So, what’s a pale thing to do?

Well, you could do like I do, and make sure that your hosiery checks a couple of boxes on the W List:

Weight: Look for low Denier values. Denier is the unit of measure of fineness of fibers. Most of the dressier sheers we wear are in the 15-20d range. Tights under 10d are where you want to go, and are generally known as Ultra-sheer. Drop me a line if you really want to understand the crazy math. Honestly, it will drive you to drink. I am already there.

Wicking: This is the ability of a fabric or fiber to carry moisture (ya know … sweat) away from the skin. Fabrics that do not wick well give you that clammy, prickly, itchy feeling where you really, literally want to climb out of your own skin. That feeling, O by the way, shows on your face and is proven to cut promising dates short.

We live in an age of Microfiber miracles though. Microfibers are actual Nano-technology that works. Won’t go too deep into the tech stuff here other than to say that Microfibers contain microscopic air pockets that absorb and transport the hot stuff. Sometimes microfibers will be woven in a 3D manner. Even more cool goodness.

Now, with weight and wicking understood, grab your wallet, walk calmly on the shady side of the street, and come shopping with me at Hosieree.com.

While Hosieree.com is a new shopping venue for me, they have been at this business for a good long time now. They grew out of a well established wholesale business and have been selling directly to consumers here, there and everywhere online since 2005. The brand assortment is eye-popping, and especially deep in the amazing universe of Italian hosiery. I see a great assortment of personal favorites including Orublu, Pompea and Trasparenze and too many more to name. All the usual suspects too from Spain, France, Switzerland and the UK, and a handful of cheeky, fresh new upstarts I am looking forward to knowing more about.

Hosieree.com founder Yekaterina is a self-described girly-girl who believes that hosiery is the key accessory. Like me, she loves the challenge of looking fresh, new and unique every day. She shared a couple of her favorite summer picks with Guilty Pleasures for review, and honestly, I love her advice. I hope you will too.

First up, from Girardi, the Top 8 Denier Ultra Sheer Microfiber pantyhose. At 8D, they are whisper light, barely noticeable, pretty much what you would expect from a comfort perspective. I was concerned about fit before gliding into them. You see, at 8% Elastine (Spandex or Lycra by other names) I was anticipating that the Girardi’s might not hold shape over the course of a long hot day, or might not rebound from laundering. You see, this sort of stretchy stuff does provide strength, durability and helps tights cling and fit beautifully and more is generally a good thing. So I was a little concerned that Girardi traded too much strength away for the cool, and that they might be too frail for a day in my truly klutzy life.

Oh, was I wrong. As light as they are, after 3 full days wear and 2 washes, they show superb memory and resilience. Not at all finicky when pulling them on or peeling them off, which really represents about 80% of our opportunity for ladders and blow-outs. In between take-off and landing, the run-resistant weave pattern really does cling and maintain an unmarred appearance. No pilling, catches or flaws. They look and feel new still. I can tell they will last well.

Other nice news include flat seams all around, super-clean sandal toe finish, and above all, softness in the fabric. Great feel to the leg and to the touch. And as for looks, yumm. These 8’s rate a 10. They confer the lightest coat of cosmetic dust, matte invisibility on the legs. The lighter Naturale shade perfectly suited my complexion. If you look a little healthier then me, go to the sultry Thaiti. And if you live in an even warmer place, you might try the 5D Girardi Summer Light Sheers pictured above. 5D is the limit friends. Anything lighter and a breeze or a sneeze would make them fall off and fly away.

I am quite well impressed with this brand. When I put the Girardi 8’s against my typical gold standard summer weight sheers (Wolford 9’s) they match up in every important category. They win on comfy-cool and cost just a third less. This is a superb value. I am sure to wear Girardi again (and again) especially when the temperatures are in the 90’s.

How about leg fashion for when things get even hotter? I’ll be back with another great solution from Hosieree.com (that you can’t find anywhere else). Stay cool in the meantime.