Patent Publication Number: US-2010125933-A1

Title: Sheer hosiery

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/596,558, filed Nov. 14, 2006, which claims priority to U.S. national phase of the International Patent Application No. PCT/US2005/017350 filed May 18, 2005, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/572,795, filed May 20, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to hosiery and, more particularly, to sheer hosiery that maintain the leg appearance of conventional sheer stockings while eliminating the foot discomfort that is typically encountered when wearing conventional sheer stockings. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional sheer hosiery made of nylon, spandex or the like, whether in the form of pantyhose or separate stockings, presents serious comfort issues to their wearers. For example, women who for professional or fashion reasons wear high-heeled footwear (e.g., boots, pump-type shoes, etc.) for extended periods of time often suffer serious foot pain such as in the toes, balls and arch of their feet. This foot pain is at least partially caused by the construction of the footwear that includes an insole that forms a flat surface extending throughout ball and lower toe portions thereof and an upwardly inclined surface extending throughout an arch portion toward a heel portion. Since the heel portion of the shoe is generally raised relative to the ball and toe portion of the shoe, a wearer&#39;s weight is unnaturally shifted toward the ball and toe portions of the wearer&#39;s foot. 
     Sheer hosiery (e.g., nylon stockings and pantyhose) that is typically worn in conjunction with such footwear typically worsens foot pain since such hosiery does not provide absorption or ventilation in the foot area. As can be appreciated from  FIG. 1 , when a person wears high-heeled shoes and sheer hosiery, the person&#39;s sole begins to perspire and the perspiration becomes trapped between the person&#39;s skin and the hosiery due to the hosiery material&#39;s hydrophobicity. The trapped perspiration causes the person&#39;s foot to slide generally forward and downward in the hosiery due to the trapped moisture, the lubricity of the sheer hosiery and the footwear&#39;s inclined insole and, therefore, the person&#39;s toes become curled against the (typically) reinforced toe portion of the hosiery as indicated in  FIG. 1  by arrow C. After the person&#39;s toes curl, their only recourse for relieving the curling is to remove their shoes and pull the toe portion of the hosiery away from their toes while attempting to avoid tearing or causing runs in the sheer hosiery fabric. However, this solution is only temporary since the person&#39;s sole will continue to perspire and the perspiration will remain trapped, thereby causing the same uncomfortable foot sliding and toe curling result. Over time, this may cause the wearer of such footwear and unforgiving hosiery to experience foot problems such as blisters, calluses, hammertoes and the like. 
     While it is known in the art to dispose an insert (e.g., a cotton pad) within the foot portion of the hosiery (i.e., the insert is interposed between the sheer fabric and the wearer&#39;s foot) to absorb foot perspiration, this does not solve the foregoing problems. Such inserts become saturated and trap moisture against the wearer&#39;s foot since the sheer hosiery material is hydrophobic and has poor ventilation qualities. The same foot sliding and toe curling thereby results often with the added discomfort due to bunching of the insert in the toe area. It is also known in the art to attach a pad (e.g., by sewing, gluing or the like) to the exterior of the foot portion of the hosiery so that the pad is positioned proximate to the sole of the wearer&#39;s foot. However, this method is also ineffective in solving the sliding and toe curling since the sheer hosiery, being generally hydrophobic, does not allow the foot perspiration to substantially escape for absorption by the exterior pad. 
