Review: Platino Clean Cut 40

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21 Feb 2018

Review: Platino Clean Cut 40

By Paul Duane

Platino’s Clean Cut line of pantyhose is famous for it’s luxurious shine and slippery feel. Certainly one of the most sensual looking and feeling pairs of pantyhose on the market, they are also very reasonably priced, usually right around $20. Often less. It’s no wonder that lovers of the leg hold them in such high esteem.  In addition, their namesake feature: the laser cut, elastic free waistband is wonderfully comfortable. I often hear women complain that they don’t like pantyhose because they are constrictive, scratchy, and uncomfortable.

 

Pro tip: if you regularly find pantyhose to be itchy, I’d be willing to bet that you aren’t shaving your legs very often or very well. Give your self a proper close, smooth shave, try again (with some Platino’s), and then you can thank me.  You’re welcome.

See? Doesn’t that feel nice?

These sheer tights are 40 denier – and honestly, they lean toward the heavy end of that. These are wonderful for the cold months. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they were actually 45 denier. They still do great in the shine department.

Sizing / fit: Ok this is kind of weird: the Clean-cut 40’s fit totally differently than the Clean-cut 15’s. I got some 40’s and 15’s in the same size. I wore the 40’s last week, and the 15’s today. The 40’s are much more generous in their fit – specifically – they run a bit tall. I know some of you taller people have a hard time finding pantyhose that won’t sag in the crotch – you are going to LOVE these. I’m not particularly tall for my weight range, so the pair I got were actually a tiny bit too long in the leg.  That’s easy enough to solve, next time I’ll order a size smaller. Just be aware that they are very generous in the leg length when you are ordering. The conventional wisdom of rounding up if you are between sizes does not apply here. The 15’s, on the other hand, fit exactly, perfectly to size, without an inch to spare.

As for construction, they feel rock solid. I wore them all day including time in the studio, running errands around town, and at home with the dogs. At the end of the day, they showed zero signs of wear stress. I can tell I’ll be getting many wearings out of the Clean-cut 40’s.

Obviously these are good for showing off those legs in cold weather. Those of you who have to wear nylons as part of your work uniform such as airline attendants, I think that you’ll really appreciate these.  Keep in mind the shine on these – your legs will attract a lot of attention and admiration. Be sure that’s the effect you are going for; that’s not appropriate in all situations.

 

Order your Platino Clean-cut 40’s right here:

 

11 Sep 2017

Review: Cecilia de Rafael Divine 9 sheer tights

By Paul Duane

On today’s episode of WTF to do in SLC, which was followed by Act II of “Clean up all of this goddamn mess from Burning Man”,  I wore the Divine 9 denier super sheer tights by Cecilia de Rafael.

Amanda looks vastly better in them:

 

… but I wear them nonetheless.

In terms of looks, I love them. Super sheer, they add that ever so slight amount of perfect to your legs. They are the kind of tights that most people won’t notice, and won’t believe you when you tell them you are wearing them.  I love how they look.

In terms of fit, they’ve got a back panel in the largest size. They definitely stretched in all the right places and felt completely natural when all the way on. SUPER comfortable.

A few detail shots of the construction:

As for durability, they made it through a full day of shooting and running errands all day. That’s the first hurdle. We’ll see how they do on subsequent wearings. I’m going to predict that the next couple of wearings will go just great. 

And yes, the truck is still caked in playa dust from Burning Man. I just got home a day ago and haven’t even started unpacking or cleaning up my gear. Sad face.

In terms of feel – to the touch, they have a nice, soft, mildly silky feel. When you rub your legs together, they feel – for lack of a better term – “cottony” – although soft, they do not create a silky, slippery feel, one leg upon another.  That being said, the fit and look of them were good enough that I was happy to overlook the lack of slippery feel (a characteristic I enjoy in hosiery).  I’m on camera quite a bit and I feel that they looked outstanding on camera, so for that alone, I’m a big fan of these. Subtle, but still created the right look.  I’ll be wearing them again.

Get yours here: https://www.hosieree.com/products/CeciliaDeRafaelDivine.html

12 Jul 2017

Review: Kunert Blue sheer tights

By Paul Duane

Pantyhose made out of garbage? From Germany?

