Will 'mantyhose' take off in the US?

European fashion tends to be slightly edgier than what most Americans would wear, and that's certainly the case in the latest continental fad that's heading to our shores: "mantyhose," or tights for men.

Also called "brosiery" or "guylons," tights for guys have seen a spike in popularity in Europe. The fashion company Emilio Cavallini has seen sales of mantyhose jump to 30% of its online sales last year, up from just 1% in 2011, according to a report in MediaPost, citing the trade magazine Women's Wear Daily. 

Now, Cavallini is placing its sights on American men. With growing interest from guys in the U.S., the company has added a large size, targeted for men as tall as 6 feet and weighing 200 pounds. 

So what's behind the new take on hosiery? The company started designing the he-tards in 2009 because it noticed "a lot of tights sized medium-large were being purchased by men," executive Francesco Cavallini told the Daily Mail last year. "So I did a search on the Internet and discovered there is a cult following for mantyhose."

The tights come in patterns of black, grey and white, and don't have a fly. Men are buying them to stay warm, or wearing them under pants or with shorts. They cost about $40 per pair.

"It’s definitely become a trend for men in Europe," an executive at Cavallini told WWD. "It’s fun for them to wear, and you can see the color and patterns standing out [from] their shoes."

Mantyhose isn't the only female-oriented article of clothing now aimed at men: "Meggings," or leggings for men, are also asking guys to open their man-purses. 

Meggings have graced the legs of male celebrities including Justin Bieber and Russell Brand. While similar to running tights, meggings sometimes sport "fashion" patterns, such as jungle stripes or stars. Of course, that might not convince American men to pony up their cash to stretch lycra-based tights over their calves. 

That isn't holding back fashion companies and retailers from trying: Uniqlo, Barneys and Nordstrom (JWN) are all selling tights for men, according to the U.K.'s Telegraph. Like skinny jeans, the trend may appeal to men who want to flash a bit of their gams. 

"Male tights are so much more comfortable than skinny jeans," one man who wears meggings told the publication. "I've always had good legs and it's nice to show them off all year round."

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