Ala Nylons -

To wear them "ala nylons" — in the style of nylons — was to participate in a ritual. The careful donning to avoid a run. The adjustment of the seam so it arrowed true. The subtle glance down to ensure the welt was hidden beneath the skirt's edge. They were fragile, expensive, and easily ruined by a stray fingernail or a rough door frame. And yet, that very fragility was part of their power. They suggested that beauty required patience, that elegance was a form of daily warfare against the mundane.