[Bex94]

OK, so I was in M&S last week and I was buying a few pairs of stockings. When I went to pay, the lady on the counter said to me "do you know these are stockings?" I told her that I did and she then proceeded to ask me if I knew I needed a suspender belt with them. When I told her that I did, she said that it was just unusual for girls my age to be buying stockings as most would be tights or occasionally hold ups.

Whilst this didn't bother me (and I've had the same thing asked of me before), as I walked off I did wonder how common it is for people of my age (18) or similar to wear stockings on a regular basis. As I'm trying to avoid any excuse to do revision, I thought I would open up to to the ladies on here.

If you're going to school, uni or work and wear hosiery, what do you normally wear?

[H&C]

I'm a bit older than you (28) but have been wearing stockings for about 10 years or so and regularly for about the last 5 of those. I now wear them everyday for work.

When I was at school, it was pretty much 100% tights for everyone though on occasion, someone might wear hold ups but this was usually if they were meeting a boyfriend or something after school.

I still don't know many people who wear hold ups or stockings regularly though. I reckon about 90% will wear tights, maybe 9% hold ups and 1% stockings.

[meenu89]

Meant to click on tights or hold ups.

[EmilyD237]

(Original post by Bex94)
OK, so I was in M&S last week and I was buying a few pairs of stockings. When I went to pay, the lady on the counter said to me "do you know these are stockings?" I told her that I did and she then proceeded to ask me if I knew I needed a suspender belt with them. When I told her that I did, she said that it was just unusual for girls my age to be buying stockings as most would be tights or occasionally hold ups.

Whilst this didn't bother me (and I've had the same thing asked of me before), as I walked off I did wonder how common it is for people of my age (18) or similar to wear stockings on a regular basis. As I'm trying to avoid any excuse to do revision, I thought I would open up to to the ladies on here.

If you're going to school, uni or work and wear hosiery, what do you normally wear?

I've got a Saturday job (I'm 16) in a department store - I've been told to ask this when customers come to pay for stockings... apparently it's easier to sort out any mistakes then.

But as one who does wear stockings regularly for school 6th form I still find it annoying when I get asked that!

Better get back to work from my lunch-break - and I'm wearing stockings for work too!

[heidigirl]

I used to wear tights, but I started wearing stockings a little while ago because I've started liking 40s style dresses and wanted to feel a bit more authentic.

I don't think I'm going to go back tbh, I really love them, I find them far more comfortable than wearing tights (not so much hitching them up or having to faff around with them when you go to the loo). The only thing I'd say is they're way more expensive and it's hard to get a range of deniers with stockings; 10 and 15 denier stockings are common but there are very few brands that do thicker ones and I don't like having cold legs. I've solved the problem by shopping on ebay for vintage stockings though.

The other issue I have is finding suspender belts that fit properly and don't move from your stockings pulling it down; a lot of shops have them in like 8-10, and I'm solidly a size 8 so an 8-10 tends to slide past my hips gradually over the day, and a lot are clearly designed for a bit of sexy dressing up in the bedroom or to wear once on a special occasion and not for practicality to actually keep your stockings up.

I do also have some hold ups, but the only way I can get them to stay up is to use some special skin adhesive-something about the way I walk just makes them slide down on one leg otherwise (and it's the same leg which is how I know it's me and not the hold ups). They're fine for special occasions though-like recently at my brother's wedding I wore hold ups because tights showed under the silky dress I was wearing.

[Terpsikhore]

Day-to-day, always tights. Stockings are too expensive for me to justify for everyday life - I'm not paying £4 for something that will be laddered and useless within 12 hours. I only bother with the expense when I know someone's going to see them!

Also, I'm paranoid about the suspender clips being visible through my skirt. It only happens rarely (unlined pencil skirts are the prime offender), and I'm sure no one but me would ever notice it, but it makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable.

[Clare~Bear]

Out of those I only ever wear tights. But they do annoy me.

~ If you get a ladder in one leg you have to throw the whole thing away
~ Because of my proportions, I end up not being able to pull them all the way up to my crotch, but longer ones are also wider so fall down me

So I might get some stockings/ hold ups.

Which do you suggest? are one more durable/cheaper than the other? like you said in your OP, you need a belt with stockings. Are both available in more colours than just sking colour, black and grey?

[Bex94]

(Original post by heidigirl)
I used to wear tights, but I started wearing stockings a little while ago because I've started liking 40s style dresses and wanted to feel a bit more authentic.

I don't think I'm going to go back tbh, I really love them, I find them far more comfortable than wearing tights (not so much hitching them up or having to faff around with them when you go to the loo). The only thing I'd say is they're way more expensive and it's hard to get a range of deniers with stockings; 10 and 15 denier stockings are common but there are very few brands that do thicker ones and I don't like having cold legs. I've solved the problem by shopping on ebay for vintage stockings though.

The other issue I have is finding suspender belts that fit properly and don't move from your stockings pulling it down; a lot of shops have them in like 8-10, and I'm solidly a size 8 so an 8-10 tends to slide past my hips gradually over the day, and a lot are clearly designed for a bit of sexy dressing up in the bedroom or to wear once on a special occasion and not for practicality to actually keep your stockings up.

I do also have some hold ups, but the only way I can get them to stay up is to use some special skin adhesive-something about the way I walk just makes them slide down on one leg otherwise (and it's the same leg which is how I know it's me and not the hold ups). They're fine for special occasions though-like recently at my brother's wedding I wore hold ups because tights showed under the silky dress I was wearing.

