Latest From Gipsy

When I reviewed a pair of pantyhose from Gipsy during Pantyhose Week, their collection was pretty limited at the time. They have since begun expanding into fashion pantyhose.

So far so good is what I think. Here's a look at what they have to offer. Personally, I'm looking the closest at the Sheer Dot Tights.

The best news is that they all cost less than $13. Most of them are less than $10.

Sheer Dot Tights

Bondage Tights

Heart Backseam Tights

Big Spot Tights

Mock Lace Suspender Tights

More Floral Pantyhose

Yep. I am officially scouring the web for as many options of floral pantyhose as I can find. I may just be becoming obsessed.

Here are some more fabulous options:

Cassola Gaetano - Ivet Fashion Pantyhose

Cazzola Gaetano - Judit Fashion Pantyhose

Cassola Gaetano Cler Fashion Tights

Trasparenze - Blossom Fashion Tights

Cazzola Gaetano - Abis Fashion Pantyhose

New From Fiore

Get ready for the influx of Spring pantyhose. It looks like its going to be a big year for this, as pantyhose seem to be steadily gaining in popularity. Last week we looked at the newest from Jonathan Aston. This week it's Fiore's turn to unveil their latest. And just like Aston, floral patterns are prominently involved.

Honestly I can't decide whether the Cleopatra or the Anastasia pantyhose are my favorites. Any help? Maybe one of the other ones instead?

The good news is, they cost just $9 a pair. So if you are trying to decide between a couple of them...well...I'm sure you know what I'd do in that situation...

Enjoy:

Cleopatra Pantyhose

Anastasia Floral Design Pantyhose

Modena Floral Pattern Pantyhose

Salomea Pantyhose

Janessa Thigh High Imitation Pantyhose

Milla Mock Suspender Pantyhose

Review: Pierre Mantoux Setificato 40 Pantyhose

My love for all things Pierre Mantoux continues to grow with each new pair of pantyhose I try. This week, it's the Setificato 40 Pantyhose from UK Tights. These have a very similar look and feel to the Charente 20 Pantyhose. It's almost impossible to believe, in fact, that they're twice as opaque.

That is not too suggest that these are opaque tights. You can still see a good amount of the leg through these, and that comes with a gorgeous shine on top of it. As I have come to expect from all Pierre Mantoux tights, at this point, these are also well-made, durable, and strong, as well as being soft, smooth, and comfortable. While can often typically be drawn to tights in the 20 denier range, I am more than happy with these and could see myself owning and enjoying several pairs of these.

I also get many comments and/or emails that express frustration over the lack of durability and thus, overall life of pantyhose. I always try to remind myself to point out when a certain pair of pantyhose has better than average durability and the ability to withstand more than the every-day wear and tear and keep from being damaged. These pantyhose definitely fit that description. If you find that you can typically be hard on your pantyhose, and are looking for something long-lasting, definitely check these out, they'll be well worth it for you.

The Pierre Mantoux Setificato 40 Pantyhose are made from a blend of 91% nylon and 9% elastane. They are available in 4 sizes, fitting heights between 4'9" and 6 feet. I would agree with some of the comments on the UK Tights website that suggest that these tights may run a bit on the small-ish side. If you find yourself near the top-end of one of the size ranges, you may want to purchase the next size up.

These pantyhose are available in three different colors. They're a pretty good bargain at around $20 a pair, as similar tights will probably cost you a bit more, and these tights should pay themselves back because, as I said earlier, they should last you a very long time. All in all, they are a great buy and have no downside to them...something I've grown accustomed to, with Pierre Mantoux products.

New From Jonathan Aston and....We Have a Winner!!

The winner from my week-long Pantyhose Week giveaway has been selected. But first...

Jonathan Aston just released their new line of Spring pantyhose. I would pretty much do anything for the second pair here...and would most definitely do ANYTHING for the first pair.

So...uh...keep that in mind.

Bouquet Tights

Cherries Tights

Cherish Tights

Romance Tights

Goddess Tights

Now...the winner of my pantyhose week giveaway of five (5) pairs of pantyhose, all reviewed during pantyhose week (or equivalent) is....Venus Loves Virgo!!

Congrats to one of my favorite bloggers...and fellow AS Roma fan ;)! I will be contacting you via the email address listed on your blog.

