Tights Collection (page 9)

Brandon, costume design for Shakespeares play, Henry VIII, 19th century. A 19th-century costume design for William Shakespeares (1564-1616) play, Henry VIII

Baron, costume design for Shakespeares play, Henry VIII, 19th century. A 19th-century costume design of a man with a cardinals hat emblem on his doublet, for William Shakespeares (1564-1616) play

Guards, costume design for Shakespeares play, Henry VIII, 19th century. A 19th-century costume design, showing guards in slashed hose blowing trumpets bearing a cardinals standard

Prince George and Mary of Teck in fancy dress, Devonshire House Ball, 1897. The future King George V with his wife in Elizabethan costume

Othello and Iago, 1891. Characters from The Moor of Venice. A colour lithograph from Shakespeares Heroes and Heroines after Sir A Callcott, C R Leslie, D Maclise, A Redgrave,s Hart & C

Henry IV Costume, (1885). Henry was king of France from 1589 to 1610. Illustration from 18th Century Institutions, Usages And Costumes, France 1700-1789, by Paul Lacroix, (Paris, 1885)

The Grand Dignitaries Of The Coronation, (1885). Artist: Charpentier
The Grand Dignitaries Of The Coronation, (1885). Illustration from 18th Century Institutions, Usages And Costumes, France 1700-1789, by Paul Lacroix, (Paris, 1885)

The Duke of Gesvres, (1885). Artist: G E Petit
The Duke of Gesvres, (1885). An 18th-century duke dressed in the costume of pageantry, after an original portrait by L M Van Loo

German musicians, 16th century, (1870). Artist: Jost Amman
German musicians, 16th century, (1870). A wood engraving of musicians playing on the violin and bass viol. A wood engraving from The Arts of the Middle Ages and at the Period of the Renaissance

Male costume, 16th century, (1910). A citizen of the better class wearing a mandevile a sort of waistcoat fitted loosely round the body, with no sleeves

Steward and serving men, 15th century, (1910). The steward has a rod of office. He and his men wear pied hose and sugar-loaf caps

Early Norman stockings and boots, (1910). Footwear dating from the Norman Conquest of Britain in 1066. Illustration from British Costume during 19 Centuries by Mrs Charles H Ashdown, (London, 1910)

Heralds announcing the death of Charles VI to his son, c1500, (1843). Artist: Henry Shaw
Heralds announcing the death of Charles VI to his son, c1500, (1843). Heralds carrying the pennon or banner of France, announce the death of King Charles (1368-1422)

Edward, Prince of Wales as a Knight of the Garter, early 20th century
King Edward VIII when Prince of Wales, wearing his robes as a Knight of the Garter, early 20th century. Illustration from George V and Edward VIII, A Royal Souvenir, by FGH Salusbury

Sir Walter Raleigh and his son, 1602, (1896). English writer, poet, courtier and explorer, Raleigh (1554-1618) was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I, who knighted him in 1585

Portrait of a young man, c1590-1595, (1896). Artist: Isaac Oliver I
Portrait of a young man, c1590-1595, (1896). Portrait, previously believed to have been of Sir Philip Sidney. Illustration after a miniature in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle

The Healing of Blind Man of Jericho, Detail, 1531. Artist: Lucas van Leyden
The Healing of Blind Man of Jericho, Detail, 1531. Located in the collection at, State Hermitage Museum, St Peterburg

The English being chased out of Paris, April 1436, (1484). The taking of Paris. Illustration from the Vigils of Charles VII by Martial of Paris, in the collection of the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris

Two men with coats of arms, 16th century. Two Germans wearing slashed sleeves and parti-coloured hose, with heraldic crests

Table Service of a Lady of Quality, 15th century
Table Service of a Lady of Quality ; French noblewoman dining with members of her household, 15th century. The noblewoman is being waited on by servants and a butler wearing tunic

