HISTORY
It’s a little sad that these items are very rarely worn by women these days beyond ubiquitous socks. Most hosiery garments are made by knitting methods. Typically used for warmth or favored for adding comfort and moisture wicking with shoes. Modern hosiery is usually tight-fitting by virtue of stretchy fabrics. Due to its close fit, most hosiery can be worn as an undergarment, but it is more commonly worn as a combined under/outer garment and for fashion. Hosiery garments are the product of knitting or machined produced from wide array of yarn. Like the yarn used for making woven hats or gloves, hosiery yarn comes from a spinning process that creates long strong and flexible threads. Individual threads are interwoven and blended with others in a crisscross pattern with specialized circular knitting machines to create shaped and form-fitting fabric. One or more yarn types are used to make knitted or spun hosiery fabric from natural cotton, wool, silk or synthetic materials like nylon, spandex or lycra.
Hosiery became thinner and more see thru (sheer) in the 1920s and became a must have fashion clothing item in the 1940s. Fashion of these times dictated that women were not fully dressed or “finished” without hosiery. Like formal hats for men, women rarely went outside the home without stockings and it would be frowned upon socially for not wearing stockings. There used to be an age related right of passage point as teen girls looked forward to the day they received their first sheer stockings instead of children socks…officially entering womanhood. Hosiery and stockings became synonymous with makeup for legs. It created an even appearance, offered fashionable colors and tinting for pale leg complexion or concealing skin flaws. Cottons, wool or silk were most common materials.
With the advent of nylon production, nylon became a favorable material as it was stronger sheer and cheaper. Sheer stockings with nylon soon became synonymous with the material and simply referred to as “nylons”. Sheer Hosiery of the time was still incredibly fragile and prone to tears or runs. Until 1960s, Stocking or nylons were essentially long sheer socks that came up high on the thigh. These were held up in place on each leg by a garter belt. Pantyhose was the next innovation that connected each stocking leg into a panty which eliminated the need for garters. Newly developed synthetic materials like lycra and spandex were introduced significantly softening and adding strength and longevity.
First off, Let’s clarify each of these common hosiery types as they are often used interchangeably. However, they actually refer to separate and specific hosiery items.
TIGHTS
Tights or leggings are typically not see through or opaque and thicker usually made of cotton and spandex/Lycra. These have integrated woven legs and panty. These are also usually warmer and offered in a wide array of patterns and colors or textures. I’ll include here the similar items like fishnet or fencenet fashion tights that include a much looser knitting pattern but at a distance still offers a finishing or tinting effect for fashion.
- Opaque tights
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- Fishnet
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- Fencenet
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Pantyhose include the legs material into an integrated panty (duh) but are generally sheer (see through). They are offered in many colors including skin tones but also colors for matching fashion or contrasts. Pantyhose can popularly be found in control-top or support panty which offers higher elastic compression yarns and materials that are intended to flatten and give the abdomen a tighter appearance or alternatively with no support known as “sheer to waist”. Compression or massage hosiery also has therapeutic uses that gives legs a massaging effect and enhancing blood circulation in legs. Another term usually found and to be considered is reinforced or sheer toe. Reinforced toe offers slightly stronger materials around the toes to keep toenails from causing poke thru holes or tears. Gussets are also typically induced into the panty and crotch area to allow improved comfort and breathability. Gussets are usually a cotton panel which inherently makes wearing panties with pantyhose redundant and especially unnecessary (unless your fetish prefers).
- Seamless pantyhose with no gusset in crotch
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- Control top and noted color tone difference in panty
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- Reinforced to with clear color shading difference
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- Gusset cotton panel
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Thigh highs go up to the upper thigh and held up with elastic banding. Stockings are similar to thigh high but necessitate a garter belt to keep them from slipping/rolling down. Knee highs are hosiery like stockings that go to just below knees (like socks) with varying sheerness or compression. These also come in reinforced toes, and seamed with a fashion line running up the back of the leg. Original stockings were made from flat yarns sheets and sewn into tube leg shapes, resulting in the telltale seam up the back of the leg and across toes.
- Sheer toe (not reinforced)
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- Stockings with garters
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- Back seam and reinforced Cuban heels stockings
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Denier is a measurement of thickness and sheerness of the yarn weave. Hosiery of 7 denier is very light/transparent and nearly invisible against the skin. Most Leggs/Hanes and US department store brands are 15 denier. Tights usually are starting at 30 denier or higher. The chart below demonstrates how the exact same color (black) changes appearance and coverage as denier gets higher.
- Denier color and coverage differences
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One size does not necessarily fit all!! Fitting is usually easy - as almost ALL brands having fitting charts right on the package (usually the back). Find your doll height and round down if between sizes. Weight is also usually listed on fitting charts but not very helpful for dolls.
Dark colored hosiery should be washed and rinsed until water is clear prior to contact with your doll to avoid staining. Nylon/polyester blends does not dye well or hold color well and will more easily stain/ color transfer to TPE/silicone. Identifying quality silky hosiery is key. There is a wide perception (especially with women) that hosiery is uncomfortable and scratchy. If it feels rough it is cheaply made and typically low quality. Read the package: Run if you see 100% nylon - it is scratchy and feels like sandpaper or a bad '70s polyester nightmare. Not fun for you or your doll! Nylon and polyester is essentially plastic fishing line stretched very thin.
Look for yarn blends that use silk, spandex or Lycra....these materials are very smooth, soft, satiny and very silky. Shop for a content blend of no more than 90% nylon and 10% Lycra or spandex or silk. The lower the nylon percentage typically indicates the softer and silkier the hosiery will feel. Lycra and spandex can also give hosiery a matte or shine effect. AGAIN-100% nylon is very cheap and rough and can have a sandpaper like texture. This rougher characteristic partially led to sheer hosiery loosing favor for women.
WEAR and CARE
Hosiery remains fairly fragile. I recommend you wear gloves especially with very sheer low denier hosiery. Runs and poking holes are common during putting on from rough hands, rough cuticles/hangnails or sharp/uneven fingernails. It’s easier to have her lay down on the bed with her legs straight or legs up in the air bent about 45 degrees at the hip. I usually start high and gather loose fabric by rolling the legs down to the toe cup area. Apply the toes into the cup and adjust the seam. Then simply unroll the legs as you move up slowly and gently. Try not to pull or tug too much as working the panty over the hips. Removal is easier and simply roll down starting with hips/panty.
Always wash colored hosiery prior to fist use on dolls to prevent color staining and dyes transferring (both in TPE and silicone). If you successfully get through a wearing and removing cycle without holes or runs, always hand wash or alternatively can machine wash on gentle cycle if placing hosiery in a lingerie net bag. Just like if washing wigs, wash hosiery using woolite or with a soap/detergent or shampoos followed by leave-in fabric softener or hair conditioner (don’t have to rinse). Just give a good squeeze for absorbed water and hang dry. I don’t recommend drying in a machine as the heat can be too high and hosiery material is fragile and susceptible to heat. However low settings in a net lingerie bag can be ok especially if you want to see if minor shrinkage can improve fitting.
When done right, Hosiery in general makes a lot of maintenance issues with dolls much easier. Pantyhose/body stockings can make dressing go smoother by offering a softer silky protective layer over the skin and need less repeated powdering. I get immense joy shopping, dressing, powdering and primping my gurls. Hosiery can help protect skin from scuffs and toes or fingers from tears, pulls or damage.
I hope this helps and I will certainly be adding more content here following your questions….