News in the Brick and Mortar World

One thing I hear often enough from readers is how they prefer the in-store experience of shopping versus shopping online. Certainly, there are many benefits to shopping in-person, such as, not having to pay or wait for shipping, being able to see and feel the product before purchasing, or concerns over privacy when products are mailed to one's house or apartment that he or she shares with others, just to name a few.

Typically, when it comes to pantyhose, I'm an online shopper because I prefer the quality of European pantyhose and, well, I ain't in Europe. For a long time now, my options locally have been extremely limited. With few exceptions, I've found most pantyhose sold domestically to be long on price and short on quality.

However, there may just be hope on the way...maybe.

It started with Wolford which, in addition to having some boutiques local to my area, also sold their products in high end department stores near me, such as Bloomingdale's and Saks Fifth Avenue. More recently, small lingerie boutiques have begun popping up around me and declaring war on the likes of Victoria's Secret. Many of these boutiques carry a very small sample of high-end pantyhose brands, such as Gerbe, in addition to their lingerie inventory.

As I continue to always keep one eye on the hosiery market and continue to insist that European pantyhose is gaining popularity stateside, I may have finally found a hosiery brand that agrees with me: Penti. Penti is a hosiery manufacturer based out of Istanbul, Turkey. Penti has been in existence for over 60 years, but their product really took off more recently when they made vast improvements to their product quality, as well as introducing many different types of fashion hosiery to their sales lineup.

As luck would have it for me, their first location for a store in the United States turned out to be in Cambridge, Massachusetts, about a couple of miles from where I live and work. Their Harvard Square location is the first of what they hope will be many, as they've already slated their second store opening for New York City in the not-too-distant-future. As you might imagine, walking into a store like this is quite an experience for me. There is some lingerie and shapewear on display as well, but, for the most part, the store is dedicated 100% to hosiery. The walls and tables are covered with what seemed like hundreds of different styles. I was very much a kid in a candy store.

My hope is that their venture turns out to be more successful than they ever imagined, causing other hosiery brands to begin to dip their toe into the US markets. Maybe soon more people will get to experience good European hosiery for themselves and see why I've been singing their praises so much for so long.

Who knows? When I said pantyhose were coming back, maybe I actually knew what I was talking about (for once...).

Review: Cette Brooklyn Pantyhose

The reviews aren't over yet. I'm kicking off this week with yet another one for you!

30 denier pantyhose can be somewhat of a rarity. It seems most brands like to manufacture a 20 denier pair for sheerer looks, and a 40 denier pair for a denser look. It can often be difficult to find that happy medium where the pantyhose are quite apparent on the leg, but the leg is still perfectly visible through the hose. Finding a good pair of 30 denier pantyhose can be even harder. For all the pairs of pantyhose I own, I can't think of too many good quality 30 denier pairs.

Well now I have one...the Cette Brooklyn Tights, this week's pick from UK Tights. The very first impression I get from these tights is how strong they are. These are good for all day long wear, when you don't want to have to worry about damaging your pantyhose. With a slightly more opaque look, these are a good option to wear more casually with a skirt and boots, certainly a perfect combination for this time of year. But they'll also pair quite nicely with a suit and heels, so they're great for the office as well. There really is no shortage of uses for this particular pair of tights.

They also look great on the leg. They're soft and smooth with a hint of shine to them to really give off that finished look. They're also super comfortable, and include a wider anti-roll waistband to ensure that they'll stay in place all day long.

The Cette Brooklyn pantyhose are composed of 89% polyamide (nylon), 11% elastane (lycra), and 1% cotton. They're available in 4 sizes, fitting heights between 4'9" and 5'11". They're made from a double-covered lycra that contributes greatly to their durability. They're sheer to waist, fully boarded, and have a reinforced toe. These tights have all the makings of a luxury pair, without having to pay the luxury price. In fact, they're a good bargain at just under $20. Not bad for a pair of pantyhose that should last you for a very long time.

Goodbye From Pantyhose Week!

I had a great time. I hope you did too!

Pantyhose Week: Vintage Pantyhose

**Don't forget to comment here for an additional entry into my giveaway. Include in your comments what pantyhose you are wearing today as part of pantyhose week. For the full rules of the giveaway check here.


Just a collection of vintage pantyhose images from around the web.

Enjoy...

