Top 10 of 2011 #1 Kunert Satin Look 20 & Oroblu Magic 20 (Tie)

I really did have two favorite pairs of pantyhose for 2011, and I couldn't decide which one I liked more, so I took the easy way out and picked them both. Of all the pantyhose I tried this year, these both did really stand out in a very big way, so I thought I'd just go ahead and put them both at the top.

Kunert Satin Look 20 - Originally reviewed on 1/11.

I had seen the Kunert name around before, but these were the first pantyhose I had ever tried from them. My initial reaction was that I could not believe how much they reminded me of the Wolford Satin Touch 20, as I even pointed out in a follow-up post, shortly after reviewing the Kunerts. Other than the tags, of course, really the only other noticeable difference between the two, as I pointed out in the post, was price, as you should be able to find websites that will sell you two pairs of the Kunert pantyhose for what it would cost you to buy one pair of the Wolford's. Other than that, I can vouch that they are made from similar construction, look and feel just about the same, and they're available in equally as many sizes and colors.

Trying the Kunert's prompted me to run out and buy an additional seven or so pairs, I was so much in love with them. These really are my favorite pantyhose and I can't see anything to come along to change that...

...except for...

Oroblu Magic 20 - Originally reviewed 6/24.

I had already formulated a serious love for Oroblu even before trying the Magic 20. I had liked everything I tried so much that there was no question in my mind I would like the Magic 20s before I even tried them. I was not disappointed. These were the same high quality, bright shine and sheer comfort as the Kunert's, and the Wolford's too, for that matter. As much as I loved some of my other products from Oroblu, these quickly became my favorite.

These have the same sensual feel as the Kunert pantyhose, and cost only a dollar more. Upon trying these, I pretty much had to stock up on them. They remind me very much of the Falke Seidenglatt pantyhose (#4 on this list), but they were stronger and sure to outlast the costlier Falke.

Out of everything I tried this year, these two really were the ultimate pairs of pantyhose. They shaped my purchases going forward throughout the year, and I found myself comparing everything else I tried, as the year went on, to these two. I hope everyone enjoyed this countdown, and I hope everyone has a fabulous New Year.

I probably don't say this enough, but thanks to everyone who stops by my blog, regularly. As I type this on December 29, I am shocked to say that there have been over 262 thousand page views on my blog this year. When I started this a few years back, I had doubts that anyone would read this. When I switched to a pretty much all pantyhose format, I assumed I'd lose many of my readers. I don't think I'll ever stop being amazed by your support, and I can't thank everybody enough.

I hope you all have a safe and amazing New Year. I'll see you all in 2012.

Top 10 of 2011 #2 Max Mara Diana

Originally reviewed 3/1.

Along with Wolford, Max Mara is the brand most responsible for making me the pantyhose addict I am today. This blog began as a lingerie blog, with the intention of touching on leg wear from time to time. Like most people, my pantyhose experience, at that time, was pretty much limited to what I had purchased off the shelf in department stores. It was nice enough, but still more of an afterthought. Until, that is, I, pretty much by accident, purchased a pair of Max Mara pantyhose at a large post-Christmas discount. Between that pair and some of the Wolford and Falke purchases, I came to realize that pantyhose are a pleasure to wear. If you ditch the department store hose and buy products from Europe, it's a whole different experience. That began the process of this blog becoming more and more about pantyhose.

The Diana's were my favorite of the favorites. As I've said quite a few times now, Max Mara makes the softest feeling tights I've ever tried. They feel very luxurious on the skin. On top of that I was (and still am) positively in love with the small hoop pattern, done over these sheer pantyhose. I'm always a fan of the dot look on pantyhose, and this was just a well-done variation of that.

These remain among the tights I wear as often as possible. As soon as they come out of the wash they are always back in the front of the drawer, where I can grab them and wear them right away again.

For those interested, these remain available at UK Tights. I may just go back and grab another pair.

Top 10 of 2011: #3 Hudson Glamour Glossy Tights

Originally reviewed 3/22.

These pantyhose are proof that price isn't always the best indication of what you're getting. The Hudson Glamour Glossy Tights retail for around $12, yet I thought enough of them to place them a slot ahead of the much more costly Falke Seidenglatt 15.

The reason for this is that I believe the Hudson pantyhose actually deliver a bit more quality than the Falke counterpart. For one thing, the Hudson's have a comfort top that is better than any I've seen on any other pantyhose. The band is wide and soft and helps to keep the pantyhose in place while also not rolling. Anyone who has dealt with the annoyance of cheap pantyhose that slide or roll out of place know how important that is.

In addition, the pantyhose are 20 denier so, while sheer, they are stronger than the Falkes and should last for many additional wears. I can't even remember how many times I've worn these pantyhose, and they still look as good as the first time I wore them. With a little care, these tights really can last for a long time. And it isn't too late either, as they are still available for purchase on the UK Tights website.