     Therefore, sheer hosiery that serves the desired purpose of making the wearer&#39;s legs look attractive but are comfortable and free of the foregoing drawbacks in the foot area would be welcomed. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Unique sheer hosiery is provided that maintains the appearance of conventional sheer hosiery while eliminating the foot discomfort that is typically encountered when wearing conventional sheer hosiery. Embodiments of the sheer hosiery include a sheer leg portion and a lower portion that is affixed to the sheer leg portion and is configured to cover a foot, wherein the lower portion is at least partially made of a comfort fabric. The comfort fabric contacts one or more portions of a wearer&#39;s foot, such as, for example, a ball portion and a toe portion, and is hidden from view when the wearer&#39;s foot is inserted in footwear. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example foot condition resulting from wearing a conventional sheer hosiery article and high-heeled footwear; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a first embodiment of a sheer stocking, which includes a comfort fabric toe portion, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a second embodiment of a sheer stocking, which includes a comfort fabric sole portion, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a third embodiment of a sheer stocking, which includes a comfort fabric toe and sole portion, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a fourth embodiment of a sheer stocking, which includes a comfort fabric foot portion, in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a fifth embodiment of a sheer stocking, which includes a comfort fabric foot and leg portion, in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Various embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying  FIGS. 2-6 , but these embodiments are provided for purpose of example and are not intended to be limiting of the invention. 
     In each of the embodiments at least a portion of the foot area of the sheer hosiery (e.g., stockings, pantyhose) includes a resilient material having at least one of but not limited to the following properties: ventilating, wicking and absorbing. This material will hereinafter be referred to as “comfort fabric” and may be selected from any natural or man-made fibers, fabrics and materials having these desired properties known in the art. Preferred comfort fabrics have a substantial cotton content up to a 100% cotton content for absorbency, but other suitable comfort fabrics include wicking fabrics such as polypropylene, Coolmax® and Supplex®. The sheer hosiery material with which the comfort fabric can be used may be any sheer fabric material known in the art such as nylon, spandex or the like. The hosiery may be any type or style of hosiery known in the art, for example, stockings, pantyhose, control top, full-fashioned, sheer to waist, fishnet, knee-highs, non-control top, support hose, semi-opaque hosiery, thigh high, elongated control top, and tights. As should be appreciated from  FIGS. 2-6  and the following description, one aspect of the invention is to provide a wearer of sheer hosiery with improved foot ventilation and moisture (e.g., perspiration) absorption while not interfering with the fit of the footwear and retaining the esthetically pleasing appearance of conventional sheer hose. To this end, the comfort fabric of the various embodiments is permanently attached to the sheer fabric and is worn in the foot area of the hosiery with appropriately selected footwear so that the comfort fabric is hidden from view when the wearer&#39;s foot is inserted in the footwear. 
     As can be appreciated from  FIGS. 2-6  the comfort fabric is positioned generally in the foot portion of the sheer hosiery, but may also be positioned proximate to portions of the wearer&#39;s leg. The comfort fabric is configured (e.g., shaped, sized, positioned, etc.) to correspond with one or more discrete parts of a wearer&#39;s foot, such as the toes, the instep, the ball, the arch and the heel, but the comfort fabric is sized somewhat smaller than an outline of the one or more discrete part of the wearer&#39;s foot to which it corresponds. Indeed, one can appreciate that the sheer hosiery has an at least partially “inversely-oriented” construction relative to the footwear, particularly with respect to the positioning of the comfort fabric on the wearer&#39;s foot relative to any apertures in the footwear (e.g., in the upper of the footwear). That is, the comfort fabric is configured so that it is positioned on a wearer&#39;s foot to avoid one or more apertures in the wearer&#39;s footwear through which a part of the wearer&#39;s foot is visible, for example, the foot opening, an open toe, an open heel, a fashion aperture (i.e., an opening in the footwear that displays a portion of the wearer&#39;s foot) and the like so that the comfort fabric is not visible. In this way, the wearer&#39;s footwear and sheer hosiery cooperate to provide an apparel system that keeps the comfort fabric hidden from view. Footwear and sheer hosiery embodiments in accordance with the invention may be paired appropriately by an individual to hide the comfort fabric from view. That is, an individual must either: a) select appropriate footwear according to the position of the comfort fabric in the sheer hosiery that is to be worn, or b) select appropriate sheer hosiery having suitably positioned comfort fabric according to the footwear that is to be worn. In one aspect, a sheer hosiery embodiment may be one or more of displayed, packaged, bundled and sold with appropriate footwear in a retail establishment. 
