Questions Remain...

A few more questions have hit the comments section in the last week or two, so I'm going to take the opportunity to answer them now.

From Petra Bellejambes of Voyages en Rose:

What is your go-to summer cocktail hour wine?

Always a tough one for me, since I'm such a big fan of the earthy reds.

On a hot summer day, though, nothing will cool you down quicker than the Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc from Chateau Ste. Michelle. Otherwise, I'll be more than happy to watch the sun set with a glass of Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay.

Also from Petra:

Do you take the time to hand wash your finery?

Depends.

For leg wear yes. 100% yes. Always. Particularly for sheerer hosiery, hand wash is a must unless you like going through pairs of hose at an alarming rate.

For lingerie, on the other hand, for the most part I like to, but it doesn't always happen. For the more expensive stuff, I always hand wash. If its a delicate fabric such as tulle or lace I always will. If its something I'm particularly attached to I still will. But if its VS cotton that I bought at their 5 for $25 promotion...yeah, those are going in the washing machine.

For lingerie that I do wash, I like to sink wash with Woolite. For hosiery, I swear by Hosiery Mate. With a 15 second wash, you're extending the life of your hosiery for countless wears. So yeah, I find it to be worth the time.

From Sher of Beneath the Crystal Stars:

Where have you been to in Europe and which was your favorite?

In the course of my lifetime, I've been lucky enough to make multiple trips to Italy, as well as visits to Ireland, England, France, and Portugal. I can actually say I've never had a bad time in Europe...well...except maybe when I was really young and my parents used to "drag" me there...but anyway.

Thinking back, I'm realizing that every trip I've made to Europe has been centered around eating. I mean, sure, there was sightseeing, shopping, and in some cases, visiting with family and/or friends. But my idea of soaking up the culture has always been sampling the local fare (to say nothing of the wine...or sometime beer as the case may be). To me, a perfect day in Europe is starting the day at a sidewalk cafe, ending it in a restaurant, and if I've found the time, mix in some shopping and sightseeing in between.

It's really tough to pick a favorite, but I'm going to go with Italy, and more specifically, Florence. It's really the ultimate city. It's got a ton of history, plenty of shopping, and the right amount of nightlife. But most importantly, its in Tuscany. In other words, the eating and drinking can't really be topped. And what could be better than that?

We Have a Winner

So I have a couple of follow up questions that came in through the comments section over the last week or two. I plan on getting to those tomorrow in a mini-post. Once again, just let me say I had a lot of fun reading and answering all of your questions. After a couple of weeks of Q&As, I definitely feel more connected to my readers. Thanks again to everyone and please continue to send in your questions...whenever you feel like asking one.

Also, back in the original post requesting your queries, I promised one lucky winner a $25 gift certificate to Sock Dreams, and I am here to deliver on that promise.

So the winner is....

Jennifer Fabulous of I Know, Right?! I absolutely loved her question about what the title would be if she wrote my biography. Jennifer, just know, that when I'm famous and its time for my biography to be written, I'm giving you the first offer to write it. Yes...even ahead of Chuck Klosterman!

I'll be getting in touch with you about where to send it...

Every Day I Write the Book

This question comes from the fabulous.......Jennifer Fabulous (wait...was that redundant?) of I Know, Right:

Let's say hypothetically, that I'm going to write a biography about you. Um, what should the title be?

I left this question for last for a couple of reasons. One, is that it was my favorite, and it made me laugh when I read it. Two, is that it's the toughest. It really has me thinking. What would the title of my life be?

For some reason, I always struggle with titles. I often title my posts here after I've already written them (though not this time...in keeping with the music theme of the last few days, I thought I'd go Elvis Costello-inspired). I sometimes find myself staring blankly at the title section, long after hundreds of words have flowed freely from my keyboard. Three years ago, after deciding to start a blog, it took me days to come up with a title...and I really don't like this one all that much...but I digress.

I love the thought of having my biography written. Even though I'm not sure if I can count on anyone other than moms ever buying a copy of it. And judging by the titles I'm coming up with in my head, maybe she'd be better off not knowing about it.

But since I'm settling for nothing short of New York Times Best Seller-worthy, I've got to come up with a title that reels readers in. Seeing as I chose to express myself in a written forum such as a blog, and since that blog is now 365 posts strong with almost all lingerie and tights related material...I guess its safe to say that this is an important subject to me. So I guess it'd also be a big focus on my biography. So now I know where to look for a title....maybe.

