Hoisery...
In the UK the term hosiery commonly includes tights, stockings, knees highs and hold ups. A wide variety of colours and designs are available.
The thickness of such items is usually referred to by denier which is the form of measurement used to describe the mass density of the fibre. Materials used include nylon, lace, silk and various forms of yarn. Generally the lower the denier the sheerer the material and therefore the more fragile the product is, however some now have added properties such as ladder resist to reduce the risk of damage. Other additions to bring benefits include Control Top, other elements of Shapewear, gloss finishes and added support. There are also special versions as part of maternity wear, designs especially for weddings, flight socks and products which aim to combine the best of stockings and tights such as suspender tights.
Nylon tights weren’t invented until the twentieth century, but Ancient Greek slaves and the Romans wore forms of hosiery as did the Chinese and Japanese hundreds of years ago.
In the UK, forms of stockings were worn by men in Henry VIII s and Elizabeth I ’s reign and right through until the end of the eighteenth century when long trousers with socks became the norm.
It took until Victorian times and a relaxation of morals before fashionable hosiery for women
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began to be seen. Until then it had been considered uncouth for women’s legs to be on display. The invention of nylon by Du Pont in the 1930’s made stockings more affordable and therefore more accessible.
Supplies became scarce during World War II as nylon and silk were requisitioned for the war effort. A black market developed and American GI’s who had what were referred to as ‘nylons’, found themselves popular with British Ladies. Some women took to staining their legs with gravy browning and drawing seams up the back. Demand for stockings soared again after the war.
The next major development was the discovery of Lycra in 1959 which led to stretchiness becoming a feature of hosiery. It was in the 1960’s that the popularity of stockings waned and sales of tights or pantyhose as they were known then rose dramatically. This was due to the fashion for mini skirts. If stockings were worn with these skirts, inevitably the tops were visible and thus tights were deemed more practical.
Today for many, hosiery is no longer just an accessory or practical undergarment; it’s a fashion or a mood statement! So why not buy some of the ever-sexy fishnets or seamed stockings, or tights in jewelled colours or with cool prints to give your wardrobe an instant autumn makeover.
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