How to select pantyhose

Seems like there are a lot of decisions to make when choosing pantyhose, but it all boils down to looking right, feeling right, and fitting right. Here's what to look for:

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. First let's determine the right look. For most dresses and business suits, sheer pantyhose gives the right polish to the outfit. More casual outfits (even casual Friday outfits) are nicely accessorized with tights or opaque pantyhose.

2. Sheer pantyhose come in a multitude of fibers, ranging from ultra sheer 10 denier (a measure of the width of the nylon fiber) to thicker deniers with spandex. Spandex (tradename Lycra) makes the hosiery fit snugly (no bagging around the knees and ankles) and often adds a slight sheen to the look. But there are matte sheers on the market as well, and this creates a very modern, forward look.

3. Next, determine if you want control top or not. Control top pantyhose are very popular because they eliminate the need for an additional control garment. There are phenomenal control pantyhose styles on the market today, ranging from high-cut legs (won't show in a short skirt) to tummy-to-thigh control, which give a smooth look from the waistline through the leg.

4. The last thing you'll need to determine for your look is whether you need sandalfoot, toeless, or reinforced toes. If you're wearing closed-toed shoes, it's always a good idea to wear reinforced or enhanced-toe hosiery to ensure against rips and runs. But if you're wearing open-toed shoes, sandalfoot pantyhose is the correct choice. You can even choose toeless pantyhose, which dress your legs to polish off your outfit but leave your pedicure showing beautifully.

5. The last choice is size. All hosiery comes with a specific size chart on the back of the package, so follow the height and weight guidelines to find your correct size. If you're on the border, go up, not down, a size. You certainly want your pantyhose to fit comfortably while also giving you all the right fashion points!

Tips & Warnings

• Ultra sheer pantyhose without spandex works best on legs with thicker ankles because there's no stretch or shrink to these hosiery, so they bag on thinner ankles.
• Opaque pantyhose and tights differ only in the thickness of the fiber. Tights are thicker than opaque pantyhose, but often they can be worn interchangeably.
• "Day sheer" pantyhose are stretchy without spandex. They are the least expensive, but they snag more easily and don't bounce back, so after sitting a while, you'll have elephant knees when wearing these.