The Best Pantyhose
Pantyhose is one of the most taboo garments, but at the same time, they can make any person, male, female, or non-binary, feel exremely special and uncannily beautiful. Pantyhose looks fantastic on all bodies, from the leanest to the thick and muscular. Pantyhose creates illusions that captivate our senses and in many cases can elevate sensuality and gender affirmation.
What Makes Pantyhose So Special?
The best pantyhose is the pantyhose that lasts long, looks the way we want it to look, fits well, and also comes at a price point that doesn't break the bank. Today I want to share with you my picks for the best pantyhose. After all, my latest book, Our Lord of the Flowers, centers this unique garment inside its plot, in the same way that I centered spandex and superhero cosplays inside the four volumes of How to Kill a Superhero.
But what makes pantyhose different than spandex superhero uniforms is that it's a garment that doesn't require a special occasion to wear it. For many folks, wearing stockings and hosiery simply allows them to present themselves through fashion. For others, it's a deep kink and fetish. My recommendations find a balance among fetish, practicality, and fashion.
Let's Decolonize Our Hyperlinks First
Before I share my recommended brands, I want to tell you that when I was drafting this guide, I was going to include affiliate links from Amazon for the products I am recommending. That cash from the affiliate link would have supported my work and my costs as an indie author. But instead, I will provide you with links to the smaller retailers of hosiery who can provide you with the same product, and in many cases, offer you better customer support and selection of sizes, colors, and more pantyhose brands. The reason I am doing this is to decolonize myself from the stronghold of e-com monopolies like those imposed by Amazon. Instead, I am choosing either direct links to the brand, or trusted smaller businesses that sell hosieree. I am not affiliated in any way with the retailers to which I have linked in this review, but I recommend them because they have been wonderful to me over the years, providing me with great customer support.
If you're wondering how you can support me financially in other ways, please consider buying one of my Our Lord of the Flowers prints, any of my previously published novels, or the gym spandex products I design. Those purchases directly support my efforts in releasing Our Lord of the Flowers as an indie author.
Who Are These Pantyhose Picks For?
And lastly, keep in mind that my recommendations are gender expansive, queer affirming, and body positive. No one is excluded from receiving a recommendation for the best pantyhose. This is how we subvert homophobia, transphobia, mysogyny, fat shaming and fear of the human body. So let's get into the picks.
My Top 3 Pantyhose Picks
The Best All Around: Cecilia De Rafael
For a glossy finish that makes your legs feel like they were sculpted, Cecilia De Rafael is simply the best and most versatile. It's also affordable. This Spanish brand continues to make incredible pantyhose in various deniers (thicknesses of the fabric) in both matte and glossy finishes. I prefer a very glossy finish, and CDR delivers. This brand is in fact the one you will most often see me wear daily out in the street, but it's also my favorite to model for my digital photo art.
Cecilia De Rafael pantyhose will last you a long time if you know how to take care of the garment. At the same time, its price point is great for newbies or for folks who want multiple pairs and colors without breaking the bank. Because we have so many male bodies represented in the audience of Our Lord of the Flowers, I am also recommending CDR because its pantyhose, especially in the lighter deniers around 20-40 tend to be less constricting in the crotch while also fitting well for folks with penises or large crotches. Of course, your mileage may vary.
When most people approach me wanting a recommendation, I name Cecilia De Rafael, and specifically, their Eterno Lucido 20 product. To me, that is pantyhose I can wear virtually anywhere on the planet to feel and look my best.
Start with:
Eterno Super Lucido 20 at Shapings.com
Eterno Super Lucido 20 at Hosieree.com
The Upgrade Pick: Wolford
Wolford is definitely the upgrade if you're looking to add more luxury to your hosiery collection. This Austrian company was founded in 1950, and it's definitely one of the top brands you can get today. Celebrities like Beyonce and Dua Lipa wear these pantyhose, and for good reason. It's extremely high quality, transforms legs into living sculptures, and it's made to last much longer than other hose.
The price point of Wolford can be limiting, however. Spending this much on a pair of pantyhose means that one has means, or it's something that's reserved for a special occasion. In my case, wearing this brand around the holidays or a special night out is how I choose to engage with Wolford. They offer myriad deniers and finishes, from matte to glossy, and in general, they do service larger sizes or male bodies. Even if this is an aspirational brand for some folks, its quality cannot be debated. It's some of the best out there.
Start With:
Wolford Satin Touch 20 at Wolford.com
An Excellent Runner Up: Marilyn
You should never overlook Marilyn pantyhose. This Polish brand looks great, but I have to say, it feels great. It's like having velvet lining. It's an established brand that offers many colors and finishes, but if I was goint to recommend a great alternate for starter hosiery, it would be Marilyn. Their dark colors in particular have a very nice sheerness that works well with the play with light and shadow that they create.
If you're a person that finds pantyhose too scratchy and uncomfortable, I recommend starting with this pick. If you feel that it delivers on that comfort, you can always upgrade to a Wolford, but Marilyn will let you flex and experiment at a price point that is much more affordable.
Start with:
Marylin Naked 20 Lux Line at Hosieree.com
Marylin Naked 20 Lux Line at the official Marilyn site
Your Next Step
If you're new to hose, take your time to research brands, and if you have a community that supports your gender experience and your safety, feel free to ask them for what they recommend. If you're a more seasoned user, have a lot of fun with hose. Don't be afraid to embrace who you are, and if you're worried about gender lines, remember that hosiery was first worn by men, centuries ago. The fact that today it's been slotted into being a female garment is nothing more than a construct. You are the driver of your own consciousness, and your body.
Got feedback for me? You can send me a note via my contact page.