     Conventional sheer hosiery (e.g., hosiery made of nylon, spandex or the like), whether in the form of pantyhose or separate stockings, may present serious comfort issues to a wearer of such hosiery, particularly when worn with high-heeled footwear (e.g., pump-type shoes) for an extended period of time. The discomfort is attributable to a number of factors. As can be appreciated from  FIG. 1 , fashion footwear FW causes unnatural and persistent pressure on the ball B and toe T portions of the wearer&#39;s foot F due to the inclined insole construction of the footwear FW. Such a persistent pressure cannot be alleviated by placing cushioning inserts in the footwear or hosiery. Moreover, since conventional sheer hosiery N ( FIG. 1 ) is made of a finely woven hydrophobic material, it does not provide proper ventilation and/or moisture absorption. Thus, such hosiery N causes an undesirable moisture-trapping condition that causes chafing and blisters, generally worsening the foregoing pressure discomfort on the ball B and toe T portions of the wearer&#39;s foot F. Further, when conventional hosiery N and fashion footwear FW are worn for an extended period of time, the wearer&#39;s foot F will continue to sweat, particularly the ball B and arch A of the foot F, thereby causing perspiration accumulation on the bottom of the wearer&#39;s foot F because the trapped moisture is not properly ventilated, wicked, absorbed or the like. The wearer&#39;s foot F will then, due to the lubricity of the sheer hosiery and accumulated perspiration, slide forward as indicated by arrow M against the toe portion of the stocking, which will eventually cause the wearer&#39;s toes to curl as indicated by arrow C, thereby creating further discomfort and pain to the wearer. As will be explained below, various embodiments of the present invention provide ventilation and moisture absorption in one or more portions of the foot to remedy the foregoing problems caused by foot perspiration without affecting the aesthetic appearance of the sheer hosiery. For example, one embodiment includes toe and sole ventilating/moisture-absorbing portions that can be paired with pump-type shoes so that the toe and sole portions are hidden from view, thereby retaining the conventional appearance of sheer hosiery. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , a first embodiment of sheer hosiery is described. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the sheer hosiery  200  is illustrated as a sheer stocking or a leg of sheer pantyhose. In this case, the hosiery  200  includes a toe portion  210  that is made of comfort fabric and the hosiery  200  is intended to be worn with closed-toe, pump-type footwear, such as high-heeled dress shoes. The closed toe of the footwear is configured to hide the toe portion  210  when the wearer&#39;s foot is inserted in the footwear. Of course, sheer hosiery  200  may be worn with open-toe footwear, but sheer hosiery  300  which will be discussed hereafter is more preferred for wearing with open-toe footwear. As shown, the toe portion  210  has a “toelet” shape (e.g., bag-like, pouch-like or pocket-like shape) that is attached to the continuous, sheer foot portion  240  and leg portion  260 . The toe portion  210  is constructed to cover the tops, bottoms and tips of all the toes of the wearer. That is, the toe portion  210  substantially encloses the wearer&#39;s toes, extending from a point on top of the wearer&#39;s foot F that is forward of an instep portion I of the foot F, wrapping around the front of the wearer&#39;s toes T and terminating at a point proximate a ball B of the wearer&#39;s foot F and forward of an arch portion A of the wearer&#39;s foot F. Additionally as shown, the top and bottom parts of the toe portion  210  may be connected at their right and left side edges to cover the outer surfaces of the wearer&#39;s outer toes (e.g., big toe and pinky toe). Thus, one can appreciate that although the hosiery  200  includes a toe portion  210  that provides comfort to the wearer, the hosiery  200  retains the appearance of conventional sheer hosiery since the toe portion  210  is worn by the wearer on their toes T, which, in turn, are inserted in closed-toe footwear FW, so that the toe portion  210  is hidden from view by footwear FW. This embodiment eliminates or at least greatly reduces toe curling ( FIG. 1 , arrow C), enhances the freedom of the toes to move generally and limits sliding within the footwear to reduce pain associated with conventional sheer stockings. The comfort fabric wicks moisture produced in the toe area and also absorbs and/or wicks moisture that originates from other areas of the foot (e.g., the ball or arch areas of the foot) that makes its way to the toe area. 