Yes, and they are wonderful.

German hosiery maker Kunert is the first to make pantyhose from ECONYL® yarn, which is produced from recycled textile waste and old nylon fishing nets recovered from the ocean. They didn’t stop at the tights, the packaging is made out of eco friendly cardboard without any unnecessary plastic components.

I don’t speak German, and you might not either, but I think you’ll get the idea:

This was much easier to understand:

Let’s set aside the awesome green – cred that these nylons have and just talk about them on their own merits. Much like German luxury cars – Kunert quietly gets all of the details very, very right. Every seam is immaculately constructed:

Kunert gives every pair of it’s hosiery a tag with their logo on one side, and the style name of the hosiery on the other, for those of you who like to keep track of which style you are wearing. I realize that most of you won’t see why this matters – and for casual hosiery wearers it totally doesn’t. For those who wear hosiery often enough that it matters how long each pair lasts, it can really help you keep a mental note of which styles are wearing well and which aren’t. Most hosiery becomes nameless once you’ve taken it out of the package, worn it once, washed it, and returned it to your drawer. Not Kunert – they proudly wear their name.

The Blue pantyhose are interesting – overall I’d tell you they have a matte finish, as you can see in these photos:

But then they can render a bit of a shine, too:

 

The weave is consistent and not prone to separation. the color consistency is excellent.  In terms of fit, I found the leg to be a bit long, which is a forgivable offense. Hey tall people – take note. You will appreciate the Blue.  As you saw in a previous photo – they have a sheer toe, but the seem is rather substantial. Personally I don’t think you should ever wear hosiery with open toe shoes, but if you are inclined to, now you know what you are getting into.

I am brutally hard on my hosiery. I wear them in a working studio, I live with a couple of super excitable friendly dogs that have a special 6th dog-sense for when I’m wearing nice hosiery, which motivates them to scratch and jump all over me.  You can take the number of wearings I get out of a pair, multiply it by 2.5, and that’s probably what a normal person will get out of them.  That being said, I’ve worn my Kunert Blues out on a several occasions so far and they show zero sign of stopping.

In terms of feel: They have a very soft, cotton-esque feel when you touch your legs. Very comfortable. Many hosiery connoisseurs are looking for something with a very silky feel when your legs rub together (like with a good pair from Cecilia de Rafael or Platino): not happening with the Kunert Blue. It’s cottony softness all the way.

In summary: I really like these nylons. I love that they are made from waste, I really like their understated look on my legs (which is perfect for some occasions), and they are proving to be very durable. A very practical pair of luxury pantyhose.  I’d be very happy to stock up on these as a go-to every day pair.

Get yours at https://www.hosieree.com/products/KunertBlue15.html

21 May 2017

Review: Glamory Classic 20 tights for men

By Paul Duane

One of the best kept secrets in the world is that many men love women’s hosiery.

…and not just women’s legs when adorned in them. A massive number of men love to wear tights, nylons, and pantyhose, themselves. (Ladies, I assure you that you know at least a couple of guys who do this, but you’ll never know) Although many of their wives and girlfriends will be forever kept in the dark about this sartorial secret, there’s one group that knows all about it:

Hosiery makers and retailers.  Online hosiery retailers know this best; a surprising percentage of their customers are men.  Several hosiery makers have tried creating and packaging pantyhose “for men”.  Could there be a more convoluted marketing dilemma? Do the fellas like them because they are a woman’s item? Would they consume more of them if the stigma of crossdressing was reduced with more manly packaging?

I have tried “pantyhose for men” a few years ago from a company that was endeavoring to create an entire brand of sheer hosiery just for men. I ordered one pair and never bought more. I was unimpressed. The fabric was a bit rough, and even though they had a fly opening, that feature has never been important to me.

German hosiery maker Glamory is the latest to bring such offerings to the marketplace.  I’ve already reviewed their Thermoman 100 footless tights (love them) I’ve put their Classic 20 sheer tights for men through their paces, and I’m here to report back.

Here’s what I’m looking for in a great pair of nylons:  luxurious feel on my skin, the right color, great fit, durability, and price. They’ve got to feel good, look good, fit well, and not break the bank.

