Oh the Stigma with wearing seamed fully fashioned stockings!

[BonnieJean]

RM-I haven't purchased the thigh highs, so I can't tell you what they're like. I used to have a pair of thigh highs (can't remember the brand), but they were so tight around my thighs. It felt like I had heavy rubber bands around them and it seemed like they were cutting off the circulation. (I have poor circulation in my legs anyway, so anything constricting feels 'tight'.)

I have purchased the regular stockings from National for over 4 years now and the quality of the 400s are pretty good. Sometimes they'll run a sale and I have gotten them for $4.95 (for 2 pairs) and that makes them to be $2.50 a pair.

If I'm careful I can get many wearings out of them. The beauty of stockings is that if one of them gets a run, you still have another "leg" and not having to throw the whole thing away as in pantyhose. I just recently purchased Hosiery Guard to wash my nylons in. I think someone here mentioned that they should be rinsed out after each wearing. Hosiery Guard has something in it that help the nylons last longer. You can go to the Hosiery Guard website to see what stores in your area sell it. I got mine from JC Penney.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

For regular stockings, I actually like the ones sold at Victoria's Secret (but I avoid their thigh highs, as the glue they use causes big welts on my legs.) They aren't as cheap as some of the ones mentioned above, but they come in a great color called 'Fair' (perfect for the ultra pale) and I find they last a long, long time (almost as long as my fully fashioned stockings.)

I’ve not had too many negative experiences when wearing seamed stockings, aside from the one time a guy touched my legs at a swing dance to “see if the seams were real” (I was fairly taken aback by this, but this particular guy likes to do things to shock others.) Usually the response I receive from men is positive (usually a very enthusiastic positive, but not in an icky manner.) I actually find that my stockings cause more of a stir in women, who have no problem pointing them out/asking about them. I used to work in an office with mostly women, and they would stop me all the time and ask me to turn around so they could get a better look (and a couple asked to touch them and see my garters, which I thought was really weird ) My current coworkers don’t say as much (aside from one guy who told me that they were “killing him”—I was thinking, it’s lucky we’re friends because some women would head to HR for that one), but they love my overall outfits and always ask to feel the different fabrics lol

 

[Lauren]

I agree with the longevity of fully fashioned stockings... I just ran out of seamed ones and I only bought two pairs nearly a year ago... those things saw me through WWII reenactments including hiding in dirt, "hitting the deck" in the back of a supply truck, and even walking around barefoot at dances and such... I have some non-seamed fully fashioned stockings left which I picked up at an estate sale and those things just won't die! I finally snagged a hole in one this last weekend when I was climbing a tree. But yes, I definately am a fully fashioned convert. If they can last ME more than one wear, they can last ANYONE more than one wear

Added to list of things to do... order more fully fashioned stockings... when I was at a car show last weekend a few people asked if I had the seamed hose, and it was just my luck to realize all my seamed ones had holes that morning Oh well... at least I was wearing fully fashioned!

 

[jitterbugdoll]

I have some non-seamed fully fashioned stockings

RHTs (reinforced heel toe), which are made on a circular knitting machine (rather than flat knit, like fully fashioneds), are a great non-seamed option. I have a pair that I have worn at least a dozen times (a very fine gauge, too) with nary a snag.

 

[Lauren]

Oooh! Is that the correct term? Thanks mucho!

 

[jitterbugdoll]

Oooh! Is that the correct term? Thanks mucho!

Yep! Fully fashioneds are so named because they are knitted flat, then 'fashioned' into the shape of a leg and stitched together.

RHTs are knitted on a circular knitting machine and are seamless. They arrived on the scene in the late 1940s, though fully fashioned stockings stayed in regular circulation until the 1960s.

 

[Lola Valentine]

I work part-time in a betting shop, and wear seamed fully fashioned stockings every day. The majority of our customers are men, and I get a variety of responses to the stockings. The younger gentlemen usually don't even seem to understand the significance of the line up the backs of my legs, with a few of them asking why they're there, and saying they look stupid! But alot of the elderley gentlemen admire them, I've even had one gentleman, who is over 85 years old, asking where I got them so he can get some for his wife! Like was said in a previous post, to much information! Some of the older gentlemen have even gone on to tell me stories of how seeing seams on a ladies legs reminds them of days when ladies were indeed ladies, & some have even tried to give me tips on how to keep them striaght! As if I don't already know!!

xxx

 

[MissMissy]

Speaking of keeping the seams straight.... Could anyone give me some tips on that. I was thinking about getting a pair to try out and I didn't realize there might be a trick to them.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The first and most important thing is to make sure they fit properly -- if they're too long, it'll be difficult to get the right tension with the garters, especially if you're wearing a girdle instead of an adjustable garter belt.

Six-garter girdles work better than four-garter models. Once you've got them on, and the seam straightened, clip the rear garter to the welt right above the keyhole loop, and that should anchor the stocking in place!

 

[Lola Valentine]

In my experience, when I wear FF seamed stockings, I always make sure they're the real deal, the stockings produced on the same knitting machines they used in the past. The seams on these stockings tend to stay straight for me, whereas those stockings produced in the modern way always end up with wonky lines![huh]

 

[MissMissy]

Thanks LizzieMaine and Lola Valentine. I think I shall do some internet shopping today as I have a cold and don't feel like cleaning the house! I also plan on using the word "wonky" today in a sentance.lol

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

I'm so frustrated. I have a pair of Fully Fashioned that I got quite a while ago, and they are awesome. Bad news is, I can't remember where I got them
They are in excellent condition, very long lasting.
As for regular nylons, for those of you ladies who might wear them, I wear them when I just don't feel like wearing garters, or when I dress modern. Calvin Klein makes great nylons. There shape is very much like FF nylons. They are shaped, and don't have a whole lot of stretch to them, like FF. The ones I have, have lasted me a very long time, so they are worth the money. I usually find mine at Marshalls or TJMaxx, for about $5 a pair, which is a good price for them. Also, I like to wear control top, and the Calvins really have good control and support, as well as coming in the best shade of natural that I have ever come across. You can't even tell that I'm wearing them.

