So, I had this idea, you know? I figured I’d start my own little “practice” – just observing and trying to make sense of the whole ‘women wearing tights’ thing. Not in any weird way, of course. I was thinking more like, trying to understand it as a trend, a personal choice, that sort of thing. Seemed straightforward enough for a bit of a personal project, a way to document something I was seeing around.
I kicked things off by just, well, looking. Paying more attention when I was out and about, or browsing online. And let me tell you, it wasn’t some simple, clear-cut observation. It was like opening a can of worms, a really complicated one. There wasn’t just one ‘type’ of tights or one reason someone wore them. You had your thick ones for the cold, sheer ones for a different look, then all the colors, patterns, the sporty kinds, the fashion statement kinds. My initial “practice” of simple observation quickly showed me this was a whole universe I hadn’t really clocked before.
My next step in this “practice” was to try and get a bit more methodical. I started jotting down notes, trying to see if I could spot any patterns. Like, was it more common in certain weather? Or specific settings, like work versus casual outings? It honestly started to feel like I was trying to draw a map of a city that kept changing its streets every day. My simple “practice” was turning into a real head-scratcher.
I even briefly considered, as part of this documentation “practice,” maybe doing a small photo series. You know, just to capture the sheer variety of styles and contexts. That idea? A total non-starter, pretty much immediately. Turns out, trying to take photos, even with the purest of intentions for an observational “practice,” just makes people uncomfortable or suspicious. You get the awkward stares, or folks clearly wondering what you’re up to. So, that avenue of my “practice” hit a brick wall fast. It felt like trying to manage a project where everyone had a different idea of the goal, and none of the tools worked together.
And don’t even get me started on trying to discuss it. If you bring it up, even just from a purely fashion or practical standpoint, everyone’s got a strong take. Some people love them, some can’t stand them. For some, it’s about comfort, for others style, or warmth, or even a feeling of professionalism. My “practice” of trying to find one single, simple narrative just wasn’t happening. It was clear that this wasn’t just about a piece of clothing; it was tangled up in personal preference, societal views, practicality, and a dozen other things.
So, what did I really get out of this whole “practice” of mine? The biggest thing I recorded was that something appearing quite simple on the surface can actually be incredibly layered and complex. You think you’re just looking at “women wearing tights,” but you’re actually seeing a whole spectrum of individual choices, cultural nuances, and practical decisions. My “practice record” ended up being less about the tights themselves and more about how surprisingly difficult it is to observe and understand even everyday things without a whole load of other factors complicating the picture. It’s definitely more than just fabric; it’s a whole ongoing story with a lot of different characters and plotlines.
