Melting Tights from Germany by URB brand

by Helene, Belarus

A few days ago my friend shared with me this link and her excitement about this new kind of melting tights. Well, I was excited too and even was thinking of how to get a pair of them for myself. But luckily I had a long journey and enough time to think about it.

melting tights on models

CAN I WEAR IT ON THE STREET?

OK, let us suppose I will buy such tights. But what after that? Where shall I wear them? Maybe I will be able to wear them for some extraordinary party or event, which usually takes place once in a blue moon.

If I wear them outside instead of normal tights I will attract everyone’s attention.  Maybe I’ll get comments from people.  But the biggest fun it would be if I put them on in autumn, when it rains all time, and let people wonder what’s going on.

melting tights on teenagers

 

SAME EFFECT WITH TANNING CREAM – ALMOST!

This reminds me of a story which my friend told me. She was trying to get some tan and used special cream for that. That was supposed to be of a good quality and she really believed in it till once she got caught in rain. This cream reacted with rain water and formed a thick layer of foam flowing down her legs! Could you imagine how embarrassed she was walking outside?

melting tights by URB

HOLES AND RUNS DEBATE

Some of these designs combine the paint with the holes and runs.  In my opinion those holes just make tights look awful. Maybe I am old-fashioned, but then why do majority of women throw away tights when they are torn?  Some people may continue wearing it with the same pride as if it were designer clothes and even think of it as sexy. Anyway it is up to one’s taste, but I can’t stand any kind of holes or runs in my tights.  Holes in tights are not a new invention, so let us turn back to paint flows on these melting tights.

melting pantyhose trio

SOME WILL DO ANYTHING FOR THE SAKE OF ATTENTION

Well, one evident advantage is that people will turn their attention to tights rather than to legs, that is why this attire is the best choice for those whose legs are far from perfect. It is summer now and many girls and women try to beautify themselves by wearing the most incredible things. Short skirts and dresses when legs are far from perfect, massive rings when fingers are swollen from heat, thick make-up flowing from heat and sweat, so those tights can complete the image. Flowing make-up and flowing paint will be a perfect combination.

melting tights blue and yellow

CAN MEN WEAR IT?

With women taking on professions that were traditionally performed by males, it’s not a surprise that men wouldn’t borrow anything from women.  So logically – why not men then wearing tights?  Then they also shall not forget about dresses and skirts. URB brand came out with melting tights for both genders.

melting tights for men

 

MAYBE A TREND FOR TEENAGERS?

These tights can be really good for teenagers who like to be different and stand out from crowd. Shorts or short skirt, bright running shoes or comfortable shoes, bright top – and the teenager-girl will look wonderful. All suits them if chosen with taste.

But I don’t think it’s OK for those who aren’t in their teenage years anymore. Of course adult women will attract much attention when they try to put on such tights, but this will be not the kind of attention they are looking for. If you are not a teenager anymore, not a model or a TV-star, then better avoid such thing.

melting tights by URB brand

IN MY FASHIONABLE CONCLUSION

Such tights is quite good and innovative idea, everything has a right to exist. And we choose carefully where it’s appropriate and where it isn’t.

I come to a conclusion that even though it can be fun, but when it comes to daily wear this style is not for me. So I will wait until I become a celebrity TV host or a famous sci-fi movie actress and then I can go ahead and make a hell of a fashion statement!

Digital Art by J. Aton: Even Wonder Woman Needs Run-Resistant Pantyhose

Even Wonder Woman has trouble finding run-resistant brands!  This painting of a Wonder Woman and her hosiery problems is by J. Aton.

You can see more work by Aton here: http://atondigitalart.blogspot.com/

Run Resistant Hosiery

Some Styles of Run Resistant Hosiery are Available at the Shop Section!

This article is by T. Gallagher from USA, an industry expert and a person with great knowledge about different types of run resistant hosiery.  We express such gratitude to him for taking the time to write for Fantasy Stockings blog and share his knowledge.

buy run resistant hosiery for better performance

This is a package of Brooke’s run resistant pantyhose.