     The sheer fabric (e.g., foot portion  240  and leg portion  260 ) and the comfort fabric toe portion  210  may be affixed to each other by any technique that produces a reliable attachment between the sheer fabric and the particular comfort fabric that is chosen. For example, the hosiery  200  may have a one-piece construction with the sheer fabric and the comfort fabric being attached, sewed or integrally knit using an automated process, for example, utilizing a circular knitting machine or the like. However, the hydrophobic threads of the sheer fabric should not be interwoven with the toe portion  210 . In some examples the sheer fabric and the comfort fabric may be fastened together by sewing. In other cases, a liquid or other adhesive could be used to attach the fabrics. In still further cases, a heat-sensitive bonding material or tape may be positioned between the two fabrics and heat applied to produce the desired affixation. It should be understood that the sheer fabric should only minimally overlap the toe portion  210  and that the interconnection between the two fabrics should be durable and strong but preferably substantially imperceptible to the wearer. Other methods of affixation may be suitable and will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Additionally, one can appreciate that the comfort fabric toe portion  210  is generally thicker or having a higher denier relative to the sheer fabric. However, it is essential in this embodiment that the comfort fabric toe portion  210  not be so thick as to interfere with the fit of the footwear, for example, causing the footwear to feel undersized or unduly tight in the toe area. It is therefore required in the practice of this embodiment that the foot and leg portions  240 ,  260  of the hosiery  200  be in the sheer range as known in the art (e.g., made of a yarn from about ten to forty denier), whereas the comfort fabric has a thickness in the range of about 0.015 inches to about 0.065 inches. More preferably, the comfort fabric has a thickness in the range of about 0.02 inches to about 0.03 inches. In fact, test subjects wearing prototypes of this embodiment having various thicknesses for toe portion  210  found that prototypes having a comfort fabric toe portion  210  with a thickness greater than about 0.065 inches were too uncomfortable to wear with properly fitting closed-toe, high-heeled fashion footwear. In one example, the hosiery  200  includes a sheer fabric that is made of nylon yarn having a denier of ten and a comfort fabric toe portion  210  that is made of cotton yarn of a greater denier than the nylon yarn and having a thickness of about 0.02 inches. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a second embodiment of sheer hosiery is described. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the sheer hosiery  300  is illustrated as a sheer stocking or a leg of sheer pantyhose. In this embodiment, the sheer hosiery  300  includes a sheer toe portion  310  and a sole portion  320  that is made of comfort fabric so that the sheer hosiery  300  can be worn with open-toe footwear, such as open-toe, high-heeled dress shoes or the like. Of course, the sheer hosiery  300  may be worn with closed-toe footwear, but previously described sheer hosiery  200  and sheer hosiery  400  which will be discussed hereafter are more preferred for wearing with closed-toe footwear. The sole portion  320  is attached to the continuous, sheer toe portion  310 , sheer foot portion  340  and sheer leg portion  360 , which provide the sheer hosiery  300  when worn with open-toe, high-heeled dress shoes with the appearance of a conventional sheer hosiery article. The sole portion  320  is dimensioned to contact a portion of the wearer&#39;s sole (e.g., ball B, arch A or heel H of the foot F) but remain hidden from view when viewing the wearer&#39;s foot F from the sides and back. For example, if an individual wishes to wear footwear with an upper having one or more of an open-toe, open-heel, latticework or straps, the individual puts on the hosiery  300  positioning the sole portion  320  along the bottom of the individual&#39;s foot and then inserts their foot in the footwear so that the insole of the footwear hides the sole portion  320 . Thus, as previously mentioned, the sheer hosiery  300  and footwear have an inversely-oriented construction so that they cooperate to generally preserve the appearance of conventional sheer hosiery in all of the exposed areas of the wearer&#39;s foot, such as portions of the wearer&#39;s foot (e.g., the instep I) that are proximate the periphery of the foot opening of the footwear upper in which the foot rests. 
