Fishnet stockings and the legwear that goes with them

Why fishnet never goes away

Fishnet works because it does two things at once. It covers the leg and shows all of it. The diamond grid throws a shadow on the skin that makes legs look longer and sharper, and the open weave leaves no doubt about what lies underneath. Worn under a skirt it reads as attitude; worn with a garter and nothing else, it reads as intention.

Our four legwear styles

Style	What it is	Price
Filet Fishnet Stockings	Classic thigh high net, Noir or Rouge	$22
Maille Crotchless Fishnet Tights	Waist high net with an open gusset	$24
Ouvert Crotchless Pantyhose	Sheer nylon, open at the gusset	$26
Couture Back Seam Stockings	Sheer nylon with a seam up the back	$28

For full coverage from shoulder to toe, the Resille Body Stocking ($42) uses the same net across the whole body.

One Size or Queen

Hosiery comes in two sizes. One Size fits most bodies up to about 160 lb and five foot nine. Queen is cut wider at the thigh and hip and longer in the leg, for roughly 150 to 250 lb or a taller frame up to about six foot. If your thighs are fuller than average, Queen will sit flatter at the top and the net will not stretch into wide gaps. Our size guide gives the full chart.

How to wear them

Thigh high fishnets need something to hold them. Clip them to the garter on a three piece from our erotic lingerie sets, or wear them under a corset with suspenders. Crotchless tights need nothing and stay put on their own, which makes them the easier choice for a night out; see our dedicated page for crotchless pantyhose. Back seams are the French choice: check the seam in a mirror before you leave, because a crooked one is the only thing that gives you away.

Roll stockings down to the toe before putting them on, slide the foot in and unroll upward. Pulling from the top is what tears a net.

Choosing the size of the net

Fishnets are not all the same mesh. A fine net, with small diamonds, reads as texture from a distance and looks almost like sheer hosiery; it suits office clothes and dinner. A medium net, like our Filet, is the classic: clearly fishnet, graphic, but still elegant. A wide net, the kind used for stage costumes, shows more skin than pattern and is closer to a costume than to lingerie.

Color matters as much as the net. Noir is timeless and goes with any lingerie set. Rouge fishnets are a bold choice that pairs naturally with a red set or a black corset, and they suit the holidays. Under a skirt, rouge is a statement; under nothing else, it is a provocation.

A practical tip: the top band of a thigh high net is where it wears first. Clip the garter onto the reinforced welt, not into the net itself, and the stocking will last far longer. If a strand breaks, a dot of clear nail varnish stops it from spreading.

Care and policy

Hand wash in cool water, never wring and dry flat. A drop of hair conditioner in the rinse keeps nylon soft. Stockings and tights are final sale for hygiene, and a pair that arrives with a fault is replaced.