Types of Stockings

Stockings come in a variety of types, so you need never get bored of them. Every type of stocking varies in colour, quality and transparency (or sheerness, measured in denier), but there are particular materials and styles to bear in mind.

Silk Stockings

A pair of silk stockings offers a sense of luxury and smoothness, as well as being surprisingly hard-wearing. Silk is one of the strongest natural fibres available, has a beautiful sheen to it and is soft to the touch. Silk stockings are probably the most expensive type of stockings on average, and are seen as more of a treat than everyday wear.

Lace Stockings

Stockings and hold-ups will often have lace tops to add a delicate feminine touch, or might be entirely made of lace. This can be a beautiful way to show off a nice pair of legs, but a complicated pattern can be a bit overwhelming. Lace stockings must be worn and washed with great care, as the material can snag or shrink quite easily.

Fishnet Stockings

Fishnets are knitted stockings with a very open knit to resemble a fish net. Fence net stockings (also referred to as ‘whale net’) are also available, with an even wider pattern, and are sometimes worn over another pair of tights or stockings. Fishnet stockings are often seen as the ultimate in fetish wear for both women and cross-dressing men.

Vintage Stockings

If you’re after a pair of vintage stockings, your best option is stockings with a seam that runs up the back, for that 1940s glamorous look. Many vintage-look stockings these days will have a ‘mock seam’, as the processes of manufacturing stockings have changed so much in the past 70 years. In the past, seamed stockings were fully knitted and then sewn together at the back, but this is no longer the case.