The proper way to wear fishnets.

[Lady Day]

Alright ladies,

The modern era has given a skanky name to fishnets, but I love them.
I just dont know how to wear them without giving off the 'skanky' modern era vibe. Chances are Ill be fine, but I praise your guidence so highly . . .

Anywhoo, I just got a pair (black), the net is normal size, not HUGE and not a net mesh. How do I do this? Not put them on but what looks the best with them?

Is there a season they look best in?
A specific type of skirt/ dress?

Help me out here.
Thanks,

LD

 

[rubyredlocks]

I can give you a few ideas. Though,this is only my personal preference,not sure if it's considered entirely proper.
If I wear fishnets in the summer I only wear the black ones in the evening with cocktail attire. (Mostly because the climate in texas is a bit too heavy for day)
I will wear nude fishnets for daywear year round,though.
For fall and winter I will wear them with my daywear pairing them with pencil skirts,princess-lined skirts,babydoll pumps,fitted sweaters,or blouses and still use them for evening as well.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

When I saw your post, I immediately thought of this illustration:

I follow the same general guidelines as Ruby; I like to wear fishnets with fitted skirts and blouses or sweaters. Sometimes I will wear them with little 40s dresses, too; it just depends on the mood I am in. I prefer stockings, but Victoria's Secret sells seam fishnet pantyhose in nude and black (both with black seams.) I wear these with some of my 1940s costumes.

As a sidenote, during WWII, net stockings were sold under the name "Victory Lace", as they used less material then regular stockings did. I have a pair in a rich red-brown shade; I have seen them in darker brown and nude colors as well.

 

[Shimmy Sally]

There is nothing proper about fishnets, never has been. They are supposed to be a little naughty.

 

[BettyValentine]

I'm with the other girls, black for evening during the summer, and nude or light-colored (white, pink, etc) during the day. Black can go all day once it is not ten million degrees outside. I like them with fitted skirts or with loose flowy skirts. I think I only wear them with hemlines from mid-calf to just above the knee. No minis with fishnets.

I do wear them pretty often with boots.

Actually, now that I think of it i only really wear black fishnets with dark-colored clothing. They're too dark to pair with anything in a light palette.

 

[Miss Dottie]

When I saw your post, I immediately thought of this illustration:

I follow the same general guidelines as Ruby; I like to wear fishnets with fitted skirts and blouses or sweaters. Sometimes I will wear them with little 40s dresses, too; it just depends on the mood I am in. I prefer stockings, but Victoria's Secret sells seam fishnet pantyhose in nude and black (both with black seams.) I wear these with some of my 1940s costumes.

As a sidenote, during WWII, net stockings were sold under the name "Victory Lace", as they used less material then regular stockings did. I have a pair in a rich red-brown shade; I have seen them in darker brown and nude colors as well.

Now THAT is pretty darn interesting! Thanks for that great bit of fishnet history, Jitterbugdoll!

Now this might sound wacky, but I like to wear my fishnets over a pair of nude hose. They just look a bit more polished that way. I've found that this also helps from busting out the toes as well.

Sometimes, I think I'm the only person around who likes wearing hose. I just can't stand showing my legs without stockings for anything remotely dress-up. It just creates a better line I think.

 

[fortworthgal]

I don't wear black fishnets, but I agree with everyone else in that if you are going to wear them - save them for evening or winter. I have seen other people wearing them and they look very cute! I really like the look of black ones with tall boots and a skirt, in the fall or winter.

I wear nude fishnets pretty much all year long, and day or night. They're much more comfortable than regular stockings when it is 106 outside! I like them with all types of skirts and 40s dresses.

So here's a question - did 40s fishnets have seams or not? And would it have been a same-color seam, or a decorative colored contrast seam?

 

[Rosie]

I usually do fishnets with dark pencil or close fitting skirts. Like Miss Dottie, I sometimes wear them with flesh colored stockings, especially when I'm wearing an open toe pump, I don't want my toes to pop out. I have black nets and black with a seam which to me is a little more dressy so I usually wear those at night. I haven't found a good flesh tone for me yet though.

I almost got into trouble once for wearing fishnets to school. My principal called me into her office to talk about my choice of leg wear but knowing that I dress vintage, she tells me, "I see what you're trying to do here, I'm sorry, forget about it".