 

[mysterygal]

Not wearing a garder was my first mistake when trying to wear seam stockings :eusa_doh: They came with the elastic band that I figured would hold in place, well, me and the mister decide to go for a walk and their starting to go down to my ankles Point of story....don't trust the elastic!

 

[Rosie]

Not wearing a garder was my first mistake when trying to wear seam stockings :eusa_doh: They came with the elastic band that I figured would hold in place, well, me and the mister decide to go for a walk and their starting to go down to my ankles Point of story....don't trust the elastic!

This happened to me once. I bought thigh highs with the silicone at top, I walked around the house and they stayed up fine so, I went out. I hopped in a cab and went to dinner so, I just went in the restaurant and sat down. I went to the ladies room and on my way there, one stocking fell down, then the other. I was so embarassed, in the ladies room, I just took them off, I was wearing a peep toe shoe so it wasn't so terrible and I was of course lotioned up and my legs were shaved so, I tossed the stockings in my bag and went about.

 

[ITG]

My first pair of stockings I took back to the store because I thought they were supposed to have a little button hole for the garter strings to attach through. The lady at the store informed me that there's no button hole and proceeded to show me how to attach them. Well, I get home and try the set on to see if it will attach and how easy it'd be. Well, the back left garter ribbon, wouldn't hold and so the elastic ribbon flew up to hit me on my back. Not the best first experience. Anyone have that happen to them before (getting slapped by the garter ribbon)? Fortunately I finally got it attached and it stayed. But I think I prefer the feel of security regular hose provides.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

I think the number of garter straps relates to the size/shape of your legs as well. I have curvier thighs and can wear four-strap models with no problems. I actually find six-strap garter belts to be kind of annoying

And sticking with real fully fashioned stockings makes all the difference. They are shaped to your foot/ankle and this anchors them in place once you have them on/lined up correctly.

I find that the dinky garter belts available today are the worst to attach, especially if they have plastic grips. They are too flimsy and so yes, I've had an incident or two where the back garter went flying from my hands lol

 

[Rosie]

JBD is SOOO right with this. The garter does make a HUGE difference. Those garters with only two staps per leg aren't my thing. I personally like a 6 strap garter I feel like my stockings are really being held up. Also, newer garter belts are sort of flimsy, as is most stuff these days when compared with older items. I have 2 vintage garter belts and those are far superior to newer ones I have. I bought a girdelette from Romans (basically a little skirted garter belt) and that was pretty good.

 

[Camille]

I've only owned one modern garter belt, and I don't think I've used it more than two-three times. It doesn't hold my stockings up, and even though it wasn't cheap, my vintage girdles that I bought for roughly 10$ does the trick a heck lot better. (Besides, it gives you a fantastic figure!)

And regarding the problem with FF seam stockings... I don't think I've ever met that kind of rude behaviour because of the way I dress. I remember one time, in my -very- early teens, when I had trashed pantyhose, an nasty alcoholic whistled to me, but that's pretty much about it.

Maybe I'm just blind, but I think I don't meet anything but appriciating or maybe curious looks when in vintage clothing. (And honestly, aren't modern clothes far more pervy than ones from the Golden Era?)

I really feel for all you that's bumped into stupid, drooling men who can't appriciate clothes because they look good, but think of things like FF stockings like something pervy. They deserve a good slap, I say!

 

[Elaina]

I don't think it's the vintage look is pervy, perse. I think you hit it closer to the mark of modern clothing being more revealing.

I think for a great portion of men, seeing a woman modestly dressed (and vintage is a heck of a lot more modest) makes them use their imagination, and that is where the start begins.

I was always told that a man will look at a woman with a short skirt on, but stare at one with a knee length skirt getting out of cars, becase they have to work harder at catching a glimpse of thigh.

Elaina

 

[katiemakeup]

I love my FF stockings, but I completely understand what you mean. Bottom line (no pun intended), men think they are sexy, I feel pretty when I wear them. When I wear mine, and I'm sitting down, I always make sure that the top part of the stocking isn't showing. It just takes a bit of work to wear them.
I dressed vintage to go see "Hollywoodland" this past Sunday. I had on a cute day dress with matching bag and shoes, and FF stockings. I was self conscious through the entire movie, because the man next to me kept looking at my legs. When I was walking away from the snack counter, I noticed him behind me staring at my legs (believe me, there's not much to stare at! I have stumps!). He ended up sitting right next to me in the theater. I guess I would have felt more uncomfortable is I was alone.
Well, I'm gonna keep wearing them for I like the way they complete the vintage look, and the way they make me feel. But, like you other ladies, I'm not sure if I'd add this touch to an outfit if I was going out alone at night. It's so sad that such a lovely touch to an outfit can have such a stigma attached to it. Sometimes, when I'm dressed vintage, I don't feel like I look vintage enough. When I add a touch like bakelite brooch and FF stockings, it makes me feel a little more vintage.

This is one of those situations where you feel flattered yet skeeved out at the same time. This is where the term 'masher' would fit in!!

Daisy~ I am sure you have very nice legs!! You are very pretty