Posts in category "cervin"

Nylon Stockings Day: 12 of Our Favorite Pairs of Nylon Stockings

Fancy Heeled Vintage Stockings - Image Scan via Slip of a Girl

Today, May 14, is the 73rd anniversary of the nylon stocking, which was first introduced by the DuPont Company at the 1939 World’s Fair. Before nylon, stockings had been made of cotton, wool, rayon, or silk…materials which were either too bulky and warm to wear comfortably year-round or too fine and delicate to wear all day without tearing.

When I first started blogging, it was as Stockings Addict, so hosiery will always hold a special place in my heart. I love how stockings can instantly make any outfit more sophisticated, more stylish, and, yes, more sexy just by their presence. Unfortunately, stockings have been waning in popularity for years now, and you only have to look at the photo at the top of this post to see that stockings today are far less elegant than those of previous decades.

But for those who still enjoy a fancy nylon stocking, all isn’t lost. A few companies, like Cervin, still produce creative, fashion-forward styles, and the machines of today allow for combinations that could only be dreamed of in the 1960′s.

The Parts of a Fully-Fashioned Stocking

If you’re new to stockings, there may be a few terms in this post you don’t recognize, so let’s do a quick review. A Stocking (unlike pantyhose, tights, or thigh highs) requires a garter belt to keep it on the leg. RHT stands for Reinforced Heel and Toe. Fully Fashioned Stockings (like the one shown above) are made in the vintage style, sewn flat and then stitched up the back with a fully-functional backseam and trademark keyhole. Cuban and Havana Heels are squared off at the top, while French Heel stockings come to a point. Fancier styles, like Manhattan Heels, have an outline around the heel and foot. Non-stretch Stockings are more authentic as they’re made of 100% nylon, but have no “give.” Stretch Stockings, made of a nylon/lycra blend, are less authentic but more resistant to tearing.

And a few quick notes when it comes to hosiery care, especially for the stockings listed below. 1) Invest in a pair of hosiery gloves. 2) Purchase a specialty hosiery wash like Hosiery Mate. 3) And always, always, always hand wash and hang to dry.

And now that we’ve covered a few of the basics, let’s move on to the stockings…

1) Kay Marel "New York" Bows

2) Kay Marel "New York" Skyscraper

Kay Marel
No one makes stockings like Kay Marel anymore, and believe me, I’ve looked. These authentic fully-fashioned nylons from the 1950′s are almost a steal at $32.50, and the skyscraper and bow fancy heels look like something straight off the set of Mad Men. Unfortunately, if you’re not petite (that is, if you’re over 5’4″) these stockings aren’t a good fit for you. They simply won’t come up high enough on the leg. To illustrate, I’m 5’8″, and they came to just above the knee on me. Height issues aside though, these are fabulous nylons.

3) Secrets in Lace Diamond Backseam

4) Secrets in Lace "Cabaret" Manhattan Heel

5) Secrets in Lace "Bettie Page" Vintage Dot w/ Backseam

Secrets in Lace
If you’ve not heard of them before, Secrets in Lace is pretty much the resource for authentic vintage style (otherwise known as retro) stockings. These are the nylons Dita von Teese relies on for all her burlesque shows, photoshoots, and red carpet appearances. While they offer a ton of styles suitable for everyday wear, the fancy stockings shown above are my personal favorites.  All 3 pairs range from size Petite, fitting women who are under 4’11″ and less than 95 pounds, to size Opera, fitting women who are up to 6’2″and 200 pounds. The styles shown above cost (in order from top to bottom) $54.99, $45.99, and $25.99, respectively.

6) Agent Provocateur "Whip Me" Stockings

Agent Provocateur
With a kinky twist on the classic French heel-and-seam stocking, Agent Provocateur’s “Whip Me” nylons are a delightfully naughty union of vintage style and modern flair. Wear them with your highest, most fetishy heels for look that grabs everyone’s attention. These stockings retail for $70, and the size C fits around a size 8/10 US.

7) Cervin "Swing Time" Fully Fashioned Stockings

8) Cervin "Capri" 15-denier Nonstretch RHT Stockings

9) Cervin "Capri" Bicolore Nonstretch RHT Stockings

10) Cervin "Seduction" Bicolore Seamed Stockings

Cervin Stockings via Stockings HQ
I’ll just come right out and say it…I love Cervin. And apparently I’m not the only one since (full disclosure) they make stockings #3-6 on this list too. Not only are the prices incredibly reasonable, these stockings feel and look amazing on the leg. Even better, they’re available in sizes Small (fitting women around 4’10″) to XXX Large (fitting women up to 6’2″). I’ve purchased multiple pairs of what you see here in multiple colors, and never been disappointed. The stockings show above are priced at (in order from top to bottom): $56.88, $11.80, $12.61, and $17.50.