Pantyhose Week Review: Pierre Mantoux Charente Pantyhose from Stocking Showcase

**Don't forget to comment here for an additional entry into my giveaway. Include in your comments what pantyhose you are wearing today as part of pantyhose week and you could win this pair of pantyhose! For the full rules of the giveaway check here.

Hard to believe, but we're already at the final pantyhose review of the week. And I may very well have saved the best for last.

The Pierre Mantoux Charente Pantyhose from Stocking Showcase is another example of what has, for a while now, been my favorite pair of pantyhose: The 20 denier satin sheen pantyhose. You can definitely chalk this pair up among my other favorites with the like of the Wolford Satin Touch 20, the Oroblu Magie 20, the Kunert Satin Look 20 and so on.

As I'm sure you have no problem telling from the photo (courtesy of Stocking Showcase) these are just a brilliant pair of sheer pantyhose. You may also be able to tell, just by looking, that these are satiny smooth and pure pleasure to wear. I'm not sure if I'd be able to tell the difference between this pair and the Wolford Satin Touch 20 if you gave a pair of each. The biggest difference, as it turns out, is in the price tag.

Like some of the other ultra-shiny, ultra soft pantyhose, the secret seems to be in the double-covered lycra. The feel is so soft and smooth, the stretch is good, and the feel is something you probably have to feel for yourself to believe. All-around, these are just a perfect pair of pantyhose, and I'm pretty sure they go down as my favorite pair of the week. Just perfect for a Friday!

The pantyhose are made from a blend of 89% nylon and 11% lycra. They come in three different size, fitting heights between 5'2" and 6 feet. They come in 5 different colors. The pantyhose are sheer to waist, have a logo tag on the back a sheer toe and a cotton gusset. Grab yourself a pair or two of these. They're an excellent value at just $15 a pair!

Coming up next: Vintage pantyhose!

Pantyhose Week Store Profile: Hosieria

**Don't forget to comment here for an additional entry into my giveaway. Include in your comments what pantyhose you are wearing today as part of pantyhose week. For the full rules of the giveaway check here.

5 down, 1 to go. It may be hard to believe, but this will be the sixth different online pantyhose store that we'll be profiling this week. I don't want to hear from anyone that they don't know where to shop for good pantyhose after this ;-).

Hosieria has been around for almost 9 years now, as it was started in May of 2003 by Ernst Mende in Germany. After spending many years in marketing for various businesses, he decided to give his own venture a try. The name was originally 'The pantyhose-stockings-hosiery shop' but after realizing that that name didn't exactly roll off the tongue, they decided to shorten it. They ended up settling on 'Hosieria' as they viewed their business as a sort of pizzeria for hosiery. Just as you can step up and order pizza in a pizzeria, they wanted their business to be where you ordered your high quality hosiery from.

The idea seems to be working just fine. Not only does Hosieria sell a huge collection of pantyhose, they also sell tons of legwear for men and children as well. Despite being a small sized company of only 12 employees, Hosieria is delivering to a big market as they are currently selling to customers in 85 different countries. Also, unlike many web-businesses, they try to treat their store like a brick and mortar shop. Want to take a look inside? You can check out their Facebook or Twitter pages to get a better look at what they're doing, with their Twitter page being especially useful, as it is the quickest way to learn about the latest markdowns.

But, not to lose sight of what's really important, Hosieria is a great place to shop for pantyhose. Currently, they're carrying 41 different brands, including many of my favorites such as Falke, Kunert, and Oroblu. Hosieria is a perfect place to buy your basics as they carry a huge selection of styles and colors and their prices are most often much lower than their competition. Most recently when I was looking to stock up on one of my personal favorites, the Falke Seidengatt 15s, Hosieria was the first place I looked. After all, not only do they carry these pantyhose in 7 different sizes and a ridiculous 24 different colors, they also do so at a price that is as much as 50% less than the same pantyhose at other stores. If that isn't enough, they'll also give you a discount if you're buying in bulk.

Just like the 5 stores profiled before it, I love Hosieria for its own unique reasons. While I shop for pantyhose a lot, it's one of the few places I shop. Hopefully, just like the 5 stores before this, you'll be checking out all that Hosieria has to offer very soon for yourself.

Coming up next: Our final review!

Pantyhose Week Store Profile: Hoseiree

**Don't forget to comment here for an additional entry into my giveaway. Include in your comments what pantyhose you are wearing today as part of pantyhose week. For the full rules of the giveaway check here.

