Pantyhose

Woman with pantyhose

pantyhose, tights, full stockings or medibachas are stockings that cover, in addition to the legs, the part from these to the waist.

Pantyhose can be with or without demarcation, that is, the part that does not cover the legs has a slight reinforcement that offers a more intense color than the rest of the stocking. The demarcation can be completely opaque, although it is normal for it to be slightly more opaque than the rest of the pantyhose. Some Pantyhose have a cotton gusset or bridge that covers the crotch.

It's very common for stocking garters to be trimmed with lace. It is commonly used by the female sex but in 2007 pantyhose for men with different models were also created.

However, this ornamentation is not common in pantyhose. But sometimes it is done with the elastic at the waist, or with the reinforcement of the pubis.

The genital area can have a reinforcement in cotton fabric with a tapered figure, which serves to block or retain body fluids. If she is not wearing, or is still wearing, this protection, the woman may wear additional external protectors, such as compresses or a panty liner.

The number of deniers determines the degree of transparency and fineness of the stocking, being more transparent and finer the lower the number of Deniers.

By covering the legs and buttocks, pantyhose can be used as a shaper, like a girdle.

In most Spanish-speaking countries, the gender of pantyhose is in the masculine (el pantimedia, los pantimedas) although it is also correct to use the feminine gender (la pantimedia, las pantimedas). In Mexico and Argentina, the pantyhose genre is always feminine. In Colombia they are known more as "veiled stockings". For its part, in Venezuela no distinction is made and both the whole piece and the stockings are called panti medias (the name medias refers to socks).

Manufacturing and composition

By controlling the speed and tension during the weaving process, and by altering the concentration of the fibers, many different finishes can be achieved, varying the elasticity or softness, with different looks and functions. In general, the higher the percentage of lycra fiber, the stronger and more elastic the product is compared to nylon. In addition to preventing the formation of folds and pockets, tears and runs are also less frequent, which is why good quality nylon stockings usually contain an appreciable percentage of lycra, usually between 8% and 25%.

History

There are records of the use of primitive stockings or leggings as early as Mesopotamia, some 2,200 years ago. At that time, however, its use was restricted to soldiers, who used it to protect themselves from the cold in winter. The material from which they were made was also very different from today. Made of wool or cotton, it had a seam at the back, which also made it easier for soldiers to mount.

During the Middle Ages, stockings, then called calzas or half-breeches, were widely worn by the nobility, especially men, who competed with each other for the richness of the materials used and because of this, at that time they were richly embroidered, with reasons that today we call fantasy.

Picture of Paolo Uccello of the centuryXV which shows the use of colored and bicolored heels by men.

In the 15th century, stockings were of great importance in the kingdoms that would form Spain, whose influence dictated the guidelines in Europe between 1550 and 1650. The masculine wardrobe of any nobleman incorporated leggings that had to cover almost the entire leg because the Spanish clothing of that time used a kind of short breeches that only reached the thighs. The fame of the great Spanish weavers soon crossed the borders. The nobles had an average of eight pairs at least, -a sign of wealth and power- and the Spanish kings were endowed with richly embroidered silk stockings.

At the end of the 18th century, technical improvements made it possible to make finer fabrics, and from then on leggings were assumed progressively as a typically feminine accessory, falling into disuse among men. The most widespread form among women was the 7/8, which was attached to the thigh with silk ribbons or other materials with lace.

As a curiosity to note that during the reign of Catherine of Russia, men used stockings as an element of seduction, because the mesh attached to the body highlighted their physical gifts.

The first stocking machine was invented by an Englishman named William Lee, who did not become rich or famous for it. The mechanical knitting of socks also began in France, and Paris during the XIX century stood out in the world of fashion and luxury for the use of silk stockings and also for the famous can-can dancers, who wore black fishnet stockings, which were then considered a scandal.

20th century

Until the early 20th century, the stockings worn by women were quite thick and tended to be dark colors, in fact that even today can be seen in groups that wear ancient clothing such as Amish women, or Calvinists in the Netherlands.

