Leg Wear Latest

Here's what's catching my eye this week in the world of leg wear (with a lot of attention paid to hold ups):

Charnos Simply Bare Tights

Falke Shelina 12 Toeless Tights

Leg Avenue Lace Top Hold Ups

Falke Shelina 12 Hold Ups

Charnos Simply Bare Hold Ups

Good Point, Wolford

The latest from Wolford is the Arrow Stay Ups. They are gorgeous fine knit ajoure stay ups done in a zig zag hole pattern that creates an arrow-like image. The purpose of this pattern is to elongate the legs. All I can tell you from checking out the photos, is that they make the legs look gorgeous. The pattern is certainly a real eye-catcher that can cause the onlooker to continue to check out the pattern up and down the legnth of the leg.

The stay ups are 90% polyamide and 10% elastane. They are smooth knit in the toe area for greater comfort. It also has a smooth 4cm stay up band. They're available in black and china white and are also available as tights or knee highs.

All I can say is that I own a few different pairs of ajoure tights from Wolford, and few things in the leg wear market are softer or more comfortable. Adding in a gorgeous pattern like this is simply a bonus.

New Hold Ups

Pictured here is the latest from Oroblu, a high-quality stocking brand out of Europe. I've had the opportunity to try a few different hosiery products from Oroblu, and I've always come away impressed.

Maybe it's just guys like me, but I've always been intrigued by the sexiness of a stay-ups and gartered stockings. The Alexia Hold Up is Oroblu's attempt to combine the two. To me, it looks like a success.

This hold up rises to about the mid thigh area, where a strap connects it, right at a small bow, to a lace garter done in a detailed diamond pattern that wraps around the upper-thigh. There is definitely something very 'cabaret' about this style, that I really enjoy.

It is quiet sheer at 15 denier, and should feel especially nice on the leg as it is 84% nylon. At £16.95 (about $25), it's affordable enough that it might be worth adding to the collection.

New at the HQ...

One of my favorite hosiery sites, Stockings HQ, just unveiled a new brand of leg wear: Veneziana. Veneziana hails from Poland. So far I'm very happy with what I am seeing. It's all stunning designs at even better prices. Here are a few of my favorites:

Madlene Stockings -- £5.32

Drago Hold Ups(My Favorite!) -- £10.43

Mimi Stockings -- £7.45

Mary Stockings -- £7.65

Roberta Stockings -- £4.68

All Laced Up

A few weeks back, the theme of the 'One of Three' post was stay ups. Of the three options, the winner was the Fern Lace Stay-Up Thigh Highs. While I'm typically much more of a tights person, there's no denying the sexiness of stay ups. When done right, the sheer or fishnet look, coupled with a lacy top, pair with the perfect panties is the pinnacle of sexy. When you start with these stay-ups, you're already well on you way to sexy.

Start with the texture. These are done in a open knit look that is done in a fan pattern. The pattern alternates in an up and down fashion as they circle the leg. These are then topped off by a wide band that include two different types of lace patterns, as well as two different colors (black and gray). Compared to the common fishnet stay ups, these are showstoppers.

These stay-ups have a very generous stretch to them, and the net pattern keeps well no matter what shape the legs need to conform too. The stay up band initially seemed like it was going to be too tight, with the silicone too uncomfortable, but in a matter of minutes, I forgot that I was even wearing stay-ups. Turns out the band couldn't be more comfortable. The two-patterned lace top looks great, and the lacey patterned legs continue down to just the smallest of reinforced toes. You will love these sexy stay-ups.

The stay-ups are a blend of 95% nylon and 5% spandex. They are 20 inches from the toe to the bottom of the stay-up band. They're available in both black and flannel. They're made in Italy. They cost $20.

Hosiery Care

Over the last several weeks I've gotten a number of comments regarding frustration at holes or rips in hosiery, or suggestions on how one can prevent and/or repair damages to hosiery. It got me thinking that it might be worth it to dedicate a post to this subject.