     As shown, the sole portion  320  is embodied as a generally rectangular-shaped panel or strip, but may be shaped otherwise. For example, the sole portion  320  may have any suitable curvilinear shape known in the art, such as a trapezoid, parallelogram, square, circle, s-shape, zigzag and the like and it may be of either a regular or an irregular shape. The illustrated sole portion  320  extends from a forward point on the sole of the wearer&#39;s foot F that is proximate either a base of the wearer&#39;s toes T or the ball portion B of the wearer&#39;s foot F, to a rearward point on the sole of the wearer&#39;s foot F that is proximate either the wearer&#39;s heel H or the wearer&#39;s arch A. Thus, the sole portion  320  substantially covers the length of the bottom of the wearer&#39;s foot. Additionally, in some versions, the sole portion  320  may substantially extend across the entire width of the wearer&#39;s sole. Moreover, in some cases, the sole portion  320  may extend partially up the sides of the wearer&#39;s foot F so long as the sole portion  320  is hidden from view from the side when the wearer dons cooperating footwear. For example, when an individual intends to wear open-back or strap-heeled footwear such as shoes, clogs, sandals, mules or the like that allow the individual&#39;s foot a degree of movement away from the insole, the sole portion  320  of the sheer hosiery  300  may be constructed to extend only from the ball portion B of the individual&#39;s foot F to a point intermediate the individual&#39;s arch A so that the sole portion  320  cannot be seen from behind when the individual&#39;s heel H is raised above the insole of the shoe such as when the individual&#39;s weight is on the toes T and ball portion B of the foot F. 
     This type of sheer hosiery  300  greatly enhances ventilation and moisture absorption/wicking for the wearer&#39;s foot, thereby limiting sliding of the wearer&#39;s foot within the hosiery  300 . To further limit sliding of the hosiery  300  when worn on a wearer&#39;s foot that is inserted in footwear, the sole portion  320  may include a friction means (not show) such as a grip, tread or the like. For example, the sole portion  320  may include an integral stitching design as known in the art, such as parallel zigzags that extend across the width of the wearer&#39;s sole. In another example the friction means may be a rubber thread, a rubberized appliqué or the like that is attached to a top surface, a bottom surface or both the top and bottom surfaces of the comfort fabric by an affixation means known in the art such as fasteners, sewing, adhesive, heat-transfer and the like. Alternatively, the friction means may be interwoven through a portion or all of the comfort fabric. The comfort fabric sole portion  320  absorbs and/or wicks moisture produced in the area of the wearer&#39;s sole (e.g., ball B, arch A, heel H) and may also absorb and/or wick moisture that originates from other areas of the foot (e.g., the toes T) that makes its way to the sole portion  320 . 
