Sexy Stockings

There's nothing quite as sexy as a nice pair of stockings.  And unlike most other pieces of lingerie, stockings are something you can wear and show off in pretty much any situation.  Not all stockings are sexy – some are purely utilitarian, such as most kinds of pantyhose – but as with most things, wear them with a sexy attitude and that won't matter much.

Stockings can be found in every colour of the rainbow, and a few more that don't feature in most rainbows.  The colours themselves will vary in opacity, some being completely opaque, while others are nigh on transparent – skin toned stockings are usually the latter.  How close a stocking comes to transparency is generally referred to as its sheerness, and is measured by the denier number of the stockings- the lower the denier number, the more sheer the stockings.  (The denier number is technically a measure of how densely woven the stocking's fabric is, but for practical purposes, this is equivalent to the transparency of the stockings.)

While white stockings are generally only worn as bridal stockings, black and skin toned stockings are appropriate for nearly any situation.  Stockings are not limited to a single colour, either.  Stripy stockings are available to suit every taste, as are stockings decorated with assorted designs, ranging from floral to bats and spider-webs at the more Gothic end.

There are a number of different lengths of sexy stockings – although the most commonly seen type is thigh-highs (where the top of the stocking reaches to the mid-thigh or higher), there are also knee-highs (which can either cover the knee or not) and stocking socks (which generally reach only to the ankle).  In addition, stockings may be seamed or not – handmade stockings usually are, machine made usually are not.

In short, sexy stockings are among the most widely varying types of sexy lingerie, so it's absolutely certain that you'll be able to find at least one pair that's to your taste.

Sexy stockings can be loosely divided into two types, if one excludes pantyhose (and since we're talking about sexy stockings, we should definitely exclude pantyhose): stay-up stockings and suspender stockings.

Stay up stockings are designed with a ring of elastic (or some other flexible material) around the top of the stocking, which helps to hold up the stocking.  Often, the elastic will be hidden under another fabric, such as lace or cotton, for a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.  Because the fabrics that make stay-ups possible only date back to the fifties (at most), they are considered by some to be less erotic than suspender stockings.

Suspender stockings are similar, but lack the elastic of stay ups.  Instead, they are held up by suspenders (also called garters) attached to a belt worn around the waist.  For this reason, suspender stockings are almost always thigh-highs.  The belt and garters can be worn either over or under panties (or without knickers at all, if you prefer), and there are good reasons for wearing it either way around: worn over, panties are more easily removable; worn under, the garters will be less confined, allowing greater freedom of movement.  While it's undeniable that suspender stockings with a garter belt is a fantastically sexy look (especially when combined with a sexy corset or bustier), some people find that unhooking the garters is time-consuming and fiddly, and can break the mood at exactly the wrong time during foreplay.  (Of course, if you wear you panties over your garters, there's no need to remove the garters and stockings unless you really want to – and many people find it a turn on to leave them on.)