1950s Style | Why Seamed Stockings are a Must! - What Katie Did (2024)

FAQs

When did seamed stockings go out of style? ›

Creating a 1950s Look with Seamed Stockings

Right up until the mid 1960s all hosiery had a seam.

The short answer is that all stockings used to be knitted flat and the seam was added to hold the stocking together. The technology to make a tubular stocking simply wasn't available. The machines used to make these seamed stockings were huge and cumbersome, weighing 30 tons, with a top speed of 30 pairs per hour.

1940s vintage seamed stockings were usually in a flesh colour and the best bit was the thick seam up the back of the leg, which you can still buy today. Seamless stockings came next, but they didn't catch on for a good 20 years.

The Christmas Stocking from the 1950s to the Present Day

Stocking fillers would include: 1950s: A penny, a satsuma, liquorice, an annual, and excitingly, the first sugar mice!

These early stockings were frequently referred to as hose, from which the term hosiery was derived, and were generally worn by men.

Closed shoes can certainly keep your feet warm and protected, but they can be uncomfortable if you wear them without hosiery. A pair of stockings ensures that you can easily slip on a pair of heeled pumps or boots and last the whole day without getting blisters.

Back seam tights are a great alternative to your usual sheer tights, offering drama and sophistication without all the unwanted attention. The only pattern that you shouldn't wear to the office is fishnets. They give off a risqué impression and are usually considered inappropriate to wear for work.

Tights, socks, and stockings have all been fundamental to the evolution of fashion. They have a deep pragmatic purpose, but they're also a key part of creative expression. After numerous trend cycles of bare legs being a major theme on the runways, hosiery is returning to the spotlight—and in all forms.

Even though fashion for stockings has risen in the last few years, it has been around since the 90s, and women still love to style them with mini-skirts, dresses or even ripped jeans. Stockings are an excellent addition to your wardrobe because of their versatility.

Fully fashioned stockings (FFS), are stockings with characteristic reinforcements on the heel and top, a so-called keyhole at the back of the top, and a stitched back seam in between.

Did 1920s stockings have seams? ›

Some 1920's stockings had seamless feet, but the seam up the back was considered “slenderizing” and flattering to most women.

For most of the 1950s, women relied on knee high and thigh high stockings to smooth out their legs and lower bodies, with girdles and garter belts doing the work of defying gravity.

Up until the 1960s, as they had for centuries, women wore stockings.

It's no secret that stockings were all the craze in the 1940's, but there was still one issue; they weren't self-supporting. Women continued to use garters and suspension belts to keep their hosiery in place. Yet with more revealing skirts and costumes appearing in pop culture, alternatives began popping up.

A Christmas stocking is an empty sock or sock-shaped bag that is hung on Saint Nicholas Day or Christmas Eve so that Saint Nicholas (or the related figures of Santa Claus and Father Christmas) can fill it with small toys, candy, fruit, coins or other small gifts when he arrives.

Saint Nicholas knew the family was very poor, so he threw three bags of gold coins down the chimney. The money landed in the sisters' stockings. Since then, children have hung up their Christmas stockings on Christmas Eve, hoping to find them filled with gifts in the morning.

Traditionally they are filled with small gifts such as fruit, nuts, sweets, or toys. But over the years people have been getting more creative and using them as a way to gift other small presents.

Ancient Egyptians wore early forms of stockings, with archaeologists even discovering a pair of stockings in an Egyptian tomb. Centuries later, stockings and hosiery were originally worn by men riding horseback due to their flexibility and ability to preserve heat, which made them far more comfortable.

Stockings are basically the same as a pair of tights but then without the pants. Most stockings sit upon your thighs but can vary in length. If you want to wear stockings, you'll need a garterbelt as well to keep them from sagging.

DuPont's initial sales success in Wilmington was just the beginning of the nylon stocking craze. On May 16, 1940, officially known as “Nylon Day,” four million pairs of brown nylons landed on department store shelves throughout the United States at about $1.15 per pair. They sold out within two days.

Why no one wears pantyhose anymore? ›

It turns out pantyhose sales have been sagging for the last two decades, because of self-tanner, open-toed shoes, women wearing pants more often, and, generally, more casual dress in the workplace. Millennials don't own pantyhose. One article says, "Many people associate sheer with grandma."

And generally speaking, going commando is fine, but there are a few rules to follow. If you're going without panties regularly, be sure to consider the health risks. vagin*l folliculitis, yeast infections, UTIs, and chafing are a few possible ailments that are even more uncomfortable than wearing undies under tights.

Modesty is the key when deciding what to wear to a funeral, as your attire should reflect the solemn nature of the service. In summary, yes, you should wear stockings for a funeral.

Women wear pantyhose with pants? Yes, some do and it's for warmth purposes only. Pantyhose are thinner than tights and generally won't impact the fit of your pants like tights might. This strategy works best when you are wearing boots, so as not to show the world you're wearing that extra layer.

