Tips on Wearing and Caring for Vintage Hosiery

For any gal who is crazy about pretty lingerie from yesteryear and loves to wear and collect it (like yours truly), you might wonder how you go about maintaining it. Since these vintage pieces are old, they require a little extra care and maintenance, and while slips, bras, panties, and even garter belts are pretty easy to wash and take care of (just make sure they are HAND washed), the biggest challange of all are vintage stockings. Vintage hosiery not only presents the most challange to clean and maintain, but also to put on and wear as they are extremely delicate and fragile. I am here to give all of you ladies out there who collect, or want to start collecting vintage hosiery a few tips on how to maintain and wear it, so you will have them in fabulous condition for years to come!

Okay, first things first, we need to establish proper handling and wearing of these dainty little specimens. It goes without saying, that any sort of hosiery is susceptible to runs and snags, but real vintage stockings are more prone to them than any other kind. Stockings back in the early to mid 20th Century were made out of complete silk or nylon and did not stretch. They are very, very, VERY sheer and delicate and quite literally have the consistency of tissue paper (which is why they make a sound when you cross and uncross your legs together). Just one tiny poke from a hangnail or the slightest bit of pressure will give your pretty vintage stockings a hideous run or ladder. When you put them on, make sure your fingernails are trimmed and filed and that any hangnails are clipped off (this goes double for your toenails as they will actually be touching your stockings). I always use a hand lotion to make sure I get anything rough softened, and I also use lotion on my feet and legs before I put the stockings on, again making sure my skin is extra soft and devoid of the rough stuff.

When you start to put your stockings on, gather the first one up and very gently slip it on around your toes. Using your fingers, pull the stocking up very carefully without applying too much pressure. Move it up and up until you have the stocking completely on your leg (if your stockings are seamed, be sure to put them on in front of a mirror to make sure you get the seams straight) than attach the garters to the stocking top (welt). If the garter clasps do not quite reach the top of the welt, adjust your garters to make them longer, DO NOT stretch the stocking so it will go up higher. If you do that, when you sit or bend your knees, the stocking will pull and you will get a nasty run. You want some slack so to speak in your stockings (and yes, those wrinkles around your toes and around your knees are just fine). Follow the same steps on the other leg.

When it comes time to wash your stockings, you must be even more cautious and careful since the nylon and silk material in vintage hosiery is old and is more likely to deteriorate with harsh chemicals. When you clean your hosiery, make sure you use a special detergent that's designed for washing delicate lingerie (Victoria's Secret carries a great detergent that works wonderfully on undergarments old and new) and hand wash in cool water. Since vintage silks and nylons are so delicate, don't submerge them completely in water, but simply wash the feet and toes very gently and use a spray bottle for the legs. Hang them up to dry. If you have any stockings with rhinestones or other little embellishments, be extra careful not to rub on them. Again, a little advice from Miss Caution: treat embellished stockings like they are worth a million dollars a leg!! Not only are vintage novelty stockings very rare (they were made to be worn for special occasions back in the day), but they are very valuable and you want to take good care of them so that they will last you several wears or more.

Storage of your vintage hosiery is also very important. Since I buy all of my vintage nylons deadstock, they almost always come in their original boxes which are wonderful because they are very sturdy and easy to stack. Sometimes though, I will come accross a pair that is missing its box, so in this case I simply fold them up, wrap them in a soft cloth, and put them in a Ziplock bag. I know a plastic baggie may sound like a cheap storage method for collectible hosiery, but it really works the best as the bags are airtight and will keep out the elements. Store your stockings in a cool place if you can (remember the delicate fabrics which they are made of) or room temperature at best. SInce I love to be organized, I always assort mine by colors (flesh, taupe, black, purple, etc.) and style (seamed, novelty, seamless, etc.) which makes finding a pair to wear in the morning so much easier ;)

Vintage hosiery is fastly becoming a hot collector's item, and with each passing decade, their value is only going to increase, as is their delicacy. Back in the day, several pairs came in a box, as the manufacturers knew they would run and snag very easily with everyday wear and thus a lady would conveniently have another pair or two at her disposal. Since that is no longer the case anymore, we vintage loving gals must take extra special care of our silky treasures. Follow all of my tips for keeping and maintaining vintage stockings, and treat them like the valuable collector's items they are and ALWAYS make sure your seams are straight ;)