Origin of Circus Tights

About the origins of the circus tights traced back to Nelson Hower, a bareback rider.

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The Origin of Circus Tights. "Tights (circus) are believed to have been introduced in 1828 by Nelson Hower, a bareback rider in the Buckley and Wicks Show, as the result of a mishap. The performers wore short jackets, knee breeches and stockings, but Hower's costume failed to arrive and he appeared for the show in his long knit underwear."