What could be more feminine than a pair of silky smooth pantyhose?
While many women opt for the bare-legged look these days, pantyhose (and tights) give a much more polished appearance.
The secret is to choose hosiery that makes you look sexy and stylish – not like you stepped out of a time warp from the 80s.
Follow these 5 transgender / crossdresser / femboy pantyhose style rules and I guarantee you can’t go wrong!
A Quick Note About Pantyhose vs. Tights vs. Stockings
Before we jump into the rules, let’s quickly discuss terms:
- Pantyhose – This is a term used in the U.S. to describe sheer hosiery with a denier (a measure of thickness in tights) of 8 to 30.
- Tights – Tights are thicker than pantyhose, with a denier of 40 to 100. (That said, most other English-speaking countries use the term “tights” for all hosiery, from sheer to thick.)
- Stockings – Stockings differ from tights in that they only extend to the upper thighs. They stay up with elastic or are secured with a garter belt.
Rule #1: Only Wear Nude Or Black Pantyhose
For the most sophisticated look, I recommend sticking to the basics and only wearing nude or black pantyhose. (Colored tights are a different story. See Rule #5.)
If you wear black hose, make sure that they’re jet black – not gray-black or brown-black.
Rule #2: Go For Sheer Nude Hose That Matches Your Skin Tone
The #1 rule for nude hose is to match your skin tone as closely as possible.
High-end hose brands (like Donna Karan and Calvin Klein) offer lots of nude shades to choose from, so you should be able to find a perfect match.
The #2 rule for nude hose is to buy the sheerest hosiery you can find. Nude pantyhose should be like the foundation you wear on your face: invisible, but enhancing.
Rule #3: Buy The Best Quality Pantyhose You Can Afford
Most trans women, crossdressers, and femboys have great legs, so it pays to show them off with nice pantyhose. There’s a big difference between drug store brands and department store brands.
My favorite high quality hosiery brands include:
- Wolford
- Spanx
- Donna Karan
- Calvin Klein
- Nordstrom
Rule #4: Coordinate Your Pantyhose With Your Shoes
If you wear black pantyhose, wear black shoes for the most streamlined look.
Nude hose gives you the most options: You can pair them with any color of shoes. For the most leg-lengthening look, try wearing nude hose with nude shoes.
Just remember: NO pantyhose with sandals or open toed shoes! (A small peep toe is fine.)
Rule #5: Try Tights
Semi-sheer and opaque tights are a great alternative to transgender / crossdresser pantyhose – especially when it’s cold out.
Tights are less formal, but they tend to look more modern and youthful than pantyhose.
The pantyhose rules DON’T apply to tights, so experiment with different colors, styles, and textures. Funky tights can totally make an outfit!
Let’s continue the conversation…
Do you love to wear pantyhose, tights, and/or stockings? If so, what are your favorite styles and brands?
Please share your comments below!
Love,
Lucille
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Secrets-In-Lace makes the best stockings! Just love wearing them, they make me feel so girly!
“Ericka”…GREAT SEXY LEGS and NYLONS !!! “Paula”
So I have veins
And have lovely nude pantyhose from the above brands
I have a spray tan tomorrow and hens night in 2 days
Will the pantyhose still be ok to wear , they are ultra sheer
Ahhhhhhh help
Hosiery today is actually a joke compared to the old days. Nothing like seeing a women wearing fine real nylon stockings.
For the past eight years, I have functioned in the IT field as a non-op transgendered woman who started the transition about ten years ago. With a 34D-27-36 acquired figure at 5′-8″” and 125 lbs, I am an attractive blonde and 100% passable without notice, now hold an IT director’s position, and dress with a refined, sexy look while still remaining business appropriate. Wearing hosiery is pretty much required for the corporate work environment; consequently, I prefer ultra sheer nude pantyhose for daily wear to match all the outfits in my work wardrobe. Sometimes barely black shade also works.
Donna Karan and Berkshire Ultra Sheers probably have the best control top hosiery that feel and look like you are wearing nothing while being priced competitively relative to performance. After having an orchiectomy, I have enjoyed the feel and freedom of not having to wear panties, so control top pantyhose works for me to keep things in place since I have chosen to still be non-op. For dating and going out, I sometimes wear really short skirts and dresses with ultra sheer to the waist pantyhose (non-control top), so a small, nude smoothing thong works for my situation; however, I frequently use clear, sterile surgical tape in place of a thong.
Also, taping is best for going commando with skinny jeans and tight pants.
My preference is a fashionable “not there look” for pantyhose, thigh highs, and nylons with a garter belt. The right pantyhose does work with open toed heels and high heeled strappy sandals as long as the style is nude and bare looking. My pedicured French toenails always look fashionable wearing ultra sheer nude nylons with strappy heels and open toed pumps. When I go to social functions or work parties with my fiancé, Oroblu Different 15 ultra sheer to the waist pantyhose in nude color are my favorite for wear with my ultra short, low cut evening dresses and strappy evening sandals. These Italian made nylons are simply the best and have a unique sheer to the waist hugging brief with a cotton gusset which even I can wear without a thong or tape. Sometimes I pamper myself and wears these to work.
Having functioned as woman for some time, I have worn pantyhose, thigh highs, and nylons with garters. Pantyhose are my favorite hosiery.
I love what pantyhose do for legs but higher end brands are a must. Nothing worse than seeing a great pair of legs in cheap polyester pantyhose. Personally, I think the cheap brands feel terrible to wear anyway which might have something to do with why fewer women wear them now days. The right pair of pantyhose feel comfortable and give the legs a smooth color with a little sheen.
Hello, HELP!! I have a work holiday party at a nice hotel with a view, and I’m wearing a fitted pretty black lace-ish with fleshtone underneath dress, knee length in december. I need to wear hose, I’m always cold. The dress has a small sleeve as well, above the elbow and not too heavy looking. What kind of hose can I wear? Can I wear super sheer nude or sheer black? Help! I feel like I will look like an old lady or from the 80’s, especially if I wear black sheer.
As a non-op transgendered career woman, may I suggest that nude, ultra sheer pantyhose pantyhose will work best with the dress you described; moreover, if you want to wear strappy evening sandals, your pedicured feet will still look bare, sexy, and finished in these hose. Since your dress is not real short, Donna Karan The Nudes control top is probably the best option in a color that matches your flesh tone. I wear these for work and have always been satisfied with the fashionable “not there” look and feel from waist to toes. If you are like me, you will really like the quality control panty since I never wear any other panties with pantyhose.
Tights are usually great when the weather starts to cool down
Improper use of pantyhose can be a tale tale giveaway for crossdressers. Less and less ladies wear pantyhose in casual dress now days. It’s mostly formal and work related reasons and when I see them being worn out casually it immediately draws attention as someone that has poor fashion sense. And yes those non-sheer pantyhose look awful. Only old ladies and fetish crossdressers and people that have to for work wear them.