Stockings

History: It may surprise you to know that tights were originally worn by men! Up until the 20th century is was unacceptable for women to show their legs and it only became fashionable for woman to wear them in the 1930's. In 1935 the Nylon was born, discovered by Julian Hill along with Wallice Carothers and his team and in 1939 it was shown at the World Trade Fair in New York, and the 'NY' was the starting point for the name. (NY-lon). The first Nylon's were put on the shelves May 15, 1940 and in the first day alone 780.000 pairs were sold. They were fitted to the leg (as nylon didn't stretch) and were knitted flat, and being joined together at the back is why they had the thin black seem that is so popular today. In the 1950's the yarn industry discovered they could mix Nylon and yarn to give it some stretch, and then in 1959, Lycra© was born and made nylons even more comfortable and durable! In the 60's and with the invention of the mini-skirt nylons became tights and they were now stitched in a tube, virtually removing the nylons with seems from Fashion. Now days you can find all sorts of stockings/tights/nylons, from ankle stockings to thigh-highs to full length! And why stop there! You have naughty ones, pretty ones and plain ones, stockings for all occasions!

How to wear thigh highs (without looking slutty):
Over the years, with pin-up girls showing bottoms provocatively and porn stars bearing all, the thigh-high has somewhat earned a name as the 'naughtiest' of the stockings and aren't seen very often outside the bedroom. But I have found that with a little tact, these comfy stockings can be worn everyday! No more putting nails through them when going to the loo, no ma'am. These babies stay up and last longer. Not to mention make you feel like you have super-sexy secret.

First things first. You'll want to invest in a good pair of thigh-highs or stay-ups. Cheap ones can use bad rubber and chafe or give you rashes and you don't want to rip them or have one fall down either. A good pair will set you back $15 minimum and stores like Myer and David Jones have a huge selection. Remember to feel the fabric. It should feel slightly stiffer than regular stockings. Then there is the type of thigh high. 'Stay-up' with built in rubber garters are the favorite of today and can be found everywhere or you can buy ones that require garter belts. Slightly more fiddly and they could show through work skirts. Then you need to choose the transparency! I like mine opaque with a hint of sheer, but that all depends on your preference. They also come in different colors! You have standard blacks, tans, porcelain, to all sorts of crazy colors! Pick one and keep that your signature look.

When putting them on, be gentle. You don't want to put your foot though them. Pull them up to roughly 5cm below your, ahem, and make sure they're even. Check back and front for bulges around the top and pull the garter over it. As garters are quite wide, you wont have a problem with this. One final check and put on the rest of your outfit! The rest of the world will be none the wiser to your secret.

How to wear regular stockings properly:
I cant stress this enough! If you're going to wear regular full stockings, pull them up. The top should sit above your belly button! Failing this you may end up with a rather mysterious muffin top under your favorite silk dress or skirt. Please ladies, pull them up.

Fish-nets:
Beware the fish-net! These stockings can be super elegant and sexy! But you must take care! Ripped fish-nets are not sexy. They are trashy. And we're not trashy ladies are we? Save yourself the embarrassment and always throw out ripped ones.

Where to wear them: Don't try and wear wide hole fish-nets to your office job as an accountant unless you want to seduce your next client or be grabbed on the ass. Go for the smaller holed ones. They leave more to the imagination for one and they wont have the whole office staring at your legs. Larger holes are sexy, but you have to know how to wear them. They are super feminine and delicate, so team them with dark Chanel style outfits like tweed skirts and bulky jackets. A nice pair of ankle boots goes well with the wide holes too. Not for corporate office wear!!!

Other stockings of note:
You can get stocking of all shapes and sizes. You have the ones that cover only your toes, to wear with peep-toe heels and pants, to the ones that cover up to your ankle, to the knee high (mostly for older corporate ladies), right up to your waist! Don't be afraid to try them all and find what looks best on you! Just remember that you get what you pay for. A $3 pair of stockings from safe-way will always be a $3 pair of stockings. But don't let that stop you!

Enjoy!

xoxo