So here goes:





Titles that popped in my head while brainstorming, but I quickly dismissed:

1. It's Just Underwear
2. I Wish I Could See The Looks On My Ex-Girlfriends' Faces Now
3. Stocking Briefings

Titles that popped in my head...made me laugh...then I dismissed:

1. Ten Thousand Tights
2. Confessions From the Lingerie Department
3. My Life As a Pin-up Model In a Parallel Universe
4. My Life In Wolford: Semi-True Tales Of a Tights Lover
5. Do These Panties Make Me Look Fat?

Titles that I found both humorous and to my liking...though you may find them to be neither:

1. It's Just Underwear: How 3 Years, 365 Posts, and Hundreds Of Thousands Of Words Proved Otherwise
2. No I Won't Be Needing a Gift Box, Thank You
3. Boxers Or Briefs? ...Neither
4. Where Are My Pants?

What I ultimately decided to go with...although I could easily be swayed:

How I Learned Not To Bend Over While Wearing True Religion Jeans And Other Valuable Life Lessons

I thought this was both funny, on topic, and sort of relevant. Although, I don't have any corresponding story about low-rise jeans getting me into trouble...at least that I know of.

Once again, a million thanks to everyone who sent in a question. They were all great questions, and I had a blast answering them. Feel free to send in more at any time.

I realize I have a gift certificate winner to announce. That will be coming in the next day or two.

Tights Inspiration...

Today's question comes from erika of Cafe Fashionista:

Who (either alive or dead; historical figure or current celebutante) do you feel wears tights the best?

Oh twist my arm, why don't you?

Just know that I had to spend many an hour scouring for the perfect photos to back up my claim(s) when I could have been filing financial reports or the like.

And you thought this was easy ;-).

If you can't tell already, this was among my very favorites of questions. But I'm going to let the photos do most of the answering. But since it would be no fun to just say "I believe it is celebrity X.", if came up with a list.

...two, actually. Two lists.

Past

June McCall

June McCall was an actress and pin-up model in the 1950s. At a time when other actresses still weren't showing any leg, McCall was wearing tights like these. She even starred in a movie named Silk Stockings. Need I say more?

Twiggy

With a modeling career that began in the mid 60s and still goes on today, Twiggy has always rocked the tights. She's recently been thrust back in to the spotlight, thanks to America's Next Top Model. And why not? She's always belonged in the spotlight anyway.

Bettie Page

One of the first mainstream pin-up models, Page introduced the world to fetish photography before it, and perhaps she, was ready. After spending most of the 1950 glamoring the world, she walked away from it in 1959, converted to Christianity, and began working for Billy Graham. Her later life is marred by depression and mental illness. Sadly, she passed away almost two years ago. I remembered her here.

Sharon Tate

Tragically remembered as a victim in the Charles Manson murders, Tate can be remembered here in a much happier light. Tate enjoyed a successful (if not sometimes controversial) film career in the 1960s. What's not controversial at all, is how good she looks in tights.

Jean Shrimpton

When you're generally credited for helping launch the miniskirt, you're probably going to end up on a list like this. Prior to Shrimpton, long skirts and/or pants were all that were acceptable to females in front of the camera. By shortening the hem of her skirts, she also helped usher in the era of tights. I for one will always be grateful, Jean...

Present

Rihanna

If you read my blog post yesterday you probably assume I'm not a huge fan of her music. I am a fan of her looks here, though. Few performers put more into their look than here, and when she adds the tights, you'll never here me object.

Katy Perry

Again, not musically my cup of tea but she always seems to incorporate tights in to her look. Sheer black often seems to the the choice and she tends to match it up with short skirts that really help accentuate it.

Kylie Minogue

She's been around for a long time, but she's still looking her absolute best. I'm not sure Kylie has ever had a day when she looked bad. But I know for sure, she's had none better than the one where she rocked the black stockings.

Fergie

I'm guessing these pictures probably do a pretty good job speaking for themselves. Fergie, along with the Black Eyed Peas, probably has a million different looks and a ton of different styles. But for me, it doesn't get any better than these three photos.

Lilly Allen

If I ever meet Lily Allen in person, I'm going to demand that we compare notes on tights. So often, the stuff I find to profile on my blog, ends up her legs. It seems like she always incorporates tights in to her look, and they're always of the latest and greatest styles. She is like my female alter-ego.

Bonus fact: Allen just recently announced that she is three months pregnant. I guess its time to go shopping for maternity tights...

Listomania

Ironically, and I do like that song, neither the band nor the title show up anywhere on this post.

From Keith, who reminds us that Coolness Is Timeless:

I've got a question for you. It actually has nothing to do with lingerie. I thought I would ask it. What kind of music do you like?

