Men can wear sheer pantyhose to work under the trousers they already own. With a suit or dress trousers and lace-up shoes, the part of the pair in view is the strip between hem and shoe, the same strip a dress sock covers. We size by height and weight, not waist. Settle the fit first; the styling is the smaller question. The rest is habit: the right pair under the trousers, a dark color that matches them, and a spare in the bag.
Which pair for office trousers
For a man who stands 5'7" to 6'2" (170 to 188 cm) and weighs 145 to 210 lbs (65 to 95 kg), the 10D Sheer Tights are our usual first recommendation. The 10D is a 10 denier knit on 1012 needles, woven with Lycra, and it resists runs. Denier is the weight of the yarn. Needle count is the number of knitting needles. The 10D has a high rise that sits above the navel, a soft, stretchy elastic waistband, and a soft sheen up close. It comes in Black and Beige.
The 1D Seamless Sheer Tights are the lightest pair we make: 1 denier on 512 needles, with a matte finish and a mid rise that sits around the navel. Under trousers the 1D reads as bare leg. It comes in Black and Sand, and the 1D is extremely delicate, so handle it with care. Pick the 1D for the days when the matte finish is the point.
For broader builds there is the Comfort Fit, Open front only. It is the 3D sheer, a 3 denier knit on 640 needles, rebuilt to fit more: cut in panels and joined with a U-seam through the hip and seat, with a high rise and a soft, stretchy elastic waistband. The Comfort Fit fits 5'7" to 6'2" (170 to 188 cm) and 175 to 300 lbs (80 to 136 kg), in Black and Beige.
Those ranges overlap, and a man can fall inside more than one of them. Our size guide sets out every pair by height and weight, with a rule for each range. Check it before you order.
Men wearing pantyhose to work: what shows
When you stand in lace-up dress shoes, the trouser hem rests on the shoe and covers most of the ankle. Match the pair to the trousers the way you'd match a dress sock: black under dark trousers. A Beige 10D or a Sand 1D goes under lighter trousers in summer.
Sit down and the hem rides up the calf. That is the moment a short sock leaves a gap, and the moment the knit shows. A pair of tights runs the whole leg, so there is no sock top for the hem to climb past. Cross your legs and the trouser pulls tight over the shin; that is as much of the pair as an office day puts on view.
Loafers sit lower on the foot than a lace-up, so the knit over the instep shows all day, standing or sitting. With oxfords or derbies, only the gap between shoe and hem shows.
Trousers, shoes and the dress code
Wear the trousers you own. A plain hem with little or no break (the fold where the hem rests on the shoe) lets the ankle show as you walk; a cuffed hem with a full break covers it. Pick by how much ankle you want to show, and keep the shoes polished either way.
If your office has a written dress code, read it and dress to the letter of what it names: trousers, jacket, shoes, a sock color that matches. A sheer pair under trousers leaves every one of those in place. Where the code is unwritten, take the lead from the best-dressed man on your floor.
A routine for the working week
Set the week up on Sunday night: trim your nails and check that every pair you plan to wear is sealed, or clean and dry. In the morning, take off your watch and rings, put on the disposable gloves that come in every NYLO order, gather one leg down to the toe, set your foot in and work the knit up a little at a time rather than pulling from the top.
Keep a sealed spare in your bag or a desk drawer. A snag before the first meeting is a small thing with a spare and a long day without one.
At night, hand wash the pair in cold water with no bleach, and let it air dry away from heat. No dryer. Rotate pairs so the one you wore has time to dry before it goes on again.
What socks to wear for an interview
Wear a dark dress sock that matches the trousers and is long enough to cover the calf when you sit. Black is the usual choice with a dark suit, inside polished lace-ups.
Our sheer dress socks do that job, and they are the smaller first step before a full pair. The 10D Sheer Dress Sock 2-Pack is 10 denier on 1012 needles, nylon with LYCRA spandex, and the 10D sock resists runs and has a reinforced toe. The 1D Sheer Dress Socks 3-Pack is 1 denier on 512 needles, 80% nylon and 20% spandex. Both are black, reach below the knee and come in Standard size. On an interview day the 10D sock is the one to reach for: it resists runs and has a reinforced toe.
Questions about the office
Can you wear tights to work?
Yes. Under trousers, treat the pair as you would a dress sock: match it to the trousers and wear leather shoes. The jacket, the shirt and the rest of the outfit stay as they are.
What if I'm outside the ranges?
Send your height and weight through the contact page before you order and we will tell you whether a pair will fit. Sizes are a guide; fit varies with leg length, torso and build.
How does an order arrive, and can it go back?
Every order ships in plain packaging with nothing on the outside that names the product, and your card statement reads NYLO. Unopened items in their original sealed packaging can be returned within 14 days of delivery; email support@nylo.us first. Opened or tried-on pairs are final sale for hygiene.
Where to start
If you stand 5'7" to 6'2" and weigh 145 to 210 lbs, start the week with the 10D Sheer Tights, in black under dark trousers. New to all of it? Read our guide to a first pair of tights for guys, then check your height and weight against the size guide before you order.