Glamory’s Classic 20 feature a reinforced “panty” area – henceforth to be referred to as the boxer brief top.  At the top of the thigh, the fabric shifts gears a bit from the elegant, smooth weave of the leg, into a more course yet not totally opaque consistency.

Moving further up, the area right around your groin is made with a much thicker fabric that facilitates the fly opening. These are absolutely made to be worn as underwear.  The opaque knit of the groin region turns these into something one could lounge around the house in around mixed, albeit intimate, company. One other note about the boxer brief top: It was wonderfully comfortable. Whereas women’s hosiery can be comfortable, it’s still a bit of a stretch at times… The Glamory Classic 20 are obviously tailored to fit a man in this area. I’m a big fan of the fit. Wonderfully comfortable from toe to waist in a way that precious few women’s pairs are.

They feature a boarded foot and reinforced toe, which I appreciate because the toe is an obvious failure point as your hosiery are put through normal stresses of wear.  I wasn’t expecting a super nice fabric on the leg – an expectation inherited from my previous experience with men’s hosier from an unrelated maker. I was very pleasantly surprised! They felt really nice! I didn’t feel like I was wearing something made for a man – the leg fabric was soft, quite silky, and did a great job of being both sheer in appearance but definitely 20 denier in toughness.

The only drawback for me personally was that weave change at the top of the leg. I wear a lot of very short shorts, and sometimes that weave change can be visible (especially when sitting down).

All things considered: I’m impressed. My favorite feature of the product is the slightly modified patern that allows more room in the butt and groin area. These are definitely tailored for a man’s dimensions.  Get a pair for yourself at  https://www.hosieree.com/products/GlamoryClassic20Men.html

01 May 2017

Review: Oroblu Makeup 20 pantyhose

By Paul Duane

Do you like wine?  I love wine. I can appreciate it at all levels – the cheap stuff, and the good stuff. It all has it’s place. That being said, once I find a favorite, I tend to stick with it quite habitually. For instance, I just can’t think of a reason to even bother with Sauvignon Blanc from anywhere but New Zealand. Theirs is the best, and it is very moderately priced. Why wander?

…because sometimes there are *awesome* things outside of what I normally do. That’s why. I’ve known about Italy’s Oroblu for many years, and I’ve never tried them because I’ve been really happy with the great hosiery offerings from northern and eastern Europe (Poland has some great hosiery mills). Those Polish pairs are beautiful, they feel great, and they are super inexpensive, which is nice because I beat the shit out of my hosiery.  I am hosiery’s worst nightmare. I live with 3 idiotic dogs who love me (and thus jump all over me when I walk in the door), I often do shoots in places full of hazzards like splintery wood floors, scrap lumber, and other….hazzards.

I mean, ladies, take whatever I say about how durable these are and double it, and that’s about what you’ll get out of them.

I digress. Back to the tights at hand:

Oroblu makes damn fine hosiery.

Right out of the package, these 20 denier pantyhose felt more substantial than your typical sheer pair of nylons. It was obvious that attention to detail and the finest materials were selected in making these. They seemed like they were going to be on the opaque side of things, but as I slid them up my legs, the material went sheer and created an awesome “makeup” effect. I’ve had some super dry, irritated skin on my legs lately, creating unsightly red blotchy spots.

 

Black hosiery mask it pretty well, and it being winter up until recently, this hasn’t caused me any problems. It’s getting warmer, lighter colors are appropriate, and that means flesh tones on the legs. I was nervous to wear sheer nude hosiery out because of my irritated skin; the Oroblu’s did an admirable job of ironing that out. They don’t have much of a shine to them, the matte appearance makes them disappear quite easily onto your legs for those of you who like your hosiery to be sutble.

Color and appearance aside, these feel really, really nice on your legs. It’s just obvious that you are wearing something of high quality. Not a single microscopic thread is out of place (those of you who wear a lot of hosiery know what I am talking about). I put them through a couple of rigorous days of my typical routine: working at the photo studio, crazy parties, dumb dogs, etc.  I’ve worn and washed them a few times and they still feel and look like new. I expect that the Makeup 20’s will carry me through many more adventures.

