Wow! It seems that after the last post on Pantyhose, I’ve discovered that I am not a freak after all… the rest of you have just been hiding from the fashion press. Either that or these ‘researchers’ have never asked around outside of their local milkbar. After the overwhelming response from you all, and I must say a big THANK YOU for all your input, I’ve learnt so much more about the wearing of hoisiery around the world. I can say it is clear that the trend for gossamer leg wear is certainly dependant on your city of origin and your penchant for vintage. But it also became obvious that there is a serious lack of education and information out there about those funny things we put on our legs. So here it is -
Candice DeVille’s Guide to Hosiery.
The what’s what and how to find the right ones for you.
With all the different names out there for thing you put on your legs, it’s a common mistake to think that all these terms are interchangeable. In fact, they all represent something different. The only all encompassing term is ‘Hosiery’; which includes stockings, pantyhose, tights and yes, even socks. So let’s take a look at what’s what in a nutshell then we can get down to the nitty gritty of each style.
Pantyhose –
Pantyhose did not exist before 1959, when they were invented by Glen Mills. They were designed to combined both ‘panties’ (underpants) and ‘stockings’. But just because they were invented, didn’t mean everyone was quick on the uptake. It wasn’t until the mid 1960′s that seamless pantyhose came around. Complete with ‘control tops’ or the heavier, stretch panty section, that they eliminated the need for girdles making them very popular with the younger market. Coinciding with the rise in popularity of the mini-skirt, Pantyhose took over as the hosiery of choice for most women until this day.
Made of a combination of nylon and spandex; referring to Pantyhose as “nylons” is a misnomer, the term being reserved for stockings that are made only of woven nylon. The spandex in Pantyhose is what gives them their incredible stretch, allowing them to form fit to the leg and stop the bagging that so often occurs with fully fashioned nylons.
To give you a simple and clear definition of the difference between pantyhose and tights; pantyhose mostly have a denier up to 15, whilst tights have a higher denier. To discover the technicalities of what “Denier” is, have a look at this definition. ( You may not care, in which case just read the number on the pack) But basically, it is the thickness of each thread used. And just as a matter of interest, the average human hair is 50 denier weight!
But you’ve asked, “why do my pantyhose fall down or sag at my ankles?”, “Why do they cut in at the waist?” And the answer to this is all in the sizing. After reading so many of the responses to my investigation, I’ve discovered that available qualities and sizes of pantyhose differ between countries. Some of you even told me that until recently in the UK, Pantyhose only came in a One Size Fits All! So fret no more, here is how you get the right fit for your pantyhose.
Every pack of pantyhose should have a size guide on the reverse. They look something like this.
Depending on the brand and the country of origin, sizing could be letters, numbers or even names. Just like fashion labels, sizing has no real consistency, so you should ALWAYS check yourself against the information provided.
Basically, sizing goes by weight and height. You need to read the charts the same way you do with map references. Finding your correct weight and height, then finding the point where those rows intersect and what size that indicates. Being a ‘tall’ in one brand, doesn’t necessarily mean you are considered a tall person. For me, I wear ‘talls’ in most brands, but I am only 5 foot 4 inches in height. So don’t guess – measure.
Keep in mind that the sizing in pantyhose hasn’t really kept up with fashion, so someone who may be a tall or x-tall could still easily be an Australian sized 8-10. (Us 4-6) Confused yet? What this means is that there is a whole new market for ‘plus-sized’ pantyhose, which most of the well known brands are now catering for.
In Australia, brands that carry plus sized and maternity pantyhose include Ambra, Kolotex and Platinum amongst others. In fact, the big department stores now have entire sections devoted to plus sized pantyhose. If you’re searching online though, the trick is all about having the right keywords in your searches. Depending on your size there are three main terms used; Plus Sized, Queen Sized and Oversized.
It is clear to me by the sheer volume and range of pantyhose available on Australia shelves, that they certainly haven’t gone out of style here. In fact, the rise of stockings on our shelves tends to indicate that our interest is both growing and divergent.
History lessons aside, Pantyhose have never had the glamour or the sex appeal of a simple pair of stockings, so stay tuned next week for Part Two of this educational exploration, when we tackle ‘Stockings’.
