Hosiery comes in a number of shapes, sizes, and forms. Body
stockings, thigh-high stockings, pantyhose, dress socks, anklets,
knee-highs, and tights - each of these is a different form of hosiery.
Hosiery
has a rich history. As early as 500 A.D., socks were created to provide
warmth and protection to the feet. Hosiery gained notoriety in the 16th
century when a pair of silk stocking was presented to Queen Elizabeth.
These stockings led to the invention of a special knitting frame, which
helped increase the output from a knitter’s hands.
As
more British people moved to America, they attempted to take the
knitting machines with them. Strict penalties were imposed on anyone
smuggling them out of England, but this did not deter the emigrants who
hoped to start a new trade by producing hosiery in America.
In
the mid-19th century, the first steam-powered hosiery machine was
invented. Eventually, the introduction of cotton led to the demise of
wool hosiery. In the 20th century, when nylon was developed,
manufacturers began making hosiery from nylon. Nylon hosiery eventually
gave way to spandex.
Body stockings are a one-piece
form of full-length nylon hosiery that include a tank top and cover the
entire body from the neck down. Covering the body from shoulders to
toes, a body stocking provides extra warmth. Body stockings can also be
used to help smooth out unattractive lines underneath clothing.
Thigh-high
stockings are a type of hosiery that begin at the toe and have an
elastic band at the top to prevent them from sliding down. Some have
clips at the top to attach the thigh-high stocking to a garter strap.
The lack of a waistline keeps thigh-high hosiery from bunching at the
waist, yet the thigh-high length provides nylon coverage well above the
level of the knee.
Pantyhose are another kind of
hosiery that extends from the toes to the waistline. At the waistline,
an elastic band keeps the pantyhose from falling down. Pantyhose can
have a seam running up the back of the leg or they can be seamless. They
can be made from nylon, spandex, lace, or silk. Pantyhose come in a
multitude of colors and can be so sheer they look like they are the skin
of the person wearing them.
Anklets and knee-highs are
types of dress sock hosiery. Dress socks are made of thin material that
prevents the shoes from feeling tight, but also prevents the shoes from
rubbing on a person’s foot. Anklets barely come to the anklebone, while
knee-highs come to just below the knee.
Tights are
another form of hosiery, but the material used to make tights is often
denser than that of other hosiery types. Tights are never sheer and they
come in a wide array of colors, patterns, and materials.