Kate, Katie, and The Revival?

As long as I'm in year-in-review mode, why not take a look back to that afternoon in July when I, in my own tongue-in-cheek way, relayed my happiness to the world (and deeply annoyed one reader, in the process) over the idea that Duchess Kate Middleton was bringing pantyhose back. While I don't typically follow the Royals at all, this one news bit that Middleton was a regular pantyhose wearer made me as happy as it apparently made many other fashion bloggers quite the opposite. But it seems her influence could not be denied as respondents to an US magazine poll responded that "stockings were elegant" by a 3 to 1 margin, now that Kate was wearing them.

Fast forward to three days ago and the premier of Mission Impossible 3. The aligning of the stars has seemed to continue as Katie Holmes dressed for the big event in blue dress finished off by some pantyhose. As the accompanying story notes, it seems stockings are making a comeback.

Indeed, the product that had been declared Dead at 43 is in the midst of a revival of sorts. Sure enough, as Autumn, and eventually Winter descended upon my fair city, stockings are becoming more and more present.

As you might expect, I couldn't be happier with this development. I'll refrain from walking around town and dropping a few "I told you so"s, since I've been wearing the pantyhose all along. But I am hoping that Katie has a little bit of the influence Kate has. If she does, and some of our other fashion icons continue the trend, who knows, maybe we'll all soon be in pantyhose.

If and when that day comes, just don't forget who's blog had been extolling the virtues of pantyhose all along ;-).

I Don't Think This Is Gonna Work

Some of you may have noticed I'm not doing my Hollywood/Celebrity thing nearly as much as I used to. But a couple of relevant topics have hit the (sort of) mainstream lately, so why not get back into it for a day?

ABC has recently green-lit a new sit com "Work It", that has the Human Rights Campaign, as well as various other GLBT groups up in arms. Briefly, the concept behind this show, from what I can gather, is a couple of "manly men," as they put it, lose their jobs as car salesmen and soon discover that it's a woman's workplace out there, these days. Logically, they dress in drag in order to, I don't know, level the playing field, I guess, and land jobs as women. One of the print ads for the show, which is set to launch shortly after the new year, show a backside view of the two...er...gentlemen, in drag, at urinals, skirts hiked up with the caption They Wont Take Unemployment Sitting Down.

Couple of initial thoughts:

-While you can certainly make the argument that this is offensive to the transgender community, this appears, to me, to be more of a shot at females, many of whom still struggle for equal wage and respect in the workplace. Lost in the uproar caused by GLBT groups, is the premise of the show that it is, in fact, guys who face discrimination in the job market today. I can't help but wonder how many women were sitting in the board room when this show was green lit, and how they reacted to this idea, given their own climb into said boardroom.

-I admit that sitcoms can often come with a certain need for suspension of disbelief...my next reaction is....really? These are two guys with lipstick in a dress and a wig. We're supposed to believe they convinced all of their co-workers they're female?

-ABC is quick to point out that it is among the forefront in networks to prominently feature gay couples and situations, most notably in Modern Family and Grey's Anatomy. It can also be argued, however, that transgender and gay are still two separate entities (and those who are familiar with the struggle to get the Transgenter 'T' added to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender acronym (GLBT) might probably agree) . Perhaps more importantly, the two shows mentioned above primarily incorporate gay topics into their show in a positive light. At best, this show has nothing to do with transgenderism, as the guys are merely donning dresses to gain some sort of alleged advantage, at worst, the show is mocking transgenderism, something many people struggle with every day, as, in general, transgender groups have not yet made many of the strides towards acceptance that gay, lesbian, and bisexual groups have.

-Is the transgender community being too sensitive? The argument could be made that transgenders are not being made fun of here, fun is being made of two guys who were so desperate for employment, they tried to pass as women to do so (in this case does this poke fun at the record number of people who can't find jobs in this economy and are struggling to make ends meet, suggesting that maybe a gender change might solve their problem?). Feeling like you were born the wrong gender and feeling it so strongly that you'd rather present as the so-called opposite sex, even to the detriment of one's employment, is a very real issue facing a lot of people today. Presenting as a different gender will certainly rule one out of the possibility of employment for a (seemingly high) percentage of workplaces. Despite this many people still present as the opposite gender they were born with. How hurtful (if at all) is ABC's message to that group?

My own personal opinion? I'm not sure I've formulated one yet. The premise of the show does seem insensitive, but on the other hand I wouldn't have watched this show anyway. It doesn't seem particularly entertaining and, as I stated above, the whole concept of it doesn't make any sense to me. But what do I know? This show will probably be the ratings darling of ABC by next year at this time.

Top 10 of 2011: #4 Falke Seidenglatt 15

One of my favorite pairs of pantyhose, from one of my favorite designers.

