How to wear fishnet stockings, from sizing to keeping them intact

Fishnet stockings are the most graphic thing you can put on a leg. The open net draws lines over the skin and makes the leg look longer, and that is why they have never really gone out of fashion. Wearing them so they sit straight, stay up and survive more than one evening takes a few small habits.

Stockings, pantyhose or tights

Before anything else, decide which shape you want.

• Stockings end at the thigh and are held up by a garter belt, garter straps on a set, or a silicone band at the top. They leave the hips and everything in between free.
• Crotchless pantyhose run from waist to toe like ordinary tights but are open where it counts, so you get the whole leg covered with no garter belt and nothing to remove. See our crotchless pantyhose.
• Body stockings continue the net over the torso and often the arms, a whole outfit in one piece.

This guide is about the first, the classic thigh high stocking. All our net styles are on the fishnet stockings page.

One Size or Queen

Hosiery is sized by height and weight rather than by letter. Here is how we cut ours.

Size	Weight, roughly	Who it suits
One Size	about 90 to 160 lb	Most heights up to about 5 ft 9 in
Queen	about 150 to 250 lb	Fuller thighs, taller frames, plus sizes

If you are tall and slim, Queen gives you more leg length and the top sits higher on the thigh. If you sit right at the overlap, choose Queen: a stocking that is a little long can be gathered, one that is too short rolls down. Our Filet Fishnet Stockings ($22) are made in both sizes, in Noir and Rouge.

How to put fishnet stockings on

Pulling a stocking up from the top is how most runs begin. Rolling is the trick.

1. Remove rings and check your nails. A rough nail or a ring claw catches the net instantly. Some people wear thin cotton gloves for this step.
2. Gather the stocking. Bunch it with your thumbs from the top all the way down to the toe, so it becomes a small ring.
3. Point the foot in. Seat the toe and heel first, making sure the heel of the stocking is on your heel.
4. Unroll upward. Feed it up the leg a little at a time, smoothing as you go, keeping the pattern straight.
5. Straighten the line. Look in a mirror. The net should run vertically, without twisting around the calf.

If you wear back seam stockings, the seam is the thing to watch. The Couture Back Seam Stockings ($28) have a line up the back that must run straight from heel to thigh, and that line is the whole point of the look.

Keeping them up

A stocking held by nothing slides. Three ways to anchor it:

• A garter belt. Four or six straps, clipped to the welt at the front and the back. Clip the back first while standing, then the front.
• A set with garters. Some sets include them, such as the Aveu Three Piece Set ($149), which combines bra, panty and garter belt in lace.
• A corset with garter straps. The most dramatic option, and the most secure, see our sexy corsets.

Put the panty on after the garter belt. That way you can take the panty off later without unclipping anything, an old trick that makes the evening simpler. A crotchless panty removes the question altogether.

Keeping them from running

Fishnet is stronger than sheer nylon because the net is open, but a broken knot can still travel. Some habits that help:

• Keep jewelry, watch straps and belt buckles away from the net.
• Sit on smooth surfaces, rough wood or wicker snags easily.
• Moisturize your legs an hour before, not just before. Damp skin grips the net and pulls it.
• If a knot breaks, a tiny dot of clear nail polish on the ends stops it traveling.

Choosing the net and the color

Not all fishnet is the same. A fine net, with small diamonds close together, looks elegant and almost like a sheer stocking from a distance, and it suits lace sets and French looks. A wider net with large diamonds is bolder and more graphic, and it suits corsets, harnesses and roleplay. If you are buying your first pair, a medium net is the most versatile, it works with almost everything you already own.

Color changes the effect too. Black fishnet is the classic, it frames the leg and slims it. Red fishnet is a statement and works best when the rest of the look is black. Nude sheer stockings with a back seam are the quiet alternative, the look of bare skin with one precise line drawn on it. The welt at the top of the stocking matters as well. A wide lace welt looks finished even when it shows below a short skirt or a robe, and it gives the garter clips something firm to hold. When you clip the stockings, catch the welt itself, never the net below it, or the net will stretch and ladder. If you wear a crotchless style underneath, our crotchless panties are cut to sit flat under garter straps.

What to wear them with

Fishnets are a strong accent, so balance them. With a lace set they look Parisian. With a corset they look theatrical. With a satin robe they are an evening at home that has a plan. Avoid pairing them with another busy pattern on the body, let the net be the one pattern on the leg and keep everything above it simple. Many of our lingerie sets have garters built in.

Washing and storing

Hand wash in cool water with a gentle detergent, press out the water without wringing and dry flat. Store each pair loosely rolled, apart from anything with hooks. Stockings are worn against the skin, so they are final sale for hygiene, and a good pair looked after this way will last many evenings.

Questions

How do you keep fishnet stockings from falling down?

Clip them to a garter belt, a set with garter straps or a corset. Choosing the right size also helps, a stocking that is too short rolls down the thigh.

Which size fishnet stockings should I buy?

One Size fits about 90 to 160 lb, Queen about 150 to 250 lb and taller frames. At the overlap, choose Queen.

How do you stop fishnets from running?

Roll them on instead of pulling, remove rings, keep buckles away and dab clear nail polish on any broken knot so it does not travel.

Do you wear underwear over or under a garter belt?

Put the panty on after the garter belt, over the straps, so you can take it off without unclipping your stockings.

Can I return stockings?

Stockings are final sale for hygiene. A faulty pair or the wrong item is replaced, just write to us with your order number.