I'm in Love with these Trasparenze Gillian Hold Ups!

Everyday I see hosiery that I want! If I bought every pair, then I know I would have a problem. Also, I think my collection would start to over run my house. I already can't store the pairs I have. But, these I know I can't live without! Did I mention that my friend Laura Angela just brought me 6 pairs from Paris and Nathan is bringing me home a few pairs from China!!

These Hold-Ups are from Trasparenze a lovely Italian Brand, that makes both funky and sexy hosiery. I first discovered them at Goldenpoint a few years ago. You can find them at My Tights and occasionally at Tj Maxx among other small Lingerie boutiques. These are a great design, not only do I love love love the lace detail going up the back of the leg the front portion is covered in polka dots. So very Italian... These pair will only set you back about $25.00, and are always excellent quality. I have pairs from this brand that have lasted for years.

People sometimes are intimidated by Hold-ups, they worry that the Hold-ups will fall down in the middle of the day. The trick is wetting the rubber portion with a little water. It makes the rubber, (yes its rubber) stick better. Or if that doesn't work you could always for extra protection buy sock garters which are also great if the rubber in a favorite pair of Hold-ups are on there last leg. .

How to wear Leopard Print Tights

I have never in my life worn anything with an animal print. So to finally incorporate leopard print into my wardrobe is a big deal, and to do it with tights made the transition a whole lot easier. These tights I bought at the "Only Sale of the Season" Sale at LF. A mini chain store in NYC. They always have a nice selection of tights, clothes, purses etc-but always ridiculously priced until sale time.

When I saw these, I felt it was time to take the plunge into animal prints. By pairing it only with Black you  avoid the traditional Brooklyn stereotype of an Italian American who wears animal print from head to toe and become more of the new stereotype Brooklyn Hipster especially with the "men's wear" shoes. These are a great quality tight, the pattern doesn't stretch out when you put them on. Which can sometimes happen when the pattern is printed on the tights and not knit into the tights. Which is totally frustrating when you find something that looks amazing on the shelf and you get it home and put it on and it looks like when you use silly putty to grab an image in a new paper then stretch it out...ick

In addition to this pair of Fab leopard print tights, my friend Laura Angela also brought me a pair of grey leopard tights from Paris! So the story will continue on how to wear leopard print tights!

Purple and Grey Part 3

Sorry for the delay in posts, Max has been under the weather and Nathan is traveling in China...

This is the final outfit in my Grey and Purple montage outfit number 5. I didn't post Sunday's outfit, and instead of my usual tights, I wore a pair of Calzedonia men's socks. I will devote an entire post the amazing selection of Men's socks that Calzedonia carries, but again that is an entire other post...

This outfit always makes me feel like something out of Mad Men. A total Peggy Olsen look. The tights are a so ordinary for me, a sort of cross between a mesh and fishnet. A little diamond pattern, in a warm grey color. I used to be totally into fishnets before I discovered European patterned hosiery. I have fishnets in almost every color you can imagine, from hot pink, to baby pink and even tinkerbell green. That will also be another post.

I picked this find up at Filene's Basement for $7.99. At the time I didn't have any grey tights, and I desperate for any pair I could find. This is the second time I have worn them, and it will be the last. I usually get at least 4 wears out of a lower price point, but sometimes there is a reason that they are at Filene's for $7.99 Oh well, its not like I don't have more grey tights...

Grey, Purple and Teal Hue Tights

This pair of stripey tights is from HUE. Hue brand tights are the closest an American brand has come to a European style line. Their range focuses on both fashionable trends and basics in everything from a heavy Merino knit, to sheer hold ups, textured tights and even Jeggings. The got their start in a New York City apartment in the late seventies, by dying white tights in a variety of Hue's. So I guess its as simple as that...

Don't worry I haven't forgotten about my promise to wear only purple and grey which these tights are both... I will be posting the round up of my grey and purple week Sunday. 

How awsome are these Wolford Marlene Tights

I recently found these at Tights Please. They are from  Wolford simply named Marlene. Like most Wolford pieces they are ridiculously priced, which doesn't mean I don't want them...It just means I can't buy them as an impulse purchase.

This pair of seamed tights has a nostalgic flare with back seams and a unique detail at the heal of a hand. A twist on the traditional Cuban healed stockings. The hand looks like it has drawn the "seam" down the back of the leg just like my grandmothers used to have to do during the rationing during WW2.

Grey and Purple Madness Part 1

For the last few days I have worn nothing but grey and purple. Not on purpose I swear! I really do own other colors, but sometimes it feels comfortable to be in just one or two colors. Maybe I will be one of those people that only wears certain colors. Which isn't the worse thing in the world is it? There are tons of people who only wear black and no one thinks twice about that being unusual.

Purple is definitely my favorite color, it suits me and I am automatically drawn to it over any other color. If I had to pick a shade it would almost always be a warmish purple like the aubergine shade in the photo below day 1. In the colder months I am drawn to cooler purples like the mauve color in day 2 below.

Day 1

Day 1's grey tights are part of the samples I received from Jleana Calze, an Italian Hosiery manufacturer

that I am hoping to work with on developing my own line. They are the perfect shade of grey, very opaque not sure of the exact denier and have a vertical horizontal design.

Day 2

Day 2's tights are from Hansel from Basel a great little Indie brand that has a very hipster vibe with vintage twists. I really enjoy the color combos and unique look to their range. These tights are a thick knit, are very comfy and super warm. They sort of remind me of a pair of tights I would of worn as a kid. 

I think it would be fun to continue on the trend of the two color look, so I will finish out the week in only grey and purple. Lucky for me I have at least 15 pairs of gray tights and 14 of purple, so stop by for round two of Grey and Purple Madness...

ShaToBu-Calorie Burning Tights

Another brand that I meet with at the Curve NY show was ShaToBu. ShaToBu are Tummy Shaping, Muscle Toning, Calorie Buring Tights- A workout you wear, or so they say. ShaToBu, also make Shapewear and workout wear.

ShaToBu are the latest trend in the quest for the quick fix exercise solution. These revolutionary calorie burning tights have resistance bands sewn into the gluteus and hamstrings portion of the fabric. They claim to burn 12% more calories a day then a person wearing just regular tights. The perfect solution for the upcoming warm weather! I personally have not had the time that I use to have for exercise unless you count me using MAX as a weight or teaching him to learn how to count by counting the crunches I do on the living room floor. So this exercise fad is right up my alley. I will be purchasing a pair of the ShaToBu tights from MyTights.com, one of the best hosiery sites on the WEB!