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Nothing but Seamed Stockings

pigeon toe

One Too Many
Messages
1,328
Location
los angeles, ca
LadyDeWinter said:
Hello Folly,

I think the flesh tone stockings were common in the past.

A question to you, I still can't manage it to keep my seams straight. When I walk around with my seamed stockings for a while they always end up somewhere at the inside of my calves. [huh]
How do you (or you Ladies) manage it to keep them straight?

Somehow I've had very good luck with keeping my seams straight. I read a tip somewhere that says to fasten the back garter clip first. I've done it every time and it's always worked for me, even on a pair of stockings that were a little too big.

I also wear a girdle with six garters, so if you're using only four garters, it might move around more.
 

Folly

One of the Regulars
Messages
275
Location
Hampshire, England
LadyDeWinter said:
Hello Folly,

I think the flesh tone stockings were common in the past.

A question to you, I still can't manage it to keep my seams straight. When I walk around with my seamed stockings for a while they always end up somewhere at the inside of my calves. [huh]
How do you (or you Ladies) manage it to keep them straight?

Goodness, mine used to roam about all over the place! I was forever checking them and trying to straighten them, until that is, the day I purchased an eight (metal) clasp suspender belt and they haven't shifted since!
 

r lush

New in Town
Messages
33
Location
Seattle
you could always draw them on!

you guys probablaby know this already, but gals during WWII would fake them...

"Silk stockings were scarce, so women applied make-up to simulate the appearance of seamed stockings." (quote from here)

you have to have a freind with very steady hand for this! but its one way to keep the seams straight all night ;)

and I googled stockings and found a short "history of stockings" very interesting...
 

GOK

One Too Many
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1,308
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Raxacoricofallapatorius
I'd be paranoid about touching anything or crossing my legs in case the 'seams' rubbed off! But not as worried as I'd be using gravy browning (which I've heard was used too)...imagine being followed by every pooch in the neighbourhood wanting to lick your legs! lol
 

Folly

One of the Regulars
Messages
275
Location
Hampshire, England
GOK said:
I'd be paranoid about touching anything or crossing my legs in case the 'seams' rubbed off! But not as worried as I'd be using gravy browning (which I've heard was used too)...imagine being followed by every pooch in the neighbourhood wanting to lick your legs! lol

Or if it were a particularly hot day :eek:
 

Folly

One of the Regulars
Messages
275
Location
Hampshire, England
I see faked up seams a lot, but never have I seen gravy browned legs .. I think I shall stick to runaway seams over streaky gravy legs with dogs on my trail lol
 

GOK

One Too Many
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Raxacoricofallapatorius
I don't know if the gravy browning is just an urban myth - I'm pretty sure my Grandmother told me about it and that I've read it too. Still, doesn't mean it's true! I don't think I'll ever look at a packet of Bisto in the same way again though! lol
 

Folly

One of the Regulars
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275
Location
Hampshire, England
I just can't imagine it happening, even though they say it did.
I wonder how easy to obtain, the leg paint was .. and what was in it.

Mmmmm, Bisto legs ;)
 

GOK

One Too Many
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Raxacoricofallapatorius
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/13/a4911013.shtml

And from here:

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWrationing.htm

Women's magazines were packed with handy hints on how, for example, old curtains might be cut up to make a dress. Stockings were in short supply so girls coloured their legs with gravy browning. Sometimes a friend would draw a line down the back of their legs with an eyebrow pencil for a seam.

This from here:

http://www.nettlesworth.durham.sch.uk/time/wfash.html

Make up and stockings were hard to come by. Some women would draw a line down the back of each leg and pretend they were wearing stockings. Others used gravy browning to dye their legs but on a hot day this drew the flies to their legs.

:eek: :eek: :eek:

And here:

http://www.annefrankguide.net/en-GB/bronnenbank.asp?oid=4483

Clothing rations

This affected women more than men because they couldn't get silk stockings (there was no nylon nor any tights back then). Women did all sorts of things to make it look as if they were wearing silk stockings - like staining their legs with tea, a mixture of sand and water, or even a thin mixture of gravy browning; and then making a line down the back of their legs with eye liner - to look like a stocking seam!
 

Sunny

One Too Many
Messages
1,409
Location
DFW
Re: Drawing the stocking line

I read the Andrews Sisters book some years ago. They used leg makeup, of course, but they never drew on the seams. I don't quite remember the reason, but I have the impression they thought it was too contrived to draw on a fake seam.
 

Folly

One of the Regulars
Messages
275
Location
Hampshire, England
Make up and stockings were hard to come by. Some women would draw a line down the back of each leg and pretend they were wearing stockings. Others used gravy browning to dye their legs but on a hot day this drew the flies to their legs.

:eek:
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
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33,165
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
Leg makeup is still available -- there's a Sally Hansen spray-on product called "Airbrush Legs," apparently intended for those who want to join the modern-day bare-leg craze, but don't want to actually show their bare skin. A step in the right direction, perhaps?
 

pigeon toe

One Too Many
Messages
1,328
Location
los angeles, ca
LizzieMaine said:
Leg makeup is still available -- there's a Sally Hansen spray-on product called "Airbrush Legs," apparently intended for those who want to join the modern-day bare-leg craze, but don't want to actually show their bare skin. A step in the right direction, perhaps?

That's just crazy! Wearing a pair of stockings seems like 100x easier than "airbrushing" your legs!

Have you ladies ever seen girls with seams tattooed on their legs? I have and I always think they are going to regret it. It's obviously just not the same! Plus, what happens when they age and the shape of their legs change? Migrating seams like no other, I'm sure!
 

katiepickle

New in Town
Messages
43
Location
San Diego, CA
pigeon toe said:
Have you ladies ever seen girls with seams tattooed on their legs?

I have also seen gals with garters tattooed on their legs. I can't say that I care for the look personally, but for burlesque dancers in warm climates it must be nice and breezy.
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
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33,165
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
pigeon toe said:
Have you ladies ever seen girls with seams tattooed on their legs? I have and I always think they are going to regret it. It's obviously just not the same! Plus, what happens when they age and the shape of their legs change? Migrating seams like no other, I'm sure!

Ah! I met a gal at the theatre this summer with tattooed seams -- she was amazed that I was actually wearing real stockings. The tattoos looked pretty convincing -- but I had to wonder what they looked like when she was wearing shorts...
 

LadyDeWinter

A-List Customer
Messages
466
Location
Berlin, Germany
LizzieMaine said:
Ah! I met a gal at the theatre this summer with tattooed seams -- she was amazed that I was actually wearing real stockings. The tattoos looked pretty convincing -- but I had to wonder what they looked like when she was wearing shorts...

I wonder what it looks like when she wears a bathing suitlol lol
 

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