Stockings - Getting a Leg Up, Again by Robb Ksiazek
It hasn't been all that long since vintage stockings became
a staple in women's attire. Leg wear has been around for
longer than we have been alive, but it wasn't until the
early part of the twentieth century that the fashion hit
the mainstream. The twenties were roaring with a newfound
freedom and independence. Women took the initiative to make
the world their own. By doing so, fashion forward apparel
hit the main stage, and opened up new lifestyles for women
around the world.
Not too many years later came the wars and the depression.
With the men overseas fighting the war, women were now called
upon to do jobs formally considered to be a man's. Women
stepped up to the challenge and did a remarkable job.
Since those times, women's fashion became different. The
styles were functional, yet the sex appeal was becoming
more apparent with every passing season. They were becoming
more risque, and more and more women became to appreciate
their bodies in the new duds.
Replacing the Traditional Stocking
At the 1939 World's Fair in New York, DuPont revealed their
new scientific breakthrough: nylon. Until now, women's stockings
had been traditionally made of silk. With this new material
came the creation of the nylons we know of today. The synthetic
material was stretchy, lightweight, and relatively cheap
to produce. Stockings were expensive to manufacture and
they needed to be custom fit. Nylons were one size fits
all.
Women now were able to buy more than one pair of nylons
stockings and didn't have to spend an arm and a leg. During
the years of WWII, much of the nylon was used for military
tents, parachutes, and more, creating a shortage in retail
stores. Soon after the war, though, women's legs were buzzing
again.
A Silk Stocking Comeback
After the invention of nylons, silk stockings lost their
popularity. Many producers were going out of business because
they couldn't compete with nylon prices. The manufacturing
process was much more difficult, and women were just not
interested. Then along came the World Wide Web.
The internet is inherently good for ecommerce. It brings
markets together, even though they may be worlds away from
each other geographically. But not on the net. More and
more vintage stocking manufacturers are now opening up shops
and creating the classics again.
Lingerie stores don't have to compete with nylon producers
because there are enough consumers of silk stockings that
are fingertips away. Customers can order their stockings
online and have them shipped to their door. There are now
many companies that carry the traditional leg wear, along
with a variety of other apparel such as intimates bras and
panties.
Consumers can really find anything they are looking for
on the internet, as it is there for the small shops to employ.
About the Author
Robb Ksiazek researches, writes, and publishes
about sexy lingerie
for Lingerie-4U.biz. He feels the right apparel will allow
us to be ourselves, yet someone we desire to be.
