© Pierre Bougie 2004
Just what exactly are fully fashioned stockings (or nylons) ? Well, to put it simply, they are very special nylon stockings that were specially made on milling machines, with a back seam of course, but also other very special features. They were worn with suspenders or garters in an era that many of the younger generation didn't have the chance to see. Today's fully fashioned stockings are either made on original machinery that was salvaged from the older milling plants or are reproductions of the original designs, plus some added features that creative minds bring to us. For a good historic rundown on the subject, you may wish to visit the deutsches-strumpfmuseum.de where there is a very interesting movie to watch on how a pair of full fashion stockings was actually manufactured in those good old days. The commentary is in German only, but the image is worth watching. You will also enjoy visiting www.hosieryuk.com for some great historical texts on hosiery in general and many definitions and drawings, with terms used specifically within the hosiery trade. Both websites are very informative. But nothing beats photographs or movies to actually see with our own eyes what is a fully fashioned stocking... Let us now have a look at what is known as the French Heel (or Paris heel).
My friend Martina (in Germany) has offered to model two different pairs for us. These stockings are made nowadays by Gerbe, a French manufacturer.
Both are of the same design and differ only in color. Let's have a look at a few photos that show us both stockings one near the other so as to differentiate their shine and texture:
Members will see a total of 80 high resolution larger photos in this series!
Now let's have a look at the different parts of the stocking, beginning at the tip of toes:
We can see that the reinforcement is there, but on these stockings, it is almost invisible. The way the reinforced tip is designed, it covers the nails of all the toes, having been knitted in a special pattern of angles that fit around all of the five digits. If we have a look from underneath the foot, we will see that the seam that runs all the way up to the stocking top actually begins at the very tip of the bigger toe:
We also notice that the reinforcement of a fully fashioned stocking actually covers all the way under the sole in a very sexy manner. It envelops the ball of the foot and then narrows in a curve that fits under the arch, before widening again to cup the round muscle of the heel.
From the rear of the sole, the French (or Paris) heel then begins to taper upwards and finish off into a point somewhere at the level of the ankle. The height varies from one make to another and of course the size of the stocking and the size of the foot might make a difference also. One more thing we need to notice as we follow the nylon engulfing the feminine sculpture of flesh and bones that we so dearly love to admire: the seam of the stocking splits the sole right down the middle. It will be so all the way up the back of the leg and a feminine lady will always make sure her seams are straight, from the middle of her tennis ball sized heel, along her ankle, her calf, the back of her knee and dead center behind her thigh! As the seam reaches the welt (This is where the material doubles as it is folded over itself) it ends in a very peculiar fashion that was necessary in the manufacturing process. This is called the "keyhole" and is a very unique characteristic of the full fashion stocking.
Such stockings do not hold onto the leg just by themselves. It is thus important that the lady who opts to wear them chooses a proper garment with suspenders. Such can be a garter belt or a girdle, or even a corset. No matter which design is chosen, it will securely attach to the welt by the means of adjustable straps, that have special hooks, preferably in metal for better strenght, to attach to the thicker material of the nylon tops and pull at them to hold them securely and tightly up the leg.
So next time you see a pair of shapely legs like those of lovely Martina wearing seamed nylons, you will want to confirm if they are fully fashioned stockings or not. Now you know what to look for, so you will wish to see the lady take her shoes off and possibly bend forward to see up her skirt from behind so as to observe the welt and that keyhole at the back of her thigh... Today, some elegant and fashionable women still wear these kind of nylons on a day to day basis. I simply wish there were more of them around! This is a true all time favorite of mine and it certainly does make my head turn!
A very special THANK YOU to my beloved friend MARTINA from Germany, for these very special contributed photos! You too can submit your own photos for a Lexicon definition... E-mail me!
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