     As with the previously described sheer hosiery  200 , the sheer fabric (e.g., portions  310 ,  340 ,  360 ) and the comfort fabric sole portion  320  of this sheer hosiery  300  may be affixed to each other by any technique that produces a reliable attachment between the sheer fabric and the particular comfort fabric that is chosen. For example, the hosiery  300  may have a one-piece construction with the sheer fabric and the comfort fabric being attached, sewed, or integrally knit using an automated process, for example, utilizing a circular knitting machine or the like. However, the hydrophobic threads of the sheer fabric should not be interwoven with the sole portion  320 . In some examples the sheer fabric and the comfort fabric may be fastened together by sewing. In other cases, a liquid or other adhesive could be used to attach the fabrics. In still further cases, a heat-sensitive bonding material or tape may be positioned between the two fabrics and heat applied to produce the desired affixation. It should be understood that the sheer fabric should only minimally overlap the sole portion  320  to ensure a reliable interconnection therebetween. Further, the interconnection between the two fabrics should be durable and strong but preferably substantially imperceptible to the wearer. Other methods of affixation may be suitable and will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Further, as with the comfort fabric toe portion  210  of the first embodiment, one can appreciate that the comfort fabric sole portion  320  is generally thicker or having a higher denier relative to the sheer fabric. However, it is essential that the comfort fabric sole portion  320  not be so thick as to interfere with the fit of the footwear, for example, causing the footwear to feel undersized in the instep and/or toe area. It is therefore required in the practice of this invention that the toe, foot and leg portion  310 ,  340 ,  360  of the hosiery  300  be in the sheer range as known in the art (e.g., made of a yarn from about ten to forty denier), whereas the comfort fabric has a thickness in the range of about 0.015 inches to about 0.065 inches. More preferably, the thickness of the comfort fabric is in the range of about 0.02 inches to about 0.03 inches. In fact, test subjects wearing prototypes of this embodiment having various thicknesses for sole portion  320  found that prototypes having a comfort fabric sole portion  320  with a thickness greater than 0.065 inches were too uncomfortable to wear with properly fitting high-heeled fashion footwear. In one example, the hosiery  300  includes a sheer fabric that is made of nylon yarn having a denier of ten and a comfort fabric sole portion  320  that is made of cotton yarn of a greater denier than the nylon yarn and having a thickness of about 0.03 inches. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a third embodiment of sheer hosiery is described. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the sheer hosiery  400  is illustrated as a sheer stocking or a leg of sheer pantyhose. In this case, one should appreciate that the sheer hosiery  400  generally combines the comfort fabric features of toe portion  210  of the sheer hosiery  200  ( FIG. 2 ) and comfort fabric sole portion  320  of the sheer hosiery  300  ( FIG. 3 ), and is to be worn with closed-toe pump-type fashion footwear, such as high-heeled, closed-toe dress shoes or the like. Although the sheer hosiery  400  can be worn with open-toe footwear, as can be appreciated, the sheer hosiery  400  cooperates with closed-toe footwear to ensure that the sheer hosiery  400  has the appearance of conventional sheer hosiery. As shown, the sheer hosiery  400  includes a toe portion  410  that is made of comfort fabric and a sole portion  420  that is made of comfort fabric. The comfort fabric toe portion  410  is dimensioned to cover the tops and bottoms of all the toes of the wearer. That is, the toe portion  410  substantially encloses the wearer&#39;s toes, extending from a point on top of the wearer&#39;s foot F that is forward of an instep portion I of the foot F, wrapping around the front (tips) of the wearer&#39;s toes T and terminating at a point proximate a ball B of the wearer&#39;s foot F and forward of an arch portion A of the wearer&#39;s foot F. Additionally as shown, the top and bottom parts of the toe portion  410  may be connected at their right and left side edges to cover the outer surfaces of the wearer&#39;s outer toes (e.g., big toe and pinky toe). The sole portion  420  is dimensioned to contact a portion of the wearer&#39;s sole (e.g., ball B, arch A or heel H of the foot F) but remain hidden from view when viewing the wearer&#39;s foot F from the sides and back. Thus, as previously mentioned, the sheer hosiery  400  has an inversely-oriented construction relative to footwear so that the comfort portions  410 ,  420  avoid apertures in the footwear, thereby hiding the comfort portions  410 ,  420  from view. One can appreciate that toe and sole portions  410 ,  420  are attached to the continuous, sheer foot portion  440  and leg portion  460 , which provide the sheer hosiery  400  with the appearance of a conventional sheer hosiery article. This sheer hosiery  400  generally preserves the appearance of conventional sheer hosiery in all of the exposed areas of the wearer&#39;s foot, including portions of the wearer&#39;s foot proximate the periphery of the opening of the footwear in which the foot rests. 
     The toe and sole portions  410 ,  420  may be separated, attached together or may have a one-piece construction. Further, the toe portion  410  and the sole portion  420  may be of the same comfort fabric or different comfort fabrics. For example, the toe portion  410  may be thinner for providing a better fit when wearing narrow-toed footwear while the sole portion  420  is more porous and/or thicker for providing more absorbency/wicking to the pores of the sole S of the wearer&#39;s foot F. Indeed, many different combinations of comfort fabrics for toe portion  410  and sole portion  420  are possible. 