Poor Keith was probably expecting a two or three sentence answer. But since I'm hitting you with mammoth blog posts, I'm going to keep it up. I have not one, but sever lists for this one. Here goes:

My latest crushes:

1. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2. Lilly Allen
3. MGMT
4. Spoon
5. Vampire Weekend
6. Metric

For Keith:

1. Frank Sinatra
2. Dean Martin
3. Sammy Davis Jr.

From my college days:

1. President of the USA
2. Fountains of Wayne
3. Foo Fighters
4. Veruca Salt
5. Garbage

For my inner anarchist:

1. The Sex Pistols
2. Rancid
3. The Clash

For when I'm wearing flannel:

1. Soundgarden
2. Soul Asylum
3. Alice in Chains
4. Pearl Jam
5. Nirvana

When I'm feeling new wave, or my inner anarchist has given up:

1. Joy Division
2. Psychedelic Furs
3. New Order
4. Depeche Mode
5. The Cure

Big ups to Boston:

1. Guster
2. The Pixies
3. Juliana Hatfield
4. The Lemonheads
5. Papas Fritas
6. Letters to Cleo

When I need a big beat:

1. Chemical Brothers
2. Moby
3. Fatboy Slim

When I need a trippier beat:

1. Sneaker Pimps
2. Massive Attack
3. Portishead

When I'm all gangsta:

1. Dr. Dre
2. Ice Cube
3. Wu-tang Clan

For a kinder, gentler hip hop:

1. The Roots
2. Jurassic 5
3. Beastie Boys

Bad News: I've been stranded on a desert island with no food. Good News: I got my ipod with my top 10 songs on it:

1. Pixies - Here Comes Your Man
2. Spoon - The Underdog
3. Nirvana - Aneurysm
4. Pavement - Cut Your Hair
5. MGMT - Kids
6. Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees
7. Cracker - Teen Angst
8. Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma
9. The Clash - Lost in the Supermarket
10. Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You
    

Please don't laugh at any of this. It took a tremendous amount of soul-searching....

When I'm Not Blogging...

Today's question comes from Sher of the lovely Beneath the Crystal Stars:

I would love to know what you do outside of blogging and what are your favorite blogs.

I have many favorite blogs, and certainly Beneath the Crystal Stars is one of them. Many of the blogs who were nice enough to send in questions also happen to be the ones I frequent most often. I honestly have dozens of blogs I try to hit everyday. So I'm not going to list them because I'm afraid of missing someone. And if you think that's a cop out...well, you know me to well ;-).

I've been thinking about what I spend the most time doing outside of eating out, working, blogging, and watching College Football and European Soccer. And...I've come up with a list!

5. Traveling: I try to get away somewhere at least once a year and I always prefer seeing someplace new, if at all possible (well...either that or Vegas...). I particularly enjoy seeing Europe. I also often try to center my trips around places with wine regions, as that is another love of mine. As I type this, I'm resisting the urge to sneak away and look up travel destinations, instead. It's been too long since I've gone somewhere.

4. Reading: Yes...I'm one of those people who likes to obnoxiously read three books at once. What can I say? As I discussed in my previous post, I'm a recent graduate. Now that I'm not reading about exciting topics such as the 'future value of an annuity due' out of textbooks that weigh down on my shoulder as I carry them around all day long, I've realized that I actually enjoy reading. I read a little of everything, but lately I've been leaning towards books that focus on current events.

3. Shopping: Did you all know that about me? Yeah I shop and then I shop some more. And yeah, a lot of that shopping is tights/lingerie related. But not all of it. I certainly spend a good bit of time here at my desk shopping online...but hey, that's research for my blog! I also happen to work a block or two away from some of the more fun, trendy shops in the city, so when the weather is nice I always like to drop in some of these places and see what's going on.

2. Cooking: I love to cook. There's is something incredibly rewarding about creating your own meal, uncorking a bottle of Cotes du Rhone and sitting down to a nice meal. I love to entertain as well, so it's always fun to surround myself with friends and cook up a little somethin' to eat. I don't really have a favorite dish to prepare as I always much rather go out on a limb and try something new and challenging. Yeah, I mess a lot of stuff up that way...but...there's always pizza delivery, so there's that too.....

1. Running: I've run all my life, but it used to be an on and off thing like, 'damn, I gotta lose a few pounds, I'm going to go run'. More recently it's become my number one hobby (okay, you all know what my number one hobby is, but indulge me, here). Yes, I am one of those ridiculous people who claims to get a runner's high. Do I really? I don't know. I do know I become insufferable if I let more than a day go between runs, so maybe there's something to it. I like being outside and I like the time away from any distractions. I can be a great head-clearing tool.

...if my head wasn't already empty...

Call Me Tights Master

I have a few questions left, which I'm going to count down one by one before I wrap up by selecting my $25 Sock Dreams gift certificate winner.

Today's is from Couture Carrie:

Would love to hear more about that MBA, darling!