Yaaay stockings! Can’t wait til that post
I’ve never been a bit fan of pantyhose – some of them barely lasted a single wear – I actually broke a new pair putting them on. And I was being gentle! How frustrating. And they really are kind of hideous once you get past mid-thigh
Until recently, I hadn’t worn pantyhose in years, preferring opaques but sheer pantyhose do make your legs look sensational.
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Being the short child of a tall mother, I can allay your fears about pantyhose in the UK. Good old M&S sold them in different heights and sizes since the mid 1980s at the very least. I just called her and checked, because I thought I was going mad.
However it seemed only in the nicer, grown-up-lady shops- and the main fashion for opaques and textured tights was with teens with little money to spend (in London, layered under neon socks with chunky shoes like DMs, FILAs or Kickers). They didn’t seem to have them – as I recall- in teen shops in different sizes, leading to them falling down as one shot up or blossomed out! Which might be where the misunderstanding on some people’s part might be. The moment I realised this, at about 14, and also realised you GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, I found tights/sheers to fit and never looked back.
In the UK, for shopping purposes, they are usually called ‘sheer tights’ (pantyhose- ie under 15 denier/15denier appearance) and ‘opaque’ or ‘fashion’ tights for thicker ones and those with patterns.
Edit: I was a teen in the early 90s. Hence the 80s-90s references.
This sounds very interesting and I had a great fun while reading this kind of stuff. Yeah! I’ve never been a bit fan of pantyhose – some of them barely lasted a single wear – I actually broke a new pair putting them on. And I was being gentle! How frustrating.
I don’t understand the aversion people seem to have to pantyhose. True, they are not a turn on when you are wearing nothing else, but under a skirt they make your legs look great! I couldn’t imagine wearing a skirt without them (or stockings) other than in the most casual of situations.
However I’m now getting more intrigued by the thought of wearing proper stockings, so I eagerly await next week’s post.
Wow, I never realised there was a difference between pantyhose and tights – I just thought they were the American and the English words respectively! The things you learn..! Thanks!
Hmm, I’m not a fan of pantihose, then, but I will never have enough pairs of tights and stockings! Now, if only we had amazing, bargainous seamed stockings available here in Aus!
Great post! I love learning about the history of these things we take for granted!
I’m a stockings girl, have been since I was 16 but I do understand why some ladies are more for pantyhose. Tho I can’t get why some say they just plain hate them. Oh well we can’t all like the same things.
Looking forward to your next post.
I’m 57 and when I was about 11 or 12 I had the “privilege” of wearing stockings held up by a girdle or garter belt because that’s all there was. What hell! most uncomfortable garments ever! I’ve been both skinny and fat and, no matter what, the stockings stretch downward from the clasps in a most unflattering manner, leaving little pouches of inner thigh flesh poking over. They only look like the photos for about 20 minutes after putting them on! Then, as skirts got shorter there was the problem of the tops showing. Even in a longer skirt, the clasps show through the skirt fabric as an ugly bump, unless your skirt is very thick or very full. We were all totally thrilled when pantihose came out. No more uncomfortable hardwear! Your legs would look just great in the mini skirts. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to regress into stockings.
I love pantyhoses wether sheer or opaque, but I always have trouble to find the right size. although many brands do have sizing tables on their products I often end up with too short legs at my suggested size (I´m 5´10″). So I usually buy them about 2 to 4 sizes larger than I usually wear!
Well my wife is a stockings girl ever since I asked her to wear some to a wedding we were going to, we were dating at the time. I asked her if she would try stockings and she said yes,so when I showed up to pick her up I had a gift for her 6 pairs of stockings and two garterbelts,when she opened her gift she said very sexy help me put them on,so she picked out some sheer tan with a black seam and the 6 strap garter belt she paired it with a skirt that was kind of short and some 4 in heels added an anklet and we were off, she looked amazing and all during the wedding she told me she was getting a lot of compliments from men and women, she said it made her feel sexy to be wearing stockings and from that point on she has worn stockings akways, now she has over 200 pair of stockings and 32 types of garterbelts and I love it when she wears one of her many miniskirts with stockings