Fibre content on these listings is written the way most clothing listings write it, which is to say briefly and sometimes not at all. Where the brand names a fabric it is on the product page under Material. What follows is what those names mean in wear, and how to look after them.
The fibres you will meet here
- Cotton knit. The winter end of the hosiery range. Warm, opaque, forgiving on the thigh because the knit gives, and it holds a cable or a rib pattern well. It also relaxes over a day of wear, so a pair that feels snug in the morning may need pulling up by evening.
- Nylon and spandex. The sheer end. Thin, quick to dry, and unforgiving of jewellery, rough nails and dry heels. A sheer pair that catches once is finished, so put them on with the ring off.
- Lace. Mostly used as a top band or a panel rather than the whole garment. Lace bands look better than plain elastic and grip slightly less, which is why several of these pairs put silicone behind the lace.
- Tulle and mesh. Skirt territory. Light, holds volume, wrinkles less than you expect, and snags on velcro from three feet away.
- Denim. On a handful of skirts. Sizes down slightly on the first wash if it is cotton heavy, so if you are between waist figures on a denim piece, take the larger one.
The silicone band, and why it matters more than the fabric
Most of the stay up hosiery here uses a band of silicone dots or stripes on the inside of the top rather than elastic alone. Silicone grips skin, elastic grips by squeezing, and squeezing is what leaves a mark and then gives up anyway once the elastic warms up.
Two things kill a silicone band. Body lotion, because the band then slides on a film instead of gripping skin, so put hosiery on before moisturiser or leave a bare strip where the band sits. And fabric softener, because it coats the silicone permanently. If a stay up has stopped staying up, softener is the usual culprit and the damage does not wash out.
Washing
- Cold water. Heat is what relaxes elastane, and relaxed elastane is a pair that bags at the knee.
- Mesh bag for anything sheer. Hosiery finds zips and hooks in a drum the way it finds nothing else.
- No softener on anything with a silicone band. See above.
- Air dry flat or over a rail. A tumble dryer will cost you a season of wear on nylon and will shrink cotton knits a size.
- Wash new dark colours on their own the first time. Deep reds and blacks in this range bleed a little at first, which is normal for dyed hosiery and only a problem if it happens next to something pale.
Storage
Roll rather than fold, and keep sheers away from anything with velcro, sequins or a rough zip. Sequinned skirts and fishnets in the same drawer is a slow disaster. If a pair has a silicone band, store it flat rather than stretched over a hanger.