Hoseiree is my favorite US-based web retailer of pantyhose. This website, better than any other, seems to understand the differences of imported pantyhose. They have a very impressive list of designers that they sell, including a few that aren't so easy to find anywhere else, like Franco Bombana, Luisa Maria Lugli, Ose, and Sisi, just to name a few. Carry these harder to find brands, however, doesn't mean you can't find many of the more popular ones, as brands such as Falke, Trasparenze, and Cecilia de Rafael. They carry so many different brands, in fact, that I must confess that there are still several that I haven't gotten around to trying. But don't worry, that will happen.

Hoseiree's wide selection also goes beyond basic pantyhose, as well. It's a great place if you're looking for bridal hosiery, maternity pantyhose, holiday or seasonal-themed hosiery, leggings, socks, or lingerie. It can definitely be a one-stop shop for just about anything you may need to go underneath.

Above all of this, though, fashion pantyhose seems to be what Hoseiree is really all about. A visit to their website's 'fashion' category reveals almost 2,500 different options. 2,500! Some stores don't have entire collections that span 2,500, and that is merely the fashion category at Hoseiree. It's a great place to check out if you ever want to see all that fashion hosiery is all about. Just be careful if your wallet is close by...many of these styles are too good to resist.

If you ever feel overwhelmed by all that Hoseiree has to offer, never fear. In addition to having a glossary of terms to help you out, you can contact them through their website or with an 800 number to get any questions you may have answered. You can also check out a long list of customer testimonials to see what others think or check out Hoseiree's blog to see what the latest is.

Finally, no trip to Hoseriee is complete without checking out what's new, what the product of the day is, what's coming soon, and what's can be gotten for cheap on their clearance page. Currently, their clereance section is 4 pages long. So if you're shopping on a budget, look no further.

Hoseiree really is everything a pantyhose junky like myself could possibly want. If you check it out to and aren't careful...you might end up just like me...

Coming tomorrow: Another store profile!

Pantyhose Week Review: Platino Luxe 20 Pantyhose from Shapings

**Don't forget to comment here for an additional entry into my giveaway. Include in your comments what pantyhose you are wearing today as part of pantyhose week and you could win this pair of pantyhose! For the full rules of the giveaway check here.

Over the last year or so I have been taking out a large portion of my shopaholic urges on Shapings. As I mentioned a couple of days ago, the brand name selection at Shapings is unbelievable. For those who wonder how I continue to find new brand names to review...you have Shapings to credit/blame.

One brand that I had my eye on for a while but had yet to try was Platino. When I decided I was going to do a bunch of review this week, I knew that Platino had to be among them. Now that I'm wearing a pair, I'm certainly happy with that decision. The pair in question is the Luxe 20. As I continue to mention, 20 denier is the perfect balance, in my opinion between strength and durability and sheerness. The Luxe 20 certainly proved that for me once again.

The two things that stood out to me before even putting them on this morning. First, they feel a lot sheerer than 20 denier, but also feel kind of soft and satiny. As you put them on, they definitely blend into the leg well. For those who like to blend their pantyhose in with their leg tone to create a bare-leg look, this is an excellent option. Platino credits this with using a single covered lycra developed with a special knitting technique that serves to show off more of the leg. The second thing I noticed was how the pantyhose has a contoured leg. Instead of the leg of the pantyhose just being a kind of straight tube shape, the hose actually has the shape of the leg in them before you even put them on. It seems to work, as these have an excellent fit. They feel soft and sheer on and look even better.

These pantyhose are made in Spain from a blend of 82% nylon and 18% elastane. They come in 5 different sizes fitting heights between 4'9" and 6'3". They have an opaque reinforced toe, are sheer to waist, have flat seems, and have a cotton gusset. They also come in 6 different colors. These feel like luxury pantyhose but cost a lot less at $12 a pair. If you're looking for great office-wear type hose at a very affordable price, you should definitely check these out.

Coming up next: Another store profile!

Pantyhose Week: Pantyhose Q&A

**Don't forget to comment here for an additional entry into my giveaway. Include in your comments what pantyhose you are wearing today as part of pantyhose week. For the full rules of the giveaway check here.

