. In modern ultra-sheer compression hose my legs GREAT!

And lastly, my Significant Other, another carpenter. and a guy no less, also wears them for their great support!

Posted by Carolyn Guerts, Davenport, Iowa on February 17,2011 | 12:36 AM

Most women would not think about leaving the house without their makeup on. Unless they are younger, have athetic, toned legs or never participated in sports most women should be wearing hose. There is nothing less pleasing to the eye than seeing an attractive, well dressed woman with bare, pale legs. Pantyhose/tights add that last bit of polish to any outfit.

Posted by Mike DeLorey on February 17,2011 | 12:26 AM

Believe or not, I am a guy who wears pantyhose with pants or shorts. They are a lot more comfortable than cotton socks and cotton underwear, which can hold water.

Posted by Eric B on January 20,2011 | 02:03 PM

When I was younger and working, the most I'd pay for a pair of pantyhose was .75 a leg. Now, after years at home raising my kids, I'm back on the job market and just this week picked up the first pair I've bought in years. $6! and that was a cheap pair.
I must admit I can't go to a job interview in pants, and hose do make your legs look better. I wouldn't describe myself as conservative by any means but I would never dream of going to a job interview bare-legged.
I remember as a young teenager a family friend stating that, "Nothing does more for a man that seeing a women's legs in hose and a skirt." I've always remembered that.

Posted by J. Berge on October 14,2010 | 11:14 AM

Quick comment to the gals saying, 'all the positive comments are from guys, but you don't have to wear 'em!"-
(I'm a gal and Luv 'em!)
1. If you are uncomfortable in Pantyhose, you bought a bad cheap pair- or the wrong size- or you need to shave your legs or you are far too fat.
2. Many men, including 2 guys I dated, wear or have worn pantyhose- and they are wearing because they feel good - or "Grrrreat!".
Buy yourself some high scale pairs and realize what you have been missing.
- 'bucky' said, "all these left-wing...not liking pantyhose". bucky, please don't bring politics into this- all you did was show hate and tried to use something you like as a vehicle for it (didn't work). (Cindy McCain wore an outfit to the debate that was valued in the 10's of thousands- yet went bare-legged, & most always does, so...)
-
This is a good article, but it left out 1 huge piece of info-... Pantyhose have been making a huge comeback- look at the sales at 2000 vs. 2008. And now in 2010 ! Sure, some girls and magazines will call them 'tights', but sheer pantyhose are in fact pantyhose no matter what they try to disguise them as. And some big thanks to Zooey and Katy P and Rhianna and Lindsay and Beyonce and all the rest of my gals unafraid to be classy and polished!

Posted by Jenna31z on September 21,2010 | 05:52 PM

I like Michelle Obama as well as her husband,(I Voted for him and will again)but just because she doesnt like pantyhose dosent mean bare legs look better,I think the bare leg look looks horrible,I remember the days when most women wore pantyhose with everything from dresses, to shorts , to under pants and jeans,those were the days when women looked nice,if I see a group of women the one wearing pantyhose will always get my attention first,if I see a woman in a dress with bare legs I think YUK" no nylons and turn away.

Posted by Dane on September 20,2010 | 12:24 AM

As a man, I must admit pantyhose, especially silky, shiny ones have great appeal. The beauty is that they hide all sorts of blemishe plus they add a tan. Gives legs a firm youthful look and a wonderful feel. And finally pantyhose give a sophisticated, polished, finished or professional appearance. Remember looking really good takes effort and is not the same thing as wearing your most comfortable clothing............that is why most people today look like slobs.

Posted by Ronald Nelson on April 27,2010 | 03:07 PM

I saw at least seven hot women today in pantyhose. They make a woman look sexy. Of course bare legs are nice too. It is funny with nude pantyhose. Sometimes you can't tell if they are bare legs or pantyhose. I like wearing them too. However, I have a problem with them ripping. I asked a lovely single lady worker in a store today if she has problems with her pantyhose ripping and she said she doesn't wear them. I do know one of her female colleagues wore some lovely black ones on Monday. ;) I complimented on how lovely she looked especially the black pantyhose and she was flattered. xoxo

Posted by pantyhoselover on April 15,2010 | 08:32 PM

I've been wearing them for decades now. Sounds funny for a guy to be wearing them eh? I can tell you this much, I came by them out of curiosity when younger, but in my late teens and early 20's I used them to ward of the cold, as a jockey in Canada. Riding horses, you need to keep your weight down and pantyhose were "the perfect fit" so to speak. They even felt good and served another purpose late on! I'm wearing them as I type this. They just plain feel good, not to mention the pain that used to run in my legs, for the most part they really help. No more throbbing veins! Girls, don't kid yourself, If your wearing hose on a set of legs, it doesn't mater how large you are up top or even if you have a bag on your head! Want a guy to notice you? Drape your leg over the other in a sleek pair of hose. If he doesn't notice.....check and see if he has a pulse! (Mini skirts are optional ladies..sexy classy dress always beats out chick!)

Posted by Pantyhose Guy on March 22,2010 | 08:38 PM

i have to do a report on pantyhose.i hate it. i wish they weren' invented.

Posted by jo on February 4,2010 | 12:49 PM

can understand if the ladies find them uncomfortable to wear,but i do miss the days when ladies wore hose all the time,to me there was nothing finer than a nice pair of legs in hose,but i guess time and fashions move on

Posted by GS. on January 27,2010 | 06:17 PM



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