From the moment skirts began to get shorter after World War I, there was a revolution in social behavior. Women start to show their ankles and part of their calves, and they wanted their stockings to stand out even under long skirts, starting a new form of seduction based on the innuendo game. Nevertheless, until well into the XX century, in many countries, especially those of the Christian world, women who went to religious services were required to cover their legs with stockings out of decency and modesty.

After the great wars, with the improvement of the technologies used in manufacturing, and especially the appearance of nylon, the product had become much more affordable and popular, since until then it was very expensive, to the point that stockings were not thrown away if they tore, but sent to a seamstress to mend the stitches.

Nylon

Until the 1930s, the making of a pair of stockings was a slow and expensive process on a 'flat' loom, invented by Englishman William Lee, and backed by a knitted seam by hand or machine. The natural silk that was much more expensive is gradually replaced by artificial silk, rayon (based on viscose), thick, warm, wrinkled and opaque material made from cellulose fibers from trees.

DuPont invented nylon in 1935. The first stockings made of this material called "synthetic silk" they were sold on May 15, 1940 in New York, on the grounds that they did not break. 4 million pairs were sold in a few days. These new stockings are more transparent: greater fineness, lightness, resistance, and are gradually replacing rayon stockings. The predominant color will be beige until about 1980.

During the World War and the resulting shortages, nylon was used to make parachutes and tires, and nylon stockings were no longer made. Then the women dyed their legs and painted the seam to simulate that they were wearing stockings made of this material. The silk from which stockings were traditionally made was also in short supply because of the war.

At the end of the war, the allies arrived in France, and with them also came chewing gum, American cigarettes, jazz, pin-ups, etc. and the famous nylon stockings that served as a currency of exchange in the territory liberated from German occupation.

Seamless stockings were invented in the 1950s, thanks to the technical advancement of circular looms. Seamed stockings will gradually disappear. And after nylon, production gradually used polyamide foam, and eventually Spandex (Lycra invented by DuPont) was added in the 1970s. Already seamless stockings, manufactured in larger quantities and of higher quality, they saw their price drop a lot, making them accessible to all social classes.

Types of pantyhose

In some countries it is falling into disuse,^{[citation needed]} however some companies (especially European), continue to make various types of pantyhose of which are indicated next:

Because of its transparency

• Transparent medium That's when he's 20 or less deniers.
• Pantimedia semiopaca when he's 30 to 40 deniers.
• Pantimedia opaque That's the one where he's 50 or more deniers.

By model

• Pantimedia naked. It is a model in which the tissue of the upper part of the sock and the leg is the same (in English it is known as pantyhose sheer to waist).
• Reinforced medium. At the top it has a more resistant tissue, in which it is an average with a calzon or pantaleta usually with a more opaque tissue (Pantimedia with demarcation).
• Transparent mediums It's when he's under 40 deniers.
• Pantimedia with bare tip refers to that it has no reinforced tip, being frequently used in hot times with slippers or sandals.
• Pantimedias without cotton bridge (or without spitting) when it only has a crotch seam but has no bridge or cotton rombo.
• Pantimedia with reinforced toe is when the tip of the pantimedia is more opaque and contains more deniers on the fingers being more resistant as they often break and "run" by the fingers.
• Pantimedias seamless It is a model in which it does not use any seam in the crotch, does not use squid or cotton bridge being one of the most expensive and hard to get models (called pantyhose seamless or seamfree).
• Pantimedia with heel It is a rare model in which it is reinforced with more deniers in the heel because the brush of the shoes and the slippers cause normal wear and break from that place.
• Pantimedia silhouette control. They are designed to mould the abdomen and raise the glutes, and provide medium support to the legs. They are made of nylon and spandex in different denier.
• Pantimedia type Leggins This type of pantyhose has no foot only cover the hip to the ankles currently popularizing their use with current clothes.
• Fantasy mediums refers to the fabric finish that can carry various types of shapes and colors (rombos, hearts, lines, figures), uncommon colors (metallic, neon colors).
• Rest averages, these are high denier to avoid tired legs, usually leave 40 den on.