See if you can relate to this story. Its Monday morning, you hit the snooze on your alarm clock one too many times, and now you are running late for work. You are in a full blown frenzy desperately trying to get out the door. You rush to brush your teeth, shower, get dressed, do your hair, and get your makeup just right. You open a new package of your favorite pantyhose. You slip your feet in, gently slide the hose up your legs, tuck yourself in, only to realize that you have a huge run up the back of your leg.

Seriously, what business professional wants to be in the middle of a presentation and realize she has a glaring unsightly run up the side of her leg for all to see?  For that matter, who wants to be at an elegant dinner party or wedding and discover a snag has opened up into an unsightly hole or ladder? Ladders, rips, runs, and snags are often cited by women as the main reason they don’t wear or stopped wearing hosiery including pantyhose stockings and tights.

There is a solution: Run resistant hosiery technology. Run resistant hosiery technology does exist and has been around for decades. When manufactured correctly, hosiery that utilizes run-resistant technology is not only more durable it actually increases the appeal and experience of wearing hosiery. Run-resistant hosiery technology is relatively inexpensive to incorporate in the manufacturing process.

For years, the hosiery industry chose to shelve run-resistant technology. Hosiery manufacturers were slow to embrace and invest in new advances in sewing and textile equipment and processes.
They were content with the status quo and followed the short sighted logic that they would lose business and profit if they made hosiery that was durable. "Sell more to make more profit" was the prevailing thought process of most hosiery manufacturers. Instead of making a product that would last, they chose to make a product that was prone to fail. Had the manufacturers incorporated run resistant technology when it first became available, one could argue more women would still be wearing hosiery today.

buy run resistant hosiery

Run resistant technology for hosiery involves a two-step process.

The first step in producing run resistant hosiery involves changing how the fibers and threads forming the hosiery are stitched, machined, or woven together. In regular hosiery (prone to ladders, runs, rips, and snags) the fibers and threads are plain stitched together which is a looser weave or stitch process. In run-resistant hosiery, the weave or stitch is tightened up. Tightening the weave is referred to as the knotting process or lock stitching. In some hosiery, the knotting process or lock stitching is focused on key areas prone to runs including the waistband, panty, crotch, gusset, heel, toes, and the transition point between the panty and leg. In true run resistant hosiery, the knotting process or lock stitching is incorporated throughout the entire product from waistband to toe.

The second step in run-resistant hosiery involves blending the original nylon fiber with another synthetic or natural fiber. Some examples include acrylic, acetates, cotton, lycra/spandex, polyesters, polyethylene, polyurethane, and polyvinyl, rayon, silk, and wool fibers. The most common blend in hosiery is to combine nylon with lycra/spandex. By increasing the amount of lycra/spandex content, the more run-resistant the hosiery becomes. For example, a pair of pantyhose with a 80% nylon and 20% lycra/spandex blend is going to be more run resistant or more durable than a pair with a 90% nylon and 10% lycra/spandex blend. One drawback to incorporating more Lycra/Spandex into the blend is the denier or thickness of the hosiery increases. A true sheer pantyhose blend would have a 86% Nylon and 14% Lycra/Spandex content. Anything more would result in a heavier denier or thicker ‘tights like’ hosiery product.

buy run resistant hosiery for better performance

run resistant hosiery won’t snag easily

A shortcut would be to stop at the stitching process. However, the finished product would be rougher and uncomfortable to wear. Likewise, blending nylon with lycra/spandex fibers alone would still lead to ladders, rips, runs, and snags. To achieve wearable run-resistant hosiery both steps must be utilized.

 

An early example of a run resistant hosiery brand that I remember was the Brooke Shields Forever Sheer Non-Run Pantyhose. Brooke would sell her brand of hosiery on infomercials only. During her half hour commercial she would take knives, forks, staples, scissors, and other sharp objects to her hose and show they would not snag or run. The visual demonstrations were quite effective and consumer response was strong.

