How to Buy Hosiery

The first person to wear silk stockings was a man. King Henry II of France introduced them to his court in the 1500s. By the late 1800s, silk hosiery had become part of the wardrobe of nearly every woman in the United States. Today, hosiery is an expensive item on the average woman's budget even though a single pair of silk hosiery is not particularly expensive. This is because hose are made very sheer. When one thread is broken an entire row becomes loosened or runs. This requires new hosiery to be bought often. There are many points to check when buying hosiery, such as raw material, thread or denier, gauge, stretch and size.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Learn about the raw materials. Raw material is the kind of yarn from which the hose are made. The most durable thread we know today is nylon. The most elastic is silk. Nylon fiber is famous for its resistance, dimensional stability, elasticity, quick-drying and easy washing characteristics. Silk is valued for its smoothness, strength, and luster. Nylon hosiery is made in four different diameters, very slim, slim, medium and large.

2. Educate yourself on the thread. Thread refers to the number of raw silk threads which are twisted together to make a single strand of yarn. The higher the number of threads, the coarser and tougher the hosiery is. Silk hosiery usually ranges from one-thread to seven-thread. Denier is the term applied to rayon and nylon hosiery as thread is applied to silk. In rayon hosiery the deniers run from 50 to 150, in nylon from 15 to 70. A 15 denier nylon is so sheer it is almost transparent. Hosiery is meant to be sensual and adds a sense of style, when chosen intelligently.

3. Understand what the turns per inch mean. The threads which make up hosiery yarn are given five turns to the inch. High-twist yarn has been given an additional 20 to 25 turns to the inch. The higher the number of threads, the fewer twists per inch. High twist makes hosiery less likely to snag and keeps it from being shiny. Gauge is the measure of the number of vertical rows of loops in one-and-one-half inches of the stocking. The higher the gauge, the closer and finer the loop. Gauges range from 39 to 61. Each horizontal row of knitting makes a course. The higher the number of courses, the better the hosiery. The number of courses runs from 48 to 61.

4. Understand the appropriate length of the hose, both before and after stretching. The top of a pair of hose should stretch 11 to 12.5 inches, and the stretch from heel to instep ought to be about seven inches. Hosiery should be 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch longer than the foot. Otherwise the threads may break from the movement of the foot. The length of hosiery has much to do with wear. Hosiery should be carefully selected to fit the length of the leg.

5. Know when and how to wear hosiery. Hosiery can be worn to make a great pair of legs look stunning or for keeping legs warm in wintertime. You can buy hosiery for comfort and support also. A firm support hose is a lifesaver if you have to stand all day, or if you need built-in compression for improving circulation. Heavier weights of spandex in the hosiery give the firm support.