While I'm not necessarily an expert, I wear hosiery most of the time and most often make it through the day damage-free. There are a few things that I do (or at least keep in mind) in regards to hosiery that have helped me avoid damage. Some I've read about online and other things I've just figured out over time (I guess there's a lesson learned in every torn pair of stockings). So I'm going to share what I know.

Assuming you don't walk into things a lot, there are five times in the course of wearing hosiery where you're most likely to cause (or avoid) damage: buying, putting on, taking off, washing, or storing. I think by taking these one by one we can come up with some helpful tips to avoid damage.

Buying

Of course you can't cause damage when you're buying hosiery, but there are a couple of things you can keep in mind that might prevent you from lamenting another lost pair of hosiery, far too soon in its lifetime.

Fabric Content

I often include the fabric content when highlighting hosiery. I think this can be helpful in determining fit, but it can also be helpful in determining susceptibility to damage. Of the hosiery I damage, a high percentage were 100% nylon. That's because nylon, itself, has no give. Only when it's blended with lycra (or elastane or spandex) does it have the stretch we're familiar with. So if a pair of tights is completely nylon, you can very easily damage it by tugging too hard when putting it on or stretching it too much while wearing. If you find yourself the type or person who goes through stockings too quickly, you might want to seek out ones with a higher elastane or spandex count.

Denier

The denier count refers to the relative sheerness of the fabric. The general cutoff between sheer and opaque is 40, although 20-40 can be referred to as "semi sheer". If you think about the durability of an opaque pair of winter tights, versus the sheer pantyhose, its easy to see that a lower denier count means a more delicate pair of tights. If you want to buy something sheer but are concerned about causing damage, try to stick close to a 20 denier count.

Brand Names

This doesn't mean buy the most expensive pair (although Wolford and Falke do hold up very well). For close to the price of a drugstore pair, you can get very decent quality. A couple of the brands I swear by are Jonathan Aston, Aristoc, Charnos, Levante, and Pamela Mann. All of these brands offer a variety of affordable choices that far surpasses their price tag.

Putting On

Here is where a lot of the damage occurs. Even if it doesn't surface until later, it's very easy to cause a little hole or a snag that becomes a big problem before you know it.

Hosiery Gloves

Having a pair of gloves lying around for the specific task of putting on hosiery can seem silly. But it can also prevent a slightly chipped fingernail or a tiny bit of dry skin from catching the hose and snagging it. The gloves can cover up these potential landmines and allow you to smoothly and easily bring the hosiery up your legs without catching on anything. In lieu of gloves, it's a good idea to at least moisturize your hands and feet to keep dry skin from catching anything. Also check finger and toe nails for slightly jagged edges. But really, just get the gloves. They don't have to be anything fancy. These here for $3.95 work just fine.

Put Hosiery on Evenly

This is pretty simple. Bunch the hose up all the way to the toe, slide your toe in and then gradually pull the bunched hose up your leg...gently letting go along the way. In the case of tights, I usually go up to my knee with one leg and then start the other leg up to the knee, then to around mid-thigh and so forth. If the foot has a toe seem, line it up along the tips of your toes, this prevents the hose from twisting as you pull them up, causing unneeded stretching and stress.

Take Your Time

Another big cause in my ever damaging hosiery is rushing to put them on. If you're anything like me, you're probably running late, most of the time, when getting dressed. But don't rush. The extra two minutes it takes you to put them on with care won't affect your day. Rushing and damaging them will affect your wallet. If you pull them up like pants, there's a good chance you'll cause damage. If you unravel them slowly up your legs, stopping and adjusting if you feel them pull awkwardly, you might prevent causing a hole.

Taking Off

In general, just do the reverse of putting them on. Start at the waist (or top of the stocking) and slowly roll or gently tug them down. Don't pull from the toe. When you're done taking them off, the bottom of the leg (if not the whole leg) should be inside out. Keep used hosiery separate from all other clothes. I keep them in a drawstring bag that a clothing store once put my purchase in. Other clothes have buttons, zippers, and clasps that can catch on and dig into hosiery.