Lorraine Davidson / 1
Lorraine Davidson

Elizabeth Hurley actress. August 1989

Heller Toren model actress 1964 posing with one knee on a chair, holding the back rest wearing pink tights and a white shirt

Young people in punk style dress
Group of young people in punk dress, including leather jackets with studs, and spiky hairstyles, at the Cornwall Coliseum. Date: circa 1980s

Three women in burlesque costume on a Victorian scrap. Date: circa 1890s

Women police officers in self-defence exercise
Two women police officers taking part in a self-defence demonstration exercise at an outdoor event. One of them is Inspector Sheila Ward. Date: circa early 1970s

Inspector Sheila Ward, Met Police, London
Inspector Sheila Ward (b.c1937), Met Police, London, the first woman to hold the post of Station Inspector, at Kings Cross. Seen here speaking to a line of male police officers

Eight women police officers in new Surrey uniform
Eight women police officers posing in the new Surrey uniform introduced in 1973. The jacket was single-breasted with four buttons, trousers were introduced as an option

Two women police officers in updated uniform, London
Two women police officers posing in the updated uniform introduced in 1977, with a range of mix and match options. The checkered cravat replaced the bow tie, though here the cravat is not patterned

Prince Edward of Wales as Knight of the Garter
Prince Edward of Wales (1894-1972) (later King Edward VIII) dressed as Knight of the Garter. Date: 1911

Tall blonde with pink nightdress and stockings
Step-in High! A tall blonde girl in profile, with long long legs and stockings and a sheer pink nightdress -she stands in front of some fine floral wallpaper. Date: early 1940s

Francis II and Elizabeth of Valois
Francis II as King of France (left), as Dauphin (right); and his sister, Elizabeth de Valois, wife of Spanish King Phillip II (Felipe II). Antique hand-colored print

German couple of the 1500s
German citizens of the late 16th century. Antique hand-colored print

French couple at the royal court, early 18th century
Gentleman and lady of Louis XIVs court, France, early 1700s. Antique hand-colored print

Spanish nobility of the 1500s
Spanish lord and lady of the 16th century. Antique hand-colored print

Courtship in medieval Burgundy
Noble woman of Burgundy courted in the 1400s. Antique hand-colored print

Medieval prince and his attendants
Prince, page, and a nobleman of the 14th century. Antique hand-colored print

Elizabethan lords and a halberdier
Two Peers, in their robes, and a halberdier during Elizabethans reign, 1500s. Color lithograph reproduction

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"Tights: A Twist of Style and History" If you really want to get a kick out of the Twist, just put those high-heeled shoes away. They have been an essential part of fashion for centuries, adorning the legs of dancers, athletes, and even actors. One notable figure who embraced tights was TED KID LEWIS, a legendary boxer known for his agility in the ring. But it wasn't just boxers who appreciated this garment; Mieczyslaw Pianowski, a Polish ballet dancer, relied on tights to showcase his graceful movements on stage. It also found their place in entertainment troupes like the Kaufmann Lady Cycle Troupe. These talented performers dazzled audiences with their acrobatic skills while wearing vibrant tights that added an extra touch of flair to their acts. Even Hollywood couldn't resist the allure of tights. Actress Helen Mirren once donned fishnet tights while portraying a character as a fairground stripper—a testament to how this versatile piece can transform any costume into something captivating. But it's not all about glamour and showbiz; practicality plays its part too. In self-defense exercises, female police officers rely on durable tights that allow them freedom of movement without compromising safety or professionalism. The history behind tights is equally fascinating. Plastics Nylon emerged as a substitute for silk during World War II when resources were scarce. Its introduction brought nylon-made stockings into everyday life and received such enthusiasm that even royalty welcomed it home with open arms. Throughout history, countless icons have rocked tights with style—Joan Collins being one prime example. The actress arrived at Heathrow Airport in 1988 sporting fashionable attire complete with trendy patterned tights—an embodiment of elegance and sophistication. Tight-wearing characters aren't limited to real-life figures either; they've made appearances in cartoons too.