Originally reviewed 5/3.

I gushed about them a second time on 11/11.

These are pretty close to being the ultimate in pantyhose, as far as I'm concerned. The only reasons 3 other pairs finished ahead of the Falke Seidenglatt 15 on this list is because of the relatively steep price tag and the relatively short shelf life of these pantyhose. In terms of the price tag, while I've seen them retail for upwards of $30, you can get them at a relative steal (Just under $16) here. And believe me, when I saw that price, I bought (close to) every color. In terms of shelf life, these tights are somewhat delicate. No, they're not the wear once and throw away kind, by any means, but at 15 denier, you can't reasonably expect these pantyhose to be around forever either. Some other designers make similar pantyhose at 20 denier. They look almost the same on the leg, but they last a hell of a lot longer. That has to be taken under consideration.

All of that said, I absolutely love these. If money were no object (and if I took torn pantyhose a little less personally) these might just be the only pantyhose I owned. They have a silky soft feel and a gorgeous shine. These look amazing in any color you choose and feel even better. They come from a designer that has never delivered anything but high quality, as far as I'm concerned. These are definitely among the all-time favorites for me. Just writing about them makes me want to go buy more...

Top 10 of 2011: #5 Pierre Mantoux Lorine Mock Stocking Tights

Originally Reviewed on 1/4.

Can anyone believe how fast December is going by? I thought I could easily bang out 10 posts looking back over the course of the year, but as I'm looking at my calendar now, and realizing I still have 5 of these posts left, I'm realizing I've got to start wrapping this up.

The review for the Pierre Mantoux Loring Mock Stocking Tights is almost a year old, itself, at this point. It was the first of what would turn out to be many pantyhose reviews over the course of 2011. But even after all the other reviews I did, these remained among my favorites.

I loved the floral mock-stocking design of these. The legs of these hose have such incredible detail. They look absolutely amazing. I also liked these because they had incredible fit. Pierre Mantoux is known for having pantyhose that cover an incredibly wide size range so you're sure to find the perfect fit. I still wear these very often, and whenever I do, I'm reminded of how much I like them and how I should really look into trying some more items from Pierre Mantoux. In fact, that is a great idea. I'll have to put this name at the top of my list for 2012.

Top 10 of 2011: #6 Cecilia de Rafael Agata 20

Originally Reviewed 3/25

As I said when I originally reviewed, the mere sight of these pantyhose left me stunned. I reviewed these during a period of time when I was posting at least two reviews a week, so it was easy for some products to blend in and get lost. That's what really set these apart, in my opinion, they were so memorable.

At the time I was reviewing a lot of shiny tights. The shine on these may have surpassed them all, however. The Agata 20 were constructed out of an extra shiny yarn which really makes the shine on these pop. I'm sure you can see this quite clearly in the photo.

I also like them because they weren't super-sheer at 20 denier. I've said this a few times, but I've always found 20 to be the perfect denier count. The tights are still sheer, but they are strong enough to not damage too easily and heavy enough that they stay in place, throughout the day. Pantyhose with too low of a denier count not only seem to tear way too easily, but they also tend to get out of place over the course of the day. These did not.

Finally, these were designed to fit just about any body type possible. The legs are contoured and boarded to fit the shape of the leg and the foot perfectly. There was also a very generous lycra count, which helps these tights stretch more where they need to and constrict more as well, molding perfectly to the wearer's body shape. They also had a huge variety of sizes and colors and cost right around $11 a pair. Best part is, if you like these, you can still get them at Shapings.

Photo courtesy of shapings.com

Top 10 of 2011: #7 Oroblu Floriana

Originally reviewed 4/10.

I reviewed a ton of Oroblu pantyhose this past year, and I really must say I loved all of them. Oroblu delivers a ton of quality for the price they charge. It seems like everything they make looks flawless and feels great. It's all very reasonably priced too, as it stands up quite well to the Wolfords and Falkes. Lately, when I am buying pantyhose for personal use (rather than purposely seeking out new brands/styles to review here) I always find myself going back to Oroblu. There really aren't any better brands for that price.

With all of the Oroblu I reviewed, I had several that could've made the list. The Floriana pantyhose did because they had the Oroblu quality and comfort that I had quickly grown accustomed to, and they also had a gorgeous floral pattern that I immediately fell in love with. I loved the soft, light beige tone of the tights and the way the colorful flowers just popped off the leg. The watercolor flower look was and still is a really unique look. I can't think of any other pantyhose to compare these to.

These really were the pantyhose of the spring and summer, as far as I was concerned. And I can attest to the quality as they're continuing to last me well into the winter. They were a seasonal item, so they're no longer available. But I'll be on the lookout for something similar this spring. Hopefully Oroblu can do it to me again.