11) "Gabriella" Sheer & Lace Embroidered Stockings

Stockingirl
Stockingirl is another fantastic hosiery resource, especially if you live in the United States, and these lacy Gabriella stockings are perfect for a holiday party or fancy evening out. These stockings are also made of stretch nylon, so they’re less likely to run and you don’t have to worry about them wrinkling around the knees or ankles by the end of the day. Available for $39.99, the Gabriellas fit women up to 5’9″ and 160 lbs.

12) Dollhouse Bettie Black Tulip Lace "Eternity" Stockings

Dollhouse Bettie
The last pair of stockings on this list aren’t especially delicate or fancy when compared to the other nylons we’ve talked about so far, but they are amazing for two other reasons. 1) They’re made in-house at Dollhouse Bettie (the only lingerie store I know of that makes it’s own stockings), and 2) They are incredibly well-made and durable. The Eternity stockings use sheer black mesh instead of traditional nylon, which makes them great for women who want to wear more hosiery, but are worried about tearing or ripping their stockings. These retail for $29 and fit up to a size US 18.

Treacle

Treacle

Lingerie Blogger. Sugar Junkie. Sci-Fi Geek.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
TwitterFacebookLinkedInPinterestGoogle PlusFlickrStumbleUponYouTube

The Curve Report, Day 1: Lingerie Trends for 2010/2011

All this week I’m in New York City attending two of the most important conventions in my niche, CurvExpo and BlogHer.  While many people are familiar with BlogHer, far fewer know about Curve.  Curve is an international lingerie and swimwear trade show where many of the brands you know and love (along with lots you don’t!) exhibit their latest collections.

Though primarily geared towards lingerie buyers, Curve is also a great place for lingerie bloggers.  I ran into both Krista from The Lingerie Post and Luis from The Lingerie Journal several times today, and we had some great conversation about trends we’re noticing and new brands we like.  Here are some of the highlights from my very first day at Curve. Photo: Aubade

Overall Trends:
2011 marks the “Return of the Lady.”  Every collection I saw had an overtly feminine tone, with an emphasis on intricate details like knife pleating and decorative seams.  A vintage look is definitely still in style, but designers are updating the look for a modern silhouette. Photo: Les Jupons de Tess

Color is also a big deal for the next few seasons.  Think jewel toned fuschia, teal, and sapphire (Fleur of England and La Fee Verte were excellent examples of this) along with soft pastel blush, coral, and mint green (look for these colors from Brulee and Between the Sheets).  Photos: Brulee, Between the Sheets

There were also some gorgeous handpainted robes from Samantha Chang (L) and Christine Designs (R).

Speaking of fabrics, lingerie for the next couple of seasons is all about silk, silk, and more silk.  Silk satin, silk charmeuse, silk chiffon…the soft fabric absolutely complements the elegance of the designs.  I’m very excited about all three of these trends.



Designers to Watch:
One of the other benefits of Curve is that I’m introduced to a bunch of new designers I’ve not heard of before and then I get to bring the names of those designers here to you.  I’ve gotten lots of e-mail requests lately for more brands targeting both curvy women and petite women, and I also ran across a few brands doing some really unique and innovative things with lingerie.  Of course, I’m crazy excited to share all those new discoveries with you here.

Curvy: Alegro (pictured right) and Two Figs are two brands I think my voluptuous readers will adore.  Alegro is a great line for pretty, sexy, lacey basics at a reasonable price.  Two Figs is brand new in the world of lingerie, but I’m already in love with their silky nightgowns, chemises, and lounge pants.  I’m also really pleased with Hanky Panky’s expanded selection of lingerie sizes.  I had the chance to look over some of their boyshorts and thongs (available up to size 24) and thought they were very flattering . It was obvious Hanky Panky took the time to think about a woman’s curves, rather than just taking their misses size knickers and making them “big.”

Petite: Lula Lu Petites really stood out to me in the underserved small bra market.  Not only does her sizing start at AAA, I thought her products were very well made.  After all, women with slender busts deserve gorgeous lingerie too.

