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The 1970's - Men's Tights Assert Themselves

Good chances were predicted for men's athletic tights. Even though the sales volume was still low, the hosiery manufacturer Optimismus speculated that young men, even the short sock fans, would say good-bye to grandpa's long underwear - not to mention skiing enthusiasts." (1970)

With the ongoing popularity of men's tights, traditional lingerie manufacturers began producing men's tights as well - for example the Austrian lingerie company Huber. Packaging from the 1970's.

Traditional hosiery producers began basing their designs on those of the lingerie producers, and brought out the first pair of men's leggings - tights without feet.

"A much higher demand is expected for men's tights. This is why we are enhancing our product palette. This requires the cooperation of specialty retailers, who have to present the many uses of tights to consumers. This means targeting the right audience, such as hunters, horseback riders, skiers and camping enthusiasts; but also showing them the coziness of tights as loungewear. Not to forget the classic designs of tights for the conservative older man - to make him aware how comfortable tights are in comparison to long underwear and short socks. Tights without feet - leggings, or stirrup pants - are new, and can be complemented by matching socks." (1971)

The specialty magazine "Markt Intern" collected thoughts on the new legwear in its February 25, 1971 edition under the slogan "New Wares in Discussion - Tights for Men? - For Sport - or for the Street / Was Colleagues Think"

"Men could become tights fans as early as this year" - so it was written in an article on hosiery trends for the Fall/Winter of 1970/1971. Sure enough: Do we find fans of men's tights in retail, too? And if yes, how did they allocate? Here are some sentiments from the industry and retailers:

This is what the Industry thinks:

Elbeo, Augsburg: we are incredibly surprised how well tights have done this Fall/Winter of 1970/1971, as we have been offering them for years. The share of tights in our hosiery line is still marginal, but this is an article with a future. We are thinking of expanding our production for the 71/72 season. Retail mainly triggered this. Sporting goods stores are still represented the most.

Trumpf, Hoheneiche: Last year we had much too little, this year we've already sold ten times as much. Tights are included in our main focus advertising campaigns. We're currently working on a poster. By the way, no association or company has ignored tights. It is unthinkable to remove them from the product range. The ones who ignore them lose a deal - especially since we're talking about an interesting price level. We are definitely expanding our collection..."

Poster for men's knit tights, Trumpf, 1972.

Label for men's tights by Trumpf, 1972.

Advertisement for ELBEO men's tights and their uses, 1971.

And this is what retailers think:

Ortlepp, Hamburg: the demand is increasing from year to year. For now, a market exists only in athletic wear. The man on the street does not seem mature enough. Compared to long underwear, tights are becoming increasingly important.

Kaufhof, Cologne: Men's tights are not only articles for sport, but also for leisure. Due to the good sales figures and our personal experiences, we are confident about this product and have dedicated a lot of energy to it.

Dienz, Koblenz: For the fall, we will order tights for the first time. This is not a mass article, but we will offer a good selection. The colors we have selected are black, blue, red and beige. A price level around 24.50 Deutsche Mark seems to be the most interesting to us. Our forecast: 75% will be purchased by athletes and 25% by the man of the street.

Michels, Frankfurt: Wool tights are running incredibly well at our store. One can speak of a great interest. In many cases, they are bought by wives. Our experience shows that for the most part, athletes are purchasing tights.

annas men shop, Frankfurt: Tights will hardly prosper in men's and young men's stores. We did not order any, since they will mean nothing to our fashionable customers. A different viewpoint exists for sporting goods stores.

Uhrig, Worms: Tights will still play a "step-motherly" role in the HAKA specialty store. Lingerie and sporting goods stores have to be the pioneers here. Our fashion-oriented customers between 16 and 45 reject long underwear. Tights will have a similar fate. We will order some pieces, though, to be a part of it.

Breuninger, Stuttgart: Last year, we sold every last pair of tights. This year, we will order at least twice as much. You have to sell the idea "sock and pants in one" and emphasize the product as very masculine. Coarser qualities are more popular. Even the man on the street will be convinced. They just can't seem feminine.

Men's zippered tights with jacquard patterning to the knees, produced by the Calw-based hosiery manufacturer Nickel for Breuninger, 1970's.

Beck-Feldmeier, Munich: The demand for men's tights has become tangibly stronger. We believe this is also due to our catalog advertising. For the most part, athletes are ordering tights instead of long underwear. Coarse-knit tights are warmer and less feminine, so they are the most popular. Revenue will certainly increase in the future.

Coarse men's knit tights with a braid pattern on the side, by Falke, app. 1973.

Coarse men's knit tights, trademark Jura. A blend of new wool and polyamide was used, and the yarn was prepared with a "Sanitized-Finish".

Close-up of Jura tights.

Coarse-knit men's tights made with new wool and Dralon, app. 1974.

Coarse-knit men's tights for hunters, 70% wool and polyamide-reinforced, app. 1975.

Meanwhile, new competition appeared on the market - more modern and better fitting winter underwear, which dampened the sales expectations for tights. In 1974, the following was noted:

"We expect the sales figures for men's tights to develop in small steps. Acrylic and Dralon/wool qualities will be equipped with new, pleasant characteristics of wear. With lighter and coarser models, we hope to reach as large a circle as possible of progressive consumers, including athletes, hunters, rangers, etc." (from: TM 18, 8./9. February 1974)

Advertisement by the company Götzburg, a traditional lingerie producer who also produced knit hosiery between 1964 and 1980, and also tights in the 1970's.

Three-quarter-length Götzburg underwear, Götzburg stockings, app. 1975.

In their run for profit, hosiery producers offered an increasing range of "men's tights without feet". The advantages of leggings were touted in advertising campaigns - the ability to combine them with socks or even just the slogan "so mom only has to wash the socks during the skiing vacation."

In a re-introduction of products made by the company Falke in 1973, the following was said: "a novelty in the hosiery area is a pair of tights without feet - these can be worn with short socks in any combination."

Falke men's tights without feet, 1973.