Washing

Rule number 1 is: hand wash. Rule number 2 is: hand wash. Rule number 3? You guessed it. Hand wash. Yeah I know your washing machine has a "hand wash" option. So does mine. I mean wash them in a sink with your hands. You can use Woolite, but I'd suggest a wash specific to hosiery like this. A $10 investment will save you many pairs of more than $10 tights. A cap-full of Hosiery Mate will get two pairs of tights or stockings clean in 15 seconds. 15 seconds? We all got 15 seconds. When you're done, gently squeeze them. Do not wring them...just gently squeeze. If you can lay them flat somewhere to dry. Otherwise drape them over a towel on a chair.

Storing

Keep hosiery separate from everything else. Again, a drawstring bag might be the way to go. Hosiery wont damage other hosiery but, again, other clothes will. Don't store them in a panty or sock drawer that you're going to rifle through one morning while half asleep. Like any other delicate object, they need to be kept aside and treated with care. You don't know when you might cause a small hole that will turn into a big problem.

I realize this post has gotten a little long, so I'm going to save hosiery repair for another day. Just know that you can only stop holes or runs from growing larger or longer. Once it's there there's no going back. You're better off trying to prevent it.

I hope this was helpful. It is, by no means, an exhaustive list. But it's a good place to start. If anyone has any other tips definitely feel free to comment them below!

One of Three

The pick of the week is hold ups...or stay ups...or thigh highs, whichever you wish to call them. They're always good for adding an extra amount of sexiness to leg wear and can always be convenient for situations where a garter belt can't be done. I don't know, maybe it's because we're mere days away from Halloween, but right now there are plenty of great styles and looks out there. It often seems stay ups and Halloween can go hand and hand as they can be so easy to incorporate in many costumes.

Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments last week. By my calculations.....we have a tie ( a tie? what is this, youth soccer?). Yes, a tie! It was pretty much dead even between the Anthropologie Full Bloom Tights and the Free People Flower Tattoo Fishnets. What do I do now? I guess I review both of them.

On to this week:

Cervin Divine Signature Lace Top Hold-Ups

To begin with, well, they're Cervin. The Divine Signature Lace Top Hold-Ups are your pretty basic sheer black hold ups. They do have a reinforced heel and toe. They also have a very pretty black lace top. As lace tops go, it is quite elegant and detailed, making otherwise typical hold ups actually quite eye-catching. It looks to be several inches thick, though I wasn't able to find an exact measurement.

Just beneath the lace top, in a light blue is the Cervin logo, which is a signature of all their stockings and hold ups. Cervin always delivers on quality, and these certainly seem to be no exception. The picture helps show how sheer and smooth these are.

The hold ups are made in France. They're 92% nylon and 8% lycra. These are quite sheer as they have a 15 denier count. They come in a huge range of sizes, from small all the way to XXXL, allowing someone as tall as 6'2" to fit into these comfortably. The 6 different sizes also allow for optimum fit for all regardless of shape and size. They cost £13.00 ($21 USD).

Hot Sox Fern Lace Stay-Up Thigh Highs

These come with a big assist from blogger-friend Stockings Addict, who posted about these yesterday. I absolutely love the detail on these stockings. They are quite gorgeous. The Fern Lace Stay-Ups look equal parts alluring and delicate. The lacy detail creates an almost vintage look while remaining completely stylish.

The entire leg of these is done in a lacey net design that is very eye-catching. At the top of the stay up is a detailed embroidered lacy cup that is done in two colors. The design also changes to distinguish the cuff from the stocking, creating an excellent look.

The stay ups are 95% nylon and 5% spandex. They are also designed to fit a longer leg, which is an added bonus in this situation. These apparently come in one size only. But they are available in black or 'flannel' colors, with the flannel appearing to be a bit more on the gray side. They are made in Italy. These cost $20.

Wolford Sixty Six Stay Ups

Where would I be without a Wolford option? Shame on me because somehow I've managed to not include my favorite leg wear designer yet in a 'One of Three'. That ends now as I'm including the Sixty Six Stay Ups this week.