No problem!

Indeed. Everyone's favorite lingerie superhero has a day job and, shortly after finishing undergrad with a degree in accounting, decided to enhance that day job with some higher learning. I guess you could say I studied in lingerie, but majored in business administration.

...okay, no more bad jokes.

But I did, in fact, recently graduate with an MBA in Entrepreneurship. I'm hoping that someday, the time in money invested will pay off for more than simply being able to brag that I can spell the word 'entrepreneurship' right, on my first try, with no assistance from the spell check whatsoever. I do often joke that I'm going to use the experience to help me open my own local lingerie shop with a focus on vintage and retro looks that are so hard to find outside of online shopping.

You'd buy lingerie from me, right?

I'd say the worst part about it is graduating in the midst of a bad recession and not really having the appetite to make a job change to bigger and better, much less strike out on my own. I'd say the best part about it, other than the sense of accomplishment and of course forthcoming heavy cash windfall, was to apply what I learned in the workforce to the classroom and vice versa. Interestingly, the worst classes were the finance and accounting ones (red flag, anyone?). The classes I got more out of, and enjoyed more, were the Entrepreneurship (obviously) and Marketing classes.

My advice to anyone considering getting an advance degree is: Be sure you like the classroom/studying environment. We all remember how much fun we had in undergrad...somehow this ain't as much fun.

Just know that no, you don't want me doing your taxes, but yes, I'm happy to give my two cents of advice to anyone looking to start their own business.

Me Again!

I hope everyone had a good weekend.

I'm refreshed and ready to get back to the questions. There's still plenty left, so let's get started.

From Lilly:

Do you any other clothing to be anywhere near as fun, sexy, elegant, playful, dark or bright, for the old and the young and in between as versatile as tights? (Gloves for example).
Wow. That's quite a list.

Of course I guess I could have copied and pasted that list in response to the "why are you a Tights Lover?" questions. They are definitely all of those things. I like how a style like fishnets, for example, can often be associated with the punk or rocker girl scene can just as easily translate into any of a number of other different looks depending upon what they are paired with. The always great thing about tights is how they can help enhance any look you are going for.

That said, I guess I can't. Tights can go back and forth from clothing to accessory in that sort of way. The same way you can enhance a look with jewelry, for example, you can with tights.

From Sheen V of Sheen V's Place:

I'd like to know what's in your lingerie drawers. What do you wear every day? What's for special occasions? Anything that surprised you?

For everyday, I tend to lean some of the value brands I discussed in an earlier post. For tights, I have several go-to brands, such as Jonathan Aston, Pamela Mann, and Aristoc, as well as Levante and Charnos. If you shop online, there are tons of great value brands when it comes to leg wear. For lingerie, there are definitely a few things I like at Victoria's Secret. The Body by Victoria line is certainly great for every day wear, as is the cotton collection...but not as much fun to profile here. For department store brands I sometimes will buy Maidenform. Their products are super comfortable and make great everyday wear as well.

For more special leg wear, there's always Wolford. Of course there are other great brands beyond that. I've always loved Falke and have more recently fallen in love with MaxMara and Fogal. They're all a little on the pricier side, but you'll never complain about fit, feel, and quality. For nicer lingerie, I love Cosabella, and the good thing about them is that I can find them in many of the smaller lingerie boutiques that can often be nicer to shop at as opposed to a VS. I also love Wolford's lingerie line. Seriously, they don't know how to make anything that doesn't look good. I also own a precious few things from La Perla and Aubade, but that definitely falls under very special occasion wear.

One of the things that has surprised me the most is how difficult it can be to look at a pair of panties in a store and figure out how they're going to fit. Sometimes I'll see a pair and think that they'll come up high, and they'll actually sit quite low. Often times I'll see panties with a lot of lace and assume they'll feel scratchy, only to discover they're quite comfortable.

From Dark Heathyr of TGirl Revelations:

I'd love to know what the one, sought after, unattainable garment is...the one that keeps you up at night.

Awesome questions, but....one?? I tend to do one or two lust posts a week.

And yet...this is an easy one to answer. I'm sure the 'unattainable garment' changes from time to time but right now it is this. Behold:


Eres Chimere Evan Shelf Bodysuit

...and now a moment of silence.

...

...

Okay, I'm back.

From Grace of Squarectomy:

If tights weren't your weakness, what would come next?

Lists would...that's what.

5. Camisoles. A nice can have all the lace and detail of a gorgeous bra, but cover the entire upper torso.



4. Slips. This is for the vintage lingerie lover in me. Really, when it comes to lingerie, what feels better than a slip? ...and I've never heard anyone complain about how they looked either.



