Hosiery is clothing that is worn on the feet and legs to include items such as tights, stockings, pantyhose, garters and suspenders. It can be found in lots of different fabrics and colours.
Hosiery can also be a type of sock for men that come in several forms. Hosiery was first known to be worn by the Romans and it's thought that the Egyptians may have also worn a form of hosiery. It was made famous during the 16th century when Queen Elizabeth was gifted with a pair of silk stockings, which later on led to the invention of a knitting frame for making hosiery. This frame became so important that the British wouldn't let the settlers take them to the colonies because they didn't want them to form a viable trade.
Hosiery comes in different thicknesses from sheer to much thicker hosiery meant for keeping a person's legs warm in the wintertime. In the past, it was made by knitting yarn or other thread by hand, but nowadays it is made of a stretchy fabric or mesh. Some other types of material used are nylon, cotton, spandex, and sometimes expensive silk threads. Hosiery can be worn as either a piece of underwear or as an outer garment, depending on the style. For example, tights are a kind of hosiery usually worn like a pair of pants along with a tunic or sweater.
Hosiery is available in many different patterns and styles. You can get them in varying lengths from ankle high to thigh high, as well as one piece styles like panty hose and tights. Here are some of the more popular types of hosiery:
Body stockings are a kind of hosiery that is made of nylon and covers the whole body from the neck down. Thigh-length hosiery goes from the toes to the thighs and clips to a garter belt, while knee and ankle length hosiery are dress sock style hosiery. Pantyhose and tights are other forms of hosiery and are worn under skirts, dresses, or sometimes under pants for warmth.
While these types of stocking are usually worn by women, there are types of hosiery meant for men. Men's socks are sometimes referred to as hosiery depending on the style and thickness of the socks. Dress socks are a type of hosiery made for men that is thin and made of varying types of fabric.