I'm not sure the reason why Wolford came up with this particular name for these stay ups. When I think of 'sixty six' though, I think of the famous east/west highway across the US. This highway leads right into Las Vegas, which is perfect, because this style screams "Las Vegas" to me. There is certainly something showgirl-like about the open mesh fishnet style of these stay ups. These stay ups manage to be sexy in an understated way as, despite being fishnets, they have a smooth lace-less narrow band at that top. But in this case, less is certainly more.

The Sixty Sixes are 51% nylon and 49% elastane. They're available in small, medium, and large and come in honey (sort of a deep beige) and black. They cost £21.00 ($35 USD).

So which will it be? Basic and classic or detailed and festive? The top name in stockings or the premier name in all of leg wear? French sexiness, Italian passion, or Austrian precision? That is up to you to decide. I love hearing all of the opinions and, as always, I can't wait to hear what you decide.

Thick With Irony

Dollhouse Bettie has recently unveiled their Gangster's Moll Pinstripe Fishnet Stockings. They describe these stockings as "a gender bending twist on the classic menswear pinstripe". They are, no doubt, inspired by the pinstriped suits worn by the legendary gangsters of the 20s and 30s (Tommy Gun sold separately?).

Whatever your inspiration, these stockings are both attractive and inexpensive. As such, they are certainly worth taking a closer look at. They are fishnet stockings, but they are made out of a combination of nylon and lycra, so they boast a better fit, at least according to the website. In addition, they can be worn with or without a garter belt, but the belt is recommended for longer (day long) wears.

The stockings come in only one size, but they claim to fit up to height's of 5'10" and weights up to 160lbs. They should have a good amount of stretch and claim to have good durability. The pinstripe pattern begins right at the toe and continues all the way up to the lace top. The top is done in a very lovely lace pattern and should have enough stretch to fit an athletic leg. All in all the stocking is really well done from an aesthetic standpoint.

The stocking comes in black only, but costs a mere $7.95. It its quality matches that of typical Dollhouse Bettie products than this is an absolute steal.

Of course, I can't help but think to myself...if these stockings are a "gender bending twist", what does that mean when I am wearing them? Are they really made for me? Hmmmm...

The Right Touch

Pictured here are the Satin Touch 20 Stay Ups from Wolford, one of the few new things I’ve gotten a chance to wear lately. While I continue to grow more and more enamored with tights, and have reached the point of wearing them almost exclusively rather than panties or stockings, I do have an interest in layering thigh highs, or stay ups, over tights. These were purchased mostly for that purpose.

If you’re not a stay up person, I suggest you buy these and give them a try. They may just change your mind. They are 20 denier, which is a bit more to the opaque side than most of Wolford’s tights or stockings. In addition, they have the prettiest stay up band which is done in a beautiful floral lace pattern complete with the Wolford name, and is quite a bit thicker than the average band. Their best feature is the brilliant shine these give off. I’ve purchased shiny tights and stockings before, but these have to be the most radiant leg wear I own. Layered over a pair of sheer tights that are bit shimmery themselves, these are positively eye-popping. The picture here may not do it enough justice, you’ll just have to take my word for it.

The stay ups are 89% nylon and 11% elastane. They cost £20.00 (about $32USD). They’re available in a generous assortment of 10 different colors sizes XS-L. They have a flat toe seam and a slightly reinforced toe which is invisible enough that you could probably get away with wearing them with open toed shoes.

All the Style...Half the Remorse

Over recent months, there has been a steady flow of various types of hosiery from across the pond to my mailbox here. I'm sure I've raved several times in the past about the abundance of style and quality (and low prices) at the UK-based websites compared to what I could purchase in department and/or specialty stores here. Some of my favorites, which I've reviewed here from time to time, include Aristoc, Charnos, and Levante. They seem to continuously update their styles and patterns, and their reasonable prices allow me to stock up and check out many of these styles for myself.

Well, things just keep getting better. Now, one of my favorite online hosiery retailers, Stockings HQ, is blowing out several different types, styles, and colors from these hosiery brands at half their usual cost. That's right, 50% off!

