When you imagine vintage inspired hosiery your mind immediately go towards Seamed stockings, the humble stocking certainly grew in popularity during the post World War II years and it's that iconic seamed "fully fashioned" style that we go to today.
There certainly is something glamorous about seamed nylons that add a touch of allure to an outfit, the humble seamed stocking has certainly grown in popularity over recent years with various takes on the iconic style and an abundance of choices to go for, so how do you choose which brand to wear? I've saved you the leg work (pardon the pun) and tested out a range of styles available.
Seamed stockings
When it comes to Seamed Stockings you really are spoilt for choice, every Tom, Dick and Harry seems to have their own take on the seamed stocking these days it's almost hard to know just where to start, of course the immediate choice that springs to mind is vintage lingerie purveyors What Katie Did.
What Katie Did have become infamous for their signature seams taking inspiration from vintage hosiery to create a modern day take on the iconic style. With plenty of styles to choose from their classic 15 denier seamed stockings are hard to beat, as long lasting as they are wonderfully comfortable, their range of shades are also outstanding giving you a choice of shades to suit all, more than worth stretching out for.
A little pricier than the WKD option, Kiss Me Deadly's fully fashion stockings by Cervin are certainly something special. A sleek glossy stocking with a slender fit and the iconic keyhole loop, if you fancy something extra special they are worth it.
Of course we all need a budget option for those of us with tighter purse strings Silky's Scarlet seamer stockings certainly have the look. A comfortable fit with a slightly silky appearance compared to the former pairs, if you fancy a pair for day to day wear or as a handy spare they certainly do the trick without blowing the budget.
And for something different Gio's Contrast seamed stockings are a little gorgeous, with a sheer finish in a wonderfully contrasting black and red.
Of course there are plenty of other takes on the humble seamed stockings out there from the classic Pamela Mann Jive stockings to Aristoc's lace topped hold up's and what if you don't fancy stockings? There's always the alternative of seamed tights.
Seamed tights
For those of us who prefer a bit more warmth during the colder months a pair of seamed tights are certainly handy to keep around. Compared to their stocking counterpart it can be harder to find a pair of seamed tights with only a handful of brands out there at the moment, What Katie Did have of course got the humble classic spot on with their Retro seamed tights, as equally durable and glamorous as their stockings and of course available in a wide range of shades.
Pamela Mann's Jive tights are a wonderful alternative, incredibly comfortable and durable, a little less costlier than the WKD option and available in some wonderful contrasting styles including a fetching black and fushcia.
Silky also offer a create tight version of their seamed stockings, as equally silky as their stockings and an incredibly comfortable fit, not as broad on the sizing as their former choices though, petite and tall ladies may find their one size 'medium' fits all option a little difficult to work around.
When it comes to seamed tights there is little choice to go between, but with many manufacturers starting to turn towards a tights option there is hope yet.
Images: What Katie Did & Tights please
