The Sheer Facts About Hosiery

Representing one-third of our total body weight, our lower limbs are quite crucial to our
bodies. And, what we choose to wear on them is a very important, and often, difficult decision. 

Hosiery can be subtle and demure, bold and bright, elegant, eclectic - or simply warm. Today, because of the enormous advances in fiber technology, you can find maximum fit and comfort blended with high fashion and style, all in the same pair of hose. What's more, it's one of the easiest, and least expensive ways to liven up a tired wardrobe.

Here's everything you need to know about hosiery - including information about hosiery styles, selecting the right size, caring for your hose - and some tips on how to use hosiery to accent your own personal style.

Highlights in Hosiery History

Imagine how ecstatic Queen Elizabeth must have felt when she received her first pair of silk stockings in 1589. We know very little about how they actually looked on her legs, but we do know that they must have felt quite fabulous. Since then, stockings, and later, pantyhose have aroused the passions of women (and men) everywhere.

Until the twentieth century, a lady's legs may have been talked about, but were never seen. Men's legs, however, were in full view. The Egyptians wore the first socks - bulky knits with separate big toes. Attila the Hun wore colorful bands of cloth around his legs, And for sixteenth century dandies, hosiery was a means of self-expression, they playfully wore layers of brightly colored socks and tights in contrasting checked and striped patterns.

On May 15, 1940, when the first nylons went on sale at stores throughout the country, four million pairs sold out in four days. Women everywhere were wildly enthusiastic about the new miracle fiber. But everything came to an unfortunate halt with the outbreak of World War 11, when nylon production was commandeered for the war effort. Women resorted to using makeup to decorate their legs, like drawing faux seams up the back of their legs with an eyebrow pencil.

World War 11 ended in 1945, but the nylon wars were just beginning! Peace slowly brought nylons back into stores, but not fast enough. In New York, Macy's sold out of it's entire stock of 50,000 pairs of nylons in six hours, leaving a long line of unhappy, bare-legged women. Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh a mob of 40,000 women stood all night in a torrential rain storm to buy nylons from a tiny hosiery shop. By 1948, production of nylon stockings returned to normal.

Hosiery took another giant step ahead with the development of spandex in 1959.

Pantyhose Glossary

Hosiery is manufactured in a wide range of fabric weights, knits and colors. In general, heavier weight fabrics are stronger and more durable, but are thicker and show less of the natural skin tone. Lighter, sheerer garments look and feel more luxurious but are not as strong as their heavier cousins. Reinforced toes and heels will add to the life of your hosiery, but it's a fact that the lighter and sheerer the hosiery is, the more delicate it is and the more care it requires. All in all, customers will find that price is not an indicator of durability.

Women's hosiery falls into the following categories:

Sheers are made with lightweight fabric composed of very fine yarn, usually nylon. Sheers are very flattering to the leg but more delicate than hosiery made with heavier fibers. Ultra sheers are the most fragile and allow the most natural skin tone to show through.

Support hosiery comes in a range of fabrics usually in a combination of nylon and spandex. They have gentle, graduated compression to provide a massage-like fit that can reduce fatigue in the legs.

Control Tops provide a slimmer silhouette and add strength to a high-stress area of the garments

Opaques are heavier than sheers, more durable and have recently gained tremendous popularity as a fashion accessory.

Tights are even heavier than opaques, more durable and are worn for dance, exercise or as a ready-to-wear accessory, and provide added warmth during cold weather. Both opaques and tights offer color coverage of the leg.

Maternity pantyhose are specially designed to provide extra room and comfort in the top as well as support to help blood circulation in the easily tired legs of mothers-to-be.

Run-Resistant garments are usually made of thicker yarns and sturdier knits than sheerer pantyhose. But even these will develop holes with wear. Many women prefer the appearance of sheer pantyhose.

Pantyhose Fashion Sense

The least costly way to update your wardrobe is with a new pair of pantyhose: the key is versatility and style. Here are some fashion "Dos" and "Don'ts":

DO: Wear dark, solid colors and ribbed textures with dark clothes to slenderize and elongate your figure.

DO: Match hosiery and skirt colors to elongate every silhouette.

DON'T: Wear pastels or white pantyhose with a dark skirt unless you are six feet tall or want to cut your figure in half

DO: Try something new. Want to look clunky, chunky, of funky? Wear shoe boots or Oxfords with light opaques covered with anklets to protect the hose and provide a fashion statement.

DO: Wear sheers for a touch of sophistication and elegance.

DON'T: Be timid. Patterns, crochet and lace pantyhose can add a touch of whimsy to your wardrobe.

DO: Go to the hosiery counter at your department or specialty store. Check out samples/swatches for texture and color. (If you're buying hose for a special pair of shoes, bring them along so you can see first hand how they match.) Finding the right brand and style of pantyhose is a little like finding the right lipstick - or the right man. There's something to appeal to everyone, but you may have to sample a few!

DO: Mix it up. Sheers don't have to be the standard for the work day. Even the most conservative offices are filled with women wearing opaques and tights and other more durable hose.

The Right Way To Put On Hosiery

There is a right way to put on hosiery. Most importantly, take a few minutes to put them on properly, and follow these simple directions:

- Remove all jewelry, and check fingernails and toenails for rough edges. (This greatly reduces those maddening "they ran as soon as I put them on" mornings.)

- Roll each leg of the pantyhose down and place the toe of the garment over the foot. Gently smooth one leg all the way up, then repeat on the other leg.

- Pull the rest of the pantyhose up to the waist - but don't pull too tight! Smooth fabrics while checking for twists and sags.

- Lastly, take off your hosiery just as carefully as you put them on.

Pantyhose Sizes

Selecting hosiery that fits properly is one of the best ways to ensure maximum wear life. If your hosiery is too tight, it is more susceptible to wear and tear, and it minimizes your flexibility.

- Most pantyhose have a chart on the back of the package that gives height and weight ranges for each size. You may have already discovered that a size A in one brand of pantyhose is not necessarily the same as a size A in another brand. That's because many brands use different yarns from different sources with different characteristics, and also may use different machinery and knit fabric constructions.

- It's all right to stretch the truth about your weight when talking to a friend. But, you have to be honest with yourself when buying pantyhose in order to ensure the proper fit.

- If you are at the upper end of a size range, it's often wise to get the next size for maximum fit and comfort. Larger or full-figured women should look for larger-sized products often called queen size, which are designed for them.

Washing & Care Of Pantyhose

Care of your hosiery is a simple equation: if you take good care of these garments, they'll last longer.

- Wash pantyhose gently by hand, using a mild detergent that doesn't contain chlorine bleach, which will remove colors and damage fibers. If you prefer the washing machine, place them in a hosiery bag or pillowcase and wash on the gentle cycle with a mild detergent.

- To dry, place one or two pairs of pantyhose on a towel, roll up and squeeze towel gently. This eliminates stretching when hanging hosiery to dry. Never attempt to dry pantyhose in the dryer.

SOURCE: The above information was adapted from The Sheer Facts about Hosiery, developed by the National Association of Hosiery Manufacturers (NAHM), which is a voluntary organization of approximately 450 hosiery manufacturers and suppliers.

The information collected here has been developed over searches on the internet.  We are not in any way responsible for, or endorse, information on other web sites, it is here for public information.   Your doctor is the best source of leg health information and treatment.  We hope you find this information helpful.  This article has been provided courtesy of  Ames Walker Hosiery (ameswalker.com) and may be reproduced for personal use provided no part of this article (including the text contents) has been changed. Copyright © 2003  Ames Walker International Inc.

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