3. Bodysuits. I mean, you saw the photo above, right? No more need be said. ...But just in case...it's like the perfect matching bra and panty set. Only, it's all in one piece...



2. Suspender/Garter belts. Again, there's plenty of ways to go here, but I always lean towards the vintage look when it comes to garter belts.



1. Panties. Of course, right? I only named my blog after it :-).

It's All About Me

Part 3 of who-knows-how-many of my Q&A is here. Thanks to all for the nice comments I've received from my last two posts. I'm glad you all seem to be enjoying learning more about me. I'm certainly enjoying writing up these posts!

On to the questions...

From nao me mande flores:
I'd love to know how your lingerie obsession began and how many tights do you own.

How it all began has certainly been a popular question and one I've enjoyed reflecting upon. I've tried to focus on a few different aspects of what initially drew me in in past answers (ie. the look, or the shopping experience, etc.). Personally, I think lingerie is designed with two different aspects in mind. One, is that its supposed to make the wearer look good. As such, lingerie is either bought by the wearer to look good for someone else, or lingerie is bought as a gift by someone for someone that he/she thinks will look good in it. The other aspect that can't be overlooked, however, is that it is designed to make the wearer feel good. I'm sure most readers can relate to how different you may feel in everyday cotton bikinis versus a black lace garter belt with matching panties and seamed stockings. I think, for me, the obsession comes from both an appreciation for how lingerie is designed and how it makes me feel.

Honestly, I think I own way too many tights to count...haha! It is most certainly an impulse buy item for me the way some other people might not be able to pass on shoes or handbags. I fell in love with tights when I bought a couple of pairs on sale at Wolford a few days after Christmas several years ago. Since then it's been a shopping vice of mine. It probably doesn't help that I profile and/or review them a lot on this blog. It leads to waaay too many impulse buys. Let's just say I own enough to go over a month without re-wearing. I'm just glad that I've found so many good value brands online in the past few years.

From S.Elisabeth of The Shoe Corner:

How have you managed to accumulate so much knowledge about lingerie? I'm always curious because I have no clue whatsoever!

Learning on the fly, I suppose...hahaha! Honestly, when I started this blog just over 2 years ago, I had no idea what things like 'denier count' meant. I was unaware that 100% nylon felt so different from nylon/lycra blends. Like most (read: un-obsessed) people, I walked into a store, selected an item off a shelf and didn't give it much thought. What I ended up realizing was that there were some items I liked while there were items that appeared identical that I hated. I wanted to know why.

I learned a lot of what I talk about here by reading about items I purchased, online and looking at things like fabric makeup and washing instructions and things like that. After profiling and reviewing so many items on this blog I noticed trends that helped me identify what I might like and what I probably wouldn't. Blogging helped me identify designers who I loved and others who I wanted to avoid. All of this said, I still buy plenty of stuff that I end up being disappointed in.

All in all, though, I attribute most of what I learned to blogging. A couple of years ago I was throwing tights in the washing machine and even the dryer only to realize how bad I ruined them. Since then, I've been buying inexpensive hand wash detergent and am amazed at how the quality holds up with a 15 second wash.

From gleenn of Creative Fashion:

I'd like to know what made you decide to focus on such a niche, tights and underwear. I wonder too what drives you to continue blogging and if you are financially motivated to blog.

Good question. The focus definitely reflects a personal interest of mine. Blogging about this subject has been a great outlet for me to talk about a subject that I have a lot to say on. I think as time has gone on my focus narrows and/or changes from time to time and it definitely reflects where my interests are at the time. It's sometimes interesting to take a look back and see what I was talking about 2 years ago. If I'm still here 2 years from now it'll be interesting to see what I'm talking about then.

I blog 100% for enjoyment. I like being able to talk about whatever is on my mind on a particular day, whether its a new style of tights that caught my eye, or maybe La Perla has released a new line that I'm lusting over that day. Rather than just looking at something and moving on, I enjoy being able to share it here. Occasionally I can get too busy to blog or blogging can start to feel like work. In the past, I've been able to take a step back for a bit and then start again fresh. That being the case, I don't think I'll ever pursue the money-making side of blogging. To me, the value of blogging is being able to talk about and share whatever is on my mind.

From Petra Bellejambes of Voyages en Rose:

I would be happy to hear your Premier League Pick, and would still think highly of you even if you were a Chelsea supporter. Beyond that I would love to hear about your shopping excursions. I realize that much of your shopping is done with a credit card and a mouse click, but surely you meet nice people in nice shops too.

Haha...I didn't think anyone would take me up on this! No worries, I'm not a Chelsea supporter. Nor will I take the easy way out and pick Manchester United. When it comes to the Premier League, I'm all Liverpool...although should they meet up with Roma in the Champions League forget I ever said that ;-).

