I'm The Kind Of Human Wreckage That You Love

A noble and historic source of perversion, today we will breakdown hosiery. Hosiery is the broad term for legwear: tights, stockings, and socks. Appealing for their accentuation of the shape of the legs, as well as their feel (for the wearer and/or the non-wearer), hosiery is a well loved object of erotic desire.

Hosiery comes in various lengths, and falls into three categories that we can further tease apart, so let's begin with definitions.

TLDR: Hosiery venn diagram, more detail and examples below.

Please note: In the sections below I will be referencing accessories, such as garters, as they pertain to socks and stockings, but this is not going to cover specifics of those accessories. They will be discussed further in-depth in an eventual accessories post. This is an overview that covers general styles and materials, but there is always more to learn! You can find part one on brassieres here.

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Socks:

A comparatively thick woven or knitted form of hosiery. Most often shorter, only covering the foot and/or ankle, but can be taller, ranging from calf to thigh. Opaque and typically made from cotton, wool, synthetic, or a blend thereof. Common styles include ->

Ankle socks: Style of sock that hits just below the ankle. Not pictured.

Bobby socks: A style of ankle socks worn with a single fold. Can be plain ribbed knit, or accented with a lettuce hem, ruffle, etc. Pictured: 1940s plain style cotton with saddle shoes, top left; 2010s poly/cotton ruffled style with mary janes, bottom left.

Dress socks: Style of sock that hits at mid calf. Pictured: 2010s black cotton dress socks with vintage sock garters, top right.

Knee high socks: Style of sock that hits just below the knee. Pictured: 1960s red and white cotton, center front.

Over the knee socks: Style of sock that extends over the knee :) Pictured: 1960s green and mustard cotton, center back.

Thigh high socks: A style of sock that extends to the mid to upper thigh. Pictured: modern cotton/poly maroon with athletic stripe, bottom right.

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Stockings:

A thinner, taller (extending from knee length to thigh height), more delicate hosiery compared to socks. Range from sheer to opaque based on denier (see section below tights for visual guide). Historically made of silk, nylon, and rayon, most often made of nylon and spandex today.

Knee high stockings: Style of stocking that hits just below the knee. Can also be achieved by rolling down over the knee stockings, as was popular in the 1920s. Pictured: 1920s rolled stockings worn as knee highs, second from left.

Thigh high stockings: Style of stocking that extends past the mid thigh. Most popular style of stockings. Pictured: Bettie Page in nylon stockings held up with a garter belt c. 1950s, second from right.

Back-seam stockings: Style of stockings with a seam up the back. Commonly associated with "pin-up" fashion as a result of their popularity in midcentury leg art. Pictured: 1950s pin-up in seamed stockings, far left.

Fishnet stockings: Style of stockings fashioned from an open, diamond shaped knit. Can be woven tighter or more loosely to the effect of smaller or larger diamond shaped pattern. Pictured: 1950s pin-up in seamed fishnet stockings, far right.

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Tights:

Full coverage hosiery extending from toe to waist with an attached panty, also called pantyhose. Commonly made from a similar nylon blend to stockings, but can be woven or knitted from thicker materials (like wool blends) more similar to socks.

Solid tights: Style of tights which can range from sheer to opaque that are a smooth, unbroken and unadorned weave. Can be one solid color, split color, skin tone, or have patterns. Pictured: Modern red and orange tights, bottom center.

Fishnet tights: Style of tights fashioned from an open, diamond shaped knit. Can be woven tighter or more loosely to the effect of smaller or larger diamond shaped pattern. Pictured: Bettie Page in fishnet tights c. 1950s, left.

Back seam tights: Style of tights with a seam up the back. Common modern alternative to back seamed stockings. Pictured: 1980s back seamed stockings photographed by Guy Bourdin, top center.

Faux thigh high tights: Style of tights that are woven in contrasting colors or deniers to give the illusion of a thigh high stocking. Pictured: 1990s Jean-Paul Gaultier tromp l'oeil tights with attached garter belt.

Knit tights: Style of tights including pointelle knit, ribbed, fisherman knit, etc. that are woven to achieve a particular texture and pattern. Can be made from synthetics or thicker materials like cotton or wool. Pictured: Mary Quant 1960s light colored pointelle knit tights, center.

Embroidered tights: Style of tights ornamented with embroidered designs. Common examples include embroidered embellishments on the back of legs, swiss dots, words, or floral designs. Not pictured.

Lace tights: Style of tights made from synthetic stretch lace. Not pictured.

Body stocking: While not explicitly tights, I'm adding it here since it doesn't really fit better anywhere else. A style of hosiery that extends from toe to chest, either held up by straps at the shoulder, a cap sleeve, or long sleeve. Not pictured.

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Denier:

Denier, in broad terms, correlates to opacity. It is a unit of measurement that denotes the density and weight of fiber used to make stockings and tights. 1 denier is the weight and density of a single strand of silk, so something that is 60 denier has the mass of 60 silk strands. Denier is a personal preference and fun to explore! If your perversions lie in the texture of nylons, but you also like feet, you may prefer a lower denier stocking. If you're more interested in them as a barrier, shape wear, or to accentuate the line of the leg, something more medium to opaque may appeal.

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Every now and then a difficult period like this comes along: so it's time to request some assistance.

I've kind of been neglecting my vision for the past year or so, aware that I needed new glasses (and to go have a consult for possible eye-related surgery), but putting it off... and now the situation has, as it were, come home to roost.

The other day, when I was typing something and then (to check it before posting) had to pick up the Mac and hold it up to my nose to see what I'd typed... I realized that if this went on much longer, even with dictation (because after you dictate, you still have to edit...), I wouldn't be able to write.

That would be bad.

I need to go see my Eye Lady, get examined, and get both sets of glasses re-fitted with new prescriptions. This—as usual, each time it needs to be done every year and a half or two years, due to Weird Eyes—is going to run into a low-four-figure-ish kind of money. And due to other recent unexpected medical expenses, right now there's not enough dosh around (or spondoolicks or whatever term you prefer...) to get things sorted.

Therefore: can I get people interested in keeping a writer, you know, writing (as I've got three novels working at once at the moment...), to consider doing one of these things?

(a) Go over to Ebooks Direct and buy a book. (Or a bundle. Or a gift card for somebody else who might like my work.) And if you do: thanks so much!

(b) Stop by my Ko-Fi and drop a little something in the pot. It'll be most appreciated.

And if you can't do either of the above:

(c) Reblog this and let other people see it?

anyway type 2 diabetics i'm sorry about the world. everyone* be kind to type 2s or else