Hosiery: It goes without saying that I can’t attend a lingerie convention without paying special attention to the hosiery department (after all, I did used to be the Stockings Addict).  I was able to stop by booths for Cervin, Gerbe, & Pretty Polly and they all had items I felt were worth paying attention to.

For Cervin, it was this Rivoli garter belt…a soft, basic, everyday suspender belt perfect for holding up your stockings in the bedroom or outside of it.


For Gerbe, it was these marvelous backseam tights with an art-deco style fancy heel (you know this would look amazing with a pencil skirt and sky high pumps!).  Another pair of tights from them I’ve nicknamed “mermaid scales” come in a close second.


Finally, for Pretty Polly, it was their new diffusion line which combines the best of their fashion-forward Henry Holland tights with classic, timeless nylon looks.  Pretty Polly is pushing hard to get a foothold in the U.S. market and I expect them to turn up in a store near you very soon.

Random Hotness: Last but not least, there’s one new designer I met today who I’m quite keen on.  Her name is Lola Haze and she’s bringing a much-needed punk/rockstar/counter culture vibe to the world of lingerie. I’m talking neon-colored chemises, hand-painted teddies, and slips with (I kid you not) deliberately burned out holes in them.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the classic looks as much as the next person, but I am so happy that someone’s coming and shaking things up…even if only a little bit.  Lola Haze also has the distinct honor of being one of two shops that has a piece I’d like to buy for my personal collection when the show is over (you can see the other piece on my Facebook).

admin

admin

More Posts - Website

Leggings, High Heels, & Pearls: My NYE Outfit

Well, the giveaway is over, and I’ll spend today tallying up and double-checking the entries. Later on this evening, I’ll announce the lucky winner. Believe me when I say I wish I had a prize for each and every one of you…because really, who doesn’t need sexy lingerie?

In the meantime, here’s a photo of my New Year’s Eve outfit. I’ve not quite mastered the art of self-photography, therefore please excuse the blurriness. The leggings are by the always awesome Black Milk, and the nightgown is from Wendy Glen. I’ve also included an old photo that Ligeia at Fashion Trash was kind enough to edit for me. Thanks so much, Ligeia!

I’m still pretty shy about having my photo on the blog, so please be kind. :-)

*Corselette by Kiss Me Deadly
*Stockings by Cervin
admin

admin

More Posts - Website

On Stockings and Subterfuge: A Guest Post from Catherine of Kiss Me Deadly

One of the issues that has really snapped my garter in the past is how so many lingerie retailers repackage (and rename!) stockings from major hosiery manufacturers like Cervin.

Catherine, owner and designer of the much-loved lingerie label Kiss Me Deadly, recently sent me a very explanatory letter on exactly why so many companies do this.

I’ve copied and pasted her e-mail, with minimal editing, below, and I hope you find it as educational as I did. It really opened my eyes.

.__________________________________________________________________________________

“As you’ve noticed, Cervin makes a lot of other brands. . .anyone who can afford it, basically. This is called private label manufacturing, and it is not uncommon in the hosiery industry.  Most products you see come from just a few manufacturers. In Cervin’s case it’s more obvious because they have their own label, and because of the distinctive nature of their products. Another company makes most of the net hosiery for the quality brands, but you would never see their name unless you were in the trade, as they do none of their own branding whatsoever.

The reason they are used by so many is because they are the only reliable and high quality supplier of certain things, like silk and fully fashioned stockings. For certain weaves, they are simply the only people who can do them. Any time you see a name or a logo woven into a stocking top or a tight, for example, that’s Cervin. No one else can do it.

Anyway… as regards the pricing and the repackaging, it’s all about money. For starters, the markups (the amount of money you add to a products when selling) are lower in hosiery than in anything else. They’ve been further lowered by vicious competition from specialist websites run as hobbies, who don’t need to make enough to pay anyone there a living wage.

Re-branding is a way to stop people from comparing prices. It also stops your competitors from knowing where you source your products from, and, believe me, there’s always someone trying to copy.

Additionally, if you are having products made specifically for you, as some companies do, the cost per item might go down, but the initial outlay is huge. The minimum order for a catalogue product is 6 pairs. The minimum order for products made to your specifications is several hundred, preferably over a thousand, and in some cases more like 6000. To bring in several ranges in multiple colours and cover the full size range, as the larger companies often do, requires an initial investment that’s frankly terrifying if you’re as tiny as Kiss Me Deadly

Under those circumstances, this leaves you with a tricky equation—recouping your money as fast as possible (where it generally helps to sell cheaply), but also making sure the outlay was worth it (where you need to make as much money as possible).