In terms of shopping, with the exception of anything Wolford, and an outstanding one-time trip to Fogal when I happened to be in Chicago, my leg wear shopping does tend to be online. Outside of Hue, which I think is a great brand for the price, I've never been thrilled with what's available locally. There is quite a lot more available for lingerie however. At any rate, in terms of my brick & mortar shopping, here's what I have to say about what's available locally:

5. La Perla: I have a huge crush on La Perla, of course, and there's a nice shop close by here. I haven't bought much, due to the price tag, but I have dropped in from time to time. The pluses are certainly the quality of the merchandise, of course, as well as the fact that it's typically a quiet low-stress place to shop, when compared to the chain stores. The minuses, sadly, involve the sales staff. I realize they're pushing a high end brand, but I could use a little less snooty-ness, for lack of a better word. My best example, about a year ago, while being shown various bra & panty sets, the saleswoman asked me where else local I shopped. I said (as if I had a choice, my city isn't exactly bursting with options) Victoria's Secret, among others, to which her reply was "Well, you really can't compare the two. We're the Ferrari of lingerie...VS is like a Ford. You know...a good car still, but you can't compare". Uh...yeah. Even if I was as clueless as you seem to assume I am, I think I could've gotten that little tidbit from the respective price tags. But thanks, really.

4. Agent Provocateur: I absolutely love AP's product line, and they're happy to send me mailings direct from their local store whenever a new line comes in, so I'm alerted to drop by. On top of that, their sales staff is always very friendly and super helpful. The main drawback is their unwillingness to allow me to try anything on. I mean, I get why. I do. But when I paying that kind of money for something and they have a very strict return policy, I'm not really going to be willing to drop the money for something that I really have no idea if it'll fit or not. Sadly, this store is useful for little more than just looking around for me.

3. Victoria's Secret: Kind of a mixed bag. They can be very good of equally bad, and it depends on a lot of variables like location, how busy they are, what kind of sales staff works there, etc. If I can get there before the noon-time rush, its typically a good shopping experience, after that, all bets are off. Obviously, it can get very crowded (to the point where I don't bother going during the semi-annual sales) and how busy the store is always has a huge effect on how helpful the staff is. Honestly, I feel like the quality of customer service has taken a huge plummet in the last 10 years. When I first started shopping there, help was always offered and actually helpful. Now you're fortunate if you can get them to make eye contact with you.

2. Wolford (I know big surprise): Pretty much all pluses here. It happens to be located in a quiet mall and I don't think I've ever been shopping with more than one other shopper there at any time. I've managed to become very friendly with the store manager, who couldn't be more helpful and accommodating. For example, when a particular season is beginning to come to an end but the new one hasn't started yet, she always flips through the book with me so I can get a look at what will be hitting her shop in the next couple of weeks. If I see something I like there, she'll typically tell me to hold off buying anything and let's me know when she'll have it in her shop. In other words, she's not always trying to get me to leave the store having bought something. If there's nothing to buy at that time, she'll tell me so. The only minus is I wish they carried more lingerie. Obviously they're better known as a leg wear company, but their lingerie is very, very underrated.

1. French Dressing: It's a tiny boutique tucked away in arguably the nicest neighborhood in Boston. Ironically, it's Petra, who asked me this question, who alerted me to this stores existence in the first place. There's nothing bad to say about this place. It's upscale, but not everything they carry is break-the-bank kind of upscale. Because of its location, it always promises discreet, quiet shopping that couldn't be more of a contrast to the Victoria's Secret that's usually being trashed just 3 or 4 blocks away. The employees are super helpful and you could spend all day in there as far as they're concerned, as long as you come away with merchandise you're happy with. And so far....no one there has compared their lingerie to cars...so there's that too.

And now I'll give your tired eyes a break for a couple of days...but I'm back Monday with yet more questions.

More About Me

I'm back for another round of questions. If you missed yesterday's, you can see the post here. Once again, thanks to everyone who responded to my original request for questions. I will get to everyone, so if you haven't seen yours yet, stay tuned.

From Jennifer of another one of my very favorite blogs, life IS the messy parts:

I would definitely like to know how and why you became a tights lover.

I talked in my last post about how I first realized how much I liked leg wear. I always liked the way it could enhance one's look, especially with the array of colors and styles. I also mentioned how much I enjoyed the lingerie shopping experience, and that's how I first began purchasing tights. It was through a promotion a Victoria's Secret where you could get three pairs together at a discounted price. I instantly took to how good they looked and how great they felt.