What I like about Stockings HQ, is their customer service. For one thing, they ship their orders quickly. Sometimes ordering from overseas can mean waiting weeks for my shipment to arrive. But with Stockings HQ, my orders are usually on their way within 24 hours, and in my mailbox in a week or so. If something I ordered is out of stock, they have no problem getting everything else in my order to me quickly, and shipping the rest of my order as soon as they get it. If I have a question, they always get back to me quickly, whether I inquire by phone or by email. Finally, they carry a wide variety of prices. Whether I'm looking for good stockings on the cheap, or I feel like splurging a little bit, I can always find something at Stockings HQ.

This sale is great because it involves many of their more reasonably priced, to begin with, brands. More on that below. What's also nice is that, unlike some website sales where you may find a great pair of stockings, only to discover that there's only one size and color left, when you go to order, there is still a good variety left of most of the hosiery featured in this sale. In addition, they assure that more keep coming in, so this is worth keeping an eye on.

Currently, I have a few pairs of Levante in my hosiery collection. But now would be a great time to add to that as no fewer than 10 different styles of tights and hold ups are half off. One of the most eye-catching in my opinion is the Sheer Weave Hold Ups, with their contrasting criss-crossing effect, which are normally priced £12.00, can now be had for a mere £5.17. Not a bad price at all for Italian quality mixed with smartly-done style. 84% nylon and 16% elastane, these hold ups are also quite sheer. Right now they are available in black, mocca, and aubergine.

A while back, I raved about the Aristoc 20 Denier Ultra Satin Tights. Well, I paid $9.75 for them and loved them. Imagine instead paying £2.50 (or about $3.58) for them.

For Aristoc, there is much more available. For example, I've had my eye on the Velvet Flock Tights for quite some time. The black chain link pattern on top of black sheer is very attractive. I almost bought them for £7.00. Now I can buy them for half that...what a bargain! Right now, both sizes are still available. These tights are 88% nylon, 11% elastane, and 1% cotton.

Finally, Charnos has over a half-dozen of their hold ups on sale for half price. Included among these are the Diamond Backseam Fishnet Hold Ups. The price of these have also been slashed in half from the already reasonable £7.00.

The style of these is quite unlike anything else, and now the price allows you to eliminate any guilt! The intricacies of the diamond on net will lead onlookers to believe that you're wearing hosiery that cost several times as much as what you paid for them. What's more is they'll leave you feeling sexy whenever you wear them. They are 83% nylon and 17% lycra. No time like the present to pick these up.

Above, I just began to touch on some of the great values that are available at Stockings HQ. I urge you to get on over there and see for yourself. You're guaranteed to find something that catches your eye for a price that you never thought you'd be able to get them for.

Happy shopping.

Stay Ups You Can Feel Good About

When it comes to hosiery, there is little doubt that Falke is one of those brands that rises above the rest of the pack. They may not be the least expensive, and there might be similar alternatives out there, but when you buy Falke, you can be pretty sure they're going to deliver.

Such an example of this is the Lunelle 8 stay ups. What you have here, is a basic stay up stocking, but its done well, and it still manages to be unique without being over the top. It's a powder toned stocking which, personally, is a good match for my skin color. It has no back seams, patterns or designs. What it does have is a contrast top in a variety of colors. I'm boring and chose black, but I could've chosen red, white, or ivory. It gives you a little chance to spice up some basic stay ups, either for your own pleasure or perhaps for a little surprise to someone else.

What's really nice about these, at the end of the day, though, is the quality. They have quite the transparent texture which throws just the right amount of lustre off of your legs. The peacock feather style lace tops are high quality and quite pretty. Beyond that, they just feel great. You'll recognize the quality as you pull them on in the morning, and it'll be a gentle reminder to you throughout the day, the softness of their feel, the smoothness of their touch. If you're anything like me, you'll soon be wishing all of your hosiery looked and felt this soft and this good.