Good question FortWorthGal. My fishnets are not vintage at all. I do have a black pair with a red seam, I've had them for years but never worn them because they look kind of silly/out of place/weird (searching for a description).[huh]

 

[jitterbugdoll]

Yes, they did have seams--check out the vintage illustration I posted and you can just see the Cuban heels on her stockings. Seams would have come in the same colors as regular stockings, either in the same color or a contrasting one.

My Victory Lace fishnet stockings are fully fashioned, just like these:

Also, from my research I have learned that ballet dancers would wear opera-length (extra long) stockings that they pinned to their undergarments.

 

[Lady Day]

Now this might sound wacky, but I like to wear my fishnets over a pair of nude hose. They just look a bit more polished that way. I've found that this also helps from busting out the toes as well.

I was gonna do that too, so good I wont be alone

LD

 

[mysterygal]

I love the look of Rene Russo in the film 'The Thomas Crown Affair'...and I have an outfit that's just like it (don't know if she's wearing black fish nets but I do with mine! ) Can't seem to find a picture of it but it's the one where she's wearing a black dress, black leather coat and high heeled black boots

 

[Caledonia]

Yes, they did have seams--check out the vintage illustration I posted and you can just see the Cuban heels on her stockings. Seams would have come in the same colors as regular stockings, either in the same color or a contrasting one.

My Victory Lace fishnet stockings are fully fashioned, just like these:

Also, from my research I have learned that ballet dancers would wear opera-length (extra long) stockings that they pinned to their undergarments.

Mine are like Jitterbugs above, and same colour. Wear them with panache, aplomb, elegance, and discretion, and you can't go wrong. I would suggest full nylons though for any outfit obviously from 1947 on. But that's only my own preference and not necessarily historically accurate.

 

[DancingSweetie]

By the way, what is the deal with the Cuban heel? I've seen these for sale but I don't think I've ever noticed anyone wearing these in old pictures.

 

[magneto]

Re: wearing fishnets with hose underneath

I was gonna do that too, so good I wont be alone

LD

I've always done that! Great especially in the winter...and prevents the dreaded "waffle-patterned foot" syndrome.

 

[Lady Day]

Oh waffle patterned foot! Curses waffle pattern foot!!


:essen:
Oooh, waffles . . .

LD

 

[Twinkle]

I was gonna do that too, so good I wont be alone

LD

I do that too..... It stops your little toes poking out of the net.

I prefer a smaller net which is of a close weave.

I wear nude during the day and black or dark brown at night...

Loving the idea of the Victoria Secrets version with a seam up the back... I've got a wedding in Norway in September and I might have to get some for that....

E x

 

[mysterygal]

By the way, what is the deal with the Cuban heel? I've seen these for sale but I don't think I've ever noticed anyone wearing these in old pictures.

Cuban heel looks great...I don't think it's 'vintage', but, I'm pretty sure it's the type of stocking's I was sporting for the Classic Style magazine [huh]

 

[RetroModelSari]

I regulary buy fishnet-stockings with back seam and I love them!!! (I just get to wear them for photo-shootings though as I feel they are too "daring" for daily life.)

 

[jitterbugdoll]

Cuban heel looks great...I don't think it's 'vintage', but, I'm pretty sure it's the type of stocking's I was sporting for the Classic Style magazine

Cuban heels are vintage--take a close look at the WWII Victory Lace Stockings I posted earlier in this thread. Fully fashioned stockings are knitted flat and stitched together to form the shape of the leg; the seam and subsequent reinforced heels, toes, and feet occur as part of this process.

Fully fashioned stockings came (and still come) in a variety of heel shapes: Cuban, Havana, French Point. Cuban and Havana heels are basically the same shape—are squared off; Havana heels being wider and shorter then Cuban heels. French point (also called swing), forms a point that meets the seam. Heels and seams stitched in a variety of colors as well, including stitching that matched the color of the stocking, and contrast colors, such as black or red. All are period correct.

Fully fashioned stockings were replaced by RHTs (Reinforced Heel Toe) stockings in the mid-1950s. RHTs, as their name indicates, have reinforced toes and heels, but because they were knitted on a circular knitting machine, they are seamless.

Here is an ad from the mid-1950s which shows the difference:

 

[dollfaced]

I love fishnets they are really sexy and i think they are very verstile.fftopic: I have searched high and low for black sheer stockings with the black little pocka dots all over them can't seem to find them so i've givin up !! I guess i found them adorable and wanted a pair after looking at to many pictures of pin up art lol !