Because of its finish

• Opaca in which are colors that do not reflect of light using little amount of licra.
• Semibrillante in which he uses a small percentage of licra.
• Brilliant in which a good percentage of licra is used with nylon producing a final touch of brightness, the easiest garment to find on it is vanished pantimedia.

Due to its degree of compression

This type of pantyhose has a dual use, both medical and aesthetic.

Commercially they are found in 3 types:

• Low pressure 10 -15 mm/Hg
• Medium pressure 15-20 mm/Hg
• High pressure 20-30 mm/Hg

Pantyhose for men

While pantyhose have traditionally been considered women's clothing, pantyhose are known to be worn by men as well. Women's pantyhose was previously worn by men, but in 1996 L'eggs, USA a pantyhose company opened a store along with its products on the internet. They soon discovered that most of the visitors buying their products were men. After conducting a survey in 1998, another US pantyhose manufacturer concluded that many men wear pantyhose just as ordinary clothing, and that they could sell a male-oriented product with a range of products that currently exists on the market.

In 1999 a company, G. Lieberman & Sons (Granville, Ohio, United States) began manufacturing and marketing a commercial brand of men's pantyhose called Comfilon, which is also now known as Activskin. Comfilon was so successful that it inspired a German pantyhose manufacturer to create a line of unisex products called WoMan in 2002. Since then, every year at least one manufacturer has come to market with a line of products for men, for example the brands Collanto in Germany and Gerbe in France.

As normal clothes

Men who wear pantyhose as a normal piece of clothing do so to:

• Thermal protection of the body during the winter.
• Stimulate the circulation of the legs especially if they are sitting or standing all day. In addition, compression can help reduce swelling and reduce the risks of circulatory problems.
• Improve sports performance, dynamize and revitalize tired muscles of legs and thighs.

One can find sheer or opaque pantyhose for men, ranging from 8 denier to over 100 denier. They usually come in black, brown, navy blue, and light colors.

Fetishism

As with many other fetishes, men start using them in childhood and/or adolescence. Often a pantyhose fetishist prefers this garment over stockings as they have direct contact with the genitals.

In simple terms pantyhose fetishism most commonly manifests itself in one or more of the following ways:

• The use of pantyhose by man, his partner or both during sexual activity.
• A man uses pantyhose while he's only producing excitement.
• Interaction with pantyhose in any other way or form during sexual activity.
• Just watch, admire and experience greater excitement and interest on women who are using pantimedia.
• Visualization and collection of photographs, videos and stories of professional and amateur models using pantimedias.

Some men with pantyhose fetishes are naively mislabeled as transvestites by their partners, families, co-workers, and society.

A man who likes to wear pantyhose may be very anxious and concerned that wearing pantyhose is associated with homosexuality or cross-dressing, when this is not true and they will therefore strive to keep the fetish totally private, usually from the outset. hiding from their wives, family and friends.

Fetish cross-dressing

It is called this when a man dresses in women's clothing to obtain sexual arousal.

The difference between pantyhose fetishism and fetish crossdressing is that the man who is a fetishist uses only pantyhose to feel pleasure and arousal, while someone who prefers fetishistic crossdressing requires more feminine clothes to feel arousal and pleasure.

In diving and horse racing

Some male divers have been known to wear pantyhose or Bodystockings or similar garments under their suits for a little more insulation against cold water. He also helps them put on their wetsuits. Pantyhose also offers some protection against jellyfish stings. Also some racing jockeys or "jockeys" they also wear pantyhose as it gives them the freedom to move and slide freely on their legs when they are moving quickly during a run.

The production of pantyhose for men has been increasing through the last years, some reasons why pantyhose manufacturers are focusing on the male market are:

• The sales market of pantyhose for women in some countries seems to decrease since the late 90s while the market is growing in males.
• Online and retail stores have reported that most of their sales are male clients.
• Men require a product different from that of women because of anatomical difference and lifestyle.
• Men are likely to like the highest quality pantyhose and therefore pay more than what women would spend.