To Stockings or Not to Stockings?

The title of this post might be somewhat misleading seeing as the “stockings” women wear for Carnival are really dance tights. Stockings are much lighter in denier, prone to run very easily and are not sheer to the waist. Dance tights are made from Lycra, are sheer to the waist and the come in shiny or matte/natural finish. Now that we have gotten that difference cleared up, the questions remains; should you wear stockings for Carnival or not?

To me I have never known anything but wearing mas stockings, it has never been a question of not wearing any as from my very first foray into playing adult mas it was part of the attire. Nowadays I see many women on the road going bare legged, and from my point of view it is mostly the overseas masqueraders who shirk the idea of wearing stockings.

I have heard reasons like they are too hot, they itch or they are too cumbersome (especially when you have to use the toilet) as to why women go stocking less. Personally I think regular stockings fit that criteria and I never wear them in real life, however mas stockings I wear religiously, in fact I have two pairs, one to wear on Monday and the other on Tuesday.

Unless you have stellar legs like Naomi Campell mas stockings cover a multitude of sins, from cellulite to pock marked legs and the question should not even be asked whether they are to be worn if you have “sins” to hide. Some ladies really do need to wear stockings! I cannot tell you how many times I have seen dimpled and spotty legs on display in all their nude glory and while I admire these women’s self confidence it is a sight I would rather not see, especially those wearing a thong!! Stockings, to me, do complete the look of the costume; it just looks much more put together and “finished”.

Apart from the fact that the mas stockings gives everyone the appearance of “perfect” legs, it also helps keep a barrier between you and the elements. Many times for Carnival you will find yourself planting your butt on the grassy area of a park, a pavement at the side of the road or even on the wooden planks of one of the makeshift stands. Could you imagine sitting at all these places with your bare ass only in underwear? Then there are those men, the sweaty ones who look to thief a wine on you and the only protection you have from possibly contracting hepatitis B through sweat is that pair of mas stockings.

Other women I know who wear mas stockings simply feel more comfortable and covered wearing them. Without them they feel more exposed and naked. The flip side is women who do not wear stockings that feel much more comfortable NOT wearing them. There are those annoying runs to contend with for sure, though the stockings usually hold up to the rigors of wining throughout the day, they can snag on a piece of your or another’s costume. Runs in stockings do not look cute! And worse yet when it turns into an actual hole; at that stage it might be best to either cut the stockings short or take them off altogether.

So, the decision to wear stockings or not is totally dependent on the individual; I have highlighted my reasons for choosing to wear stockings but it is not the last word on the issue. If you are quite comfortable going bare legged continue to do so, and if you would like to try stockings make sure you get the dance tights and a colour that closely matches your skin tone. I prefer the matte look, super shiny does not look “natural” to me; however some people actually like the shiny tights. And don’t forget, look for the correct shade unless you are purposely going with a hue like red or blue, forget the stockings that are more orange than “tan”!