They are $20… just a little more than the crappy hosiery you’ve been buying at Dillard’s, and five times as nice. Ladies, if you are a frequent hosiery wearer, you will appreciate these finer things.

Get yours at https://www.hosieree.com/products/OrobluMakeUp20.html

25 Apr 2017

Review: Falke Pure Shine 15

By Paul Duane

Have you ever owned or driven a German luxury car? Audi… BMW… Mercedes… Porsche…

For whatever reason, Germans do cars better than everyone else. Period. There’s just something refined in every aspect of the design, every part, extra attention to detail is evident.

I’ve begun my exploration of German hosiery makers. Today I’m reviewing the Falke Pure Shine 15 sheer tights, color: Powder. A few observations on construction as they came out of the package: boarded, semi-invisbly reinforced toe, flat seams, back panel, no gussett, sheer to waist.

I have a problem with hosiery that’s just a degree too light, one’s legs look pasty and ridiculous in tones that are just a bit too light. Choosing from color swatches online can be a guessing game.  “Powder” seems like it’s going to be light, but the color swatch seemed to indicate a nice tan nude tone, so I went with it.

Coming out of the package they look fairly dark tan, one can already see the golden shimmer of the light off of the fabric before you even put them on.  Going on my legs – it felt like driving a fine German car. The fabric was sheer but absolutely confident in itself. Some tights feel like they are just looking for something to snag on – these do not. They are minding their own business, and that business is making your legs look and feel fucking incredible. Yep. There. I said it. These may be my favorite pair of pantyhose in the history of favorites, so far.

 

They are called “pure shine” and they definitely do have a glimmer to them – though it shows up a bit different than the shine on something like Cecilia de Rafael’s hosiery. While CDR produces a very glass-like shine, this pair of pantyhose have more of a “glow” around the edges, if that makes any sense. It’s difficult to describe but it’s incredibly alluring when you see it.

Ladies, if you want him glued to your legs, show up in some Falke Pure Shine 15’s. Your legs will have a certain glow and something-something to them that nobody will be able to put their finger on, but they’ll be dying to touch your legs with that finger.

As for feel: the fabric itself is absolutely perfect to the touch. They feel very soft and silky to touch, and on the recieving end, my legs feel really nice in them, too. It’s a sensual treat to wear these.

Paul Duane in falk pure shine 15 den tights

Paul Duane in falk pure shine 15 den tights

The only thing I did not absolutely love about the Falke Pure Shine pantyhose, is the back panel. That being said, I don’t like anyone’s back panel design. Depending on what’s happening in my life, sometimes I fit into sizes that don’t use a back panel, sometimes I do. That being said, Falke’s back is the lesser of some of the evils.

I am VERY hard on my hosiery. Between our excitable dogs, my tendency to walk around without shoes on in the studio, and events in a variety of situations, I am the ultimate tst fr hosiery. If they can survive me, they will serve you very well. These Falk nylons powered me through a photo shoot, then a very busy party at a venue aptly named “The Garage”,  and then to an afterparty. Upon taking them off, they seemed to still be in perfect condition. I expect that these nylons will see me through many adventures before they run.

If you drive a lot, you owe it to yourself to drive some German engineering; your days will be more comfortable. If you wear hosiery often, you owe it to yourself to try out Falke.

These tights are $32. Yes. Thirty two dollars. Plus shipping.. and they are worth every. damn. penny.

I’m going to be reviewing a few other German brands this month, stay tuned.

Get your Falke sheer tights here: https://www.hosieree.com/products/FalkePureShine.html

vroom vroom.

 

29 Jul 2016

Review: Angel 15 by Hosieree

By Paul Duane

I checked the mail and found a large envelope from one of my favorite hosiery retailers, Hosieree.com. Inside were a couple of pairs of their new seamless pantyhose. One pair for me, one for my model to show off in front of the camera. I love my job.

Europeans do it better. I don’t know what the deal is, but European hosiery mills just create nylons, tights, and pantyhose that look and feel vastly better than anything from American hosiery companies. Those of you who say you hate wearing hosiery owe it to yourself to try some of the better European brands. Here’s the kicker – they are often the same price as the garbage you are buying from American hosiery makers.  “Where can I buy these fine European nylons that you speak of?”, you ask?  Hosieree.com is my favorite, because they are based in the USA (New Jersey), and they ship very quickly.