Upon starting this blog and combing different websites for lingerie and leg wear, I began to take notice of how many different kinds of tights they were. I became intrigued with Wolford, and fell in love with their tights the very first time I tried them. It led me to try out other brand names and styles and came to realize that even many of the discount brands had the same great feeling as Wolford. Soon after I began incorporating tights into my wardrobe almost daily...at least when it wasn't 90+ degrees like it has been here for about a month now.

From Ella:
I would like to know when the love of lingerie began and why.

My love of lingerie began by taking notice of how good it can make someone look. To me, its better than nothing at all. I've always liked how it can show off and conceal at the same time.

By taking a closer look, at lingerie shops and online, as I've said a couple of times, you can't help but notice how many different styles, colors, and fabrics there are. Regardless of what you're mood is, there is lingerie that can enhance that mood or change it for the better. I honestly believe that the right kind of lingerie can instantly make someone feel better. It always amazes me when I come into contact with people who consider it an afterthought. I don't know how one can feel good about how they look on the outside if they aren't wearing something that makes them feel (or look) good underneath. These are the garments that are going to be closest to you all day long. This is what you put on first and take off last. You could make an argument that they should never be the afterthought of your outfit.

From Beth Dunn of the Awesomely Preppy Social Climbers:

Did you inherit/share this interest with people in your family or with friends or are you solo?

This is definitely something I've kept pretty personal my entire life. If you're someone I've dated, I've probably made quite a few additions to your own collection. If you happen to be at my house during the annual Victoria's Secret fashion show, you're probably going to see it on my TV. Otherwise, I don't let on very much that this is such an interest of mine.

This is also part of what led me to start this blog. I'm not necessarily comfortable discussing with people in my everyday life the things I discuss here. In many ways, I'm probably a much different person away from my computer and my blog...I'd probably surprise some people if they ever knew I had this blog! Great question!

From the always fun to read Midtown Girl:
What's your favorite place online to buy your most sought after sultry garments?

List time.

For lingerie:

3. Nancy Meyer: Okay. This is much more 'look' than 'buy'. But this is an amazing collection of gorgeous lingerie for the financially well to do.

2. Pandora's Choice: A great collection of retro and vintage lingerie. Anyone who is a fan of the starlets of the 1950s, or even earlier, you'd be doing yourself a huge favor by checking this site out. They carry many brand names, but my very favorite is Kiss Me Deadly.

1. Dollhouse Bettie: Another amazing collection of authentic vintage lingerie. If you ever happen to be in San Francisco, pop into their shop on Haight St.

For leg wear:

3. Stockings HQ: I thought vintage 100% nylon and full-fashioned stockings were near death until I happened upon this website. Stockings HQ is a great place for everyday stockings and hosiery as well.

2. MyTights: A great place for tights from dozens of different brand names. Whether you're looking for higher end stuff like Falke or value brands like Jonathan Aston, you can find it here.

1. UK Tights: An almost mind-numbing selection of leg wear. If you can't find what you're looking for here, you may want to consider giving up. I think I've spend entire days on this website. Without it, I'd only have about half my current total of blog posts.

If you haven't grown completely sick of me yet...more to come tomorrow!

You've Got Questions...

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm am extremely appreciative of all who sent in questions over the past week. They were all completely awesome questions, and I enjoyed reading and reflecting upon all of them. I have to say, I've received a great mix of questions, and that was exactly what I was looking for.

I'm going to begin rolling them out today in Q&A format and answer a few a day until I run out. A couple of these I liked so much (and have so much to say about) that they're going to get their own blog post in the upcoming days. So if you don't see your question today (or even tomorrow), know that you will soon.

If you're just tuning in now and didn't ask a question feel free to ask now. I'll still fit it in!

Don't forget, someone is going to win a $25 e-gift card to Sock Dreams. I'll announce the winner at the end of these posts.

On to today's questions:

From Missy M of the very awesome Fashion Fusion:

I'd like to know everything about you. How you first realized you loved all things tight like and how you first got started with your blog.

Great question (you're going to find me saying that a lot)!

First off, after the next few posts, I do hope you all know everything about me. But I'm always willing to respond to anyone with any questions. Recently, I had begun to realize that my blog had become very shopping specific, in terms of new styles and shopping crushes. While such posts probably did a good job highlighting the styles I liked and places I shopped, it probably did little in terms of projecting anything about me, personally. I'm hoping to do a better job of at least touching upon that from time to time, going forward.

I first realized that I loved tights (and all forms of hosiery/leg wear) at a pretty young age. I spent my high school education in private schools that required uniforms. As such, I noticed the array of different types of leg wear that could be paired with skirts (part of the required uniform for women) and always liked that type of look. I blog a lot about different styles and colors now, but even back then it was something I took notice of. I'd say, that's when I first realized it. It would be years later before I realized how big a part of my life it was.