Pantyhose weren't left-back in yesteryear. Many women enjoy them today, and you don't have have to settle for the squeezed-in corseted feeling of the past. Hipstik provides comfortable low-rise pantyhose with a non-squeeze waistband for women of today.

Match your tights or stockings to the hemline of your skirt or dress. For example, if you have a black dress, then choose a pair of black tights or stockings. There is an exception to this rule, however; if your outfit is darker than the shoes you are wearing, choose nude-colored tights or stockings instead.

Black pantyhose aren't just for skirts and dresses, pair them with shorts. Turn a day look to a night look when pairing black sheer hosiery with dressy shorts and instantly dress them up.

The general conclusion? While pantyhose used to be necessary in professional woman's work wardrobe, this is no longer the case in most places. You can dress in a formal way without wearing pantyhose, and you should not worry about being docked on your interview performance because of it.

Whether you are the mother-of-the-groom, a bridesmaid, or a guest, the answer is – yes, you should wear stockings to a wedding. For the most part, weddings are formal events, and stockings are perfect for special occasions.

Should you wear pantyhose with a co*cktail dress? ›

#1. Go without. If you don't care for pantyhose and you're comfortable going without, that's perfectly fine for all but the most conservative of semi-formal events. (If it's a business event, you may want to ask around and see what the other women are going to wear to be sure you look appropriate.)

Traditionally hung over a fireplace, many people choose to hang their stockings up on staircases, bedposts, or windowsills. Although stockings have become intrinsic to Christmas, the reason why we hang stockings up to be filled with presents remains shrouded in myth and folklore.

Tights are generally thicker than pantyhose, with a denier of 40 to 100; they can range from almost-see-through to totally opaque.

Even though women were showing off more of their legs than ever before, going bare-legged in public was still a fashion faux pas. To remain covered while wearing on-trend outfits, Flappers turned to 1920s stockings to keep their legs covered.

Stocking Colors. Women's stockings in the early years were plain. Black was the most common with brown, grey, navy blue, or white being options that coordinated with dresses.

The average 1930s American woman bought up to 15 pairs of silk stockings a year—until, that is, women boycotted the fabric behind an essential garment.

Many petticoats you may find today are square dance petticoats. These modern petticoats meant to be worn under short and full square dance dresses, and are in turn, very short and full. These are something you want to avoid under your average 1950s full skirt, because even though they…

The flounced nylon and net petticoats worn in the 1950s and 1960s to poof out skirts also became known as crinolines even when there were no hoops in their construction.

1950s Lingerie and Shapewear – Girdles

In the 1950s, girdles were still a required undergarment for most dress and pant shapes. These were often lighter and easier to move in compared to a corset, so they were often preferred by most women.

But by the 1980s the glam was wearing off. By the 90s, women looking for comfort and freedom began to go au-natural, leaving their legs bare as often as not. In 2006, the New York Times referred to the hosiery industry as “An Industry that Lost its Footing.”

What year was the largest stocking made? ›

Now they just have to find a giant foot that is large enough to wear them. On 8 November, 2007 the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, with a little help from Lowe's, unveiled a Christmas stocking that was 27.46 metres (90 feet 1 inch) long and 11.3 metres (37 feet 1 inch) wide from heel to toe.

Circular knit stockings stitched on backseams, while poor women may have painted on a seam. The backseam was seen as a slimming illusion for women's leg. Most seams were very thin and in a matching thread.

It was not until the '70s that fishnet tights took on a different tone and were associated with punk subculture. Along with latex, chains, and ripped clothes, fishnet tights were a fashion focal point in the rebellious movement that went against mainstream norms.

But the bottom line is this: Between 2009 and 2013, according to Experian Marketing Services, the number of women in the U.S. who said they bought regular pantyhose declined 40%. The number of women who said they bought control top pantyhose declined 47%.

But for evenings, silk stockings were the most sought after. A respectable girl would use a garter belt to keep her stocking tops out of sight beneath her dress. A vivacious flapper on the other hand, would roll them down to just above the knee and hold them there with knee garters.

A shift in the 1920s saw women starting to show more leg, and desiring to wear (you guessed it) tights. Starting in silk and wool, it wasn't until the spring of 1940 that nylon hit the market with a bang.

'By the 1970s sales tights had overtaken those of stockings,' says Roberts. 'Tights remained popular throughout the 70s, 80s and early 90s, until 1995 when sales began to fall. This was attributed to the fashion for bare legs.

It turns out pantyhose sales have been sagging for the last two decades, because of self-tanner, open-toed shoes, women wearing pants more often, and, generally, more casual dress in the workplace. Millennials don't own pantyhose. One article says, "Many people associate sheer with grandma."

After numerous trend cycles of bare legs being a major theme on the runways, hosiery is returning to the spotlight—and in all forms. From tights and stockings to socks (of all heights) and even stocking-like things, hosiery has become a big part of 2023's trend conversation.

Classic sheer, nude pantyhose are worn with dresses to keep from baring legs, and all their imperfections, in formal and professional environments. They're not exactly a style statement, but more of a practicality.