Today we are reviewing one of Hosieree’s in-house styles, the Angel 15 seamless pantyhose. It’s a seamless style, which means that there are no seams in the panty portion. Normal tights have a seam that runs up the front and back and is joined in the crotch area with a cotton patch called the “gusset”. NONE of that exists on these. The same sheer, silky fabric of the leg just continues all the way up to the waist, every square inch, uninterrupted. It’s kind of crazy to look at them and wonder how in the world they knit these things. I have no clue. Magic, I suppose. The result is that they FEEL like magic.

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Wearing tip:  Go commando when you wear these. Wearing anything underneath them totally defeats the purpose of a pair of nylons that won’t create lines, and, they just feel really good on your skin.  I’d consider these low-rise, as they will sit pretty low on your hips. For those of you that are used to old school pantyhose that go half way up your rib cage, this is a completely different situation.  There is plenty of length in the leg. For those of you who are a bit taller or hate feeling your nylons sag in the crotch, you will love the Angel 15’s.

Construction features: They are billed as being 15 denier (denier refers to the thickness of the fabric, the higher the number, the thicker and more opaque it is). They feel more like a 12 denier, for what it’s worth.  Some hosiery feel slippery and shiny on your skin – these feel soft and have a more matte appearance. My model, Allison obviously is wearing a black pair.

pd angel 15 _edit

Ever seen a man wearing nylons and heels? Here you go. I’m wearing them in Daino, which is their slightly darker nude tone. I have very fair skin, and still these managed to disappear onto my legs, making them look more even toned and like I actually spend time in the sun.  They do have a seam in the toe, but no reinforcement, so if you want to wear open toed shoes, it’s possible – just tuck that seam away. Let’s be honest though. If you are going to wear hosiery, wear closed toe shoes. If you MUST wear open toed shoes, it’s not a hosiery day.

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Click here to get your Angel 15’s at Hosieree.com

All of these photographs are my work. If you’d like to book me for photography, click here.  Okay, a few more pictures of Allison. She’s just so pretty….

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21 Jul 2016

Taboo Topics, Social Media and a Pretty Girl

By Paul Duane

I’ve been feeling the wind start to shift for a while now. That shift is becoming more apparent.  A few days ago, I posted a photo from a recent shoot on Facebook and Instagram.  It got banned for “violating community standards” (pornography). Here is the image. Judge for yourself.  Yeah it’s sexy, but it’s also well within the standards. I’m not sure who reported it, or why the moderators at Instagram & Facebook proceeded to remove the photo. One way or the other, it’s a reminder that those platforms are not mine. I’m a guest in their house, and I have to play by their rules, no matter how stupidly or incorrectly they apply them._DSC1617_v2_BW final_edit_1500w 72ppi

I have two other friends who are very polarizing public figures who have depended on Facebook for their business, who have been severely harassed by Facebook. Cat Palmer, a controversial photographer and artist in SLC, had her Facebook page permanently disabled because someone accused her of impersonating…. herself.  Seems like that should be pretty easy for Facebook to sort out, but, no.  She lost 7 years of audience and community building and had to start a new Facebook account from scratch.  Men’s coach Sean Whalen was banned for 5 days for a mere controversial political post.  It’s a well known fact that Facebook and Instagram (Instagram is owned by Facebook, by the way), use algorithms to determine what you do and don’t see in your news feed. THEY DECIDE.  Facebook has become the mainstream media.

I’ll pass, thanks.

Though I’ll continue to use all of the social media platforms, here’s how it’s going to be moving forward:  What you see on social media will just be a watered down version of my work. If you want the full strength stuff, you’ll have to come here, to my website.

Things are getting crazy out there, ladies & gentlemen. Every week I’m a bit more amazed at how insane the world is becoming. Our society is quickly spiraling downward into a state of handing over our liberties for the illusion of security. This is a dark place that never ends well.

