TRENDS - THEY'RE READY TO RUN AGAIN - Pantyhose. The word alone makes some women shudder. But others -- designers and stylists -- are heralding the beige beast's return.

It started with Miu Miu's fall show, with grandmotherly cardigans and pullovers tucked into the waistbands of flesh-toned stockings. Everyone thought it was a bit dotty, another "Grey Gardens" moment. But the trend continued this season when Derek Lam's models glided down the runway in sheer black seamed nylons -- a pro-hose statement, for spring no less. British designer Giles Deacon put his models in matronly, flesh-toned knee highs to give his saccharine collection an edge, according to super stylist Katie Grand.

That's right, wearing pantyhose today isn't the conservative statement it once was. At least where fashion is concerned, it seems to be an ironic take on modesty in a show-it-all era.

The trend toward a covered leg should be a relief to the hosiery industry, which has seen sales plummet since the mid-'90s, when nylons began trickling out along with shoulder pads and perms. For the 12 months ending in September, sheer hosiery sales have grown by 4.9% after falling the previous year, according to NPD Group, a consumer tracking service.

Or course, anyone who has entered a courtroom or church lately knows that in some circles, the pro-hose contingent never stopped kicking. And although skin snobs might assume that the nylon insurgency is backed by Midwestern librarians -- close inspection reveals that, even in California, Team Nylon has many stylish, powerful women in its ranks.

Legs elegantly cased in hose have been spotted in corner offices across L.A. . . . even in the scorching heat of summer. Close inspection of photos of Hollywood's most powerful women -- such as Amy Pascal, co-chairwoman of Sony Pictures Entertainment -- reveals an apparent synthetic faux-nude shine.

"If you are at the CEO level, or your job concerns raising money or looking credible, it's necessary," said Michelle Sterling, founder of the Global Image Group, an image consulting firm.

Even strongholds of sartorial liberalism have not been without their hosiery flare-ups. Last summer, a 25-year-old Berkeley woman (who did not want to give her name for fear of her in-laws) was accused by her new mother-in-law of "indecent exposure" for failing to wear hose on her special day.