For a long time, I kind of hated the fact that I liked something so much, but never really got the chance to talk about it. I first got started with my blog as a sort of outlet for this interest. I felt like it would give me the opportunity I didn't have in my everyday life to just talk about whatever was on my mind in the subject of tights or even lingerie. It started as just that, with me saying whatever was on my mind lingerie-wise. Over the last three years it's helped me develop my interest in this subject as well as connect with some great people who also had a lot of interesting things to say and were probably looking for a similar type of place to say it.

What I like most about my next blogger is how each post transports me to a different place. Each time I read this blog, its like I'm taking a mini-vacation...most often to Europe.

From Haute World:

I'm curious as to where your lingerie obsession came from.

The funny thing is, that's a question I've often ask myself! For some reason, I have trouble even giving myself a satisfactory answer.

As someone in my early 30s, I can say that the obsession has kind of grown on me over time, leading me to express it in blog format (for reasons stated above). It came from being a curious youth, I suppose. From the moment I noticed that not all foundation garments are created equally, I became intrigued with lingerie. I liked how pretty it could make someone look. I liked how good it can make someone feel.

Growing up, while most guys might be loathe to step into a Victoria's Secret to buy their girlfriend a gift, I realized that I loved the experience. It wasn't long before I was awaiting the introduction of new styles and colors with quite a bit of anticipation. From there, I guess, it grew as all obsessions do. I spend time trolling the Internet looking for new designers in styles the same way that many other bloggers do. When I find something I really like, I can't wait to blog about it so others know.

From Sabine of the always well-photographed Psynopsis:

Are you really a man (who happens to love female underwear) or did you make a mistake in your profile?

Hmmmm. The short answer: No, I did not make a mistake in my profile :-).

I've recently noticed that, from time to time, there might be some confusion over my gender. That is somewhat by design. I never wanted to spend too much time dwelling on the fact that I'm a man focusing on what is typically female subject matter. As discussed above, it is lingerie and leg wear that interests me and I wanted that to be the focus of my blog. There are certainly plenty of very good blogs out there about individuals and their fetishisms or experiences with "crossdressing". I decided I wanted to go in a different direction with my blog.

That said, I'm glad you asked. I do want readers to feel like they know me and I don't want to mislead anyone. While I don't think I'll ever want to be the focal point of my blog, I do want anyone who reads this to know enough about me that we feel some sort of a connection to each other.

I hope this (and my next several) posts go a long way towards achieving that connection. So again, thanks for asking!

From Kristin of Bon Bon Rose Girls, the blog with a little of everything and all things fashionable:

I would love to know what your favorite affordable brand is...i.e. under twenty bones.

Yay! I feel a list coming on...my favorite. Since you didn't specify, between lingerie, and leg wear...I'm going to do both.

Let's start with lingerie:

3. Leg Avenue: For Leg Avenue, the pluses include the fact that they make a huge variety of specialized looks. Corsets, garters, teddies, bustiers, and much more are all available from Leg Avenue, typically at very affordable prices. The big minus for Leg Avenue is that the quality isn't typically the greatest, and the lingerie can sometimes have a inexpensive kind of feel to it. But there's no arguing that they've cornered a niche where if you need a certain look for a certain night, Leg Avenue will get you there without breaking the bank.

2. Maidenform: Really, there's not much to not like. It seems to me that everything Maidenform makes fits comfortably and feels great. They have plenty of stylish looks to chose from. Finally, it seems they always have a promotion where you save if you buy more. It's the perfect brand for everyday stocking up.

1. O Lingerie: Okay, not everything is under $20, but all panties are and most bras are under 30. Despite the price tag, there is plenty of stylish, gorgeous lingerie to choose from. O Lingerie has plenty of great styles and colors without the price tag you might expect.

Leg wear:

3. Aristoc: I've made no secret about what a fan I am of Wolford and Falke. Aristoc can get you very close to that look and feel at a fraction of the price. Their basics are always under $10 and they have a generous amount of fashion prints too, which typically come in at a below $20 price tag.

2. Pamela Mann: Back seams, floral prints, fishnets, bright colors...Pamela Mann seems to have them all. The only thing you'll ever have a hard time finding, is a pair of tights that cost more than $20.

1. Jonathan Aston: In terms of breadth of product line, quantity of styles, and quality of feel, I've yet to see Jonathan Aston be beaten. Aston carries literally tons of product and all of it is unique and stylish. You're almost guaranteed to not find anyone in the room wearing the same thing you are...whatever room you may be in. The best part is, you can buy a week's worth of Aston hosiery for under $100.

That's all for today. If you've managed to make it this far, check back tomorrow (hopefully), I'll have more Q&A's to post. Thanks for reading!