The stay ups are 80% polyamide and 20% elastane. They are, as the name suggest, 8 denier. You can get them sized small to large and, perhaps what I like best about them, no matter how tall you are, you can wear these and they will fit comfortably. Where other brands larger sizes may barely reach the mid thigh on those of us who are a bit taller (and I am by no means a giant) these stay ups can come up as high on your thighs as you like, without overstretching the least.

These are a good buy and are available for £11.87 (about $16.37). Just don't be suprised if, at that price, you're back soon for more.

Boudoir Lace Hold Ups

Those in search of quality stockings at affordable prices could do worse than Charnos. Today I am reviewing my second buy from them, and once again, I've got some good things to say. A while back I reviewed the Sheer Lustre tights from Charnos. Today, I got to try a pair of their hold ups. I've had the chance to wear these a couple of times now, and I'm really liking them.

Much of what I said about the Lustre tights would certainly apply to the Boudoir Lace Hold Ups as well. They feel like a higher quality than what I paid for. They look smooth on the leg and feel soft. In addition, there's a subtle shine to them, that doesn't hit you over the head the second you put them on, but rather, catches your eye from time to time over the course of the day. As such, they can be worn for a variety of occasions and you can be sure that they will remain comfortable throughout the day.

They have a very nice floral lace top. I'd say it's probably around 3-4 inches in width. The top fits comfortably and stays in place quite nicely, without rolling, all day long. The leg is 10 denier and satin sheer, but like I said, does have a nice subtle shine to it. It comes in black or natural in sizes of small, medium, and large. It should fit heights in between 4'11" and 6 feet and weights from 88-163 lbs. That said, I can attest that it will fit in excess of 163 lbs, as I don't think I've seen that weight since I was in high school. They are a blend of 90% nylon and 10% elastane. You can find these online for £7.00 or approximately $10-11. These are well worth the price.

Finally, as an added bonus, if you buy these hold ups, Charnos will donate a portion of the purchase price to Breast Cancer Care. So by purchasing these, you can feel good about yourself, while making your legs look and feel good too.

Levante Seamless Sheer Stay Up

The stockings here are a good example of every day stay ups. They're relatively inexpensive (around $10-15) and are sheer throughout with no back seam or pattern.

The thing that drew me to them was the smooth line stay up top. Not that I don't like lace, cause I do, but it was a little something different, and I like the look of a stay up that appears to be a stocking. The nice thing about it is that it is super comfortable.

They are 15 denier and made from 95% nylon and 5% elastane. They are available on Stockings HQ, which is currently having technical difficulties, so I cannot post a link.

There are a couple of not nice things about it, though. For one thing. The strips of silicone that serve to actually keep the stay up, up are quite thick and show through the stocking top rather badly. Secondly, the top rolled on me once today, and I had to duck into the restroom to fix it...not good. Finally, there are a few imperfections throughout the stockings. A tiny hole or a little snag seem to have popped up once or twice, which is inexcusable, since it is the first time I am wearing these.

It's unfortunate because I otherwise like the sheer satin look that it gives my leg. It is also very soft, and as I said, very comfortable. If it wasn't for the other issues I had with these, I'd probably be ordering several more pair. As it is, however, I think there are better options out there, even for the rather short money that these cost.

Vintage for the Lazy?

I have a problem. Or maybe even a couple of problems.

The thing is I love....LOVE full fashioned stockings. From the first time I laid eyes on them as a young 16 year old (worn by 'Maria the Newscaster' in the October 1993 edition of Leg Show magazine) I was in love. Having attended private schools, where uniforms were required, until I finished 12th grade, I can't even tell you when my nylon stocking fetish began. But I can tell you the precise moment said fetish caused me to purchase this magazine from a store that was apparently all too willing to sell it to someone under the requisite age to purchase such material. Having quickly flipped through it in the store, I knew it was chock full of women in nylon. What I didn't realize, until I got it home, was that it would be my first introduction to both full fashioned stockings and foot fetishism. The rest, as they say, is history.

Why unburden my soul? I guess to point out the fact that it wasn't until 14 years later that I tried these stockings for myself. Until I started this blog and really started scouring the internet, I was limited to buying stockings from department stores and Victoria's Secret. I loved the look of models in these stockings, but didn't know where to buy them. Now, of course, I know of many many places.