Review: Adore Me Grace

A while back I posted about a then-soon-to-launch website, Adore Me, and their custom-created lingerie showrooms. Since then, they have launched, I have given them a try, and I am back to report about the experience.

First let's start with the custom showroom. Upon creating a free account at Adore Me, I was asked a few basic questions so they could get a better idea about my style. Minutes later, I was treated to a variety of lingerie collections, geared towards my style. I have to admit, I loved all of their selected looks. What's even better is next month (and every month) they'll have a whole new collection for me to check out.

The one that stood out to me the most, however, was the Grace set, pictured here. Long-time readers of my blog are probably not surprised that I was instantly drawn into the sheer set. Indeed, the delicate feminine set was screaming my name.

My experience with sheer lingerie has been both good and bad. Sometimes sheer lingerie can look stunning and feel delightful. Other times is can be ill-fitting and uncomfortable. It all depends on the materials and care used during the product design.

The grace set fits beautifully and feels even better. This set pretty much instantly became one of my favorites.

The shorts are sheer in the back and lacy in the front. The waistband and leg openings have a lovely lace detail to them and it is all finished with a big satin bow in the front. The fit of the shorts is perfect in every way. The material is soft and smooth and gives enough stretch to fit your shape perfect. The shorts are amazingly comfortable and feel great all day long. The look is equally amazing. The sheer back leaves just enough to the imagination to make wearing them more seductive than wearing nothing at all.

I think I liked the cami even better than the shorts. The soft material feels great against the skin and the shape of the cami seems to narrow you just a bit through the waist before flowing just a bit away at the bottom. It has small adjustable straps that don't dig in and feel good no matter how long you're wearing the cami. The lace cups match the front of the shorts while the rest of the piece is sheer, but not completely see through, just enough. Finally, the cups meet at another satin bow, which matches the one on the shorts.

This set is a must own. It is feminine and sexy, and yet completely comfortable. Because of the look, you'll want to wear it when you're trying to be your most seductive, but because of the fit and the feel, you'll want to wear it every day. For much less than the mall lingerie retailer would charge you for a similar set, I would definitely encourage you to check out the Grace set from Adore Me. I'm sure it will become a favorite of yours as well.

Top 10 of 2011: #8 Levante Bouquet

Originally Reviewed 4/12

Levante was one of the first brands I discovered when I started blogging regularly about pantyhose. Upon discovering that there was about a million brands outside of what I was seeing in every department store nearby, I instantly took to Levante because of their affordability. When I began seeing what regular trips to the Wolford store was doing to my wallet, Levante became a go-to brand for me because I could build up my collection for what just a few pairs of Wolfords cost me.

All of this said, Levante doesn't typically make tights that stand out in a collection. 'Typically' being the key word.

From pretty much the instant I saw the Levante Bouquet pantyhose, I knew I needed to have them. They were and remain one of the more unique pairs of pantyhose I own, and not unique in a hit-you-over-the-head kind of way.

White pantyhose can be tricky, but Levante does these perfectly, with a gorgeous dot pattern with a floral design done over it. These were perfect springtime tights and they probably will be equally good next spring. If nothing else, I'll always appreciate the design that Levante came up with for these pantyhose.

Top 10 of 2011: #9 Trasparenze Becky

Originally reviewed 3/8.

My countdown of the best pantyhose I reviewed in 2011, continues. If you missed #10...why not catch up here?

2011 may very well have been the year of Trasparenze for me. I purchased, wore, and reviewed quite a few different pairs of pantyhose from this designer. Part of this probably had to do with the fact that they seemed to have an endless pipeline of new designs, constantly hitting the stores. Honestly, any of their pantyhose could've made the top 10. I could've made a Trasparenze Top 10, in all likelihood.

Looking back, though, the Becky's were definitely my favorite. I liked the shade (cosmetic), I liked the garter/stocking/backseam design, I liked the 20 denier sheerness, and I loved the feel. Trasparenze pantyhose always feel amazing on.

With designs like these, they're always easy to keep track of. Plain sheer black pantyhose get lumped together in a draw and blend in together. Pantyhose like these obviously can't. This gives me an opportunity to easily monitor the quality as the wears begin to pile up. I can honestly say these start to feel better after a few washes and wears...as though they're starting to mold to your shape. They've more than held up over time. It's like the material has actually softened and become even more comfortable than I originally thought.

These tights are still available at UK Tights. They cost under $19. They honestly remind me of Wolford tights that sell for 3 or 4 times as much, and, after several wears of each, I can say their quality is every bit as good. I'm certain these will continue to be favorites of mine, well into 2012.

Latest From Girardi

Girardi is yet another outstanding pantyhose designer from Italy. Some of their latest designs are just absolutely stunning.

Have a look:

Michelle Floral Tights

With Love Tights

Sceri Mock Hold Up Tights

Wonderful Tights

Summer Light Tights