About a week back I asked if anyone had any specific questions that could be answered during Pantyhose Week, and I'm happy to report, that I've got a few. So let's get to them:

Jennifer Fabulous, Cafe Fashionista, and Venus Loves Virgo all had questions about wash.

Love the question. I honestly never get tired of talking about this. I also talked about this in detail on Tuesday night, if you feel like scrolling back to check that out.

Basically, I swear by Hosiery Mate. It will wash and extend the life of your hosiery. But it is also inexpensive and ridiculously easy to use. A 16 oz bottle, which will last you months even if you wear pantyhose/stockings every day, will cost you only $7.50. That $7.50 will be paid back to you so many times, in terms of the life of your hosiery being extended, that this product might as well be free. What's more is that you soak if takes 15 seconds to wash two pairs of pantyhose. You pour a cap-full of Hosiery Mate in the sink, fill it with warm water, swish the hosiery around for 15 seconds, squeeze out excess water, hang up the hosiery, and you are done. You don't even need to rinse. It'll leave the hosiery with a nice scent and it will avoid the damage that washing machines can do.

I know they sell hosiery bags and washing machines have a hand wash cycle, but I never bother. When I can wash a month's worth of hosiery in a few minutes, and extend the life of the hose in the process, why even bother using the machine?

Also from Jennifer Fabulous: 'Do you have any tips on preventing pantyhose from ripping?' and 'What in-store brands do you recommend for me?'

You're most likely to rip pantyhose when putting them on or taking them off, so that's when you need to use the most care. Moisturizing hands and legs right before will never hurt, and definitely remove any hand jewelry first. Hosiery like to catch itself on everything, so eliminating anything it might catch on is the best approach. You want to gather the whole leg up into a ball, up to the toe, position your toe inside, and slowly roll the tights up your leg, never yanking. If they feel like they're pulling to the left and right too much, you need to start over. When taking off you want to roll them down slowly, all the way down the leg. Never pull from the toe when taking off, never pull from the waist when putting on. If you're wearing boots, exercise caution when zipping them up.

Another good idea is to try to go no sheerer than 20 denier. 20 denier is plenty sheer, and once you go below that, you're dealing with ridiculously delicate hosiery. You can do everything right, and they'll still rip sometimes. But with a decent denier count, the pantyhose should hold up unless they get caught on something.

The hardest part about in-store shopping is finding non-control top. Control top can be very useful, but for some reason, the non-control option is non-existent in this country. If you don't mind control top, I'd definitely say Hue. Hue is available in just about every department store, lots of specialty stores and costs a very reasonable $7-8 a pair. For that price you get good look, great feel, and tremendous quality. I love Hue. If you live near a Nordstrom, they actually make outstanding pantyhose as well. They have a great mixture of basics and fashion, and most of their pantyhose cost about $10 and should last a while.

Venus Loves Virgo added 'Which brands are the strongest other than Wolford?'

Wolford is definitely among the strongest if not the strongest. I have found Falke and Trasparenze to be similarly durable, however, as well. Also, for a step down price-wise, Oroblu and Kunert are two very strong brands that will cost you a lot less. I'm always impressed with the quality of any of those brands.

DeeDee asked: 'I'd like to see more value articles, and 'is it ever okay to wear sheer hose in suntan with shorts?'

I love posting about good values and I'll try to run some more out here soon. Here is the latest one I did in November. Definitely start by checking out Aristoc and Levante, as these are always tremendous values.

I think its okay to wear sheer hose in suntan with shorts. If the suntan shade doesn't match the rest of your skin tone, you may want to adjust accordingly, but I am ALWAYS a fan of the shorts with hose look. A lot of people have been doing it lately and I think it looks great!

Thanks again to everyone for your questions, and always feel free to drop a question in the comments if you ever need help on this subject. Washing, to me, is the most important thing. I hope you all try hand washing and try a hose-specific wash like Hosiery Mate. You won't be sorry.

Coming up next: Another review!

Pantyhose Week: Celebs

**Don't forget to comment here for an additional entry into my giveaway. Include in your comments what pantyhose you are wearing today as part of pantyhose week. For the full rules of the giveaway check here.

Last year I had a running post where every Wednesday I'd pick a celeb and feature photos of her in lingerie and hosiery. That eventually ended up dying down, but I'm bringing it back for one day. Here are some of my favorite celeb photos.

Of course, pantyhose is prominently involved...











Coming tomorrow: Your questions answered!