So what's the problem? I never get a chance to wear them. For one thing, I'm always running late every morning. Anyone who wears stockings knows that it isn't exactly a process that can be rushed. Secondly, I have to concern myself with garter straps showing through my pants. I've gone on many times about how I like to put myself in positions where I might get 'caught', but cluing my co-workers in to the fact that I'm wearing stockings could make for a bad work environment. Thirdly, and probably undeniably, I get lazy. I start most mornings with a run. Group that with showering, getting dressed, eating something, and getting my shit together and getting out the door, I never really seem to want to go through the process of putting on stockings, attaching them to my garter belt, and making sure everything is straight and good to go. Looking at what I just typed that's probably the lamest excuse ever, but I can't deny it.

As a result, I saw these hold ups from Pretty Polly and wondered if I could "cheat" in a way. They have all the elements of a full fashioned stocking (back seam, Cuban heel, reinforced sole and toe) without the garter belt showing through my pants, or the time consuming process. I had to give them a try. Just to be clear, these are modern day hold ups with these things added on just to create the illusion of a vintage stocking. They are only 86% nylon with the remaining 14% made up by elastane. They are 10 denier. They are only $13.75.

So what's the verdict. About what you'd probably expect. These are far from being a worthy replacement for the real vintage stocking. First of all, these are nude stockings with a seam, foot, and toe that are also nude. I didn't realize this when I bought them, I was hoping for a bigger contrast. You probably need to look pretty closely to even make out the back seam of the Cuban heel. What's the point in that? But they are very shiny and even have a sort of stocking top appearance just below the silicone stay up. But again, I bought these, not because I expected them to feel vintage, because I wanted the look in less time. As I probably already knew, you can't rush a vintage look.

At any rate, these aren't a complete miss. They have a nice shiny look and are super good feeling on my legs. They are quite soft and smooth, and wearing stay ups today allowed me to break out an a pair of vintage full cut panties that I hadn't worn in some time. You just need to take them for what they're worth.

So I came up short in my attempt to pay homage to Maria the Newscaster. In fact, if Maria knew I even tried, using these, she'd probably have some humiliating, and possibly painful, punishment lined up for me already. Just thinking about it makes me feel like I'm 16 all over again ;).

New Stay Ups (or Wolford in the Spring Part 3)

Wolford has introduced two new pairs of stay ups this season, and both are very nice looking. I thought I'd take a minute to post about (read: lust over) both of them.



First in line in the Polka Stay Up. These are soft net stay ups with a satin band around the thigh. The band is also adorned with a pretty satin bow. The band itself is pretty narrow compared to many stay up bands that can get wide and lacy. This one is understated but very nicely done.





The leg is a very small diamond net pattern all the way down through the toe. All over the pattern are pretty black polka dots. These polka dots continue down through the sheer toe as well.



From the photos, I really, really like these. I think they have an elegant look that can also be dressed down if need be.



These stockings aer 20 denier. They are 84% nylon and 16% elastane. They come in both black or sahara/black. They come in all sizes from extra small to large and cost £32.00.



Option 2 is the Angela Stay Up which have an ajoure pattern similar to the Stage or Grit tights that I looked at in an earlier post. These are equally lovely. They can go with a variety of formal or casual looks when you are looking to spice up that particular outfit.






Again, the stay up top is narrow and without lace. It does have a smooth shimmering look to it, however. The material is soft all the way down and has a nice net look to it throughout. Ajoure may just be the look this spring, judging by a few different things that Wolford has introduced. I know I like all of them and think they're all well done.




These stay ups have a 20 denier appearance. They are 90% nylon and 10% elastane. They're only available in black for sizes extra small to large. These stay ups will run you about £32.00.







I know lately I've been a tights person, but as the spring draws nearer, some added stay ups to my collection would probably come in handy. These are definitely two that I really like. I'll be sure to keep an eye on them. Which is my favorite? I'm not sure I can even decide between the two.