Stockings

The infamous stocking originally started life in the 15th century and has remained an essential fashion item with women ... although style and materials have certainly changed over the centuries.  

As a basic definition stockings, sometimes referred to as hose, are close-fitting  garments covering the foot and lower part of the leg. Stockings can come in a large variety of colours, dernier and styles including opaques, fishnets, sheers and specialist stockings.

To help you out below you'll find a glossary on popular stocking terms and their definitions.

Nylon-stockings recommends the following companies that specialise in a variety of stockings at great prices:

Supplier	Description	Our rating
Delicates		Click here
Figleaves		Click here
Flirty or dirty		Click here
La Senza		Click here
Luxury French lingerie		Click here
Tightsplease		Click here

Brand	Description
Aritstoc	Fashionable and functional stockings.
Cervin	Fun and a little bit risque
Cette	Chic European legwear.
Charnos	Stylish and durable stockings.
Elbeo	Number one in supports. Sheer magic.
Falke	A top hoisery brand.
Hustler	American brand - exciting styles
Jonathan Aston	A fantastic and fun collection of tights
Le Bourget	French, elegant and very sexy.
Leg Avenue	Naughty and provocative hosiery.
Lise Charmel	Luxury French lingerie.
Levante	Quality stockings at great prices.
Music legs	Elegant and affordable
Pamela mann	Fun, colourful and unique tights.
Pretty Polly	Tights and stocking for sophisticated women.
Wolford	Creative and wearable stockings.

Nylon-stockings have compiled the following hosiery terms including 'stockings' that are commonly found within the industry.

Stocking terms

Term	Definition
Cuban heel	A stocking with a heel made with folded over and sewn reinforcement.
Demi-toe	Stockings that have a reinforced toe with half the coverage on top as on the bottom.
Denier	A measurement of the sheer of the garment. A higher denier tends to mean more durability.
Fishnet	Stockings with a very wide open knit resembling a fish net.
Full fashioned	Stockings with two sides united by a seam up the back.
Hold ups	Stockings that are held up by sewn-in elasticated bands.
Knee highs	Stockings that terminate at or just barely below the knee.
Matte	Stockings which have a dull rather than gloss finish.
Mock seam	A false seam sewn into the back of a seamless stocking.
Nude heel	Stockings without reinforcement in the heel area.
Opaque	Stockings made of yarn which give them a heavier appearance.
RHT	An abbreviation of reinforced heel and toe.
Sandal foot	Stockings with a nude toe so the yarn is the same in the toe and in the leg.
Seamed	Stockings made with a seam running up the back of the leg.
Seamless	Stockings knit in one operation so that no seaming is required up the back.
Sheers	Stockings generally of a 15 to 20 denier.
Thigh highs	Stockings that terminate around mid-thigh.