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[Urban Buy]

Gone fishin’
Fishnets make a comeback — and this time, goth’s gone mainstream

BY KIM WEIDMAN

I DETEST PANTYHOSE. I think this goes back to my First Communion, when I had a huge fight with my mother over what to wear under my lacy white dress. I wanted to wear nude nylons, like some of the more stylish second-grade girls. My mother would hear nothing of the sort. White tights it was for me: pantyhose were " unholy. " And so I came to loathe pantyhose, the forbidden fruit of legwear. Even though I can wear them now, they bring back bad memories.

And so I dread the end of summer every year, for it brings the end of carefree, hose-free days. But fear not, fellow pantyhose abhorrers: this year the fashion gods have made it easy to tiptoe gradually into tights season. A variety of leg coverings — from fishnets to toeless nylons — are coming out for fall.

Perhaps the most interesting fall trend is the mainstream acceptance of fishnets. Predictably, a representative from the CambridgeSide Galleria Victoria’s Secret says that fishnets are the biggest fashion-legwear trend at her store. Gwen Lacka, merchandise manager for the Natick Mall Macy’s, says fishnets ($10 to $16) are hot at her store too. Macy’s even has a huge display proclaiming fishnets what’s new — a sure sign that they won’t be new for long.

But these are not your Halloween-goth fishnets. Urban Outfitters and department stores such as Macy’s and Filene’s carry tiny-hole fishnets from Hue in respectable colors, like leaf, port, and cotton candy. Filene’s stocks Hanes Beyond Bare ’nets ($11) in shades such as Beyond Natural and Beyond Lipstick. Even Banana Republic has jumped on the fishnet bandwagon with its own brand ($12) in black and barley. And if you’re pretty sure your boss won’t buy the goth-gone-good look, you can probably get away with wearing a pair of faux fishnets from Victoria’s Secret’s Couture Collection ($18). These are regular nylons with a fishnet texture, and they come in business-suit-friendly colors like meteorite gray and natural. Or head to Super Socks in Allston for discount versions of many of the same styles.

Fishnets aren’t the only way to avoid complete leg coverage this fall. Buy a pair of toeless pantyhose and you can keep your toenails painted and your sandals out until October. Macy’s carries Berkshire Hose Without Toes ($6.95), and both Macy’s and Filene’s sell Hanes Silk Reflections toeless nylons ($9.95).

Finally, even if you have to clothe your legs, you can still look nude. Many stores sell nylons that promise the illusion of naked legs — " advanced technology creates bare perfection, " according to Donna Karan’s Nudes ($17), sold at Macy’s and Filene’s. There’s also Victoria’s Secret’s Body Bare line ($14). Bare perfection — now that’s what I needed on my First Communion.

Where to get it:

• Banana Republic, various locations

• Filene’s, various locations

• Macy’s, various locations

 Super Socks, 154 Harvard Avenue, Allston, (617) 782-9481

• Urban Outfitters, 11 JFK Street, Cambridge, (617) 864-0070; 361 Newbury Street, Boston, (617) 236-0088

• Victoria’s Secret, various locations

 

Issue Date: September 6 - 13, 2001






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