     As with the previously described sheer hosiery embodiments  200  and  300 , the sheer fabric (e.g., portions  440 ,  460 ) and the comfort fabric toe portion  410  and comfort fabric sole portion  420  of this sheer hosiery  400  may be affixed to each other by any technique that produces a reliable attachment between the sheer fabric and the particular comfort fabric that is chosen. For example, the hosiery  400  may have a one-piece construction with the sheer fabric and the comfort fabric being attached, sewed, or integrally knit using an automated process, for example, utilizing a circular knitting machine or the like. However, the hydrophobic threads of the sheer fabric should not be interwoven with the toe and sole portions  410 ,  420 . In some examples the sheer fabric and the comfort fabric may be fastened together by sewing. In other cases, a liquid or other adhesive could be used to attach the fabrics. In still further cases, a heat-sensitive bonding material or tape may be positioned between the two fabrics and heat applied to produce the desired affixation. It should be understood that the sheer fabric should only minimally overlap the toe and sole portions  410 ,  420  to ensure a reliable interconnection therebetween. Further, the interconnection between the two fabrics should be durable and strong but preferably substantially imperceptible to the wearer. Other methods of affixation may be suitable and will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Since the comfort fabric of this embodiment provides substantial coverage of the wearer&#39;s toes T and sole (e.g., ball B, arch A, and heel H) of the wearer&#39;s foot F, the sheer hosiery  400  provides maximum comfort to the wearer when donning fashion footwear. The toe portion  410  inhibits toe curling ( FIG. 1 , arrow C) and provides ventilation and moisture absorption to the wearer&#39;s toe area T, ball portion B and arch portion A of the wearer&#39;s foot F. Further, the sole portion  420  provides ventilation and absorption/wicking to additional foot surface area, thereby providing stability and inhibiting the previously described sliding effects. As with the previously described sheer hosiery  200 ,  300 , one can appreciate that the comfort fabric toe and sole portions  410 ,  420  are generally thicker or being of a higher denier relative to the sheer fabric. However, it is essential that the comfort fabric portions  410 ,  420  not be so thick as to interfere with the fit of the footwear, for example, causing the footwear to feel undersized or unduly tight in the instep and/or toe area. It is therefore required in the practice of this invention that the foot and leg portion  440 ,  460  of the hosiery  400  be in the sheer range as known in the art (e.g., made of a yarn from about ten to forty denier), whereas the comfort fabric has a thickness in the range of about 0.015 inches to about 0.065 inches. More preferably, the comfort fabric has a thickness in the range of about 0.02 inches to about 0.03 inches. In fact, test subjects wearing prototypes of this embodiment having various thicknesses for toe and sole portions  410 ,  420  found that prototypes having a comfort fabric portions  410 ,  420  with a thickness greater than 0.065 inches were too uncomfortable to wear with properly fitting closed-toe, high-heeled fashion footwear. In one example, the hosiery  400  includes a sheer fabric that is made of nylon yarn having a denier of ten and a comfort fabric toe portion  410  that is made of cotton yarn of a greater denier than the nylon yarn and having a thickness of about 0.02 inches and a sole portion  420  that is made of a cotton yarn of a greater denier than the nylon yarn and having a thickness of about 0.03 inches. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 5  a fourth embodiment of sheer hosiery is described. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the sheer hosiery  500  is illustrated as a sheer stocking or a leg of sheer pantyhose. As shown, the sheer hosiery  500  includes a foot portion  540  comprising comfort fabric and a leg portion  560  that gives the appearance of a conventional sheer hosiery article. The foot portion  540  may be similar to a footsock, footlet, or “footie” and substantially covers the wearer&#39;s foot F (e.g., the toes T, sole S, instep I, heel H) and is particularly comfortable due to the increased amount of comfort fabric in comparison to the foregoing sheer hosiery embodiments  200 ,  300 ,  400 . However, the sheer hosiery  500  may not be appropriate for fashion footwear such as pump-type shoes where the increased amount of comfort fabric would be visible (e.g., on the instep of the wearer). Further, the thickness of the comfort fabric foot portion  540  is substantially similar to the thickness of commercially-available socks and is not intended to be limited as in the previous embodiments  200 ,  300 ,  400 . Therefore, due to the foregoing, the sheer hosiery  500  may generally interfere with the fit of fashion footwear and, as such, the sheer hosiery  500  is worn with more casual types of footwear such as low shoes including oxfords, flats, gym shoes, sneakers or the like. For example, the sheer hosiery  500  may be worn by a cheerleader/pom-pom performer, dancer or the like to give their legs the smooth look of sheer hose while greatly reducing foot discomfort and absorbing perspiration while they perform. In another example, the sheer hosiery  500  may be worn by medical personnel (e.g., nurses and laboratory technicians) who wear uniforms including stocking-type hosiery and low-heeled shoes. Such sheer hosiery  500  could also be used with any full-covered shoe or boot. One can appreciate that this embodiment is adapted for use with a broader range of footwear (e.g., casual shoes and boots), but provides the same benefits in terms of comfort etc. and the conventional hosiery appearance that are achieved with the previous embodiments. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates yet another embodiment of sheer hosiery in accordance with the invention. As with the sheer hosiery  500  of  FIG. 5 , the sheer hosiery  600  as shown includes a comfort fabric portion that may be similar to an ankle sock (anklet), athletic sock, crew sock, calf-high sock, mid-calf sock, knee-high sock, slouch sock or the like that substantially covers the wearer&#39;s foot (e.g., the toes T, soles S, instep I, heel H), but also covers a portion of the wearer&#39;s leg. As illustrated, the sheer hosiery  600  includes a comfort fabric foot portion  640  that covers the entirety of the wearer&#39;s foot, a comfort fabric leg portion  660  that covers at least a lower portion of the wearer&#39;s leg and a sheer fabric leg portion  680  that extends upward from the comfort leg portion  660  to give the appearance of a convention sheer hosiery article. The comfort fabric leg portion  660  extends upward from the comfort fabric foot portion  640  past the wearer&#39;s ankle bone to a point, for example, proximate the wearer&#39;s calf. Being somewhat similar to the foregoing sheer hosiery  500 , sheer hosiery  600  may not be appropriate for fashion footwear such as pump-type shoes where the increased amount of comfort fabric would be visible (e.g., on the instep, ankle and leg of the wearer). Further, the thickness of the comfort fabric foot portions  640 ,  660  is substantially similar to the thickness of commercially-available socks and is not intended to be limited as in the previous embodiments  200 ,  300 ,  400 . Therefore, due to the foregoing, the sheer hosiery  600  may generally interfere with the fit of fashion footwear and, as such, the sheer hosiery  600  is worn with more casual types of footwear such as boots including ankle boots, cowboy boots and the like. Of course, one can appreciate that, in some cases, the comfort fabric leg portion  660  may extend upward, thereby decreasing the sheer fabric leg portion  680 , to a point, for example, proximate the wearer&#39;s upper calf or knee, so that the sheer hosiery  600  is adapted for wearing with high boots such as knee-high boots. For example, a female dancer wearing a skirt or dress outfit with cowboy boots may wear the sheer hosiery  600  to give the appearance of conventional sheer hosiery above the boot while the hidden comfort fabric foot and leg portions  640 ,  660  provide foot and leg comfort. 
     Various example embodiments of this invention are described herein. Variations of those various example embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. For example, in further embodiments of the sheer hosiery the comfort fabric may be positioned selectively in the foot area, such as at the heel area, at the instep area, at the arch area, at the tops of the toes, at the front of the toes, at the bottom of the toes and in any combinations of the foregoing. The inventor expects skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventor intends for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.