AND YET – I am hopeful!  As crazy as things are, many brilliant opportunities, technologies, ideas, and leaders are emerging!

The fact that you are even here reading this leads me to believe you are one of the few in society who care about social progress, life, love, and liberty. Otherwise, you probably wouldn’t like or care about my work. The way I see it, you and I are freedom fighters. This next war is not going to be fought with guns, though – it will be fought with ideas.  The battle ground is the life of the individual. The social progress we all crave will not come from the top down anymore. That’s an old paradigm that has died. The revolution will happen from the bottom up. One liberated individual at a time.

My goal is to create things that make you smile, inspire you, and ultimately, help you share the ideas of life, love and liberty in a fun way with the people in your circle. You are a leader. My goal is to help YOU become a more effective leader of those in your world. 

everythingtalkaboutparty

Sex, politics, and religion… these are the taboo topics. The things you get in trouble for bringing up at family dinner. So often the sensitive topics are the very ones that need to be discussed. So often these topics are the battle ground for freedom in the 21st century. It’s CRITICAL that you and I become very skilled at discussing difficult ideas in a way that relaxes and inspires people, rather than putting them on the defense. It’s my hope that the podcasts, books, photographs, and comedy that I create will help you facilitate that.

I’ve relied a lot on Facebook to put out word about new stuff over the past few years. It’s proving to be less and less reliable, and I have no faith of that improving, so it’s time to get serious about the email list.  If you want to receive email notifications about cool new things, get on board my mailing list:

Receive updates from Paul Duane:
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You should receive a confirmation email from me within 2 or 3 minutes of signing up. Be sure to send back the confirmation AND add my email address to your white list / approved / safe email address list.

That being said, welcome 😉

Here are some more of the photos from my shoot with Allison, for your viewing pleasure.

Makeup by Amber Dawn Powell

Hosiery by Cecilia de Rafael & Hosieree.com

 

 

25 Jun 2014

Should Pantyhose be Part of Professional Attire in the Summer?

By Paul Duane

legs1Even though business casual has enjoyed it’s heyday in the professional work environment for many years, the pendulum has been swinging back toward dressing up more for work. This often means legwear for the ladies. During the  fall, winter, and spring, it’s not too hard to justify wearing a second skin over one’s legs, but in the summer time, the question becomes more visceral. “Do I really need to wear pantyhose to work in the summer?”

In this great article by blogger Melissa Henderson, she shares some perspectives from a few high caliber women on when pantyhose / tights are needed at work.  She shares insights from a couple of different women on the subject:

Mona Lisa Jackson, Owner of Coeur Lingerie and Toy Boutique says:

“I believe that you are not fully dressed unless you have on stockings. Dressing down is one thing, but when you are getting fully dressed up—when you have your heels on, and you have somewhere that you need to go—it’s not appropriate to not have on stockings. If it’s a corporate setting, they should have stockings on. It’s unacceptable. Even in the summer? Absolutely! As much as you don’t want to hear that, and it’s hot as hell, it’s appropriate. Nowadays, I even see the newscasters doing their TV segments and they don’t wear stockings—you can tell, and it doesn’t look nice. I would recommend Fogal from Switzerland. I’m going to start carrying them soon…”

Jennifer Gach, Accessories Editor at ELLE Magazine, says:

“I think that hosiery in the summer is perfectly appropriate [especially in the workplace]. It’s more a matter of personal preference and comfort, but I think it’s best to stick to sheer options during the warmer months. Sheer, nude, or black can be nice with a summer dress—especially with a bit of texture, like a ladylike pointelle.”

Genail McKinley, a mid-level senior executive at PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC), says:

“I spend over three hundred dollars a year on stockings and I only wear them in the winter, fall, and spring. I don’t wear stockings in the summer—it’s too hot, and I like to wear open-toe heels. I usually go to Duane Reade or Century 21 for bargains. I go through like three pairs a week! They always rip; I should adapt to a better brand, but Duane Reade is everywhere! My co-workers don’t wear stockings in the summer either. That’s an after-thought. If I have a big meeting with clients, or a review, I usually just wear a pants! Case solved.”

Read the entire article here: http://www.levoleague.com/fashion/pantyhose-in-summer

 

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