My Sensational Stockings

When I was a teenager I discovered the joys of printed tights. My mother wanted us to dress in clothes that were not going to get us into too much trouble – quite right too mum – and although some of my schoolmates hiked their skirts up or wore tight or revealing tops, I was more swayed by my mothers sensible view on how a teenage girl should dress than I was by my friends.

But for a while, I felt like the boring one. I was not a boring kid at all. I had bags of confidence and energy, I just had a very sensible mum who wanted to keep me out of trouble. But I found something that would make me stand out and yet was not sexually provocative. Coloured tights or stockings!

You should have seen my collection. I loved my Marilyn Monroe print tights. My favourite pair for a long time were turquoise with sunflowers all over. I had rainbow tights, spotty tights, harlequin rights, kaleidoscope tights – I felt so unique compared to all of the other girls who either had bare legs or boring old sand or black tights.

It might seem daft now, but those tights were part of cultivating my own identity. I wanted to express my personality and make myself memorable without showing off my cleavage or underwear. I became famous as the girl with the crazy tights – and I loved it.

Now that I am almost as sensible as my mum was, I don’t worry too much about my clothing making a statement. But I still have a huge fondness for pattered socks – knee highs especially. I wear socks around the house and of course whenever I wear boots I will have a colourful pair of socks underneath. I have a beautiful collection. When I see eye-catching, colourful socks with unique patterns – I cannot resist them.

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