More recently, Microfiber technology has been incorporated in the manufacturing of hosiery as a way to increase run resistance. Microfiber technology is also a process of blending fibers. Microfibers are more commonly synthetic fibers although some natural fibers have been incorporated in the process. The shape, size and combinations of synthetic fibers are selected for specific characteristics, including: softness, durability, breathability, thermal regulating, and wicking properties. Microfiber is also very elastic, making it ideal for hosiery. Microfibers allow for stronger more durable hosiery at lower denier or thickness. Not only does microfiber technology enhance run-resistance… Microfiber technology increases overall comfort, durability, fit, and feel of hosiery. Have you ever felt hot or tend to perspire wearing hosiery? How about a binding sensation or itchy feeling from a pair of pantyhose? Ever have a pair of pantyhose or tights lose their shape, sag, or bunch up/wrinkle at the ankle? Thanks to the incorporation of microfibers into hosiery those problems can also be a thing of the past.

buy run resistant hosiery for better performance

Example of a hole in run resistant hosiery. This specific one is from Forte run resistant tights by Fiore.

High end manufacturers of hosiery in Europe were the first to incorporate run-resistant technology including the use of microfibers in their hosiery products. Brands like Wolford, Falke, Kunert, Gypsy, Gerbe, Filodoro, Elbeo, Cette, Pretty Polly, and Transparenze all have incorporated run resistant technology and the use of microfibers into their product lines. United States brands like Hanes, Berkshire, Just My Size, Leggs, No-Nonsense and Silkies were soon to follow. They all have released run-resistant hosiery in their product lines. Asian manufacturers have also started producing lines of run resistant hosiery.

One can only hope that hosiery manufacturers have learned from their mistakes of the past… opting for the wise choice to embrace improved processes and technology that lead to better products for their customers.

 

Have you tried or do you have a favorite brand of run resistant hosiery? Tell us about it and share your story below.

 

Vintage Youtube videos for Other Run Resistant Pantyhose

1990 Run Free Pantyhose commercial

K-tel “Perfect Pantyhose” commercial

*Friends, please check out the shop section, this is what funds this blog. At the moment Gatta and Fiore run resistant hosiery is available to buy.*

Hosiery to suit the season and the occasion

A young woman in lingerie is browsing through her pantyhose while getting ready for work.

Nowadays, hosiery comes in a huge variety of different styles and colours, which means that the modern woman has a lot of freedom when it comes to what she wears on her legs every season.

However, this variety also means that it is easy to get carried away and choose something that is not appropriate for the occasion.

For example, if you are a professional woman, going to work in a place with a dress code, you should avoid wearing bright colours or ‘busy’ patterns. These can make you look less professional, and if they clash with your outfit, the effect can be even worse.

According to the etiquette book I’ve read recently, in their hosiery section they suggest for business women to wear light colour like beige or tan hosiery in the summer and black or charcoal in winter.

This is how I keep my pantyhose – in original packaging stacked in a box for easy retrieval.

I strongly suggest to keep your hosiery well organized.  If this is something that you wear a lot, it is a good idea to have plenty of it and keep it well arranged patterns separately, stay ups separately, and so on.

That way, if you have been relaxing in the morning over breakfast and realize that you are almost late for work, you will not have the disastrous realization that you are out of proper hosiery.

If you have some damaged hosiery that you fixed and still wear with boots or under pants, make sure it is kept in a separate bag all together from all the good ones.  As you know, I am a big fan of recycling myself.

I strongly suggest to keep flawed pantyhose (that are to be worn with boots or under pants) separately from the new ones. You don’t want to be late for work in the morning because you had to sort through a pile of hosiery.

 

If you are not into separating it, it’s better to throw it away because  there is nothing worse than putting on a pair of hosiery and arriving to work, only to notice that they have a run in from the last time your wore them.

Knowing how fragile the hosiery can be, it is suggested to keep an extra pair in your purse or at your desk.  I also found this being mentioned in the etiquette book that I’ve read.

On the weekends, you can be more adventurous with your hosiery, perhaps going for some colours or patterns.  We all get tired from our work clothes.

zverni uvagu show putting on pantyhose

Keep in mind the season and the occasion.

But hey, even when not at  work, it is a still important to make sure that the rest of your outfit goes will with them in order to avoid looking like a clown.  A rule of thumb is that if you are wearing patterns in your clothing, your hosiery must be plain.  If you are wearing plain clothing, then you can consider adding patterned hose to complete the outfit.

*Friends, the only funding for this blog is from the shop section.  Please indulge your pantyhose obsession and show some support for my work!  Your purchases make this blog possible.*