I really like the 6 strap belts from places like www.stockingshq.com or www.strockingsdirect.co.uk.

I find that these keep my stockings well and truly in place all day and because they have metal clasps, they're 100% secure unlike the plastic types you get on the high street. The belts are a bit more expensive but they're really good quality and will last.

I'm a size 8 as well and the size small belts fit me just fine. Because they're quite deep, I never have a problem with them slipping down my hips.

(Original post by Clare~Bear)
Out of those I only ever wear tights. But they do annoy me.

~ If you get a ladder in one leg you have to throw the whole thing away
~ Because of my proportions, I end up not being able to pull them all the way up to my crotch, but longer ones are also wider so fall down me

So I might get some stockings/ hold ups.

Which do you suggest? are one more durable/cheaper than the other? like you said in your OP, you need a belt with stockings. Are both available in more colours than just sking colour, black and grey?

Stockings tend to be cheaper (unless you buy the expensive real nylon ones) than hold ups. The ones I wear everyday are the ladder resist ones from M&S and they last me ages. As you say, if one does ladder, you don't need to throw the whole lot away. I've also bought some multipacks from BHS for £4.50 which are good value.

I personally am not that keen on hold ups as the rubber band can be a bit of an irritant and I never feel fully secure. You might feel differently though so worth trying both. As I've said above, if you do go for stockings, make sure you invest in a good belt. It'll be worth every penny! Hope you find something that suits you.

[sarahthegemini]

I wear tights, I love them! Patterned, coloured, thick, thin etc. I'd feel far too uncomfortable in stockings, I wouldn't feel secure, I'd worry about them coming unclipped and i'd still have the hassle of having to pull them up every so often. Stockings are sexier, I can't deny that but for day wear they are too inpractical. I'd only wear them for bedroom activities!

[Clare~Bear]

(Original post by Bex94)
Stockings tend to be cheaper (unless you buy the expensive real nylon ones) than hold ups. The ones I wear everyday are the ladder resist ones from M&S and they last me ages. As you say, if one does ladder, you don't need to throw the whole lot away. I've also bought some multipacks from BHS for £4.50 which are good value.

I personally am not that keen on hold ups as the rubber band can be a bit of an irritant and I never feel fully secure. You might feel differently though so worth trying both. As I've said above, if you do go for stockings, make sure you invest in a good belt. It'll be worth every penny! Hope you find something that suits you.

Ok, ta how much does a decent belt cost?

[Bex94]

(Original post by Clare~Bear)
Ok, ta how much does a decent belt cost?

Hi

A good belt will be about £25 - £30 so they're not the cheap but I get my mum to buy mine so it makes it a bit easier!

[EmilyD237]

(Original post by Clare~Bear)
Ok, ta how much does a decent belt cost?

These days I get all my suspender belts from stockingshq - these 4-strap ones are really comfy and totally secure, they come in white too:

http://www.stockingshq.com/suspender...nder-belt-p449

But to start off with these M&S ones are good, to try and see how you get on with wearing stockings:

http://www.marksandspencer.com/M-S-W...elated-items-3 or:
http://www.marksandspencer.com/M-S-W...elated-items-3.

Much cheaper (£8.00) but nice and plain, with the VITAL metal clips. These are only in black.

Totally agree with Bex, you do need a good belt for stockings to "work" properly - cheap ones with plastic clips are really only for "bedroom" activities rather than for wearing all day at school or work... one of those will put you off stockings!

[H&C]

(Original post by EmilyD237)
These days I get all my suspender belts from stockingshq - these 4-strap ones are really comfy and totally secure, they come in white too:

http://www.stockingshq.com/suspender...nder-belt-p449

But to start off with these M&S ones are good, to try and see how you get on with wearing stockings:

http://www.marksandspencer.com/M-S-W...elated-items-3 or:
http://www.marksandspencer.com/M-S-W...elated-items-3.

Much cheaper (£8.00) but nice and plain, with the VITAL metal clips. These are only in black.

Totally agree with Bex, you do need a good belt for stockings to "work" properly - cheap ones with plastic clips are really only for "bedroom" activities rather than for wearing all day at school or work... one of those will put you off stockings!

I get my belts from stockingshq too. Unfortunately they don't do matching sets (in my sizes anyway). How reliable are the M&S ones?

[EmmaBurton]

None of the above. I much prefer bare legs. Tights are unhygienic and stockings uncomfortable. The only thing anyone can say against bare legs is that they're cold in winter, and you can get used to that in no time at all.

[twinlensreflex]

I'm a hold ups/stockings convert. I really don't like wearing tights (I have no idea why), but I have the odd girly moment and wear dresses, and it's always with stockings etc now.

[EmilyD237]

(Original post by H&C)
I get my belts from stockingshq too. Unfortunately they don't do matching sets (in my sizes anyway). How reliable are the M&S ones?

Those plain M&S ones are good, I never had any problems with them coming undone. Sometimes the strap-adjusters would slip slightly during the day, but easy enough to correct when going to the loo! No hitching them up like there is with tights.

Although the M&S are good, the stockingshq are better. But to start off with, to try out stockings, the M&S are good value and reliable.

[EmilyD237]

(Original post by twinlensreflex)
I'm a hold ups/stockings convert. I really don't like wearing tights (I have no idea why), but I have the odd girly moment and wear dresses, and it's always with stockings etc now.

I know what you mean about not liking tights! I never liked them, only wore them for "dressy" occasions when I was younger - at school it was always socks until year 11 when we had to wear "tights"... that was when I tried hold-ups, then mum had me try stockings.