After 15 Years, L'Eggs Ads Return to TV

Pantyhose sales have been sagging badly for years now, thanks to more casual fashions, open-toed shoes, and changing tastes. Even First Lady Michelle Obama refuses to wear them anymore. But now that the decline has "somewhat stabilized," in the words of one retail analyst, and the latest fashion trend is for skirts and dresses, the pantyhose company L'Eggs is launching a new ad campaign to revive the once-popular leggings, writes Slate.

L'Eggs aired its first ad in April, and is rolling out more now to benefit from the traditional hosiery-sales boost during the cooler autumn months. In particular, L'Eggs is pushing sheer pantyhose, which has developed a reputation for appealing to grandmas—and, strangely, Hooters waitresses (unlike the bright colors and funny patterns of "novelty" hosiery, which have stayed generally popular). With Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton being a prominent pantyhose wearer, you'd think the time is right for a revival, but Libby Copeland remains skeptical on Slate: "The sort of polished look that pantyhose offer looks antiquated now," she writes. (More pantyhose stories.)