On top of that, it’s not always obvious what the expensive bits of things are. For example, you mentioned one company that has a lace top version of something Cervin does in their own brand, and the price differential was quite high. That’s because, in fact, the lace is ridiculously expensive.

Of all the things Cervin does, the holdups are the most expensive, because they use costly French lace. It’s also because the silicone process is quite expensive too. If you check, you’ll find hold-ups and lace tops in most brands are the most expensive items, for this very reason…although the value brands buy much, much more inexpensive (and/or much less deep) lace, which significantly reduces prices. Deep lace costs significantly more to make.

Similarly, you might think a contrast foot on an FF wouldn’t be too different to a normal one, but, in fact, it requires that the machine be taken offline, filled with different yarn, and then brought back again. So it costs money because of the sheer amount of time involved – both staff time dealing with it, and time lost that could have been spent making catalogue products.

On the other hand making another cosmetic seam leg colour with a black foot/seam/welt is cheap-ish because its the same in griege as the current pink and nude legs. You make the change at the dying stage instead, so its just the dying minimums you have to worry about.

There’s also lots of complicated stuff about types of yarn used and exact weaving stuff, which I never have had much of a grip on, but basically you can’t always tell from the pictures whether they’ve done something clever and expensive, or whether its their standard stuff.

Even their standard stuff is pretty pricey though – the Cervin pure nylons use mono filament, which is authentically 50′s, whereas the remaining UK nylon manufacturers use multi-filament, stretchier but less vintage and far far more likely to catch and run. The problem is mono is harder to find and more expensive!

So, yes, I’m not sure if this is actually interesting or enlightening for you, but I thought I’d explain for reference purposes really.”

_____________________________________________________________

Trust me, Catherine, this was an extremely interesting and enlightening article. I not only feel like a better blogger, but also a better stockings consumer for knowing this information.

However, I can’t promise it’ll stop me from comparing prices…especially since I recognize Cervins by sight! ;-)

admin

admin

More Posts - Website

Mini-reviews: Asos, Charnos, and Cervin

I am long overdue for some reviews, so today we’re playing catch up. In this article, I’m talking about the Charnos Hourglass girdle panty, the Cervin Capri 15 denier RHTs, and the ASOS star tights.

Let me get the bad news out of the way first…

The Charnos Hourglass girdle panty was a severe disappointment. First, the panty runs about a size to a size and a half too small. Second, this panty offers no kind of shaping, support, or reinforcement on any of the common “trouble areas” (tummy, hips, and bum) women have. Third, the garters on this panty are extremely flimsy and hard to fasten. It took ten minutes for me to attach my stockings to the rear garters–far too long. Put bluntly, I don’t care if they’re selling this panty for 99¢; it’d still be a waste of your money…which is why I haven’t included any links to merchants selling it.

However, the Cervin stockings were wonderful as always. What I like about the Capri style is that, as an RHT, it’s more suitable for everyday wear. You don’t always want the extra attention backseams bring when you’re walking about. The Cervin Capris are an excellent way to get your nylon fix, discretely. The colors available are rich and true, very bright, but sheer enough to reveal your skin tone. Plus, the nylon is extraordinarily soft and wonderfully comfortable. These are an A+ buy all around. Available from Dollhouse Bettie, StockingsHQ, and LaMagia.

Last, I want to spend a couple of minutes talking about the ASOS star tights. The star tights were an impulse buy…the kind that you regret while waiting for the package to arrive, but fall in love with as soon as it gets here. Not only is the pattern fun, funky, and thoroughly modern, these tights fit like a dream. The only potential downside is that they’re not made of the softest nylon, but at only £3, I really can’t complain. I wore these all day long at a street festival and they didn’t fall, sag, or bag. Who can ask for anything more?

admin

admin

More Posts - Website

Cervin Stockings at Dollhouse Bettie!


When I posted about the Cervin bicolor stockings I was lusting after here, several people asked if I knew of any American retailers who sold that particular style.

Well I am uber-excited and oh-so-pleased to announce that Dollhouse Bettie will have them available very, very soon! Go their “Just Listed” page to see the announcement.

admin

admin

More Posts - Website

Older entries →

Our Sponsors

Save up to 25% on plus size intimate apparel and lingerie from Hips & Curves. Click Here!
Finding stunning lingerie loungewear & accessories at Journelle and get Free Shipping on all orders!

Support Independent Designers!